The growth platform for Fintech stars

One program. Borderless access.

The Visa Innovation Program is an equity-free pilot-centered collaboration platform spanning across Europe. The program enables fintechs to solve payment and commerce challenges of tomorrow, further enhance their own product propositions and provide visionary solutions for Visa’s vast network of partners.

UPCOMING EVENTS

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PREVIOUS EVENTS

BENEFITS

PoC / Partnership opportunities
Introduction to Visa and Visa’s clients to fast-track, test, validate and implement your solutions within Visa’s vast network of financial institutions and corporate partners.
Access to Funding and VCs
Introduction and follow up with the local and global VC and angel networks in Europe, MENA. Support with funding process and deals.
Showcasing
Large exposure as part of the Program and recognition from some of the leading payment brands in the world
Mentorship
Dedicated mentorship and support by prominent design thinking experts throughout the program to guide you and help you with all your business needs and PoC efforts.
Region-Wide Market Access
Access to business opportunities across the SEE region and local support from Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey’s most active fintech ecosystem players.
Tech Stack
Startup perks (up to$200,000), essential tools and industry data, VisaAPI’s
All Perks

PROGRAM IN NUMBERS

301
Startups Applied
15
Accepted Startups
150
Total Mentorship Hours
$5.9M
Total Funds Raised

PROGRAM TIMELINE

CHALLENGES

We are looking for the best and brightest companies to address our challenges. The applicants need to provide proven solutions to drive innovation and technological advancement for Visa and Visa’s clients.

If you believe your company addresses one or more of the challenges, you are welcome to apply and become part of the Visa Innovation family.

Advancing Next-Gen Payments Experiences

Can you unleash the potential of new technologies and infrastructures to introduce innovative payment journeys in Personal Finance Management, Wealth Management, and Insurtech, increase operational efficiency with high-quality financial data or make real-time assessments to provide personalised offers?

Are you leveraging:
- Blockchain technology (e.g. crypto-currencies, NFTs, smart contracts)
- Open banking / PSD2
- Digital wallets
- Installments, BNPL

Empowering SMEs

Are you targeting to accelerate the growth of SMEs and businesses through digital payments solutions to foster financial inclusion?

Are you focusing on:
- Online/In-store card acceptance and acquiring
- Tap to Phone
- Installments, credit scoring, POS financing, BNPL
- Digital onboarding for financial services

Unlocking New Payment Flows

Are you ready to digitise cash intensive B2B, C2B, or B2C payments to create new commerce opportunities, utilising solutions such as Visa Direct?

- Virtual payments credentials
- Funds disbursements (e.g. GIG economy, refunds, government payments, cross-border payments)
- Finance management platforms for businesses (e.g. payments, accounts, procurement)

Building Smarter and Sustainable Future

Can you help enhance payments technology to contribute to the transition to an eco-friendly economy and to drive inclusiveness, reduce inequality and create positive impact for people, economies and the environment? Are you working on:

- Urban mobility
- Government payments (e.g. Financial aid, social benefits, bill and tax payments)
- Interconnected services for citizens and tourists
- Financial education

WHO SHOULD APPLY

If your team has already completed a proof of concept related to the proposed challenges or has a market-ready solution, you are the right fit for the Visa Innovation Program.

01 Stage

Startups and scale ups having a market-tested solution

02 Team

An experienced team with entrepreneurial spirit

03 Solution

A solution addressing one of our Challenges

04 Commitment

Dedicated, passionate founders committed to create solutions that lead to PoCs and partnerships with banks and enterprises

2022 BATCH

Alternatif SuperApp
Enno Wallet
MonoPayments
Qumpara
Yancep

2021 BATCH

FineDine
Fintegre
HASO
Norma
Paratic
SoliPay - Utarit

2020 BATCH

Adisyo
Arf
Cameralyze
Price and me

2019 BATCH

Global Miles
Glocalzone
Kobaküs
Manim
Masraff

MENTORS

See all mentors here.

Want to make your pitch more relevant? Show us how you would partner with us. Learn about our capabilities and how to partner with Visa.

Visit The Resource Center

Hackquarters is the leading startup accelerator and corporate innovation partner, based in London and Istanbul, combining superb global reach with deep local knowledge. Founded in 2015, Hackquarters is connecting the most promising startups with the leading innovative companies. Hackquarters has engaged with over 10,000 startups from 100+ countries; of which 800 are currently part of various programs.

Visit Hackquarters Programs
Hackquarters Pioneers Photo
About Visa

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.

