Fintech accelerator round-up: 13 September 2017
Around the world, the calls for start-ups ring loud and clear. Our fintech accelerator round-up features F10, Commerce.Innovated and Huge Thing.
F10, a Swiss incubator and accelerator, is calling for applications from start-ups in fintech, regtech, and insurtech for its P2 programme. Applications close on 15 December. The P2 programme will start on 5 March 2018 and ends 23 August 2018.
Start-ups will have access to the F10 association members’ network of banks; and SIX, Julius Bär, PwC Switzerland, Baloise Group, Generali Group Switzerland and core banking software vendor ERI. You can apply here.
Over in the US, Commerce.Innovated, a virtual accelerator programme for commerce, payments and fintech start-ups, has opened applications for its incoming Winter 2017 class. The four-month programme provides participants with operational mentorship from Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), First Data and their respective networks of commerce and payments experts.
Of the 28 companies that SVB has worked with as part of the programme since 2014, it says more than 50% have either raised funding or been acquired. The latest programme’s criteria include secured or raising seed funding, and a working product. Applications will be accepted through 9 October and can be made here. Applicants do not need to be current clients of SVB or First Data to apply.
Back to Europe, and Warsaw-based Huge Thing has unveiled the fifth edition of its acceleration programme. It’s for start-ups mainly from Central and Eastern Europe – “particularly” for solutions with their “minimum viable product (MVP) ready”. Areas of interest include blockchain, payments, digital marketing, artificial intelligence (AI), virtual and augmented reality, APIs and open banking, internet of things (IoT) and social banking.
The teams taking part will participate in group workshops as well as individual sessions with experts and “experienced start-ups” from Poland and abroad. The winners will get up to €45,000 each for testing their business hypotheses; two trips abroad to London and Berlin; a chance to co-operate with Alior Bank; and no equity taken. Applications are open till 17 September – so you need to get a move on – and can be made here.
