Client: Co-operative Bank
Partners: IFC and Nailab
Sector: Banking
Services: Branding and Service Design
Answering the call to ignite Fintech Innovation
Start by designing an innovation framework that allows a major bank to engage with startups and entrepreneurs.
The Challenge
Co-operative bank pinpointed that opportunities for growth and expansion are created through an environment that intentionally purposed to birth disruptive ideas. What would be a meaningful way to do this in alignment with the bank’s strategic objectives? They decided to launch a venture that would engage the ingenious minds of startups and entrepreneurs. This would manifest in a call for applications to work together, problem solve and realise mutual value.
Our Approach
Design an engagement framework
Develop a public campaign
Marathon designed a framework in collaboration with IFC and Nailab to ensure that the quality of selected applications were high and that actionable solutions were proposed as a result of the challenge. It established how the bank would engage with startups and entrepreneurs to create value for the latter two and the bank’s stakeholders, i.e. cooperatives, SACCOs and their members.
The challenge needed to launch with a name and identity. Something catchy that would embody the spirit of competitive innovation. We named it the Akili Kali Challenge. Loosely translated, it means sharp minds. The visual identity represented both a brain with charged neurons and a speech bubble. We also created key messages for the challenge campaign.
The Outcome
A memorable call for applications with nationwide reach. The winners of this innovation challenge received KES 5million for their proposal of practical solutions to local challenges which ultimately contributes to improving the bank’s service delivery.