Romania, selected for Next FinTech competition dedicated to startups

Ten startups from five countries, including Romania, have been selected to participate in the second edition of Next FinTech, the largest accelerator programme dedicated to fintech and SaaS startups, according to a press release from Techcelerator sent on Friday to AGERPRES.

The Next FinTech Accelerator Programme is run with the support of Google for Startups, GapMinder BV, Stripe, Seedblink, TechAngels, RoFinTech Association and Romania Tech Startups Association - ROTSA.

According to the same source, startups from Armenia, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Hungary, Poland, Serbia, UK, Kazakhstan and South Africa entered the competition, and subsequently ten FinTech and SaaS projects from Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, UK and Armenia were selected. The chosen startups are: BankSpot, Boleron, Credify, Infin8 Applications, Prime Dash, Solo Fintech, SPIN Analytics, Text 'Pay Me, Vestinda and Zanumi.

Next FinTech organizers say the programme began on January 25, will end on March 25 and it will include eight intensive mentoring modules: sales, matchmaking with financial institutions in the region, product marketing, transition strategies to the international market, and training for attracting investments, matchmaking with investors and mutual funds. The eight intensive mentoring modules are conducted with the support of more than 21 regional and global mentors - experts and investors in banking, business development, representatives of global technology providers, and FinTech unicorns in Europe.

Techcelerator is the accelerator for technology startups in Romania and South-East Europe, with headquarters in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca, benefiting from the strategic support provided by GapMinder Venture Partners. To date, Techcelerator has benefited from a total investment of more than 10 million euros from the rounds of investment attracted.

GapMinder, a 50 million euro venture capital fund, invests in technology companies created in Romania and Central Europe. It has companies such as FintechOS, TypingDNA, SmartDreamers, Deepstash, Frisbo or Planable in its portfolio.

The European Investment Fund (EIF) is part of the European Investment Bank Group and the largest SME risk financier in Europe, through venture capital instruments, guarantees and microfinance. In Romania, the EIF implements financial instruments financed by structural funds and investment funds: JEREMIE 2007-2013, the SME Initiative and the financial instruments within the Competitiveness Operational Programme, the Regional Operational Programme and the PNDR (National Rural Development Plan).