FIS, Venture Center select 10 startups for second VC Fintech Accelerator

Fidelity Information Services (FIS), a global provider of banking and payments technology leader, along with Venture Center has selected 10 companies to participate in the second year of VC Fintech Accelerator.

The selected fintech startups had a kickoff event that was held on 11th May, 2017 at the Venture Center that saw Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, U.S. Rep. J. French Hill, FIS President & CEO Gary Norcross, The Venture Center President and CEO Lee Watson along with other community leaders.

This year’s fintech accelerator program received nearly 300 applications from startup financial technology firms across the U.S. and 39 other countries. Among these, 10 fintech firms were selected into the incubator that includes San Francisco-based Alpharank, Nashville-based Alto IRA, NYC-based Bond.ai, Detroit-based Hedge Hog, Ann Arbor-based Plinqui, among others.

“FIS has always been about applying advanced technology to the real-world challenges facing our clients. This program is a great example of how we are harnessing the spirit of entrepreneurship with the power of applied innovation to bring breakthrough products and services to our clients. Together with the state of Arkansas and The Venture Center, we are helping to develop and foster innovations that will make a difference for financial institutions around the world,” Gary Norcross, FIS president & CEO, said.

Those companies that are selected for the 2017 VC Fintech Accelerator will participate in a rigorous 12-week program that is crafted to accelerate the development of their financial innovations. They will receive crucial and in-depth mentoring and training from FIS and The Venture Center as well as a monetary investment.

Empowered by FIS, the fintech accelerator aims to identify and foster the development and growth of early-stage financial technology ventures.

“We are excited to continue this collaboration with FIS to facilitate the development and potential growth of these companies,” Lee Watson, CEO of The Venture Center, stated. “Together, we provide fintech startups with proven go-to-market training, C-suite level mentorship and access to top financial institutions.”

This year’s fintech accelerator will conclude with a Demo Day on July 26 at the Clinton Presidential Library, where leaders from each of the participating firms will demonstrate their innovations. The end of 2016 fintech accelerator saw joining of six companies to the exclusive FIS HiPo Network and relocation of two companies’ headquarters to Little Rock, Ark.