SC Ventures announced their opening of SC Ventures Fintech Bridge to facilitate connectivity between startups and the business acumen stored in Standard Chartered’s investors and internal departments. According to their website, The Fintech Bridge will fast-track chosen ideas past traditional seeding and fund rounding, allowing instead for a “move from initial application to final selection within three months.”
SC Ventures Fintech Bridge makes four commitments; one towards ‘direct connectivity’ that emphasises the importance of Standard Chartered’s role in guiding founders and their businesses; a second to genuine ‘fast-tracking’; a third towards ‘guaranteeing funding for Proof of Concepts’; and finally ‘exposure to Standard Chartered’s markets.’
Marion Bernardi, head of Fintech Engagement at SC Ventures, confirmed: “Our partnership with start-ups is not only about running PoCs, but also helping them to achieve scale. The fintechs who have worked with us appreciate how we have helped them navigate through a big corporation like Standard Chartered. SC Ventures Fintech Bridge gives us the capacity to broaden our connections to the global fintech ecosystem to seek out the best partners.”
Although the Bank’s Fintech Bridge will include various regional accelerators in its stakeholders, SC Ventures Fintech Bridge will be headquartered in the bank’s stronghold in Singapore.
