Flutterwave Recognized as Fast Company's Top Innovator in EMEA Region for 2024

Flutterwave, the leading African payments technology company, has been named the Most Innovative Company in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa for 2024 by Fast Company. This prestigious recognition places Flutterwave alongside global giants such as Nvidia, YouTube, and Taco Bell, highlighting the company's significant contributions to shaping industry and culture through innovation.

Fast Company's annual list celebrates businesses that set new standards and achieve remarkable milestones across various economic sectors. Flutterwave's ranking as the top innovator in the EMEA region is a testament to its unwavering commitment to innovation and its transformative impact on the payments landscape in Africa and beyond.

Olugbenga Agboola, founder and CEO of Flutterwave, expressed his gratitude for the recognition, attributing the company's success to its dedicated team and relentless pursuit of innovation. "We've built Africa's largest payment network by reach, created solutions that simplify payments, currency exchanges, e-commerce, and remittances for global companies selling in Africa, local businesses, and Africans alike," Agboola stated. "There's more in the pipeline, and I want to dedicate this recognition to our team; they're indeed the secret sauce to all we do."

Over the past 18 months, Flutterwave has focused on enhancing its offerings for global enterprises, developing critical solutions for payouts and collections to support the growth and expansion of multinationals across Africa. These solutions enable global enterprises to collect and make payouts in multiple currencies while providing the flexibility to move money quickly and swiftly and take advantage of investment opportunities.

To further streamline its engineering and product development, Flutterwave collaborated with Microsoft to seamlessly scale its comprehensive payment solutions on Azure. Additionally, the company partnered with Token.io to introduce open banking for its U.K. and E.U. customers, connecting African businesses to millions of global customers. These collaborations solidify Flutterwave's position as the preferred payment technology provider for global enterprises seeking expansion into African countries. This ensures that multinationals' local and international payment collections and payouts are processed securely and efficiently.

Flutterwave has also expanded the reach of its remittance solution, Send App, with additional coverage in Canada and the U.S. The company has integrated Google Pay, Apple Pay, and International Card Payments for Send App users in these regions, enabling them to send money to friends, family, and business partners in Africa. Furthermore, Flutterwave has introduced mobile money and cash pick-up options in selected destinations, catering to the preferences of Africans, particularly older adults, who prefer receiving cash remittances.

Fast Company's editors and writers identified the companies driving progress worldwide and across industries through a competitive application process, evaluating thousands of submissions. The resulting list is a comprehensive guide to innovation, from early-stage startups to some of the world's most valuable companies.

Brendan Vaughan, Fast Company's editor-in-chief, emphasized the significance of the Most Innovative Companies list, stating that it provides a comprehensive look at the innovation economy and a snapshot of the year's defining business trends. "We face daunting challenges on many fronts, but the solutions we celebrate in MIC give me plenty of hope about the future," Vaughan added.

Fast Company's recognition of Flutterwave as the Most Innovative Company in the EMEA region underscores its unwavering dedication to innovation and its transformative impact on the payments industry in Africa and beyond. As Flutterwave continues to pioneer new solutions and collaborations, it is poised to play an even more significant role in shaping the future of payments and driving economic growth across the continent.