Last week’s Demo Day for the Arkansas-based 2018 VC FinTech Accelerator Program drew in over 400 investors, business leaders, and banking executives eager to see 10 fintech startup companies and their presentations. The 12-week program is supported by the global financial services company FIS, central Arkansas’ Venture Center, and the State of Arkansas, and will continue into 2019 thanks to an extension announced by Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and FIS CEO, president, and chairman Gary Norcross.
The startups showcased virtual ATMs, next-gen password authentication, point-of-sale digitized coins, instant payments powered by blockchain, the use of big data and social media to verify consumer lending credit, and other ideas. The support offered by FIS doesn’t end with the 2018 Demo Day, signing several letters of intent with program participants so their technologies can be leveraged as part of FIS commercial solutions.
“This program is a key element of our strategy to identify, invest in, and bring to market the most modern, advanced financial technologies in the industry,” said Norcross. “We were impressed with the level of ingenuity we saw again this year.”
With globe-spanning expertise in financial service technology, FIS provided the software and services that gave startups in the program the jump start they needed. FIS focuses on institutional and retail banking, asset and wealth management, outsourcing solutions, payments, and risk and compliance. They are a Fortune 500 company operating in 130 countries, serving over 20,000 clients.
