Bankia : Accelerator by Conector starts working with the five start-ups in its first acceleration program

• Conector's partners and mentors and Bankia's managers selected the start-ups by voting for them
• The acceleration program will last for five months

Bankia Accelerator by Conector, the start-up accelerator promoted by Bankia and Conector, has launched its first acceleration program with five start-ups that were selected by Conector's partners and mentors and Bankia's managers after they voted at the 'Start-up Day'.

Bankia Accelerator by Conector received nearly 100 applications for its first acceleration program. Conector's analysts then shortlisted 15 start-ups to present their projects at the Start-Up Day to Conector's partners and mentors and Bankia's managers, who then voted for the five best projects.

The start-ups that are now part of Bankia Accelerator by Conector are:

The Bankia Accelerator by Conector acceleration program will last for five months, during which time entrepreneurs will be given offices at Bankia's headquarters, weekly training sessions, assistance worth more than €100,000 from the collaborating companies and advice and support from the professionals at the accelerator.

Each start-up will be allocated a team of mentors consisting of managers from Bankia and mentors from Conector, who will regularly advise them through individual and group meetings. Each project will also receive €15,000 from Bankia.

The Bankia Accelerator by Conector acceleration program seeks to actively support Spain's business sector. The goal of the accelerator is to help start-ups to grow and to advise them so that they become attractive to investors in the sector.

The acceleration program will culminate in a 'Demo Day' - a private investment forum when the entrepreneurs will present their start-ups to Spain's most important investors, business angels and VCs.

Bankia's participation in this project is yet another example of its focus on supporting companies and developing Spanish society. The bank's strategy towards start-ups is to accompany and collaborate with them and, if successful, to benefit from their proposals as a way of providing its customers with a better service.

About Conector Startup Accelerator

Conector is a start-up accelerator promoted by some of the most influential technology entrepreneurs in Spain. Its partners are Carlos Blanco, founder of Encomenda VC and Nuclio VB; Gerard Olivé, founder of Antai and BeRepublic; Marc Ros, founder of AftershareTV and 60dB; Marc Vidal, founder of Idodi VC; Miguel Vicente, founder of Antai, LetsBonus and Wallapop; Risto Mejide, founder of AftershareTV; Xavier Verdaguer, founder of Imagine; and Elisabeth Martínez, CEO of the accelerator. Conector was created to promote and support the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Spain, helping projects and entrepreneurs in the digital sector (internet, mobile telephony and new technologies). Conector has more than 150 mentors across Spain who are experts in different fields in the digital sector and have accelerated more than 80 start-ups.