Visa Everywhere Initiative
Visa Inc.
Up to $100K (non-dilutive)
Visa's global fintech pitch contest
The Visa Everywhere Initiative is Visa's flagship global fintech pitch competition, run annually since 2015. Startups developing payments and digital-commerce solutions compete in regional rounds — including a North America region open to US startups — and one finalist per region advances to the global finals, historically hosted at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco. The global winner receives a non-dilutive cash grand prize (figures have ranged from $50,000 to $100,000 across editions), plus additional awards such as an Audience Favorite and a Visa Direct prize. Beyond cash, finalists gain mentorship, Visa partnership exposure, and potential pilot collaboration. Since 2015, nearly 12,000 startups from 100+ countries have applied. Note: this is Visa's fintech PITCH COMPETITION and is a DISTINCT program from the cataloged visa-shes-next-grant (Visa's She's Next women-owned-business grant program) — same company, different program.
- Funding type
- Award
- Level
- Private
- Amount range
- $10,000 – $100,000
- Realistic amount
- Most applicants gain exposure and mentorship rather than cash. Regional finalists may win ti…
- Deadline
- Annual — regional application windows open through the year; global finals historically at TechCrunch Disrupt (fall)
- Status
- active
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- lump-sum
Who qualifies
- Startups building payments, fintech, or digital-commerce solutions
- Apply to a regional edition; US startups enter the North America region
- Generally aimed at startups with a product/solution (often growth-stage); exact stage criteria vary by edition
- Solution should align with Visa's network and partnership interests
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Non-dilutive cash prizes have no published use restrictions
- Product development and go-to-market
- Working capital and growth
How to apply
-
1
Confirm fintech/payments fit and region
Make sure your product is a payments, fintech, or commerce solution that fits Visa's interests, and identify the North America (or relevant) regional edition and its application window.
~2 hrs
-
2
Submit the regional application
Apply via the Visa Everywhere Initiative portal with a company overview, product description, traction, and how your solution advances payments/commerce.
~6 hrs
-
3
Compete in the regional round
Selected startups pitch in the regional competition; one finalist per region is chosen to advance to the global finals.
~15 hrs
-
4
Pitch at the global finals
Regional finalists pitch at the global finals (historically TechCrunch Disrupt, San Francisco) for the grand prize and additional awards, judged by Visa and industry leaders.
~20 hrs
The cash is secondary to the Visa relationship — finalists pitch a product that Visa's partner network can actually use, and the real upside is a pilot or partnership conversation with Visa, not the prize check. Lead your application with a payments/commerce use case that plugs into Visa rails (e.g., Visa Direct), and quantify traction; generic fintech ideas without a clear Visa-network angle tend not to advance.
Deadline & timing
Run annually since 2015. Startups apply to their regional edition (including North America); one finalist per region advances to the global finals, historically held at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco in the fall. Exact 2026 North America application dates were not published on the sources reviewed; cadence is annual.
Programs that stack well
Related programs
Explore more funding
Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.