Kreditech Raises $24 Million to Fuel Global Expansion

Kreditech Raises $24 Million to Fuel Global Expansion

With FinovateEurope set to make its German debut next February, it is especially gratifying to hear that investors are voting with their dollars when it comes to identifying and backing innovative European fintechs.

Hamburg-based online lender and POS financing firm Kreditech announced late last week that it has raised $24 million (€22 million) in funding. The round, led by Runa Capital, takes the company’s total equity financing to more than $519 million, and will be used to deepen its presence in existing markets, especially in Asia.

“I am really excited about our growth plans in India,” Kreditech CEO David Chan said. “We hold a first-of its-kind digital NBFC (non-banking financial company) license in a large and fast-growing market. We have been successful in finding our niche and have established the right proof of concept. Now it’s time to scale up while a key target customer segment remains unaddressed by the competition.”

Also participating in the round were existing investors HPE Growth and Amadeus Capital Partners, as well as private German investors.

Kreditech specializes in offering financing products to “near-prime” customers. In 2014, the company made its Finovate debut, demonstrating how its self-learning, proprietary algorithm accurately assessed the creditworthiness of loan applicants in less than a minute. The technology leverages up to 10,000 current data points to provide better insights into the finances of underbanked applicants who might otherwise struggle to secure credit.

The funding news for Kreditech comes as the company previews its 2018 financial statement, to be released in October. Chan said that Kreditech was “on track” to hit profitability targets, and added that the company was up to the task of “rapid, profitable growth.” In its funding statement, the company noted that it is aiming for $1 billion euros in revenue by 2025.

With more than 300 employees in seven countries and lending operations in India, Poland, Russia, and Spain, Kreditech is also developing regional centers of excellence and tech centers in its native Poland, as well as Romania and Thailand. The company was founded in 2012.

Fiserv Delivers DNA to Duca Financial Services Credit Union

Fiserv Delivers DNA to Duca Financial Services Credit Union

Toronto-based DUCA Financial Services Credit Union has selected Fiserv and its DNA core account processing platform with the aim to modernise its operations and improve overall agility and efficiency, reports Alex Hamiton of Fintech Futures (Finovate’s sister publication).

Doug Conick, president and CEO of DUCA, says the credit union’s approach has always been about “high touch” and “high tech.” “We needed an intelligent, agile core platform provider that will strengthen our ability serve members both now and in the future,” he added.

Founded in 1954 as Dutch Canadian Toronto Credit Union, DUCA operates 16 branches and employs more than 260 people. The credit union’s transition to the new core platform will be led by Canadian financial technology provider Celero.

“Our focus is on helping credit unions like DUCA gain the operational and relationship management advantages they need to accelerate their growth strategies,” said Simon Vincent, executive vice president for banking and omnichannel at Celero.

“Through our technology integration experience and relationships with organizations like Fiserv, we are helping drive credit unions’ digital transformation goals forward.”

Rob Palin, general manager for Canada at Fiserv, said that DNA is a system that can provide a “complete view” of member relationships: “Along with our partner, Celero, we are committed to helping DUCA meet its aggressive implementation timeline and growth initiatives.”

Fiserv demonstrated its technology at FinovateSpring 2018. Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Brookfield, Wisconsin, the company merged with First Data earlier this year in a deal valued at $22 billion.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • Kreditech Raises $24 Million to Fuel Global Expansion.
  • Fiserv Delivers DNA to Duca Financial Services Credit Union.

Around the web

  • Overbond unveils COBI Sandbox to enable clients to test and build business use cases and prototypes.
  • In collaboration with open banking solution provider Crassula, Paysend launches its new business account Paysend Connect.
  • Worldline closes 36.4% stake acquisition in equens Worldline.
  • Moven parent company receives patent for financial wellness product.
  • Mastercard launches Threat Scan to assess bank fraud exposure.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

MaxMyInterest Unveils High Yield Account Max Checking

MaxMyInterest Unveils High Yield Account Max Checking

Cash management solution provider MaxMyInterest introduced a new high-yield checking account called Max Checking last week. The latest offering from the New York City-based fintech will help individuals and advisors make more out of their cash holdings. Max Checking offers a 1.00% APY, FDIC-insured account that seamlessly connects the client’s brokerage, checking, and savings accounts to ensure that all of their cash has access to the best rates available.

