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The FIS FinTech Accelerator in Partnership with The Venture Center
The FIS FinTech Accelerator launched in 2016 as a structured partnership between FIS, the publicly traded financial services technology giant, and The Venture...
The FIS FinTech Accelerator in Partnership with The Venture Center
The FIS FinTech Accelerator launched in 2016 as a structured partnership between FIS, the publicly traded financial services technology giant, and The Venture Center, a Little Rock-based nonprofit that runs mentor-driven programs. Wayne Miller leads The Venture Center, which operates the day-to-day curriculum and founder support. The accelerator itself manages no fund and takes no equity; its mandate is to identify startups whose products can integrate with or resell through FIS's massive bank and credit union client base. Each year, the accelerator selects a cohort of 10 growth-stage fintech companies through a competitive application process. The program runs over 12 weeks, combining intensive mentorship from FIS product leaders, compliance training, and direct introductions to FIS's network of thousands of financial institutions. Participating companies have built solutions across digital banking, fraud detection, regtech, and small-business lending. Alumni that secured bank partnerships through the program include Bond, a banking-as-a-service platform later acquired by FIS, and Sensibill, a receipt-management tool acquired by Q2. The geographic draw is national, with founders locating to Little Rock for the residential portion of the program. The Venture Center operates additional programs including JOLT, a cybersecurity-focused accelerator, and the VC FinTech Accelerator continued after FIS acquired Worldpay, maintaining the same operational structure. Headcount and budget are not publicly broken out for the accelerator separately from The Venture Center's broader operations. In May 2022, FIS announced it was renewing the partnership with The Venture Center for a seventh year, citing deal-flow value and product integration speed. The structural differentiator is the customer-introduction model. Unlike venture-capital accelerators that fund rounds and take equity positions, the FIS FinTech Accelerator functions as a corporate innovation pipeline. Startups exit the program with commercial contracts or proof-of-concept engagements, not checks. For FIS, the accelerator replaces internal R&D cycles with vetted external teams. For founders, the access to distribution through FIS's client base functions as a growth lever that venture funding alone cannot replicate.
General information
Firm type
Venture Capital
Year founded
2016
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Little Rock
Corporate office
Little Rock, AR, United States
Principals
Wayne Miller
Executive Director, The Venture Center
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Does the FIS FinTech Accelerator take equity in participating startups?
No. The accelerator is a corporate innovation program, not an investment fund. FIS does not take equity positions in cohort companies as part of the program. Startups retain full ownership. The primary benefit is the opportunity to secure commercial contracts or integration deals with FIS and access to its client base of thousands of financial institutions.
How does the FIS FinTech Accelerator differ from a traditional VC accelerator?
Traditional accelerators like Y Combinator or Techstars provide seed funding in exchange for equity and culminate in a Demo Day aimed at investors. The FIS FinTech Accelerator provides no direct funding and takes no equity. Instead, it offers a 12-week curriculum centered on enterprise sales, compliance, and product integration, ending with direct introductions to FIS's banking clients for potential commercial partnerships.
What types of companies does the accelerator typically select?
The program targets growth-stage fintech companies with products relevant to FIS's client base of banks and credit unions. This includes startups working on digital account opening, fraud detection, small-business lending, data analytics, insurtech, and regtech. Selected companies usually have a functioning product and some market traction, not raw ideas. The accelerator historically draws a national applicant pool.
Are alumni companies required to work exclusively with FIS after the program?
No formal exclusivity is required. Alumni are free to pursue partnerships with other financial technology providers. However, many sign commercial agreements with FIS because the program is designed to align their products with FIS's distribution channels. The accelerator's value proposition is the speed and volume of bank introductions, not a locked-in vendor relationship.
How is the accelerator program staffed and funded?
The program is funded jointly by FIS and The Venture Center, a Little Rock-based nonprofit. FIS provides subject-matter experts, product mentors, and access to its client network. The Venture Center runs day-to-day operations, founder curriculum, and mentor coordination under Wayne Miller's leadership. Specific budget figures and staff counts for the accelerator are not publicly disclosed.
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