Visa Innovation Program Europe is in search of the fintech companies that have the highest potential to partner and conduct pilot or proof of concepts with Visa clients and partners, therefore your capabilities should be go-to-market ready for the country you are applying to. We can support market expansion needs on a per case basis and other opportunities beyond. Additionally, you will benefit from curated training, mentorship and introductions to selected investors

Core Value Proposition

PoC/Partnership Opportunities

Introduction to Visa and Visa’s clients to fast-track, test, validate and implement your solutions within Visa’s vast network of financial institutions and corporate partners.

Market Access

Access to new client base and business opportunities across Northern Europe and Baltics (Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)

funding

Connect with some of the leading VC funds in Europe backing fintech startups.

Showcasing

Large exposure and access to top fintech and payment conferences as part of the Program.

Powerful Community

Mentorships, masterclasses, workshops and peer-to-peer gatherings for practical knowledge exchange with a diverse entrepreneurial network of global fintech industry experts and investors.

Powerful Community

Mentorships, masterclasses, workshops and peer-to-peer gatherings for practical knowledge exchange with a diverse entrepreneurial network of global fintech industry experts and investors.

Themes

PROGRAM THEME

Invisible Finance

Visa’s 2026-2027 Innovation Program centers on making finance disappear into the background of everyday
business and commerce. This theme reflects a shift toward embedded, automated and AI-orchestrated
financial flows — powering transactions and decisions without ever getting in the way

A NOTE ON AI
We encourage applicants to approach every track with AI capabilities in mind — AI is reshaping how finance and payments work, and we’re excited to see how you’re putting it to use. That said, this isn’t a requirement: strong solutions without an AI component are just as welcome.

Finance
Making finance seamless, intelligent and embedded into business operations.
Whilst not an exhaustive list, below are some examples of focus areas to spark your inspiration.

Treasury & Working Capital

Optimizing liquidity, cash flow and funding through real time treasury and intelligent money movement.

ERP / ISVs & Vertical SaaS
Embedded finance and payments built into ERP, finance and industryspecific SaaS platforms.

AI-powered FX optimization
AI-driven automation across AP/AR, reconciliation, cash forecasting,
underwriting and financial decisioning.

Procurement & B2B Commerce
Simplifying purchasing, supplier payments and B2B transactions through
automation and embedded finance.

Workforce & Payroll Finance
Better payroll, benefits, workforce payments and expense management for employees and contractors.

Mobility & Fleet Finance (B2B & B2C)
Financial solutions for fleet, fuel, charging, financing and expense control
across transportation.

Payments
Making payments effortless, embedded and connected to every interaction.
Whilst not an exhaustive list, below are some examples of focus areas to spark your inspiration.

Merchant & Premium Brand Cobrands
Next-gen co-brand programs that deepen loyalty and unlock value for
merchants and issuers.

Acceptance Solutions
Simplifying payment acceptance through embedded experiences,
tokenization, data insights and value-added services.

Cross-Border & Global Commerce
Faster international money movement, FX optimization and multi-currency commerce experiences.

Connected Mobility & Logistics
Embedded payments and acceptance for frictionless movement of people, vehicles and goods.

Machine-to-Machine & Agentic Payments
Trusted transactions between AI agents and autonomous systems via secure digital identity and tokenization.

Alumni Fintechs of 2025

Testimonials

“VIPE gave us access to the Visa network in a way we couldn’t have achieved on our own. The introductions have led to real business conversations.​”

VIPE N&B 2026 Participant

“The quality of the working sessions, workshops, and external experts exceeded our expectations. The program created a structured environment that challenged us to sharpen our focus, validate assumptions, and articulate our value proposition more clearly.”

VIPE N&B 2026 Participant

“The expert workshops were outstanding — practical, relevant and delivered by people who truly understand the fintech landscape.​”

VIPE N&B 2026 Participant

“We really appreciated the overall setup of the program. Meeting stakeholders at Tenity and Visa and got the opportunity to network within the fintech space.​” 

VIPE N&B 2026 Participant

“I have found unique networking opportunities with people working in various points in our sector.​”

VIPE N&B 2026 Participant

What our Alumni Built Through VISA

Explore how our 2025 Nordics & Baltics cohort worked with Visa and its clients to turn real business challenges into tangible outcomes.

Betalo

From concept to market ready

Betalo sharpened its embedded payments proposition through structured mentorship with Visa, refining its positioning, partnership model and route to market.

Read the Use Case

Myver

From fragmented expense flows to booking ready transactions

Myver worked with Visa and e-conomic to map real SME expense workflows, identify key friction points and define the foundations for more automated expense management.

Read the Use Case

Who Should Apply

If your team has already completed a proof of concept related to the proposed challenges or has a market-ready solution,
you are the right fit for the Visa Innovation Program Europe.

Solution
A solution addressing
one of our Challenges.
Teams

An experienced team with entrepreneurial spirit

Stage

Startups and scale ups having a market-tested solution

Commitment

Dedication for pilot collaboration with banks and enterprises

What to Expect

Masterclasses

Hands-on sessions with Visa experts, partners and mentors on the topics that decide whether a pilot ships.

Networking Sessions

Peer-to-peer gatherings and curated meetups with the wider Visa, bank and founder ecosystem.

Visibility at Industry Events

Stage time and exposure at events such as Baltic Fintech Days, Nordic Fintech Week and Stockholm Fintech Week.

Introductions

Warm introductions to the Visa teams, clients, partners and investors who are relevant to your use case.

The Timeline

 
Official announcement at NFW & Applications open

Nordic Fintech Week | 23-24 Septemper, 2026

 
 

 
Applications Close

9 October, 2026

 
 

 
Selection Day

20 October, 2026

 
 

 
Kick off (F2F)

4-5 November, 2026

 
 

 
PoC / pilot development & training sessions

November 2026 – May 2027

 
 

 
Mid-program F2F meetup

February-March 2027

 
 

 
Summit (F2F)

May 2027

 
 
 

program manager

The Visa Innovation Program Europe Nordics & Baltics Edition is run by Tenity as the exclusive program manager. With deep expertise in building and scaling innovation ecosystems, Tenity bring its network, domain knowledge, and operational excellence to make the Program a reality in the region.

Tenity is the leading global innovation ecosystem and early-stage investor, with offices in Zurich, Singapore, Tallinn, Madrid, London, and Istanbul. Tenity’s vision is to accelerate the future of finance by bringing together ambitious founders with leading companies, investors, and mentors.

Tenity

Program partners

Previous Success Stories of VIPE

Upcoming Events

Where to meet the Visa Innovation Program Europe Nordics & Baltics team next.

23–24 September 2026 ·

VIPE at the Nordic Fintech Week 2026 (Past Event)


Betalo sharpened its embedded payments proposition through structured mentorship with Visa, refining its positioning, partnership model and route to market.

Read More

9 October 2026 · ZOOM

VIPE Nordics & Baltics 2026-27 | Meetup

Interested in applying to the next Visa Innovation Program Europe – Nordics & Baltics cohort? Or have you already applied and want to learn more?

​Join us on 9 October at 13:30 CEST for an informal online information session with the VIPE team.

Register Now