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• Visa joins Grace Hopper Award Program in Georgia and Champions Woman in the information and communication technology (ICT) industry

  Tbilisi, April 13, 2022 - Visa became a part of the Grace Hopper Award Program in Georgia, founded by the USAID Economic Security Program in Georgia, in partnership with TBC Bank and UN Women.

  Engaging as a supporter organization in the Grace Hopper Award Program is another step forward for Visa in its efforts of supporting women, innovations and also, contributing to development of an equal society. Empowering women in the information and communication technology (ICT) industry is especially important in terms of breaking stereotypes and overcoming challenges that women are facing nowadays. Visa believes that development of the ICT industry in Georgia itself is one of the most important driving forces in the modern economic advancement, as innovative technologies play a crucial role in the reality of rapidly growing demand on digitalization.

  “One of our top priorities is to spotlight and address women who face challenges and ensure they get the support needed, thus we are committed to provide equal opportunities for everyone based on professional competencies and leadership skills. Within the program we support ICT Champion category, and I believe that the winner we choose will receive our strong support, special prize and become a member of our big network.” – noted Diana Kiguradze, Visa Regional Manager for Caucasus region.

  Bearing the name of a prominent American computer scientist and computer programming pioneer Grace Hopper, whose legacy continues to inspire many, this program recognizes the contribution of women that lead to positive changes in the information and communication technology (ICT) industry. The program is supported by Gender Equality Council of the Parliament of Georgia, UGT and Majorel Georgia.

  To apply for the nominations and fill out the application, please visit www.ictwomen.ge Applications will be accepted from April 8 to May 8, the finalists will be revealed on May 30, and an award ceremony will be held on June 10.

   

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  About Visa Inc.

  Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories each year. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.ge

• Visa Georgia Provides additionally 300,000 USD and joins Georgia Red Cross Society to Support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine

  Visa team in Georgia provides an instant aid donation of 200 thousand US Dollars to the Georgia Red Cross Society and 100 thousand US Dollars by double matching of all donations made by Visa card holders

  Tbilisi, March 25, 2022 – Georgia team of Visa, a global leader in digital payments, joins the immediate humanitarian response to the needs of the conflict-affected families in Ukraine and provides an additional instant fixed donation of 200 thousand US Dollars to Georgia Red Cross Society. On top of that, up to 100 thousand US Dollars by double matching of all donations made by Visa card holders on the website[1] of Georgia Red Cross Society. The final beneficiary of the amount is the Red Cross Ukraine which will deliver vital humanitarian supplies and services to those in need.

  Visa team in Georgia encourages all Georgian citizens, holding a Visa card to join the campaign along with Georgia Red Cross Society and make their contribution in delivering life-saving goods and services to conflict-affected families and individuals in Ukraine. The special fundraising online platform is established on www.redcross.ge All citizens of Georgia can easily access and raise money to support vulnerable communities facing devastation and a serious humanitarian crisis, caused by open military invasion in Ukraine.

   “Our Visa team stands on the side of kindness and peace. We believe that together we are stronger to encourage Ukrainian families and friends facing devastation hardship, help to avoid a serious humanitarian crisis. In this regard, Visa team in Georgia is proud to support the humanitarianrelief efforts of the Red Cross Society. To that end, we are providing an instant donation to Georgia Red Cross Society to be transferred to the Red Cross Ukraine and at the same time, start double matching individual donations made by Visa card holders using the Georgia Red Cross Society website. By doing so, we are encouraging Georgian citizens as longstanding friends of Ukrainian people to join the campaign and make contribution in humanitarian assistance.”  - Said Diana Kiguradze, Regional Manager for Caucasus Region, Visa.

  „Georgia Red Cross Society continues to raise funds to support those in need in Ukraine. Together with Visa, we launched a fundraising campaign, Visa has already transferred 200,000 USD Dollars, which will be fully donated to the Ukrainian Red Cross. We constantly seek for fundraising opportunities. The active engagement of the business sector due to provide support for more people in Ukraine, is very important. I would like to thank Visa for this contribution and I believe we continue our cooperation in the future as well. “ Stated Natia Loladze, President of the Georgia Red Cross Society.

  Beyond these efforts, Visa Foundation already donated USD 2 million to support humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine giving a grant to the US Fund for UNICEF, and an additional USD 1 million was provided by Visa through double matching of all Visa employees donations to the Ukraine response funds of UNICEF and the Red Cross.

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  About Visa Inc.

  Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories each year. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.ge

  
  

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  [1] https://donate.redcrossredcrescent.org/ge/supportukraine/~my-donation?_cv=1

• Visa Everywhere Initiative 2022 invites fintech and payment startups to showcase their solutions on a global stage

  Innovative fintech startups across Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa are invited to sign up to gain exposure and access to Visa’s network, as well as $35 000 for CEMEA Final, and $125 000 for Global Final, in total prize money

  Tbilisi, February 1, 2022: The Visa Everywhere Initiative (VEI), a global open innovation program is inviting fintech and payment startups to showcase their innovative products and solutions, with finalists gaining firsthand exposure to key fintech stakeholders across banking, merchant, VC and government sectors. Winners of the competition will be awarded monetary prizes and the opportunity to partner with a global, trusted brand like Visa.

  This year’s program has expanded to include startups that are using cryptocurrency and Visa Direct, a payment solution that can help businesses move money to billions of endpoints worldwide via card and account rails, in innovative ways. Finalists from across the world that are driving economic growth will converge in Qatar this November for the VEI finals.

  “Fintechs and payments innovators are transforming the way consumers and businesses make payments, making it easier for more people to access the money they need when they need it – and the pandemic has seen this become more critical than ever.We are proud that the team from Georgia – Payze, became the winner of Visa Everywhere Initiative 2021 in CEMEA among 760 applicants. The fact that the Georgian startup became the main finalist of Visa Everywhere, proves development of cashless economy in the country, presents the local companies on the world’s fintech map.” said Diana Kiguradze, Regional Manager for Caucasus region.

  Past editions of VEI have given some of the most promising innovators in the payments space a shot at accelerating their growth, such as MayaSoft, a startup from Uzbekistan, one of the winners for the CEMEA region in partnership with Visa presented the first contactless payment solution in Uzbekistan based on Visa Tap to Phone technology, certified according to the requirements of the Visa Ready program in 2021. PAYZE of Georgia became the winner for the CEMEA region in the last year, for representing the best innovative payment and commerce solutions to solve the payment challenges of tomorrow.

  “Competing on a global stage alongside some of the most prestigious startups in the world and, more importantly, being able to receive that global exposure and support from a trusted brand like Visa was an exceptional achievement for PAYZE,” said Giorgi Tsurtsumia, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of PAYZE (Tbilisi, Georgia) as well as 2021 VEI CEMEA Winner. PAYZE is an e-commerce-oriented fintech that enables businesses across CIS countries to accept payments from around the world through a single integration. With the support of Visa’s network and a cash prize of $25,000, the PAYZE team is busy fulfilling their vision, having processed more than 250,000 transactions across 2021.

  The competition also saw Karachi-based fintech, Safepay, win the CEMEA Audience Favorite award and $10,000 in prize money. Safepay specializes in secure payment processing for e-commerce stores and helps merchants increase checkout conversions, expedite receivables, and streamline sales by allowing their customers to pay online.

  The VEI network includes 8,500 startups from around the world, which continues to grow every year. Since its launch in 2015, the program has helped startups from over 100 countries collectively raise more than $2.5 billion in funding, addressing one of the biggest challenges faced by early-stage entrepreneurs. Every year, the scope of VEI is expanded to engage with unique startups and solve unique problems in the world of payments.

  This year, the program will have a clear focus on CEMEA, a region with tremendous opportunity for fintechs that are developing innovative products and solutions aimed at supporting the community. The latest edition of VEI sees two new editions in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, as well as the global finale in Qatar in November 2022.

  VEI is seeking innovative and ambitious entrepreneurs who are uplifting communities by solving payment and commerce challenges faced by businesses of all sizes and sectors, including:

  Enablers of digital services and digital issuers

  • Blockchain and cryptocurrency
  • Crowdfunding
  • Banking-as-a-Service
  • BIN sponsors
  • Issuer/processors
  • Program managers

  Digital issuance

  • Blockchain and cryptocurrency
  • Alternative lending
  • Personal financial management
  • Money transfer and remittance
  • Digital banking (aka neo banks)
  • Digital wallets, peer-to-peer (P2P) and transfers
  • Employee benefits
  • Payables
  • Corporate cards (aka expense management)

  Value-add for merchants and/or consumers in the finance space

  • Data and analytics
  • ID, authentication and security
  • InsurTech
  • Loyalty
  • Merchant services and tools
  • Process and payment infrastructure
  • Retail technology
  • Other

  Small- and medium-sized businesses

  • Money movement (disbursements, Intra-account, P2P vendor and payments)
  • Acceptance (e-commerce and mobile acceptance)
  • Risk management (chargebacks, etc.)
  • Brand management (Community building, etc.)
  • Other

  Visa does not acquire any equity from Visa Everywhere Initiative competitors as part of this competition.

