By Cliff McBride, University Communications and Marketing
On September 24, around 200 people came out to USF St. Petersburg to hear startup founders and CEOs pitch their ideas to revolutionize the financial technology (fintech) industry. The pitch event was part of the fourth FinTech|X Accelerator program, a partnership between the USF Muma College of Business and Tampa Bay Wave that assists high-potential startups through mentoring, pitch coaching and investor introductions.
Representatives of 10 startups from across the U.S. and abroad had four-minutes to pitch their solutions for the world of finance at the event. Also in attendance were students from the first class of USF’s master in fintech program. The event provided an opportunity for these students to engage with founders, investors and industries that work in the fintech space.
The overall goal of the accelerator program is to transition startups to sustainable, scalable and profitable businesses. Since it began in the spring of 2022, 50 companies have graduated from the program, generating nearly $60 million in revenue, raising more than $100 million in investments and creating nearly 500 jobs, according to Tampa Bay Wave.