Introducing our new class of Plaid Accelerate startups

Plaid’s mission is to unlock financial freedom for everyone. Our Plaid Accelerate program aims to directly support a diverse and inclusive fintech community, so that the future of financial services better reflects the rich diversity of consumers who benefit from fintech innovation. Since we launched the program in April 2021, we’ve worked with nine tremendous early stage startups led by founders of color, working to support them as they built and grew their businesses. 

In May, we put out a call for startups across the country to participate in our next program cohort. Today, we’re excited to welcome our third class of Plaid Accelerate founders from three startups who are working to tackle critical problems with innovative technology. We received so many great applications for this program, and want to welcome the startups that make up our new class. Companies include:

• Bluedot is a mobile app for electric-vehicle drivers that finds nearby charging stations, enables payments, and offers a loyalty program.

• Clockwork is an AI-powered financial forecasting platform helping small businesses take control of their finances.

• Manifest helps people easily consolidate old retirement accounts to save time, money, and maximize outcomes. 

Each Plaid Accelerate program is specifically tailored to the needs of the cohort. This is our second cohort of the year. The programming will be geared toward helping the participating companies, which are seed stage companies, accelerate their businesses.

Reflecting on our past cohorts 

We’ve learned so much from the founders who have participated in Plaid Accelerate. We’d like to extend thanks and congratulations to all nine of the companies that have completed the program so far. In particular, our second cohort of companies completed the program this June: Dollarito, Kaoshi, Portabl, and Pyroscope. 

Over the course of the 5 month program, each of these companies accomplished incredible milestones including securing lending licenses, launching new products, pivoting to new business models, raising funding rounds, growing their teams, and accelerating their revenue growths. 

We are so proud of all of their many accomplishments and for having been part of their journey. These companies are making waves and we are excited to see them strive to contribute to a fairer, more equitable financial system. We can't wait to watch for more to come out of this group and all our program alums!

What’s next

The bootcamp for our new class of startups kicks off tomorrow! Plus, over the next five months, the cohort will participate in our Accelerate curriculum which offers stage-specific guidance around product and platform development, go-to-market and customer strategies, business operations, and planning for growth. Our participating founders will also have access to a broader Plaid team of talent in the form of mentorship, office hours, additional training, and free access to Plaid products throughout the program’s duration. 

Additionally, our participating founders will get the chance to network with our robust partner network of leading venture firms, law firms, technology companies, and more. This network provides tailored programming, support, and free or discounted access to certain technology and services. As one example, Plaid Accelerate has a new fundraising track offering participating founders exposure to expertise from a range of VCs and a practice Pitch Day.

Thanks to our partners

None of this would be possible without the support of our Plaid Accelerate partners, who have dedicated countless hours helping our participating founders optimize for success. These partners include venture firms, law firms, technology companies, and more. A full list can be found below. 

We hope that you’ll join us in celebrating our participating founders building a support network and community through the Plaid Accelerate program. Getting started is often the hardest part of building a company, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to serve as an accelerant for a more inclusive, varied and representative fintech ecosystem.

Get involved

Plaid Accelerate hosts cohorts twice per year, with the first session focusing on very early stage pre-seed companies looking for support as they launch their businesses. Our second program of the year is targeted toward seed-stage businesses looking to accelerate their growth. Applications for our next cohort will open in December with the program running from February 2023 - June 2023. 

Interested in supporting or participating in Plaid Accelerate? Learn more and stay updated here.