Media Release: Aider first New Zealand company to be selected for elite global start-up programme
Joint Media Release, Aider and Mastercard NZ: 28 June 2019
Auckland-based AI software company Aider has been selected as one of 11 start-ups globally to participate in the next wave of Mastercard’s elite Start Path programme. Aider is the first New Zealand start-up to be selected for the programme since its launch in 2014, and was chosen from over 2,000 applications from start-ups all over the world.
The Mastercard Start Path programme enables later-stage fintech start-ups to scale rapidly through access to Mastercard’s technology, solutions expertise and global relationships. Aider will join a network of more than 220 Start Path participants which have gone on to raise more than US$1.4 billion in capital and work with some of the world’s largest organisations.
“We are thrilled to see a New Zealand-based company among our next wave of promising start-ups.”– Ruth Riviere, Mastercard New Zealand and Pacific Islands Country Manager
“Being selected for Start Path is validation that we are building a truly game-changing solution for small businesses around the globe,” says Aider founder & CEO, Brendan Roberts.
“This opportunity will give Aider access to high profile relationships, expertise and partnerships which will help us grow to a global scale.”
Mastercard New Zealand and Pacific Islands Country Manager, Ruth Riviere, says it’s exciting to see innovation in New Zealand recognised globally.
“At a certain part in their growth all organisations need introductions, endorsements and input from those who have been there before. This is where Mastercard can deliver value through Start Path, as we use our network and expertise to drive growth for start-ups.”
“We are thrilled to see a New Zealand-based company among our next wave of promising start-ups.”
The announcement adds to a huge start to 2019 for Aider which last month announced a high-profile collaboration with New Zealand’s Westpac to bring human-centric AI and digital assistance to Westpac’s small business banking experience.
Aider joined the 10 other Start Path participants in New York this week to ignite its collaboration and set a blueprint for the next six months which will include tailored programs, operational support and commercial engagements within the Mastercard ecosystem.
Read Mastercard’s global media release
For more information contact:
Aider:
Kari Viccars
Head of Marketing, Aider
+64 21 086 12262
kari@aider.ai
Mastercard:
Renee Ji
Senior Account Manager, Acumen Republic
+64 21 294 2104
rji@acumenrepublic.com
About Mastercard Start Path
A six-month virtual engagement program, Start Path supports later-stage FinTech start-ups to scale into new opportunities and markets. Selected from over 2000 applicants, participants benefit from access to subject matter experts from across the Mastercard organisation and facilitated introductions to Mastercard’s global network of customers. www.startpath.com
About Aider
Co-founded in Auckland in 2017 by Brendan Roberts and Pete Weaver, Aider is an AI-powered conversational digital assistant giving small businesses an edge from better data-driven decisions and actionable insights.
Connecting to the apps small and medium businesses use to run their operations, Aider delivers immediate, easy access to business information in one place. Currently, the Aider ecosystem includes Xero, QuickBooks Online, Kounta, Vend, Twitter and Google Analytics and many more. Business app connections include: point of sale, accounting, payroll, rostering, online calendar, social media and analytics
Using the Aider mobile app, users can ask questions by typing, voice-to-text or speaking through a voice assistant, like Alexa or Google Assistant.
Constantly learning and growing its knowledge base, Aider can also schedule notifications, put reminders in the user’s calendar, and will deliver trends analysis and benchmarking. www.aiderstatic.temp513.kinsta.cloud
Start Path 2019 participants
Aider makes AI available to the SME market in the form of a digital assistant so businesses can have a conversation with data on demand.
Axonius is the only cybersecurity asset management platform providing actionable visibility and policy enforcement for all assets and users.
Ellevest is a company designed by women to get women investing in minutes.
FraudNet is the only cloud-based ‘glass-box’ fraud system, offering a transparent presentation of the data, statistics and contextual variables.
Infinicept operates the Infinicept Payment Facilitator in a Box™, a SaaS-based technology platform that supports frictionless merchant and seamless back office operations for the PF ecosystem.
Konsentus provides third-party providers (TPPs) with identity and regulatory checking ensuring financial institutions are PSD2 open banking compliant.
Moneythor develops software providing more intelligent and contextual digital banking for customers and enhanced marketing and analytics for financial institutions.
Nuclei are building a global omni-channel digital banking platform, which enables the banks to recapture the core characteristics of banking.
SURE Insurance revolutionized insurance in 2015 with Episodic Insurance™, making it possible for anyone to purchase on-demand insurance with a smartphone.
TruRating is a flexible, multi-channel solution for engaging with customers and the world’s first point-of-payment customer rating service.
ZigZag is an award-winning logistics technology solution helping global retailers with customer returns.
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