Plug and Play Fintech, an accelerator program designed for financial technology startups, has announced the names of 24 startups selected for its fourth batch. Plug and Play is a global innovation platform that connects startups to corporations, and invest in over 100 companies every year. With 22 locations across the world – success stories include PayPal, Dropbox, SoundHound, and Lending Club.
Six of the winners focus on Blockchain:
- Netki is a Los Angeles based financial technology startup. We provide a suite of standards based naming and identity solutions, which allow developers to build Blockchain-based applications that are easy to use, highly interoperable, and compliant with existing regulatory requirements.
- NUCO is building the framework for Blockchain-enabled enterprise infrastructure. Using the best tools, available or in development, along with proprietary intellectual property, NUCO aims to create the standard for how distributed networks are built. NUCO’s customizable modular Blockchain framework enables any organization, or network of organizations, to leverage a distributed system to achieve efficiency and unlock value.
- ShoCard is a digital identity card platform built on mobile devices and the public Blockchain data layer, using public/private key encryption and data hashing to safely store and exchange identity data.
- The Sun Exchange (SunEx) is a crowd-financing platform that enables micro investing into solar projects in developing nations, from anywhere in the world. We make distributed clean energy available to SMEs, schools, factories, community centers and other mid-size clients in places where access to affordable financing and reliable energy sources isn’t assured. SunEx uses digital currency, Blockchain smart contracts, IoT, digital currency payment systems, and other new technologies to enable clients to see their ethical returns accumulate in real time, safely and transparently.
- Tierion – Use the Blockchain as a global platform to verify any data, file, or business process. Developer tools & API to anchor data in the Blockchain.
- Starting with KYC on Blockchain, Tradle is building a global trust provisioning network using distributed ledger technology. Winner of KPMG’s 2016 Fintech Challenge and included in The FinTech50 list, Tradle’s mission is to provide a core fintech / regtech infrastructure for a single digital market in EU and globally.
“We always look forward to reviewing the newest list of applicants to the next Plug and Play Fintech batch – such impressive talent and innovation leveraging the latest technologies to address common industry challenge and create new products. This class is no exception. We have had the opportunity to spend time with several of the startups selected, are keen to learn from and mentor each, and are pleased to welcome one of our new alliance partners, Stellar, to this Plug and Play batch as well,” said Joe Guastella, Deloitte’s Global Financial Services Consulting Leader.
“The program is meant to instill as many opportunities for our startups to engage with decision makers within the industry,” says Scott Robinson, Co-Founder & VP of Plug and Play Fintech. “We are incredibly excited at this opportunity to work with the leading minds of entrepreneurs and executives in the financial domain.”
Plug and Play Fintech sourced over 800 applications and has less than a 3% acceptance rate for this batch.
“Credit Suisse is proud to be a corporate partner of Plug and Play Fintech program. We value the diversity in concepts and cross-pollination within the Plug and Play ecosystem. The companies of fintech batch four are already very engaged with our teams and we are eager to further collaborate and explore fresh ideas for our businesses,” said Megan Brewer, Credit Suisse Group Technology Innovation.
“The quality of the startups and level of engagement from our corporate partners in our fintech program has been unprecedented. We are thrilled to be working with some of the best fintech startups in the world, before the world knows them,” says George Damouny, Principal of Plug and Play Ventures.
Plug and Play Fintech runs twelve week programs twice per year. Plug and Play’s venture team, VC Partners, and corporate partners select the startups that are accepted into the program. Learn more about the program:http://plugandplaytechcenter.com/fintech
See these startups graduate the program and pitch to an audience of top investors and corporate partners at Plug and Play’s EXPO on October 27th. Register here: http://bit.ly/oct27expo