  More information and application details are available here.

  About Visa Inc.

  Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories each year. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement.

  Learn more at Visa.com.ge

• Visa and the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development sign MoU to boost economic, innovative and cultural development of Georgia

  Visa and the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia authorized a two-year partnership to support local tourism and SMEs, promote economic and financial inclusion and boost Innovations in Georgia

  Tbilisi, Georgia – DECEMBER 17, 2021 -Visa, the world’s leader in digital payments, has signed a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia to address the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) impacted by COVID-19, support local tourism, contribute to the progress of economic and financial inclusion, and drive innovations in Georgia.

  The document on future cooperation was signed by Natia Turnava, the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development and Diana Kiguradze, Visa Country Manager for Caucasus Region. The official signing ceremony of the Memorandum was held at the National Museum of Georgia, one of the must-see cultural destinations in the country.

  This memorandum is aimed to foster cooperation between Visa and Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development establishing a collaborative framework, which will entail the following aspired objectives:

  • Support of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) impacted by COVID-19, by offering joint educational programs, such as launching Visa Business Skills platform in cooperation with Enterprise Georgia and accelerate digitization process;
  • Promote local tourism and increase number of local and international travelers through joint activities;
  • Explore and accelerate innovations in Georgia, within tailored projects to promote economic and financial inclusion.

  “The signing of a memorandum between Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia and Visa will help to accelerate the digital transformation for Georgiansmall and medium-sized enterprises. Within the upcoming years, Visa will support both the Entrepreneurship Incentive Program - “Enterprise Georgia” - and the National Tourism Administration, which is very important given the international image of the global company. As a result of the cooperation, educational programs will be implemented to accelerate the digital transformation of the local small and medium-sized companies, as well as joint marketing campaigns will be planned in order to stimulate domestic and international tourism using the specific data shared by Visa. It is important that Visa is a supporter of small and medium-sized businesses, including the development of the tourism sector in Georgia.” – said Natia Turnava, Minister forMinister for the Economy and Sustainable Development.

  ”Signing of this memorandum today marks creation of an important collaborative platform for Visa and Georgia aimed at further development of the national economy. Focusing on three strategic pillars, such as SME’s support, local tourism development, and bringing innovations to the country, together with the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and all involved parties, we aspire to achieve a long-term positive effect of our mutual work for society. At Visa we also believe in innovative and technological future of Georgia, that also preserves and endorses national cultural heritage and promotes the country as one of the world’s best destinations”. - noted Diana Kiguradze, Visa Country Manager for the Caucasus region.

  By supporting local tourism development, Visa will be sharing with the Ministry specific data, including deep analysis and insights of travelers’ patterns. Designed framework will enable effective tourist traffic stimulation strategy planning, helping to identify soft spots and gap analysis. It will help to promote and effectively explore touristic potential of the country, strengthening existing routes and opening new ones.

  With a global financial literacy initiative and ambitious goal to digitalize 50 million small and medium enterprises worldwide, Visa will present in Georgia its global digital platform – Practical Business Skills (PBS). This education platform featuring more than 50 online modules will address needs of entrepreneurs at various stages of the business lifecycles.

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  About Visa Inc.

  Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world’s leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of connected commerce on any device, and a driving force behind the dream of a cashless future for everyone, everywhere.  As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit usa.visa.com/about-visa, www.visa.com.ge,  https://www.facebook.com/VisaGeorgiaGE

• Visa and World’s Leading Experts Explore Future of Payments at Visa Informal Cashless Forum 2021 (Video)

  On November 3, the Visa Informal Cashless Forum 2021 has premiered online in the format of a visionary video story. The video is publicly available on the Visa CISSEE YouTube channel - Visa Cashless Forum 2021. The topics of the discussion with world’s leading experts on “The Big Bang in Payments” were:

  • What will be the next fintech revolution?
  • Is there a future for cryptocurrencies?
  • When will passwords become a thing of the past?
  • How will AI help us make financial decisions?

  Experts sharing their vision include: David Birch,Nassim Nicholas Taleb,Mykhailo Fedorov, Alexey Khitrov and Visa experts:

  • Vira Platonova, Senior Vice President, CISSEE Group Country Manager, Visa
  • Oleksandr Yablunivskyi, Vice President for Solutions, CISSEE, Visa
  • Yevgen Lisnyak, Senior Director, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Fintech & Ventures, CISSEE, Visa
  • Visa country managers in the CISSEE region, including Diana Kiguradze, Visa Country Manager for Caucasus