MÉXICO, Oct. 15 - Techstars, the worldwide network that helps entrepreneurs succeed, Visa and the Stellar Development Foundation will host the Techstars Startup Weekend Blockchain Latam October 15-17, 2021. An online event for Latin American entrepreneurs in the blockchain community, Startup Weekend is designed to explore innovative ideas based on problems in the financial sector. Techstars, Visa and Stellar are partnering together to create a  collaborative and inclusive forum for sharing, learning, building and innovating in the blockchain space over a three-day period.

The virtual event will work with Latin American participants to nurture ideas based on blockchain that generate innovation in fintech, crypto, digital currency, global payments, micropayments, and more. Participants will obtain knowledge and skills to innovate in the financial sector, learn methodologies to go from concept to creation, and connect with entrepreneurs and peers in the space. Participants will leave the Techstars Startup Weekend with feedback from experienced mentors and blockchain experts from the Visa and Stellar Development Foundation teams and a process for bringing any idea to market. 

"The fintech sector is the driving force behind innovation in Latin America, and supporting companies around the world that are developing solutions that enable the fluid movement of money everywhere is a top priority for Visa," said Arnoldo Reyes, vice president of alliances digital, fintech and entrepreneurship for Visa Latin America and the Caribbean. "With new technologies such as blockchain and digital currencies, many more opportunities for collaboration between fintechs in the region and Visa are opening up, and we are excited to meet more players in this sector at the Techstars Startup Weekend Blockchain Latam."

"The collaboration with Techstars and Visa for this Startup Weekend opens unprecedented opportunities for participants to create and implement solutions towards a more inclusive, collaborative, and sustainable financial system in Latin America," said Gabriel Bizama, international policy lead at Stellar Development Foundation.

All ticket sales from the event will go towards supporting Laboratoria.la, a non-profit organization that encourages inclusion and diversity in the region by opening opportunities for women in programming.

Event participants will be eligible for a series of prizes including:

• 1st Place: US$3,000 worth of XLM from Stellar Development Foundation

• 2nd Place: US$2,000 worth of XLM from Stellar Development Foundation

• 3rd Place: US$1,000 worth of XLM from Stellar Development Foundation

• Mentorship with VISA experts for the 3 winning teams

• Mentorship with Techstars experts for the 3 winning teams

Anyone based in Latin America is welcome to join the event, particularly developers and enthusiasts in the blockchain and fintech spaces. Interested individuals can register at tswblockchainlatam.co.

About Techstars

The Techstars worldwide network helps entrepreneurs succeed. Founded in 2006, Techstars began with three simple ideas—entrepreneurs create a better future for everyone, collaboration drives innovation, and great ideas can come from anywhere. Now we are on a mission to enable every person on the planet to contribute to, and benefit from, the success of entrepreneurs. In addition to operating accelerator programs and venture capital funds, we do this by connecting startups, investors, corporations, and cities to help build thriving startup communities. Techstars has invested in more than 2,700 companies with a combined market cap of more than $206.9B. www.techstars.com

About Visa

Visa (NYSE: V) is the world’s leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of digital commerce on any device, for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit About Visa, visa.com/blog and @VisaNews.

About Stellar

Stellar is a decentralized, fast, scalable, and uniquely sustainable network for financial products and services. It is both a cross-currency transaction system and a platform for digital asset issuance, designed to connect the world’s financial infrastructure. Financial institutions worldwide issue assets and settle payments on the Stellar network, which has grown to over 5 million accounts.‍ stellar.org

About Stellar Development Foundation

The Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) is a non-profit organization that supports the development and growth of Stellar, an open-source network that connects the world’s financial infrastructure. Founded in 2014, the Foundation helps maintain Stellar’s codebase, supports the technical and business communities building on the network, and serves as a voice to regulators and institutions. The Foundation seeks to create equitable access to the global financial system, using the Stellar network to unlock the world’s economic potential through blockchain technology.

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