Martin Cass, vice president of Barclays Wealth and Investment Ireland
Irish fintech start-ups have been invited to pitch to take part in an intensive three-month Barclays London Accelerator powered by TechStars.
Open to participants from any country, the Barclays Accelerator, powered by Techstars, is an intensive, 13-week programme for early-stage fintech start-ups.
A Dublin recruitment event will take place on 21 September, with applications closing on 14 October.
“Ireland has nurtured and produced a very significant number of successful tech entrepreneurs, has a national focus on fintech through its IFS2020 strategy and an already flourishing fintech industry,” explained Martin Cass, vice president at Barclays Wealth and Investment Management Ireland.
“We’re therefore very keen to see some Irish entries and pioneering ideas this year, and I’m confident the programme could provide them with a lifetime opportunity to make global connections and bring their ideas onto an international stage.”
Looking for the fintech all-stars
Twenty-one companies have already completed Barclays Accelerator programme in London, with a further 11 currently going through it for the first time in New York. These programmes saw a total of 1,300 applications from 77 countries.
Techstars has run more than 60 programmes since 2007, with nearly 600 alumni who, in aggregate, have raised over US$1.8bn of funding
Applications are now open for the third cohort of the London programme. The 10 companies that are successfully chosen to participate will receive access to technology, world-class mentorship and coaching from industry experts, and introductions to Barclays and Techstars networks.
They will also receive up to US$120,000 in investment from Techstars (US$20k of initial equity funding and an additional US$100k convertible loan note that the companies have the option of taking).
From now until October 14, entrepreneurs and start-up companies worldwide can apply for a place on the programme by visiting www.barclaysaccelerator.com. The accelerator programme will begin in January 2016, with the demo day in London scheduled for April 2016.
