Mastercard has introduced five early-stage startups founded by women and people of color into its Start Path in Solidarity programme.
In the U.S., underrepresented founders from top-funded startups typically receive only 43% of the funding amount compared to the average startup founded by a white man. Mastercard’s initiative aims to bridge the wealth and opportunity gap in America by offering enterprise partnership readiness training, dedicated mentorship, and introductions to investors, as well as access to Mastercard’s customers.
Participants will also benefit from opportunities for technology collaboration and forums to pitch their innovations. The five startups joining the programme are:
- ChargerHelp: Offers on-demand repairs and maintenance for electric vehicle charging stations using advanced technology solutions.
- GoTackle: Reduces the administrative workload of economic development organizations, enabling them to better coach small businesses.
- Home Lending Pal: Provides financial analytics tools to homebuyers and lenders to transform the traditional homebuying experience with a focus on technology, financial education, and fair lending practices.
- Hopscotch: Simplifies invoicing, bill payments, and cash flow management for small businesses within a single platform.
- Meter Feeder: Enables vehicle fleets to automate payments for parking and tolling violations, ensuring compliance while helping cities maintain future revenue.