Max Checking has no fees or minimums, enables free access to ATMs around the world, gives customers the ability to earn rebates on Max membership fees and, via a separate banking app, provides full mobile banking services including mobile check deposit, billpay, and P2P transfers.

In a blog post titled “Why We Launched Max Checking,” MaxMyInterest founder and CEO Gary Zimmerman noted that the reason for introducing the new solution was not to encourage consumers to change banks or checking accounts. Conceding that most people are content with their current banks, Zimmerman wrote that his goal was simply to give checking account users the same access to better cash rates that MaxMyInterest savings account users enjoy.

“Max Checking was designed to deliver on the promise of helping everyone in America earn higher returns on their cash,” he explained, before highlighting new capabilities that were the direct response to client requests. This new functionality ranges from the ability to access a wider number of supported banks to broader management over the technology’s automatic fund-sweeping process.

“Max was originally (created) for households who saw no distinction between checking and savings,” Zimmerman said. “Over the years, we’ve come to know many people who are saving for a specific purpose, and who prefer to allocate a discrete amount of cash to savings to earn more, without touching their checking account. With the launch of Max Checking, you can now earn more on savings without Max sweeping funds in/out of your existing checking account, so you’ll have even more control over your funds.”

The new offering is made possible courtesy of a partnership with Radius Bank, a firm Max has worked with since 2018. “Following our success with Radius Max Savings, we were excited to continue our work together to offer Max members a premium checking account,” Radius Bank President and CEO Mike Butler said. “This extension will allow depositors and their financial advisors to have a unified digital banking experience for both their savings, and now checking, needs in just a few clicks.”

MaxMyInterest demonstrated its automated cash management solution at FinovateFall 2014. The company’s technology offers both individuals and financial advisors the ability to optimize the return on their cash by automatically directing funds to FDIC-insured accounts that offer the highest yields. MaxMyInterest customers currently earn up to 2.28% APY on their savings accounts, significantly higher than the national savings average of 0.10%.

Founded in 2013, MaxMyInterest is operated by Six Trees Capital. More than 750 wealth management firms across the U.S. use the company’s technology to help their clients meet their cash needs.

Mambu Helps Swedish Challenger Bank Personal Finance Co Go Live

Mambu Helps Swedish Challenger Bank Personal Finance Co Go Live

Swedish neobank Personal Finance Co (PFC) has gone live on Mambu’s software-as-a-service (SaaS) banking engine 10 months after launch, reports Alex Hamilton of Fintech Futures (Finovate’s sister publication.)

PFC offers a personal finance app with an accompanying debit card. Customer are encouraged to reach their financial goals through “automation and data-driven insights.”

The bank plans to launch personalized savings and credit products in the near future and aims to accrue 100,000 users by the end of the year. It operates under a payments institution license, rather than a full banking license.

PFC is backed by Nordea, the largest bank in the Nordics region of Europe, itself going through a core banking transformation with Temenos. It invested €5 million in PFC in July.

Eli Daniel Keren, founder and CEO of PFC, said the neobank selected Mambu as the two firms shared common traits in flexibility and scalability.

He added: “In just nine months we were able to deploy a feature-rich mobile-first neobank and can now focus on international expansion and innovations to enhance the customer experience and deliver more value.”

Eelco-Jan Boonstra, managing director of Mambu EMEA, noted that the partnership will open up unique opportunities for both firms.

“Progressive digital banks have found a new way of doing business and tend to attract young, information-hungry customers that are comfortable with technology. When it comes to user experience, this target audience has high expectations, and also continuously changing needs,” said Boonstra.

“Powered by Mambu, PFC is able to meet these needs, at the same time accelerating the development of new products and features, quickly becoming a one-stop-shop for personal finance.”

Founded in 2011, Mambu made its Finovate debut at FinovateAsia 2013 in Singapore. The company is also an alum of our developers conference, leading a discussion and presentation titled Smart Consumer Lending: Platform and Scoring Architecture at FinDEVrNewYork 2016.

With more than $45 million in funding (€42 million) from investors including Bessemer Venture Partners, Acton Capital Partners, and CommerzVentures, Mambu is headquartered in Berlin, Germany. In recent months, company has forged partnerships with companies like Swiss online lender bob Finance, U.K.-based neobank B-North, and software development provider ABC TECH Group.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • MaxMyInterest Unveils High Yield Account Max Checking.

