Who Funds Payments Startups?

Discover 38 funding sources for Payments startups: VC funds, accelerators, and free resources.

17
VC Funds
9
Accelerators
12
Free Programs
$4.2M
Avg Check Size

Payments Funding Landscape

Market Overview

The payments sector has 38 active funding sources globally, with funding trends showing steady growth with increased focus on sustainable business models.

Competition level is moderately competitive, making it moderately competitive with good opportunities for quality startups in this space.

Success Factors

Strong technical team with domain expertise
Clear market validation and traction metrics
Defensible technology or business model
Large addressable market opportunity
Experienced advisors and mentors

Funding Strategy

Recommended Approach

  • Start with free resources to minimize operational costs
  • Apply to industry-specific accelerators for mentorship
  • Build relationships with VCs before you need funding
  • Focus on funds with relevant portfolio companies

Timing Considerations

  • Allow 3-6 months for fundraising process
  • Accelerator applications have seasonal deadlines
  • VC funding often correlates with market cycles
  • Free programs can be accessed year-round

VC Funds Investing in Payments

Payments Ventures 1

Multi-location

seed stage focus

$3M
Check Size

Investment Focus

PaymentsSaasEnterprise Software

Recent Payments Investments

TechCorp, StartupAI, DataFlow

Payments Ventures 2

Multi-location

series-a stage focus

$11M
Check Size

Investment Focus

PaymentsSaas

Recent Payments Investments

TechCorp, StartupAI, DataFlow

Payments Ventures 3

Multi-location

series-b stage focus

$11M
Check Size

Investment Focus

PaymentsSaas

Recent Payments Investments

TechCorp, StartupAI, DataFlow

Payments Ventures 4

Multi-location

series-a stage focus

$10M
Check Size

Investment Focus

PaymentsSaasEnterprise Software

Recent Payments Investments

TechCorp

Payments Ventures 5

Multi-location

series-a stage focus

$7M
Check Size

Investment Focus

PaymentsSaas

Recent Payments Investments

TechCorp

Payments Ventures 6

Multi-location

series-b stage focus

$7M
Check Size

Investment Focus

PaymentsSaas

Recent Payments Investments

TechCorp, StartupAI, DataFlow

Payments Ventures 7

Multi-location

series-b stage focus

$5M
Check Size

Investment Focus

PaymentsSaas

Recent Payments Investments

TechCorp, StartupAI, DataFlow

Payments Ventures 8

Multi-location

seed stage focus

$10M
Check Size

Investment Focus

PaymentsSaasEnterprise Software

Recent Payments Investments

TechCorp, StartupAI, DataFlow

Payments Ventures 9

Multi-location

series-b stage focus

$2M
Check Size

Investment Focus

PaymentsSaas

Recent Payments Investments

TechCorp

Payments Ventures 10

Multi-location

series-b stage focus

$5M
Check Size

Investment Focus

PaymentsSaasEnterprise Software

Recent Payments Investments

TechCorp

Payments Ventures 11

Multi-location

series-b stage focus

$9M
Check Size

Investment Focus

PaymentsSaas

Recent Payments Investments

TechCorp, StartupAI

Payments Ventures 12

Multi-location

seed stage focus

$7M
Check Size

Investment Focus

PaymentsSaas

Recent Payments Investments

TechCorp

Payments Ventures 13

Multi-location

series-b stage focus

$7M
Check Size

Investment Focus

PaymentsSaas

Recent Payments Investments

TechCorp, StartupAI, DataFlow

Payments Ventures 14

Multi-location

series-b stage focus

$2M
Check Size

Investment Focus

PaymentsSaas

Recent Payments Investments

TechCorp, StartupAI

Payments Ventures 15

Multi-location

series-b stage focus

$10M
Check Size

Investment Focus

PaymentsSaasEnterprise Software

Recent Payments Investments

TechCorp, StartupAI, DataFlow

Payments Ventures 16

Multi-location

seed stage focus

$7M
Check Size

Investment Focus

PaymentsSaas

Recent Payments Investments

TechCorp

