Applications still open for the Visa Accelerator Program 2024 for Startups in Africa

Release the capacity of your startup and accelerate its success in the ever-evolving fintech industry through the Visa Accelerator program. This innovative program connects Africa’s brightest minds with seasoned mentors, cutting-edge technology, and exceptional investment prospects.

Are you prepared to shake up the sector, transform finance, and leave a mark on the ecosystem? Embark on this thrilling three-month journey with us to drive your startup towards unparalleled growth and recognition. It’s time to unleash your entrepreneurial drive and carve a path to triumph in the dynamic fintech landscape.

Visa Accelerator Program Benefits

Knowledge and Expertise
Obtain a competitive advantage with a customized program that covers product design, marketing, finance, sales, and more. Receive guidance from experts and strategic insights to expedite your startup’s growth and unlock its full potential.

Mentorship
Access personalized mentoring from experts and founders within the African ecosystem and beyond. Learn from the experiences of others to overcome your challenges.

Visa Specific Training
Leverage exclusive Fintech and payment training modules developed by Visa. Enhance your comprehension of the fintech landscape, payment ecosystem, and industry best practices. Startups will also have the opportunity to explore Visa’s developer portal and experiment with Visa products and services.

Funding
Secure the necessary funding to bring your innovative concepts to life. Present your startup during the Demo Day and you may be considered for an investment opportunity by Visa, Plug and Play, and our broader Venture Capital community.

Partnership Opportunities
Establish robust partnerships that can propel your startup forward. The program is designed to facilitate valuable collaboration opportunities with industry leaders, innovative firms, and strategic partners.

Product Perks
Access a diverse range of product perks and discounts from over 100 vendors, with a combined offer value exceeding $200,000, including AWS product credits, mentorship, and fintech-specific resources.

Visa Accelerator program Who Should Be Eligible

If your team has already developed a minimum viable product in the proposed fields, tackled the proposed challenges, or has a solution that is ready for the market, then you are the perfect candidate for the program.

Stage
Startups from the seed stage to Series A, with at least a minimum viable product.

Solution
Creating a solution that addresses one of our themes.

Traction
A solution that has been tested in the market and has gained traction.

Geography
Either having existing operations in Africa or showing a clear commitment to expanding in Africa.

Visa Accelerator program Opportunity Areas

We are seeking the most exceptional and talented companies to address the following areas of focus. If you believe that your company is developing solutions in one or more of these domains, we invite you to apply and become part of the Visa Accelerator program.

1. Expanding Payment Possibilities
Are you prepared to transform cash-heavy P2P, B2C, B2B, and G2C payments into digital formats, thereby creating new opportunities for commerce?

2. Cross-Border Remittances and Fund Disbursements
3. Finance Management Platforms for B2B (e.g., payables, receivables, procurement, etc.)
4. Social Commerce and the Creator Economy
5. Government Disbursements, Collections, and Payouts
6. Open Banking and Account-to-Account Solutions
7. Treasury-as-a-Service
8. Mobile Money Flows and Interoperability
9. A woman making a payment with a smartwatch
10. A man making a delivery

Embedded Finance
Are you developing cutting-edge intelligent solutions to enhance payment and finance experiences in both B2C and B2B commerce models?

11. Installments and Flexible Financing Models
12. Transaction Engagement and Management (e.g., sustainability tracking, transaction controls, PFM)
13. Consumer Loyalty and Rewards
14. Banking-as-a-Service
15. Fintech-as-a-Service.

Empowering merchants and SMEs

Are you focused on driving the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises and retailers through digital payment options to promote financial inclusivity?
Cutting-edge multi-channel online and in-person payment methods
Payment plans, point-of-sale financing, and buy now, pay later options
Funding, non-traditional lending, and risk reduction frameworks
Value-added services for merchants (such as optimizing working capital, supplier marketplaces, inventory management, etc.)
Merchant loyalty programs and customer engagement
Scanning a package with a terminal
A female individual securely making online purchases

Payment Infrastructure Facilitators

Are you addressing the foundational aspects of payment infrastructure and essential support services?
Verification and anti-fraud solutions
Know Your Customer (KYC), customer registration, and identity verification
Payment processing and support
Business-to-Business (B2B) platform support
Credit assessment and risk management solutions
Data analytics and actionable insights.

The Future of Sustainable and Inclusive Finance

Are you developing innovative payment solutions to promote a more fair and inclusive financial ecosystem, diminish disparities, and generate beneficial outcomes for individuals, economies, and the planet?
Providing financial services for marginalized or climate-sensitive communities
Offering affordable and easily accessible financial products
Implementing impact assessment and evaluation
Addressing carbon emissions and adopting climate-friendly solutions.

The Future of finance

Exploring the forefront of payment and Fintech? Incorporating state-of-the-art technology to shape the finance industry of tomorrow?
Incorporating AI / ML in payment platforms
Utilizing blockchain and decentralized tech
Implementing programmable currency
Addressing crypto risks, fraud, data, and insights
Establishing custodial and non-custodial systems
Developing CBDC and stablecoin options
An individual monitoring economic shifts
Creating a smart and sustainable future

Visa Accelerator Program Eligibility

All Seed to Series A startups that are post MVP and operating in Africa are encouraged to apply for the program.

Visa Accelerator Program selection process

All applicants will undergo two rounds of screening by our program team. In the first round, each application will be reviewed for program alignment, existing traction, founding team, and proposed synergies with Visa. Shortlisted startups will be invited to participate in a series of virtual interviews, and finalists will be notified ahead of the program kickoff.

Visa Accelerator Program Duration and Format

The program will be delivered in a hybrid format and will last for 3-months in total. It will include an onboarding week, 10 virtual focus weeks, an investor week and an in-person Demo Day. Other in-person events maybe be organized during the duration of the program such as city meetups or other country or regional events.

Visa Accelerator Program Application

• For details visit the program website
• To apply click here
• Deadline is February 29, 2024