Around the web

  • Finastra announces two new apps built via its FusionFabric.cloud open development platform.
  • Fiserv inks partnership with DUCA Financial Services Credit Union, a Toronto, Ontario, Canada-based institution with more than 70,000 members.
  • Ripple’s “acqui-hiring” of the engineering team from Icelandic crypto trading company Algrim helps pave the way for its entry to the country.
  • Flywire and JCB International partner to allow select cardholders to use their JCB card to pay tuition.
  • More than 60 lenders join the CrediVia marketplace to source commercial loans.
  • Bill.com now facilitates payments in more than 130 countries and 100+ currencies.
  • Dwolla partners with TransferMate Global Payments to allow customers and their end users the ability to make and receive international payments.
  • Quadient parent company Neopost changes its name to Quadient.
  • InComm partners with Mizuho Bank to expand J-Coin Pay in Japan.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

Kreditech Looks to India for Expansion; Mexico’s Klar Scores $57.5 Million in Funding

Join us in October as our annual Asia-Pacific fintech conference returns to Singapore! FinovateAsia is one of the best ways for fintech startups and innovative industry veterans from the region and around the world to showcase their latest technologies before an audience of C-level decision-makers, venture capitalists, all-star analysts, and more.

For information on how to participate in FinovateAsia as a demoing company, partner, or sponsor, send us an e-mail and we’ll tell you everything you need to know.

Asia-Pacific

  • Singapore’s United Overseas Bank (UOB) partners with proptech innovator SoReal to launch SME property valuation solution.
  • Bank of China and IBM announces plans to collaborate on digital transformation, customer experience enhancement, and other innovations in financial services.
  • North Korea announces plans to develop its own cryptocurrency.

Sub-Saharan Africa

  • United Bank of Africa (UBA) inks deal with U.S.-based fintech Ovamba Solutions.
  • FairMoney picks up nearly $11 million in funding to help build a new digital bank in Nigeria.
  • Angolan e-commerce platform Roque Online wins Seedstars Luanda pitch contest.

Central and Eastern Europe

  • Bulgaria’s third largest bank by assets, Fibank, teams up with Mastercard and Garmin to launch new pay watch.
  • Commerzbank announces plans to sell Polish subsidiary mBank.
  • Warsaw, Poland’s The First News profiles Neontri (formerly Braintri).
  • National Bank of Romania unveils new fintech innovation hub.

Middle East and Northern Africa

  • The first digital business bank in the UAE, E20, goes live after 18 months in development.
  • Fintech Abu Dhabi announces strategic partnership with UAE Banks Federation.
  • Turkey’s Takasbank introduces blockchain-based, gold-trading platform.

Central and Southern Asia

  • Courtesy of a partnership with Amazon and Financial Software and Systems, United Bank of India launches voice-powered banking.
  • Sri Lanka’s Sampath Bank introduces new virtual teller machines in the country’s capital city of Colombo.
  • German online lender Kreditech looks to expand operations in India in the wake of $22 million equity fundraising.

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Mexican alternative credit and debit services provider Klar raises $57.5 million in funding.
  • Mastercard brings its Tap on Phone payment acceptance solution to Costa Rica.
  • Brazilian fintech Creditas looks to lure away British technology talent disenchanted by Brexit.

Top image designed by Freepik

Finovate Alumni News

Around the web

  • Sezzle announces its availability via Visa’s CyberSource payment management platform.
  • Klarna to open its latest House of Klarna pop-up store in Manchester next month.
  • German online lender Kreditech looks to expand operations in India in the wake of $22 million equity fundraising.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

Santander UK Swaps Out Legacy Tech for nCino’s Bank Operating System

Santander UK Swaps Out Legacy Tech for nCino’s Bank Operating System

Santander UK is set to replace 13 legacy systems in its SME, corporate and commercial banking operations with nCino’s bank operating system, writes Alex Hamilton of Fintech Futures (Finovate’s sister publication).

Santander UK, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Banco Santander, is looking to implement a “digital platform and modern technology stack that can be rapidly configured, tested and launched as market trends demand.”

“Customer expectations are constantly changing,” said Jonathan Holman, head of digital transformation at Santander UK. He added that it was “imperative” that the bank found the right partner during the selection process.

nCino’s bank operating system will be deployed at Santander on an outsourced basis. For Holman, this means that the bank will be able to onboard customers “more quickly, more efficiently, and respond to customer needs while remaining compliant with regulations.”

