الرئيس التنفيذي
أشرف الحادي

رئيس التحرير
فاطمة مهران

Visa Announces Launch of Second Cohort of Africa Fintech Accelerator Program

ليلى سرحان، المدير الإقليمي

• The Visa Africa Fintech Accelerator program provides startups in Africa with 1:1 mentorship, personalized training, and networking opportunities.
• Second cohort applications open until February 29th following inaugural 12-week program.
• The 23 participants from the first cohort will pitch to investors in Nairobi on February 13th during a Demo Day organized by Visa.

 Visa, a world leader in digital payments, announced that its Africa Fintech Accelerator program is now accepting applications for its second cohort. The announcement was made at Fintech Day where several members of the fintech community in Morocco came together to discuss the opportunities to improve the digital payments and financial inclusion landscape in the country. Seed to Series A startups operating in Africa and that fall under specific categories are encouraged to apply on the Visa website, with applications open until February 29th 2023.

Visa also announced they are hosting the program’s first demo day on February 13th in Nairobi. During the event, the first-cohort startups will pitch their innovations to key ecosystem players, funding partners, angel investors, and venture capitalists.

The first cohort featured startups operating in more than 18 African countries – including three from Morocco, one from Egypt and one from Tunisia, with participants shortlisted from over 1,000 applicants across diverse subsectors including merchant payment solutions, lending infrastructure, Banking-as-a-Service, and B2B marketplaces. Forty-eight percent had a woman founder or a woman in their leadership team.

Seed to Series A startups operating in Africa which fall under the following categories are invited to apply for the second cohort.

• Unlocking money movement: Digitizing various payment types (P2P, B2C, B2B, G2C) to create new commerce opportunities, including cross-border remittances and funds disbursements, open banking and account-to-account solutions, mobile money flows, and interoperability.

• Embedded finance: Creating advanced intelligence to enhance payment and finance experiences in B2C and B2B commerce models, including installments, flexible financing, consumer loyalty, and Fintech-as-a-Service.

• Empowering merchants and SMEs: Accelerating the growth of merchants and SMEs through digital payment solutions to foster financial inclusion, focusing on next-generation omnichannel payments, digital onboarding, working capital optimization, and merchant value-add solutions.

• Payment infrastructure enablers: Building the base layer of payment infrastructure and key enabling services such as authentication and fraud solutions, digital onboarding and identity management, credit scoring and risk management solutions, and data solutions and insights.

• The future of finance: Embracing emerging technologies to revolutionize financial services, such as AI-powered payments, blockchain and enterprise DLT, and programmable money.

• Sustainable and inclusive finance: Enhancing payments technology to contribute to an eco-friendly economy, drive inclusiveness, reduce inequality, and create positive impact through financial services for underserved communities or climate-vulnerable communities and affordable and accessible financial solutions.

Ayoub Rqibi, COO and co-founder of Paytic Connect, platform designed to assist banks, credit unions, and fintech companies in efficiently managing their payment card programs, was among the 23 startup founders who participated in the first cohort. He commented: “Thanks to the Visa accelerator program, we’ve been able to clarify our goals and structure our approach in a more strategic manner. The program’s comprehensive guidance and mentorship have been invaluable in helping us focus our efforts, refine our business model, and accelerate our progress. The network and resources provided by the program have also enabled us to forge valuable partnerships and access new opportunities.”

The accelerator program, launched in June 2023, aligns with Visa’s pledge to invest $1 billion in Africa by 2027, aiming to revolutionize Africa’s payment ecosystem and uplift the digital economy.

Leila Serhan, Senior Vice President, Group Country Manager for North Africa, Levant and Pakistan (NALP), Visa, said: “Following the success of the inaugural accelerator, Visa is inviting a second round of disruptive startups to apply to the program, in an ongoing effort to support Africa’s growing fintech ecosystem. Fintech acc

“This unique experience will offer entrepreneurs an opportunity for mentorship and fast-tracked growth, while also providing them access to a wider network of invaluable partners and investors.”

Related Posts

R.Evolution Named ‘Luxury Boutique Developer of the Year’ at the Pillars of Real Estate Awards 2025

Consistently Awarded, Beyond Compare: The House Reef at Machchafushi Island Resort and Spa, The Centara Collection

Kaspersky: ChatGPT-Mimicking Cyberthreats Surge 115% in Early 2025, SMBs Increasingly Targeted

OPPO Elevates Consumer Engagement in Egypt with the Launch of Its All-New Experience and Service Store, Setting a New Standard for Retail Innovation

EFG Hermes Successfully Completes Advisory on USD 500 Million IPO of Specialized Medical Company on the Saudi Exchange

Abdel Gawad: Fractional Ownership is Egypt’s Next Investment Gateway Invest-Gate Round Table Explores Policy and Transparency

United Hospitality Management accelerates global expansion with two key appointments

Hesham Mahran Appointed CEO and Managing Director of Orange Egypt

آخر الأخبار
نانسي عجرم تشوق جمهورها لألبومها الجديد الهلال يحقق إنجازا تاريخيا بالتأهل لدور الـ16 ويواجه السيتى فى مونديال للأندية ليوناردو ريال مدريد يتأهل لدور الـ 16 ويواجه يوفنتوس فى كأس العالم للأندية سعر الذهب اليوم الجمعة 27 وعيار 21 الآن؟ سيتروين C4X تجميع بين مظهر السيدان والـ suv.. سعر ومواصفات C4X المجمعة محلياً أسعار العملات في مصر اليوم الجمعة أسعار الدينار الكويتى في مصر اليوم الجمعة أسعار الخضار والفاكهة اليوم الجمعة أسعار الدولار في مصر اليوم الجمعة أسعار اللحوم الحمراء اليوم الجمعة فيفو تطلق جهازي Vivobook S14 وS16 إطلاق هاتفي أوبو Reno 14 بمواصفات عالية وكاميرات خارقة ومعالج متطور أطعمة بسيطة تنقذك من انخفاض ضغط الدم البيت الأبيض: الطائرات الأمريكية تمكنت من تدمير البرنامج النووي الإيراني "أسترازينيكا مصر" تشارك في النسخة الرابعة من مؤتمر ومعرض "صحة أفريقيا" اختتام أعمال الدورة الخامسة للجنة السعودية المصرية الفنية للنقل البري في القاهرة R.Evolution Named ‘Luxury Boutique Developer of the Year’ at the Pillars of Real Estate Awards 2025 تعاون بين "إل جي إلكترونيكس" و"شنايدر إلكتريك" يصمم مستقبل أتمتة المنازل الذكية تعاون بين باناسونيك إنفورميشن سيستمز وسايبر أرك لضمان أمن الوصول إلى آلاف الخوادم جانس هاندرسن تشير إلى تحول استراتيجي بالنسبة للمستثمرين في النصف الثاني من عام 2025