Mastercard Selects Diverse Group For Latest Start Path Program

Mastercard has announced the list of startup companies chosen to participate in its Mastercard Start Path program, a group the company is calling its “most diverse class” ever.

Mastercard revealed the list in a recent announcement, including startups that span a range of verticals. Those partaking in the program, which aims to support later-stage FinTech and technology startups, total 11 firms selected from five countries.

The lineup includes Railsbank, which provides businesses with access to a global banking network via application program interface (API) technology; Sensibill, which digitizes receipts to integrate into digital banking platforms; and Zeta Optima, an employee claims, fuel card and medical allowance services provider.

One startup, AID:Tech, deploys blockchain technology for digital entitlements. Others — like Flutterwave, which supports businesses’ and banks’ digital payment acceptance across Africa, and Mobeewave, which enables smartphones to accept contactless payments without external hardware — focus on payments acceptance.

The full lineup of the latest Mastercard Smart Path class is as follows: AID:Tech, b.well, Flutterwave, Goodworld, HYPR, Mobeewave, Railsbank, Sensibill, ShieldPay, Trunomi and Zeta Optima.

“The diversity of Start Path proves how quickly the pace of innovation is happening in so many areas,” said Mastercard Start Path vice president Amy Neale in a statement. “Providing a range of companies with the resources and introductions they need to scale allows us to enable new ways to build the future of commerce together.”

The companies in the program were linked to Mastercard executives and partners at banks, technology firms and retailers during the Start Path Summit 2017, held Thursday (Nov. 30). Moving forward, participating FinTech firms will be given resources to promote growth, Mastercard said.

It also announced that applications for the next Mastercard Start Path virtual program are open through Jan. 15, 2018.