Pullen Daniel, international managing director of nCino, added: “Santander UK understands the importance of adapting to changing customer expectations and market needs, and has invested accordingly. We are extremely proud to work with this innovative and customer-centric institution.”

U.S.-based nCino has reported a series of wins in September and August, including Allied Irish Banks, B-North, and Alterna Bank.

Banco Santander revealed a €1.5 billion hit to its UK division’s value this week, something that the banking group blamed largely on a complex regulatory environment in the U.K. market, specifically the ringfencing of investment banking from retail banking.

Increased market competition and economic uncertainty created by the imminent departure of the U.K. from the European Union were also cited as reasons for the writedown.

nCino demonstrated its Bank Operating System at FinovateEurope 2017. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina, the company has raised more than $133 million in funding. Salesforce Ventures and Insight Partners are among the company’s investors.

Finovate Alumni News

Around the web

  • TransferWise announces that TransferWise for Banks is now live in the U.S, enabling FIs in the states to integrate with the international money transfer specialist.
  • Onfido forges strategic partnership with blockchain-based, e-voting provider Agora.
  • Digital mortgage solution provider BeSmartee integrates with cloud communications platform Twilio.
  • YUKKA Lab joins Deutsche Börse Venture Network.
  • Jack Henry & Associates earns spot in the top 15 of the IDC Financial Insights’ 2019 DC FinTech Rankings.
  • In partnership with Radius Bank, MaxMyInterest launches Max Checking, a new FDIC-insured offering with high-interest yields and no minimums or fees.
  • Salt Edge unveils its partner program to help companies get access to open banking channels.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

Tink Teams Up With Portugal’s Caixa Geral de Depositos

Tink Teams Up With Portugal’s Caixa Geral de Depositos

Portugal’s banking heavyweight, Caixa Geral de Depósitos (CGD), has inked a new partnership with Swedish open banking platform Tink, reports Tanya Andreasyan of Fintech Futures (Finovate’s sister publication).

CGD’s newly launched app – Dabox – has Tink’s products integrated into it, namely aggregation payment initiation, data enrichments and personal finance management (PFM). Tink’s cloud-based open banking platform will underpin the app, which is now being rolled out to CDG’s domestic customer base of four million people. The vendor said it will help customers “to make smarter financial decisions.”

Tink has been working with Portugal-based payments processor SIBS, helping the country’s APIs to meet the standard required under PSD2 regulations. The implementation period took six months in total, says Tink, including integrating the PSD2 APIs, applying machine learning (ML) to all categories and launching PFM in Dabox.

“The open banking movement is fundamentally changing the financial services industry – transforming how millions of customers engage with banking services,” said Daniel Kjellén, co-founder and CEO of Tink. He described CGD as “a forward-thinking partner” and says Dabox will give CGD’s customers “a complete overview of their financial lives.”

The new app, which is launched today (24 September) will enable users to see their current accounts from all Portuguese banks and make payments and transfers between these accounts.

CGD “is undergoing a major digital transformation,” said Maria João Carioca, executive board member of CGD. Tink – “an innovative and challenging partner” – will enable the bank “to combine innovation and a ‘fresh look’ on the financial business with the universal service and trustworthiness that have been CGD’s trademark,” Carioca added.

CGD is largest bank in Portugal, wholly owned by the state since its inception back in 1876. It is a universal bank offering commercial and investment banking, asset management and specialised financing services. It has total assets of over €91 billion.

Founded in Stockholm in 2012, Tink has 250 employees and works with the likes of PayPal, NatWest, SEB, ABN Amro, BNP Paribas Fortis, Nordea and Klarna. Insight Venture Partners, Heartcore Capital, SEB, Creades, Nordea Ventures, ABN Amro Digital Impact Fund and PayPal are investors in Tink.

Tink demonstrated its API platform at FinovateEurope 2019

Finovate Alumni News

Around the web

  • Ephesoft forges partnership with RPA leader Automation Anywhere.
  • Visa launches its Visa Partner Portal to give fintechs greater access to its payments technologies and solutions.
  • Feedzai announces availability of its AI-powered Case Manager solution.
  • Collaboration between Q2 and Socure brings digital identity verification and fraud protection to Q2 Open’s CorePro cloud-based core processor.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.