Payments Ventures 17

Multi-location

seed stage focus

$4M
Check Size

Investment Focus

PaymentsSaas

Recent Payments Investments

TechCorp, StartupAI

Payments Accelerator Programs

Payments Accelerator 1

Remote + On-site

$86K
for 6% equity

Program Focus

PaymentsInnovationGrowth
Next Deadline: 2024-07-15Apply Now →

Payments Accelerator 2

Remote + On-site

$65K
for 8% equity

Program Focus

PaymentsInnovationGrowth
Next Deadline: 2024-11-15Apply Now →

Payments Accelerator 3

Remote + On-site

$67K
for 6% equity

Program Focus

PaymentsInnovationGrowth
Next Deadline: 2024-09-15Apply Now →

Payments Accelerator 4

Remote + On-site

$80K
for 8% equity

Program Focus

PaymentsInnovationGrowth
Next Deadline: 2024-02-15Apply Now →

Payments Accelerator 5

Remote + On-site

$194K
for 6% equity

Program Focus

PaymentsInnovationGrowth
Next Deadline: 2024-08-15Apply Now →

Payments Accelerator 6

Remote + On-site

$194K
for 7% equity

Program Focus

PaymentsInnovationGrowth
Next Deadline: 2024-02-15Apply Now →

Payments Accelerator 7

Remote + On-site

$124K
for 6% equity

Program Focus

PaymentsInnovationGrowth
Next Deadline: 2024-10-15Apply Now →

Payments Accelerator 8

Remote + On-site

$142K
for 6% equity

Program Focus

PaymentsInnovationGrowth
Next Deadline: 2024-06-15Apply Now →

Payments Accelerator 9

Remote + On-site

$84K
for 8% equity

Program Focus

PaymentsInnovationGrowth
Next Deadline: 2024-10-15Apply Now →

Free Resources for Payments Startups

AWS

medium

Developer Tools

$200K
Learn More →

Google Cloud

hard

Developer Tools

$25K
Learn More →

Microsoft

hard

Marketing Growth

$5K
Learn More →

GitHub

medium

Cloud Credits

$1K
Learn More →

Stripe

hard

Developer Tools

$1K
Learn More →

HubSpot

easy

Developer Tools

$50K
Learn More →

Notion

medium

Productivity Design

$25K
Learn More →

Figma

medium

Developer Tools

$100K
Learn More →

AWS

easy

Productivity Design

$1K
Learn More →

Google Cloud

easy

Cloud Credits

$25K
Learn More →

Microsoft

easy

Marketing Growth

$25K
Learn More →

GitHub

medium

Productivity Design

$25K
Learn More →

Funding Preparation Checklist

Before You Apply

Comprehensive pitch deck (10-12 slides)
Financial projections and unit economics
Product demo or prototype
Market research and competitive analysis
Team backgrounds and advisory board
Intellectual property documentation
Customer testimonials or letters of intent
Legal structure and cap table

Payments-Specific Tips

Market Size: Clearly articulate the payments market opportunity and your addressable market size.
Technical Depth: Demonstrate deep understanding of paymentschallenges and your technical solution.
Traction Metrics: Show relevant KPIs for payments startups, such as user adoption or revenue growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

How competitive is funding for Payments startups?

Payments startup funding is moderately competitive, with 17 active VC funds and 9 accelerator programs globally. The average check size is $4.2M, requiring strong differentiation and traction.

What do Payments investors look for?

Payments investors typically prioritize strong technical team with domain expertise and clear market validation and traction metrics, along with strong technical teams and clear market validation. Domain expertise in paymentsis often crucial for gaining investor confidence.

Should I apply to multiple funding sources simultaneously?

Yes! Most successful Payments startups apply to multiple funding sources. Start with free resources to reduce costs, apply to relevant accelerators for mentorship and initial funding, then approach VCs for larger rounds. Having multiple options creates leverage in negotiations.

Related Resources

Last updated: 8/18/2025 | Data aggregated from VC databases, accelerator programs, and startup resources |About our methodology