A new partnership between TransUnion (NYSE:TRU) and the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship will take startups to the next level with the use of cutting-edge data assets.
The program supports entrepreneurial innovation and provides University of Chicago students with access to TransUnion’s Startup Credit Kit, a suite of innovative solutions to support FinTech startup development. Student-led startups that are referred into the program and approved by TransUnion will be able to utilize TransUnion’s anonymized data to test out business model concepts, determine product viability, and explore untapped opportunities in high-potential market segments.
“We are thrilled to partner with TransUnion and offer this program to our students so they may access crucial tools and information for successfully launching a business,” said Starr Marcello, executive director of the Polsky Center and an assistant adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago.
The Startup Credit Kit offers faster access to cutting-edge alternative and trended credit and fraud prevention data, allowing entrepreneurs to quickly take a concept into a market-ready solution. The two available packages support startups through the planning and launch phases. The Planning Package involves depersonalized solutions for early stage planning and development. The Launch Package includes personalized solutions for new startups going live.
To kick-off the partnership, TransUnion hosted 57 students from the CUPP Fintech Bootcamp, a partnership program between Hong Kong Cyberport, Chicago Booth Executive Education and the Polsky Center of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The event showcased TransUnion’s approach to supporting FinTech innovation at a global level and covered topics such as technology and consumer data to present a comprehensive overview of the startup lifecycle.
“Hong Kong is part of a strong tech ecosystem and has become a leading hub for FinTech startups,” said John Wirth, vice president of FinTech strategy and market development at TransUnion. “It is great to connect with tomorrow’s business leaders in an emerging FinTech market and offer insight into our data-driven solutions and analytics capabilities.”
