Visa Europe Collab offers start-ups and technology entrepreneurs the insight, tools and connections to forge the technologies and services that will transform citizens’ interactions with payments. As the Lead Benefactor of the Emerging Payments Association (EPA), Visa Collab will be a strong partner for the EPA, whose mission is to make London the global hotspot for innovation in PayTech, part of the FinTech industry.

Visa’s support means the EPA can continue to invest in bringing more people together to share ideas and best practice and create new opportunities for growth. It means the EPA can deliver projects to overcome obstacles to innovation, such as Project Centralised KYC and Project Rome, focused on enabling direct access to settlement at the Bank of England. It will also help ensure that the emerging payments community is seen by the Payments Systems Regulator, the FCA and government as a source of competitive advantage for the UK.

‘‘Partnership is key to innovation and the future growth of our industry. Since we opened our doors in February, Visa Europe Collab has formed relationships with over 100 start ups, as well as establish a broad network across the community,’ says Dr Steve Perry, Founder and Co-creator of Visa Europe Collab. ‘We’re delighted to be working together with the EPA at this exciting time in the development of London’s FinTech scene.”

“This is set to be an excellent partnership and good news for the payments industry in helping to advance innovation,” says Tony Craddock, Director General of the Emerging Payments Association (EPA). “Visa Europe Collab sets out to support start-ups and entrepreneurs through its innovation hub. By becoming the Lead Benefactor of the EPA, it is supporting the whole of the payments industry in establishing London as the global hotspot for payments innovation.”