ST. PETERSBURG — Tampa Bay Wave, in partnership with the University of South Florida's Muma College of Business, launched the highly anticipated 2025 FinTech|X Accelerator, a nationally recognized program that supports high-growth fintech startups from across the U.S. and beyond.
Now in its fourth year, the FinTech|X Accelerator has become a premier launchpad for high-potential, early-stage fintech companies. Startups that have participated in the program have collectively raised over $300 million in funding and generated over $60 million in revenue. Notable alumni include Paperstack, Viva Finance and Ascent.
“This year's FinTech|X cohort is one of our strongest and most exciting groups to date," said Dr. Richard Munassi, accelerator managing director at Tampa Bay Wave. "These founders are not only addressing key issues in Enterprise, SMB, and consumer finance through their innovative technologies, they truly are strong founders with incredible backgrounds solving real problems.”
The FinTech|X Accelerator leverages USF's world-class faculty, research and business networks to give participating startups a distinct competitive edge.
“We are proud to partner with Tampa Bay Wave to generate innovation and nurture the ecosystem of collaboration through the Fintech X|Accelerator program,” said David Blackwell, Lynn Pippenger Dean of the USF Muma College of Business. “This year’s impressive startups bring bright ideas, strong qualifications, and exceptional potential, and we look forward to supporting their growth.”
Backed by leading financial institutions and fintech experts, the accelerator is designed to help startups accelerate growth, attract investment and scale innovative solutions that are reshaping the future of finance.
The 2025 cohort, officially kicked off on Aug. 4, brings together an elite group of startups that are reimagining banking, payments, blockchain, wealthtech, crypto and more. Selected companies will participate in an intensive 8-week program that includes mentoring from industry leaders, investor connections, pitch opportunities and curated programming aimed at accelerating success.
“They are serial entrepreneurs with exits, former executives for financial institutions large and small, professors, and students,” Munassi said. “All of us at Tampa Bay Wave are tremendously proud and humbled to have these founders and their companies joining our portfolio and look forward to helping by being the fuel for their rocket ships, now and into the future.”
2025 FinTech|X Accelerator cohort members are:
- Artificial Intelligence Risk — Greenwich, Connecticut
- Catch It — Atlanta, Georgia
- Congruit Inc. — St. Petersburg, Florida
- Cove — Toronto, Ontario
- Cyder Inc. — Toronto, Ontario
- HappiNest.AI — St. Petersburg, Florida
- Nuuvia — Portland, Oregon
- Odynn — New York, New York
- Oink — San Diego, California
- Payfinia, Inc. — Portland, Oregon
- Rely — Reno, Nevada
- TAANGapp — New York, New York