Balancing inclusion and exclusivity: Sommos’s challenge of scaling financial inclusion in emerging markets

Learning outcomes After completing the case, students should be able to: Case overview/synopsis This teaching case explores the dilemma faced by Sommos, a mission-driven Latin American fintech start-up. Rojas and his co-founders founded Sommos to promote financial inclusion by digitizing traditional community savings practices. Sommos was initially launched as a B2C platform serving informal workers. Then Sommos pivoted to B2B partnerships with established financial institutions to build trust and credibility. However, these partnerships, especially those requiring exclusivity, challenged the company’s mission of inclusivity, scale, and user engagement. At the start of 2024, the protagonist, CEO and co-founder Diego Rojas, and his team confronted a critical decision point. They had to decide between continuing with the exclusive B2B model, returning to a direct-to-user (B2C) approach, or pursuing a hybrid model. The case highlights tensions between purpose and growth, mission and market and tradition and innovation in an emerging market fintech setting. The case enables students to engage with questions of purpose-driven strategy, ethical innovation and stakeholder dynamics. Complexity academic level This case is intended for MBA or executive-level business students studying strategy in emerging markets or sustainable innovation. The content is suitable for courses focused on responsible leadership and mission-driven business strategy. Subject code CSS 11: Strategy.