Credit card giant Mastercard today announces that it’s welcoming seven new startups into its global startup engagement program, Mastercard Start Path. Since its inception in 2014, Mastercard Start Path has fielded applications from over 1,500 startups every year and the program has helped more than 350 businesses attract well over $3.5 billion in funding. Successful applicants are welcomed into Mastercard’s fintech network, where they’re given “growth-essential opportunities” to collaborate, receive mentoring and tap Mastercard’s existing connections and clientele in order to accelerate blockchain, Web3, and fintech innovation. This year’s cohort welcomes seven companies from five different countries into the fold. From the United States, there’s Web3 payments company Loot Bolt, a crypto privacy and compliance firm called Quadrata, and Uptop, which uses blockchain tech to help brands personalize their consumer experience. The rest of this year’s intake comes from Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Colombia, and Dubai. By bringing together various firms from different fields within crypto, Mastercard’s Start Path aims to catalyze innovation in the space and accelerate the hybridization of Web3 and emerging fintech systems with traditional finance. By Tim Hakki, https://decrypt.co/113455/mastercard-welcomes-7-crypto-blockchain-startups-to-fintech-innovation-program
