Santander Leasing has signed a partnership agreement with Accelpoint as part of AccelUp, a program to accelerate innovative financial, insurance, and telecoms technologies among startups globally. Program participants can receive up to PLN 200,000 in funding, as well as 100 hours worth of business know-how through consultations in the field of technology, business, design, and law. Startups that see an opportunity in partnership with Santander Leasing can apply for AccelUp, with the third round of applications closing on June 30.
Conducted by Accelpoint, AccelUp is a program to bring together corporations and startups that offer innovative and implementable services and solutions. Fintech, insurtech, and telecoms startups that qualify for the program can expect to receive up to PLN 200,000 in direct and non-refundable funding for a joint project implemented with a partner of their choice.
“Startup accelerators are experiencing a boom in our country. As many as 24% of all successful startups obtained funding with the assistance of accelerators (Polish Startups 2018 report), double the 2017 figure. Add the fact that startups have named assistance from a Polish accelerator as one of the essential prerequisites for success (more than 40% of the startups surveyed), and you can see the importance of companies such as AccelUp,” says Tomasz Jąder, President at Santander Leasing. “Santander Bank has been present in this market for a long time, and our company also wants to be part of this growth. A free flow of information and experience sharing are currently the key conditions for a modern and innovative knowledge-based economy to develop. Lowering barriers and costs of access to knowledge is especially important at the initial stage of a startup. Santander Leasing has long been working with young enterprises, mainly as a company that funds startup investments. I believe that this is a good time to take this partnership to the next level :), not only as a leasing company but also as a business partner. I hope that we’ll soon hear about more success stories of Polish startups thanks to this year’s edition of the program,” he adds.
“Accelpoint is becoming a more and more powerful player in fintech project acceleration. We’re excited to welcome Santander Leasing as a new partner to our team and we’d like to keep up the momentum by inviting startups to apply for the 3rd round of AccelUp. Participation in the program opens up new opportunities for growth and global partnership, as well as access to international know-how and consultation with our leading experts,” says Maciej Majewski, Head of AccelUp Program.
The AccelUp acceleration program is based on active collaboration with mature startups offering implementable solutions whose innovative products or services can find application in areas of need identified by Santander Leasing and other project partners. In addition, participating startups are given the opportunity to pitch their solution to global VC funds, including Santander InnoVentures. For a product to take part in the acceleration program, it has to solve a problem in the field of fintech, insurtech, or telecommunications; be innovative and marketable, and have the potential for improvement in partnership with selected corporate partners, while the company itself has to be registered in Poland.
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With more than 20 years of experience, Santander Leasing is a well-established leader in financing machinery and equipment, remaining at the forefront of the leasing industry. As a universal lessor, the company funds a wide range of fixed assets for SME and corporate clients. The company has always focused on high-quality services and reliability in its relationships with its clients. This was recognized by entrepreneurs, who presented Santander Leasing with the Trusted Brand Award (Marka Godna Zaufania) in 2020.
ACCELPOINT sp. z o.o. implements the project co-financed by the European Funds Smart Growth Operational Programme 2014-2020 “Accelpoint ScaleUp – Technological Accelerator connecting innovative solutions with Technology Recipients”.
