Development bank targets digital inclusion for older adults through startup lab

Applications for the 2026 Financial Inclusion Lab (LIF), organized by the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), are now open. The bank said in a news release that the application window, which will remain open until October 18, focuses on the silver economy, including financial inclusion, financial and digital literacy, and financial well being for people aged 50 and above.

Those interested in applying must be from one of CAF’s member countries and have a solution that has already been deployed for active use in the areas of financial capabilities, financial products and services, productivity of senior-owned MSMEs, and inclusive GovTech.

The focus on older people reveals growing interest among development institutions in the economic and digital needs of aging populations in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), for example, approved its Silver Ventures program in 2025 to strengthen startups developing solutions for and by older adults, while a separate initiative approved in June seeks to increase the digital and financial inclusion of people aged 55 and above.

At the end of the application process, 20 finalists will be selected for a virtual pitch exercise scheduled for December 9, during which up to eight winners will be chosen for the acceleration, investment-readiness, and regional expansion support planned for next year. The announcement of the finalists is slated for November 23, while the accelerator program will run from January to September 2027.

The finalists will benefit from tailored mentoring and coaching workshops to gain the skills and resources needed to strengthen their business models and impact management, while also getting opportunities to meet investors and partner companies.

CAF’s inclusion of GovTech alongside financial services reflects a broader recognition that digital identity has become foundational to financial inclusion. Older adults who struggle to obtain or use trusted digital credentials can face barriers to banking, government services and social assistance.

The initiative also highlights a wider shift among development institutions. Rather than treating digital transformation as a one-size-fits-all exercise, organizations such as CAF and the Inter-American Development Bank are increasingly designing digital public infrastructure and financial services around populations that face the greatest barriers to access, including aging citizens. This is important in dealing with the assumption that a move online automatically makes services more accessible for everyone.

The program comes as Latin America and the Caribbean continue expanding digital public infrastructure initiatives aimed at improving access to public services and building more inclusive digital economies.

Article Topics

Caribbean  |  digital identity  |  digital public infrastructure  |  financial inclusion  |  Latin America