Are you a Fintech Startup in Africa? Do you want to change the industry, revolutionize finance, and make a difference? Join this 3-month journey of the Visa Accelerator Program to boost your startup’s growth and recognition.
The Visa Accelerator Program is a special chance for startups in Africa to speed up their success in the fintech world. It helps connect bright minds with experienced mentors, the latest technology, and great investment opportunities. The Visa Accelerator Program is designed for startups in Africa. It offers knowledge, mentorship, special training, funding, partnerships, and product perks. If your startup is at the Seed to Series A stage and has a viable product related to specific themes, you can apply.
Benefits
Participants of the Visa Accelerator Program will gain the following:
Knowledge and Expertise
*Get a competitive edge with a program covering product design, marketing, finance, sales, etc.
*Receive guidance and
Mentorship
*Have 1:1 mentoring with experts and founders from Africa and beyond.
*Learn from others’ experiences to solve challenges.
Visa Specific Training
*Gain Exclusive Fintech and payment training modules by Visa.
*Have access to Visa’s developer portal and experiment with Visa products.
Funding
*Secure the funding you need to bring your innovative ideas to reality by showcasing your startup on Demo Day.
*Have a chance for investment opportunities from Visa, Plug and Play, and the VC community.
Partnership Opportunities
*Forge collaborations with industry leaders and strategic partners. These strong and valuable partnerships with important and influential companies and organizations will help your company move forward.
Product Perks
*Get access to discounts and perks from over 100 vendors worth over $200,000.
*Offers include credits from Google Cloud, HubSpot, and more.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Visa Accelerator Program, you have to be:
- Seed to Series A startups operating in Africa: If you have a startup in Africa, and you already have a product or solution that’s been tested in the market, you can apply.
- Must have an MVP or market-ready solution related to fintech: Your startup should be in the early stages, but with at least a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
Requirements
- Stage: Seed to Series A startups with at least an MVP.
- Solution: Building a solution addressing one of the program themes.
- Traction: Market-tested solution with proven traction.
- Geography: Existing operations in Africa or a commitment to expand in Africa.
Opportunity Areas
Themes you can work on for the Visa Accelerator Program:
- Unlocking new payment flows: Finding new ways to make payments and create commerce opportunities.
- Embedded Finance: Improving payment and finance experiences for consumers and businesses.
- Empowering merchants and SMEs: Helping merchants and small businesses grow by using digital payment solutions.
- Payment Infrastructure Enablers: Working on the foundational aspects of payment infrastructure and enabling services.
- The Future of Finance: Building the future of finance by using advanced technologies like AI, blockchain, and more.
- Sustainable and Inclusive Finance: Using payment technology to make finance more inclusive and sustainable.
Selection Process
- Applicants will go through two rounds of screening by the program team.
- In the first round, applicants will be evaluated based on program alignment, traction, team, and proposed synergy with Visa.
- In the second round, Shortlisted startups will have virtual interviews.
- Finalists will be notified before the program starts.
Duration
- The 3-month program is delivered in a hybrid format.
- Includes onboarding week, 10 virtual focus weeks, an investor week, and an in-person Demo Day.
How to apply
If you think your startup fits the criteria and themes, you can apply by filling out the Visa Accelerator Program online application form.
Program Timeline
- July 17th: Call to apply.
- August 25th: Application closes.
- September 25th: Cohort announced.
- October 2nd: Start of the cohort.
- December 18th: End of the cohort.
- January 189th: Demo Day.
Overview
Types of opportunity: Training/Grant
Deadline: August 25th, 2023
Worth: Grant for your business idea
Open to: Start-ups
Duration: 3 Months
Location: Hybrid
Organizer: Visa
Country: Africa
Inquiry
Visit the official Visa Accelerator Program website for more information.
