Electronic Transactions Association Advances Electronic Payment Innovations at ETA's 2013 Annual Meeting and Expo

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Electronic Transactions Association (ETA), the trade association of the global electronic payments industry, today announced a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to launch the inaugural Payments Next Zone and E-Pay Innovation Award at the 2013 ETA Annual Meeting and Expo in New Orleans, April 30 to May 2, 2013. As the world's largest stage for payments innovation, the ETA Annual Meeting and Expo bring together thousands of payments and technology industry executives, venture capitalists and media to experience the next generation of innovation in payments. 

New for 2013, the Payments Next Zone will showcase innovative startups seeking to launch payments technology to serve global consumers. ETA will provide up to six startups, to be selected by a judging panel, with complimentary turnkey exhibit space in the Payments Next Zone. In addition, a $10,000 prize will be awarded to the most innovative exhibiting startup.

Applications for a complimentary turnkey exhibit booth must be submitted by February 28, and can be completed online at http://www2.electran.org/am13/pnz-app/. Applicants applying for these awards must also demonstrate financial need.  Scholarship winners will receive a free 100-square foot exhibition package valued at more than $5,000. Full Exhibit Scholarship information is available at http://www2.electran.org/am13/pnz-scholarships/.

"The Payments Next Zone is an incredibly exciting new addition that confirms the 2013 ETA Meeting and Expo as the place to do business in the electronic transactions industry," said Jason Oxman, CEO of ETA. "The 2013 ETA Show is focused on new technology in the mobile payments space. With support from the Gates Foundation, the 2013 show will unveil the most innovative new financial products and services coming from best and brightest minds in the world."

The $10,000 E-Pay Innovation Award will be made to the company that best exhibits a new electronic payments technology or product with the potential to make a profound impact on the global market, particularly unserved or underserved consumers. Judging will take place at the ETA 2013 Annual Meeting and Expo, where the technology must be demonstrated live as a prototype or software mockup.

The Exhibit Scholarship judging panel will include journalists and representatives from ETA, ETA's Technology Committee membership and the Gates Foundation, to be announced at a later date.

ETA's 2013 Annual Meeting and Expo will feature more than 200 exhibitors across 150,000 square feet at the state-of-the-art Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in the heart of New Orleans. More than 3,000 CEOs, presidents, investors, principals, payment professionals and members of the media representing the entire electronic payments ecosystem will gather to conduct business, strategize, and unveil new products and network.

The Payments Next Zone is part of a significant expansion of ETA's 2013 Annual Meeting and Expo that establishes the ETA show as the hub of activity in the electronic transactions industry and the innovative mobile payments sector. In addition to the Payments Next Zone, the three-day expo will feature:

• Mobile Pay Zone, another brand-new exhibit pavilion focused on leaders in the dynamic mobile payments industry;
• Mobile Payments Committee, which brings together more than 90 key representatives of the leading companies in the mobile payments sector to chart the course forward for this young and vibrant industry; and
• Mobile Payment Innovations 2013, a one-day conference featuring interactive discussion and presentations by industry leaders offers actionable business intelligence on future opportunities created in and by the mobile payments industry.

For more information about ETA's 2013 Annual Meeting and Expo and Mobile Payment Innovations 2013 or to register, visit http://www.electran.org/am13. For media inquiries, contact Bradford Williamson at 703-398-1137, or [email protected].

About ETA

The Electronic Transactions Association is an international trade association representing more than 500 companies that offer electronic transaction processing products and services. ETA's mission is to advance the payments industry profession by providing leadership through education, advocacy and the exchange of information.

Contact:
Bradford Williamson
The Pinkston Group
703-398-1137
[email protected]

SOURCE Electronic Transactions Association