Today in the Connected Economy: Meta Unveils Diversity-Focused Small Business Tools

Today in the connected economy, Meta rolls out a series of tools to help Black and Hispanic-owned small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Meanwhile, Mastercard works with Galileo to promote financial inclusion in Latin Amercia and the Caribbean, and payments platform Papaya works with Applied Innovation to upgrade its accounts receivable (AR) offering.

Meta Rolls out New Small Business Tools With a Focus on Diversity

Facebook’s parent company Meta is launching a collection of small business tools focused on supporting diverse companies as it aims to help all firms succeed. Meta Elevate was created to assist Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs and their communities by providing training programs and other resources to support them in succeeding online.

Galileo and Mastercard Accelerating Digital Transformation in Latin America and the Caribbean

Mastercard has launched a multiyear strategic partnership with Galileo Financial Technologies aimed at “accelerating digital transformation and improving access to financial opportunities for unbanked and underserved segments in Latin Americas and the Caribbean,” the companies said. The alliance will help FinTechs in that part of the world create and launch financial services, with the two companies distributing Mastercard products and services in support of customers.

Papaya, Applied Innovation Team up for Faster Bill Pay

Bill payment platform Papaya has teamed up with Applied Innovation, a software firm that provides tools for the accounts receivable management (ARM) industry. The collaboration lets Applied Innovation integrate Papaya’s “bill understanding technology” into their business customers’ payments portals, allowing consumers to make payments in seconds by scanning bills with their smartphones, the companies said.