Applications have opened for the Barclays Accelerator programme, powered by Techstars, a 13-week programme based in Cape Town aimed at supporting exceptional fintech entrepreneurs innovating in Africa’s financial services industry.
The Barclays Accelerator first came to Africa at the beginning of this year, with Barclays Africa signing initial collaboration agreements with seven of the 10 startups that took part in the programme.
The second programme will see 10 fintech startups take part in a 13-week programme beginning in May next year, based out of the Rise fintech innovation hub in Woodstock, Cape Town. Selected startups will be given the opportunity to expand their presence in the African marketplace via Barclays Africa Group’s customer, product, and technology teams.
Startups will also have the chance to scale globally through Rise sites in London, New York, Mumbai, Tel Aviv and Vilnius, with the accelerator providing a proven curriculum and lifelong access to the Techstars global network of mentors, investors and venture capitalists.
“I truly believe that being part of Techstars gives companies such an advantage when it comes to scaling globally,” said Yossi Hasson, managing director of Techstars.
“The depth of experience that the Techstars team and global mentor network has in working with and investing in over 900 startups 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.”
Interested startups can apply here by February 5, 2017 to take part in the programme.