About Visa
Visa Innovation Program Logo

This website and the innovation program is operated by Hackquarters in Turkey. Your relationship is with Hackquarters and applications are made to them. You should only submit publicly available information as the information you submit during your application will not be treated as confidential information. If you are selected, your involvement in the program is conditional on you signing the Innovation Program Terms and Conditions, which form a binding contract between you and Hackquarters. Visa sponsors the program and may be involved in selection of participants, but Visa accepts no responsibility for the operation of the website or Innovation Program. For the avoidance of doubt, Hackquarters is not acting as an agent of Visa and has no authority to make commitments on behalf of Visa. As Hackquarters, we hereby notify you as a Data Controller that, according to Turkish Personal Data Protection Law No. 6698 (the "Data Protection Law"), your personal data, including name, e-mail and phone information to be applied in Turkey and shared by you upon our request as relevant, limited and proportional to the purposes for which the data are processed, will be processed with the purposes of the operation in Turkey required by the program you applied, subject to the terms and conditions set out in the Turkish Data Protection Law and other laws to the purposes for which the data are processed.

FAQ

What do you provide to the participating companies?

Partnership opportunities with potential clients and partners across Visa’s global network
Region-wide market access
Masterclasses, design sprints, PoC and pilot support and peer to peer gatherings for practical knowledge exchange
Diverse mentor network involving Visa, Hackquarters global fintech industry luminaries and bank expertsAccess to global VCs and angel investors.
Networking and exposure to international events and conferences.
Latest APIs from Visa Developers Platform to supercharge your product.

What is the duration of the program?

The whole program continues for about 6 months.

What are the main phases of the Program?

Pre-program phaseThe Selection Jury will review your application to get acquainted with your product / solution and team, and will evaluate potential matches with Visa/Visa Clients. It will also do an active scouting to find prospective candidates. In case initial fit is identified, you might be invited to an interview - the main objective is to validate your interest in participating in the Program and examine the mutual interest for further collaboration throughout the Program Core Phase.

Core program phase (3 + 3)Main course (up to 3 months)During the Main course of the Program (up to 3 months; non-residential), you will enter a carefully crafted bunch of workshops, mentoring sessions, networking and design sprints, anchoring Visa’s design thinking methodology and will work to elevate your business model to better fit the defined market challenges. The Program’s objective is to have you in perfect shape and ready to examine future pilot opportunities with Visa/ Visa Clients with your product/solution being integrated into their offering.The Main course’s schedule is tailored, depending on your/your mentors’ engagements and does not require you to be full time engaged with the Program within this period.PoC Support (up to 3 months)After the Main course, you will be entering in the PoC Support phase (another 3 months), where Program mentors in residence will guide you to approach the proof-of-concept (PoC) phase faster. You will be working side by side with experienced entrepreneurs who will help you to navigate with speed and ease the enterprise environment.

Post-program engagementAfter the end of the Core program, you might be selected by Visa/Visa Client to launch a pilot. No matter the outcome, you will become part of our Visa Innovation Program family where we will further engage your team in community activities, bringing many business opportunities and fellow entrepreneurs for mutual support.

Do you engage with teams and projects from Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey only?

No. In fact, we see true fintech innovation potential throughout the whole CEE region. Feel free to apply even if you are a company based outside ofTurkey,  Bulgaria or Greece.
Just have in mind that some of the Program’s activities take place locally in Istanbul, Sofia, Athens, if the situation allows. 

Do you offer a coworking space?

Due to pandemic the Program will be held online; though we provide nomadic membership in Kolektif House as per request. 

Do you offer accommodation for teams travelling from different countries or cities?

No. We can’t offer any accommodation options for the participants.
Still, we may recommend some trusted service providers for finding long-term or short-term accommodation.

Do you provide funding for my company?

Not as part of the program.

Do you take equity in my company?

No. We take no equity in the participating startups.

If I am a solo-founder do I need a team in order to join the program?

We do strongly believe that a capable team is what makes or breaks a successful startup company. Thus, we are looking for teams with diverse skillset, market expertise and entrepreneurial spirit.

Where can I find the Program Terms and Conditions?

Is there a fee for participating in the program?

The program is completely free of charge for the participating companies and there is NO fee or equity stakeholding associated with taking part in the activities.

Where is the Visa Innovation Program taking place?

The activities associated with the Visa Innovation Program take place primarily online, due to the COVID situation.

Who can participate?

1- Startups and scale ups having a market-tested solution
2- An experienced team with an entrepreneurial spirit
3- A solution addressing one of our ‘areas to reinvent
4- Committed and dedicated founders, ready to lead future pilot-centred project

Would you support a project that only targets the local market, but is very good and can be very profitable?

As a general rule, we believe the most successful startups will be easily scalable and can target global markets. In the beginning, you may be piloting with national clients, but we are looking for global growth ambition.

Do you engage with teams and projects from Turkey only?

No. In fact, we see true fintech innovation potential throughout the whole Europe region. Feel free to apply even if you are a company based outside of Turkey. Just have in mind that some of the Program’s activities take place locally in Istanbul,  if the situation allows.

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