NFC Forum Cuts Membership Fee for Startups Under 5 Years Old

The NFC Forum cut the membership fee for startups, it said Wednesday. Organizations with less than $5 million revenue, incorporated in the past five years, can qualify for the $2,500 startup membership fee, which provides access to the forum and participation in the certification program, it said. Involvement in the group gives startups access to the near-field communication ecosystem, expected to have an installed base of more than 2 billion devices by year-end, according to Juniper Research data. In addition to mobile payments, NFC is expected to build applications in public transportation, wearables and retail, said the forum.