Innovations in Financial Technology: Global Accelerators and Fintech Startups

David Bartlett & Tomasz Mroczkowski

Abstract

This article examines the role of global business accelerators in the launch of startup companies in financial technology. Using a database comprising 500 + companies worldwide, we conduct a comparative analysis of the funding of fintech companies that participated in global accelerators versus non-accelerated startups. Supplementing our empirical study of fintech startup funding, we report the results of interviews of fintech entrepreneurs who graduated from leading accelerators. Our investigation reveals a large gap in funding of accelerated and nonaccelerated fintech startups, with the latter group receiving eight times the amount of early stage financing (seed capital + Series A/B/C venture capital) as the accelerated group. Situated at the intersection of scholarly research on fintech and global accelerators, the article illuminates the contributions of business accelerators to fintech startups and the dynamics of startup funding in industry segments with differing financial and technological demands.