FinTech Program
FinTech
The MassChallenge 2025 FinTech Challenge Program is committed to supporting finance and financial inclusion startups on their journey toward early commercialization and scaling. This program is sponsored by industry-leading corporates, known as Challenge Partners, who seek innovative startups in specific areas and collaborate with MassChallenge to deliver the program.
Our 2025 FinTech Program Challenge Partners include Citizens, Digital Credit Union, and MassMutual. Selected startups will work directly with at least one of these partners throughout the program to address their challenge statements and drive solutions in areas like:
- managing data for a better customer experience,
- leveraging AI to enable effective and fast decision making,
- identifying tools and platforms that provide accessibility to financial planning & education,
- and much more.
See what our 2025 FinTech Challenge Partners are specifically interested in solving for this year here.
Program participants gain access to the extensive MassChallenge community, which includes experienced mentors, successful entrepreneurs, investors, and industry experts.
The program curriculum is specifically designed to enable startup founders to build continuous traction through engagement with corporate partners and meet them where they are in their startup journey. We also provide targeted guidance through Experts in Residence (EIRs) with industry expertise.
Key Dates
Program Benefits
- Mentorship and Guidance: Connect 1-on 1 with experienced mentors who offer valuable advice, industry insights, and strategic guidance
- Outcomes-driven Partnerships with Enterprise Partners: Collaborate on the solutions to the challenges faced by participating enterprises, backed by corporate C-Suite support, passionate innovation champions, and resources. Gain valuable insights into partner organizations, leverage internal introductions and work towards an outcome that will advance your startup
- Networking Opportunities: Connect at in-person and virtual events with a network of fellow entrepreneurs, investors, industry experts, and potential customers
- Access to the MassChallenge Investor Network: Gain exposure to a global network of investors and practice your pitch during curated VC judge sessions
- Structured Curriculum Delivery: Learn more about essential topics like business development, marketing, sales, and financial management and scale your startup, no matter where you are in your journey.
Eligibility Requirement
While MassChallenge supports a wide array of startups, the FinTech Challenge Program is specifically designed for companies with a validated product or solution that is ready for scaling. To understand the specific needs review the 2024 challenge statements here.
The MassChallenge FinTech Challenge Program requires that at least one founding team member attend all mandatory in-person events listed above. Our matchmaking interview process with corporate partners for selected startups will be held in person on January 15-16, 2024, at the MassChallenge office in Boston, MA.
While funding and revenue are important factors in enterprise readiness, we also look at team strength, product/market fit, customer traction, and other elements.
FinTech Challenge Partners
FinTech Community Partners
“What I’ve loved about our interactions so to speak has been how [our MC partner] challenged each other. The past 6 months have been a huge boon to our understanding of the business and what you do but more importantly an understanding of our customers which we both want to help.”
“Meeting the startups, learning their stories and sharing ideas – I’ve always looked forward to my time spent in the discussions where we share ideas and think through various different topics they’re facing – but also frankly I’m learning just as much from them. [-] It’s really been a great two-way relationship.”
“The quality and caliber of partners and companies is top-notch, and the innovation and level of innovation is what you should expect but what I was happily surprised to experience and participate in.”
FAQs
While funding and revenue are important factors in enterprise readiness, we also look at team strength, product/market fit, customer traction etc. For these reasons we use the following eligibility guidelines to ensure we work with solutions that are best positioned to work alongside our partners:
- Solutions that have a clear challenge fit based on our partners strategic priorities and
- Solutions that have a validated product/solution for scaling – have previously enabled proofs of concepts (pilots) with corporations.
If you’re a startup solving issues in financial services (broadly defined), we encourage you to apply. We know that many of our partners are facing more challenges than they even realize, and that you, as innovators, are working to solve problems that they haven’t anticipated yet. You may work with multiple partners, too. This collaboration is the key to the future of financial services, and we want you involved.
No, we accept applications from startups from around the world. However, there are four required in-person sessions that at least one member from your team must attend: Matchmaking (interview process with corporate partners, for selected startups prior to program starting), Orientation week, the Mid-Programming Session and the Program Showcase & Finale. Any additional travel should be determined by you and your challenge partner.
Applications are processed on our Accelerate Platform linked above.
There are four in-person sessions that are required for the Challenge Program that at least one member from your team must attend: Matchmaking (interview process with corporate partners, for selected startups prior to program starting), Orientation week, the Mid-Programming Session and the Program Showcase & Finale.
Most of your MC Program time will be spent working with your partner(s) while you continue to run your business. That said, we’re a firm believer in continual growth––so you’ll be introduced to experts from industries such as marketing, law, investment, compliance and regulation, and technology.
Participation in the program requires at least one team representative to be present for virtual bi-weekly check-ins and present at the four required in-person Boston events throughout the 4-month program. On average, startups dedicate at least 1-2 hours per week to the program; however, this varies depending on your challenge partner ask. This includes meetings with partners, curriculum, and networking events.