Mastercard Start Path Selects 11 Emerging Fintech Startups

On October 31, 2023, Mastercard announced 11 new startups selected for its Start Path Emerging Fintech program, aimed at scaling innovations spanning payments, rewards gamification, and city planning technology. The Start Path program provides participating startups with access to Mastercard's global network, technology resources, and commercial partnerships to accelerate growth. Selected companies focus on areas that intersect with Mastercard's embedded finance and payments ecosystem, enabling new customer experiences.

The program is part of Mastercard's broader strategy to foster fintech innovation by embedding its network capabilities into emerging platforms and services. Start Path has historically been a pipeline for commercial partnerships between Mastercard and early-stage fintechs. The announcement was timed to coincide with Money20/20 USA in Las Vegas, one of the largest fintech industry events.

Financial terms of the program were not disclosed, though participants receive non-equity support and partnership opportunities.