Visa Invites Australia’s Top Startups to Unlock Their Global Potential

12/01/2020

Startups across the country can apply from today to seek one of up to six places in the Visa Accelerator Program


Visa, the world’s leader in digital payments, is announcing an accelerator program for startups in Australia and across Asia Pacific that are looking to expand their businesses into new markets. Visa will select an elite group of up to six startups to be part of the first program cohort. The Visa Accelerator Program will focus on creating defined commercial opportunities for the startups to collaborate with Visa and its extensive network of bank and merchant partners in the region.

The Visa Accelerator Program is designed for startups that have launched successful solutions in their home markets, but are looking towards the next stage of growth. As the engine of global commerce, Visa is uniquely positioned to help startups break into new geographies and reach new customer groups.


Julian Potter, Visa’s Group Country Manager for Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific says:

“We see first-hand the talent and entrepreneurship of Australia’s fintech community. As part of our ongoing work with startups, we also see the challenges they face, particularly when taking their business from a local success story to one that’s operating in multiple markets.”

“Visa can help propel innovative solutions from plans on a whiteboard to the real world, to be pitched as a commercial deal to a major bank, retailer or technology company. Our accelerator program will do this for six inspiring startups that are ready to unlock their global potential.”


Digital economy, small businesses, open data all key focus areas

Startups in the Visa Accelerator Program should be ready to work on some of the most pressing financial and technological opportunities in Australia and across Asia Pacific more broadly. Visa is looking for startups that want to address areas such as:

  • Enhancing the consumer and business experience by solving existing pain points and/or enabling new ways to pay and be paid
  • Supporting small businesses to digitally transform and grow their business as they adapt to a world changed by COVID-19
  • Leveraging the growing open data environment in the region to develop more personalised banking and shopping experiences
  • Developing new ways of moving money that aren’t dependent on traditional credit and debit cards


Apply for the program

The Visa Accelerator Program is a new part of Visa’s broader set of platforms and activities for the startup community in Asia Pacific. With its dedication to supporting international expansion, the Visa Accelerator Program is the right fit for startups that are Series A and above, have a long-term commitment to Asia Pacific growth and existing operations in the region, and have a market-validated, proven solution.

For more information, including how to apply, visit: https://www.visa.com.sg/apaccelerator

 


About Visa Inc.

Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world’s leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of digital commerce on any device for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit About Visa, https://usa.visa.com/visa-everywhere/blog.html and @VisaNews.