The theme-based project is for mature fintech markets and focuses on innovation. It pushes the traditional accelerator model forward, and meets the specific business challenges of financial services outfits in New York and London through fostering collaboration between industry incumbents and mature startups. The theme-based structure of the programme allows corporates and startups to collaborate on different areas and their related challenges throughout the cycle of the year. Nektarios Liolios, founder and CEO of Rainmaking Colab, remarks, “Within a set theme, our analysts will work with the startups and the corporates to really understand their needs, ensuring that the startups speak to the right people within the right part of an organisation, and have engagement that will ideally lead to a commercial arrangement”. The new project receives support from MasterCard, Lloyds Banking Group, Santander, and Rabobank. Maurits Lancee, investment manager for Rabobank’s Rabo Ventures & Partnerships, explains his organisation’s excitement for the collaboration and their role in the partnership:

We are delighted to continue our collaboration with the team of Rainmaking Colab. The FinTech ecosystems in London and New York have evolved and we believe there is a need for a model that focusses on solving real business problems and matching these with companies that have proven solutions. Rabobank will deliver the right knowledge, network and financial means to establish fruitful collaborations that will bring benefit to our customers.