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Visa has launched the sixth cohort of its Africa FinTech Accelerator, bringing together 21 fintech companies from nine African countries and supporting startups seeking to expand across the continent’s financial markets.

The latest cohort officially began in Accra, Ghana, with startups from Niger, Togo and Seychelles joining the program for the first time. The participating companies are developing solutions across areas such as stablecoins, digital payments, financial infrastructure, agent-based commerce and sustainable finance.

Among the new participants is Niger-based Sako, the first company from the country to join the accelerator. Togo’s Borderless and Seychelles-based Fusepay are also taking part for the first time. Fusepay is developing an AI-powered operating system that integrates ordering, inventory, invoicing, collections, payments and financial reconciliation for businesses.

Other participants include Agridex, which provides infrastructure for cross-border trade and payments and currently supports money transfers across 35 markets.

Egyptian FinTech Startups Among Participants

Egypt is represented by several fintech companies in the sixth cohort, including Fincart, ParlexAI and Remi.

Founded in Cairo in 2023, Fincart develops technology for e-commerce businesses, helping sellers manage shipping, cash collection, customer communication, financing and after-sales operations through a unified platform.

ParlexAI focuses on AI infrastructure for financial institutions, offering solutions that automate customer interactions across voice and digital channels, including collections, customer service, onboarding and verification.

Meanwhile, Remi is developing infrastructure designed to connect payment and settlement networks, enabling faster and more transparent cross-border money movement. The company operates across Egypt, the UAE, Canada and Morocco.

Three-Month Program for Growth-Stage Startups

The Visa Africa FinTech Accelerator runs for three months through a hybrid format. It combines an onboarding week, 10 weeks of virtual sessions, an investor-focused week and an in-person Demo Day.

The program is aimed at startups that have developed a minimum viable product or market-ready solution. Eligible companies can be at Seed through Series A funding stages, provided their products have been tested in the market and the businesses demonstrate growth or expansion potential.

Participants receive training in areas including product development, marketing, finance and sales, alongside one-on-one mentoring from founders and industry specialists.

They also gain access to Visa’s fintech expertise and Visa Developer Portal, as well as networking opportunities with financial institutions, investors and technology companies across Africa.

The accelerator also provides access to benefits, products and discounts from more than 100 providers, with a combined value exceeding $200,000.

Potential Investment Opportunities

The program’s Demo Day gives participating startups an opportunity to present their products to investors, venture capital funds and organizations including Visa and Plug and Play.

Visa said companies that successfully complete the accelerator may be considered for investment by Visa or Plug and Play. Investment decisions are evaluated individually around the time of Demo Day.

According to Visa, up to half of the participating companies could receive investment opportunities from Visa or Plug and Play, subject to individual assessments.

Participation in the accelerator is free, while startups are responsible for travel, visa and related expenses. Visa covers accommodation for one founder from each participating company attending the in-person Demo Day.

Six Focus Areas

The accelerator covers six major fintech areas: new payment flows, embedded finance, solutions for merchants and SMEs, payment infrastructure, the future of financial services, and sustainable and inclusive finance.

The program also focuses on solutions such as cross-border payments, open banking, account-to-account payments, digital wallets, flexible financing, loyalty programs, banking-as-a-service and financial tools designed for underserved communities.

Since its launch in 2023, the Visa Africa FinTech Accelerator has supported more than 100 startups through its first five cohorts, with participating companies representing more than 35 countries, according to the program’s official website.

The accelerator is designed to help fintech startups strengthen their products, enter new markets, develop partnerships and gain access to Visa’s expertise and wider business network.