The Intuit Prosperity Accelerator launches a program for AI-focused startups to advance financial prosperity in North America
Intuit Canada and Highline Beta today announced the launch of the Intuit Prosperity Accelerator: AI. The new five-month program aims to leverage the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to advance the financial prosperity of consumers and businesses in North America.
The program builds on the strength of the inaugural 2020 Intuit Prosperity Accelerator, which supported startups positioned to address the financial challenges Canadian consumers and small businesses face in the wake of COVID-19. The program proved to be a powerful platform bringing together startups, corporate innovators and investors on a mission to solve the most pressing financial challenges for Intuit’s customers. The first cohort included 8 startups and culminated with a Demo Day event in partnership with TechTo. You can learn more about the first cohort and successes through the case study.
“The Intuit Prosperity Accelerator was an incredible learning experience for our team at Homewise. As a startup, getting access to the minds and potentially game changing opportunities with a huge company like Intuit is invaluable. We developed and built integral skills to not only further build out our partnerships business, but also to create stronger structure internally as we continue to grow.”
Jesse Abrams
Co-founder & CEO of Homewise
2021 Challenge Themes
Recently, Intuit has declared its strategy to become an AI-driven expert platform, using AI technologies to help its customers get more money with the least amount of work and complete confidence in their actions and decisions.
At Intuit, the strategy starts with customer obsession, understanding their challenges, and then using advanced technologies to develop innovative solutions designed to solve their problems. The second cohort will leverage the power of AI-driven solutions to help consumers and businesses prosper with a focus on three challenges:
- More Money – Unlock smart money decisions and help keep more money in people’s pockets.
- Complete Confidence – Access expert advice and give people the confidence they need to make informed financial choices.
- No Work – Instantly deliver value through frictionless interactions and eliminate manual processes.
“As we begin to emerge from an undoubtedly difficult year, the newly enterprising North American innovators will be the key to our economic recovery. Given the success of the Intuit Prosperity Accelerator throughout the pandemic, we’re excited about the opportunity to connect with a new network of AI technology innovators and equip them with additional solutions to build a brighter future.”
David Marquis
Vice President and Canada Country Manager at Intuit
Technology Interest Areas
Intuit is set to achieve the goal of becoming an AI-driven expert platform by applying AI in three key areas of interest:
- Machine Learning – Building algorithms which progressively learn from data to automate tasks for Intuit’s customers.
- Knowledge Engineering – Turning rules, government regulations, and relationships about data into code to eliminate work and provide tailored experiences.
- Natural Language Processing – Processing, analyzing and understanding human language to create interactions with customers and automate repetitive tasks.
About the Program
The Intuit Prosperity Accelerator: AI is designed for high-potential seed stage startups based in North America, who have AI-driven solutions with products in the market that aim to solve financial challenges. Applications from pre-seed or later stage companies will also be considered based on the fit with the program’s themes and interest areas. International startups are invited to apply and must demonstrate their value to the North American market.
Successful applicants will have access to tailored content and dedicated coaching to help grow their businesses by using Intuit’s design thinking methodology, Design for Delight (D4D), and an opportunity for follow-on investment from Highline Beta. It will also provide exclusive access to AI experts, business mentors and a vibrant alumni startup community.
“We are very excited about presenting this unique opportunity to startups across the globe, eyeing the North American market. Reviving the economy creates challenges and opportunities that startups are addressing with cutting edge technologies. Partnering with Intuit provides early-stage startups with the ability to tap into the network of a world-leading tech company with approximately 100 million customers globally. This offers collaborators unmatched market intelligence as well as the remarkable expertise of Intuit’s committed team.”
Hussam Ayyad
Chief Accelerator Officer, Highline Beta
The Intuit Prosperity Accelerator: AI is now accepting applications until August 31st, 2021. Six to eight startups will be selected, with the program kicking off in October 2021.
For more information on eligibility requirements and to apply, visit: https://www.intuit.com/ca/prosperity-accelerator/