Mastercard Targets Startup Innovation In Canada

Mastercard is collaborating with Startup Canada to promote startup innovation in the country, the firms announced Thursday (Mar. 2).

Startup Canada, a group supporting the nation’s 2.3 million entrepreneurs, has revealed Mastercard signed on as a national partner and will integrate its innovation and payment technology expertise into Startup Canada’s initiatives this year.

Mastercard said it is the presenting sponsor of Startup Canada’s latest initiative, #StartupGov, which helps innovators and politicians collaborate. The payments company will work with Startup Canada to providing training and guidance to 10,000 entrepreneurs in the country, the firms said, through the Startup Foundations Finance Bootcamps program.

Mastercard will provide financial literacy, transaction, payments and fraud education to these businesses.

“It is imperative for industry, entrepreneurs and government to work together to build innovative companies in Canada,” said CEO and cofounder of Startup Canada Victoria Lennox in a statement. “As more and more companies contribute to the exchange of ideas between the private sector and Canada’s startup community, we can encourage greater innovation and small business success. Mastercard has shown commitment to this goal, and we are proud to partner on initiatives that will have substantial, meaningful impact on Canada’s entrepreneurship community.”

In another statement, Mastercard’s president in Canada, Brian Lang, said the partnership is part of the company’s broader efforts to promote innovation.

“Our commitment to innovation in Canada starts with supporting the business owners and risk-taking entrepreneurs who are creating the jobs of the future,” he said. “As a global business with a proud 40-year history in Canada, we look forward to sharing our expertise and resources with Startup Canada’s broad audience of startups and small business owners from coast to coast.”