Italy-based banking group Sella has launched the second edition of the Metaverse 4 Finance acceleration programme in partnership with dpixel . The first edition of Metaverse 4 Finance included 117 applications from 26 countries and facilitated the final investment in 4 startups from the USA, United Kingdom, Romania, and Switzerland.

The second edition of the initiative will see the involvement of international partners, including web3 communities, law and compliance firms, metaverse factories, and tech companies that specialise in decentralised finance solutions based on layer 2 protocols. The end goal is to provide startups with the necessary tools, skills and support to accelerate their go-to-market. The new version of Metaverse 4 Finance is promoted by Sella and implemented by its Venture Incubator dpixel with the support of OGR Torino.

The programme was designed to identify and support international startups that are capable of developing innovative solutions and technologies in metaverse-applied finance. The four key areas of application for Metaverse 4 Finance The initiative focuses on technological solutions and decentralised infrastructures based on ‘low coding’, digital identity, interoperability, artificial intelligence, and security by design. It is also aimed at solutions that support web2 to web3 transitions while overcoming technological complexities and improving the user experience of the end customer.

The programme targets on-chain data analysis, tax reporting, and compliance. It can support the creation of dedicated AI solutions for the aggregate management of portfolios, augmented and virtual reality in B2B and retail, blockchain-as-a-service solutions and business models focused on NFT and tokenomics systems. The initiative will also include four phases of development, which will be gradually implemented over a period of six months.

During an initial scouting and selection phase, the best startups will be selected, while a second phase of business acceleration will support the business plan and identify the 10 best entities. The products and solutions developed by the selected startups will go through a technical evaluation phase before moving on to matchmaking to provide the possibility of integrating the developed innovations in the processes of companies operating in the sector. At the end of the programme, dpixel has agreed to offer an investment worth EUR 100,000 to the 5 best-accelerated startups.

In June 2023, Sella also launched the Artificial Intelligence Business Incubator aimed at companies with projects based on AI-powered financial services. The Artificial Intelligence Business Incubator is an international incubation programme promoted by Sella and implemented by dpixel with the support of the Fintech District. The project aims to support the initial phase (pre-seed) of startups, researchers, entrepreneurial teams, university spin-offs, companies, and innovative projects in the field of artificial intelligence applied to finance.

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