Nairobi, Kenya — Sept. 8, 2015 — Global
Electronic Payment Solutions Provider MasterCard has today launched Start Path Global – a unique six-month mentorship/partnership
and capacity building Programme for startups. The partnership is an extension
of the company’s existing footprint to a greater number of countries globally
in Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa and Latin America.
The Start Path
Global programme will allow innovators and young entrepreneurs to gain access
to over 60 MasterCard experts and
benefit from the opportunity to pilot their innovations or ideas with
MasterCard or MasterCard customers around the world.
“Start Path
thoughtfully connects the right partners with the right startups to build the
future of commerce together,” said Stephane Wyper, Global Lead of MasterCard
Start Path.
“Our global expansion
targets a broader range of startups and help them achieve success, " noted
Wyper.
Start Path Global programme
has been designed to put the start-up first by allowing them to grow at their
own space and pace. There is no need for a start-up to relocate, neither is
there need for equity to be taken and allows full ownership for any
intellectual property (IP) developed.
With this
international expansion, startups from around the world and especially Africa, will
also benefit from access to Start Path Partners, a group of more than 20 leading
companies in banking, retail, and technology including Samsung Card, Target,
Bank of Montreal, and Santander Innoventures.
“Start Path Partners was created to provide
carefully selected MasterCard customers with a first look at unique
technologies and to offer startups a direct line into these corporates to test
their solutions,” explained Mr. Wyper.
How to Apply to
Start Path Global:
Each quarter, MasterCard Start Path will recruit a new
class of
startups to embark on the
six-month virtual programme. The call
for applications to join the next class is open until September 18, 2015. To
enter, visit: www.startpath.com. The programme is
open to all non-US based startups who meet the following criteria:
•
Solution live in
market;
•
Established and
experienced team;
•
Targeting
sizeable market opportunity in the retail and financial technology space;
•
Demonstrable
unfair advantage over competitors;
•
Seed or Series A investment recently secured.
Up to 18 promising
startups will be invited to pitch their commerce solution to the MasterCard
Start Path team in London on October 27 and 28, 2015. From there, a final list
of six to eight companies will be chosen for the upcoming global class which
will begin in early November. Members of
the next class will also be invited to attend the first Start Path Global
Partner Summit to be held in Berlin on November 16 and 17, where they’ll have
the chance to engage with prospective Start Path Partners and industry thought
leaders.
To learn more about the application process and to find out more
information about MasterCard Start Path, visit www.startpath.com or follow us on Twitter @MAStartPath.
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