The application process for an opportunity to participate in the Barclays Africa accelerator programme is now open to fintech entrepreneurs on the continent.
Barclays Africa and Techstars have partnered to launch the accelerator programme that aims to uncover the next M-Pesa or Paypal, by working with fintech entrepreneurs innovating in Africa's financial services industry.
According to a statement, 10 qualifying fintech start-ups will take part in the 13-week programme, beginning in May next year, based out of the Rise fintech innovation hub in Woodstock, Cape Town.
Yasaman Hadjibashi, leading the innovation agenda for the bank, says: "Africa has tremendous untapped potential to not only pioneer its own creative solutions for its unique contexts, but to also create solutions that the rest of the world can adopt for their own contexts."
Selected start-ups will be given the opportunity to enter or expand their presence in the African marketplace via Barclays Africa Group's customer, product and technology teams.
Leveraging the global footprint of Rise, the selected start-ups will also have the chance to scale globally through Rise sites in London, New York, Mumbai, Tel Aviv and Vilnius.
Yossi Hasson, MD of Techstars, says: "I truly believe that being part of Techstars gives companies such an advantage when it comes to scaling globally. The depth of experience that the Techstars team and global mentor network has in working with and investing in over 900 start-ups is unprecedented for the African continent.
"The accelerator pushes for one year's worth of traction in three months. At the end, your company won't come out the same, regardless of stage."
Fintech companies can apply here by 5 February 2017.
Share