Visa and Plug and Play Announce Call for Applications for Inclusive Fintech Accelerator Cohort 2

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Aug. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Visa, a global leader in digital payments, in partnership with Plug and Play, the world's largest innovation platform, is excited to announce the call for applications for the second cohort of the Visa Inclusive Fintech Accelerator.

The Visa Inclusive Fintech Accelerator is designed to accelerate the growth of fintech startups led by diverse founders. Building on the success of the inaugural cohort, which featured 21 diverse founders advancing groundbreaking fintech solutions, the Visa Inclusive Fintech Accelerator is set to continue its mission of supporting diverse innovators in the financial technology sector.

For the first cohort, Visa and Plug and Play selected dynamic startups that offered unique perspectives and innovative solutions, achieving notable progress in areas such as investment, customer onboarding, and partnerships with large enterprise customers.

For the second cohort, Visa and Plug and Play are seeking startups that are redefining financial technology and are led by a founder who identifies as underrepresented and/or is committed to serving underserved segments in North America and/or has demonstrated passion and commitment to inclusion and/or has demonstrated resilience in their paths in the fintech space. Detailed information regarding the application process, eligibility criteria, and program specifics will be available on the Plug and Play DRIVE website.

"We introduced the Visa Inclusive Fintech Accelerator to drive greater innovation and progress by championing diversity," said Vanessa Colella, Global Head of Innovation & Digital Partnerships, Visa. "We are so proud of our first cohort and all they accomplished and are thrilled to begin our search for the program's second cohort to uplift more diverse fintech founders and their brilliant ideas."

Startups must have a minimum viable product (MVP) to apply and should be based in and conducting business within the United States or Canada. Selected startups will gain exclusive access to Visa's network and resources, receive mentorship from industry leaders, and have opportunities for pilot projects and strategic partnerships with Visa. Eligible startups may apply here.

The accelerator program will span six months and will culminate with a showcase at Plug and Play's bi-annual summit in Silicon Valley in June 2025.

About Plug and Play
Plug and Play is the leading innovation platform, connecting startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we're present in 60+ locations across five continents. We offer corporate innovation programs and help our corporate partners in every stage of their innovation journey, from education to execution. We also organize startup acceleration programs and have built an in-house VC to drive innovation across multiple industries where we've invested in hundreds of successful companies including Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, Lending Club, N26, PayPal, and Rappi. For more information, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/. 

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SOURCE Plug and Play