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FreshBooks and Fidelity Labs Launch First Reshape the World Challenge to Strengthen Support Ecosystem for Self-Employed Workforce
[April 16, 2018]

FreshBooks and Fidelity Labs Launch First Reshape the World Challenge to Strengthen Support Ecosystem for Self-Employed Workforce


FreshBooks, the #1 invoicing and accounting software in the cloud designed exclusively for self-employed professionals and their teams, in collaboration with Fidelity Investments' innovation engine Fidelity Labs, today launched the first Reshape the World Challenge. The Challenge's goal is to discover and support innovative companies and individuals helping people who work for themselves be more successful. Entrants will compete to show how their new product or service helps the self-employed for a chance to win $30,000 USD in cash prizes and a fully-paid trip to Durham, North Carolina. The winning team will have the opportunity to show off its product or service, meet industry experts, and receive mentoring from top business experts at American Underground, one of ten Google (News - Alert) for Entrepreneurs tech hubs in North America.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180416006197/en/

FreshBooks' Reshape the World Challenge aims to discover and support startups working to make life e ...

FreshBooks' Reshape the World Challenge aims to discover and support startups working to make life easier for self-employed people https://www.freshbooks.com/reshape-the-world (Graphic: Business Wire)

"Self-employed professionals are on track to become the workforce majority within a decade, but the world is not yet built for the," said Levi Cooperman, co-founder and VP Operations at FreshBooks. "Things that should be simple - like finding new clients, securing credit, filing for taxes or saving for retirement - are unnecessarily difficult today when you work for yourself. Our mission at FreshBooks is to reshape the world to suit the needs of self-employed professionals and their teams, and this challenge is an exciting way for us to support other entrepreneurs who share our mission."



Successful freelancers and leaders in venture capital, startup acceleration, and self-employment advocacy are lending their expertise to the judging panel. Judges are looking for the following from challenge entrants.

  • Products to help entrepreneurs and self-employed individuals run their businesses. Examples include tools built to enhance customer acquisition, increase productivity, do more on-the-go, or improve financial forecasting.
  • Tools that help people stay successfully self-employed. Examples include tools that help with money management, setting profitable rates, connecting with other small business owners, and back-office activities that smooth the transition from employee to self-employed.

"While independent workers see many upsides to their non-traditional careers, one significant downside is the absence of a structured benefits and savings plan that is often simply built into traditional employment," said Sean Belka, head of Fidelity Labs. "At Fidelity Labs, we are committed to improving customers' financial lives, and that includes the self-employed. We are proud to collaborate with FreshBooks to support bright minds that are focused on helping self-employed people be productive at work and successful in life."


The challenge will run until May 25, 2018 and winners will be announced on June 8, 2018. Businesses can enter here.

About FreshBooks

FreshBooks is the #1 invoicing and accounting software in the cloud designed exclusively for self-employed professionals and their teams. The company has helped more than 10 million people process billions of dollars through its easy-to-invoicing, time-tracking, expense management, and online payments features. Recognized with eight Stevie awards for best customer service in the world, the company's mantra is to "execute extraordinary experiences everyday." Based in Toronto, Canada, FreshBooks serves paying customers in 160 countries. www.FreshBooks.com

About Fidelity Labs

Fidelity Labs is the innovation engine for Fidelity Investments. For nearly 20 years, the team of now more than 160 employees around the world has focused on leveraging emerging technology and human-centered design to create new businesses, products and services that better people's financial lives.

www.FidelityLabs.com


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