Kiva Matt Flannery and Premal Shah Fellowship Awarded 2007  Kiva (www.kiva.org) is the world's first person-to-person lending marketplace for the poor. Kiva's goal is to reduce global poverty by creating a platform where internet users can lend to and connect with a specific developing world entrepreneur online. Affordable capital helps low income entrepreneurs start or expand small businesses, creating a path towards economic self sufficiency. Kiva enables a new channel for the delivery of such funds and creates equitable partnership relationships in the process. Matt began developing Kiva in late 2004 as a side-project with while working as a computer programmer at TiVo, Inc. As CEO, Matt has led Kiva's growth from a pilot project to an established online service with partnerships across the globe and millions in dollars loaned to low income entrepreneurs. He graduated with a BS in Symbolic Systems and a Masters in Analytical Philosophy from Stanford University. As President, Premal leads Kiva's efforts to scale its partnerships and member base. Prior to Kiva, Premal was a Principal Product Manager at PayPal, an eBay company. During his 6 year career at PayPal, Premal drove a number of key initiatives including a year long project defining eBay's role in economically empowering the global working poor. Premal graduated with a B.A. in Economics from Stanford University. |
