FinovateFall 2014 Sneak Peek: Part 1

FinovateFall 2014 Sneak Peek: Part 1

FinovateFallWithDateLogo

With the busy product development and release schedule that comes with the autumn season, FinovateFall is the perfect place to see what’s new in fintech. 

This year, 71 companies will step up to the Finovate stage at the NYC Hilton Midtown on September 23 and 24. Tickets are going fast; register for yours today.

Here’s an inside look at six of these hand-picked companies:


BizEquityLogo.jpg

BizEquity has invented the first and only patented way to value any business in real-time and in the cloud online.

Features:

    • BizEstimate feature that pre-values over 28 million private businesses 
    • Patented, online real-time business value and tailored advice and alerts to each user
    • Business ValueMonitoring Dashboard 

Why it’s great:

BizEquity’s mission is to democratize business valuation knowledge globally to every small business and financial institution through its patented cloud-based service.

Carter

Presenters:

1) Mike Carter, CEO
Carter is former Managing Director of The Musser Group, former Founder and CEO of Dashboard Systems, and former Chief Marketing Officer for U.S. Interactive.
LinkedIn

2) Semyon Fishman, Vice President of Engineering and Technology
Fishman is former Vice President of Product Engineering at Valex Consulting and former Lead Engineer for the Math Forum.


GremlnLogo.jpg

GREMLN Financial Social Media offers secure social media tools for the financial services industry. It’s a full marketing and analysis suite wrapped in a security layer to maintain compliance.

Features:

    • Pre-approved content libraries
    • LinkedIn client prospecting
    • Mobile social media compliance platform

Why it’s great:

Social media involvement is essential, but it can be dangerous for financial services companies. Gremln makes it possible to participate and succeed in social media…safely.

RyanGremln

Presenters:

1) Ryan Bell, CEO
LinkedIn  


TJGremln

2) TJ Tavares, Senior Sales Executive
LinkedIn


HoyosLogo

Hoyos Labs app will finally put an end to the frustration that comes with usernames, passwords and PINs by replacing them with your unique biometrics.

Features:

  • Acquires users’ biometrics via smartphone to replace all log-in information
  • Works with Apple and Android smartphones and tablets, and with PCs
  • Increased convenience and security for users
Why it’s great:

Hoyos Labs’ app allows users to increase the convenience and security in their life by removing the need to ever remember their log-in information.
Presenter: 
Hoyos
Hector Hoyos, Founder and CEO
Hoyos is a biometrics veteran and entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to the development of innovative technologies that change existing business paradigms and have a profound impact on society.


KnoxPaymentslogo

Knox Payments is a merchant tool for payments to and from bank accounts online for just $0.18/transaction.

Features:

    • Fastest online and mobile checkout process
    • Accept ACH payments without needing your customers to enter bank routing and account numbers
    • Instantly verify bank account and sufficient funds

Why it’s great:

Fastest, cheapest checkout process for you and your customers.

KnoxThomas

Presenter:

Tommy Nicholas, Head of Product
Nicholas earned his BA from the University of Virginia. He founded CitySwig and helped grow Coffitivity to over 2 million users.
LinkedIn


NopSeclogo

NopSec is a cloud-based vulnerability risk management SaaS.

Features:

    • Correlate vulnerabilities with real-time threats and exploits
    • Drill down into the most critical risks across the full software and hardware stack
    • Analyze vulnerabilities using keyword searches

Why it’s great:

Remediate what matters most, faster.

StevenNopsec

Presenters:

1) Steven Leonard, Chief Marketing Officer
Leonard is responsible for all areas of marketing strategy and execution. Prior to NopSec, he spent 17 years at Microsoft Corporation.
LinkedIn

2) Lisa Xu, Chief Executive Officer
Xu is responsible for strategic direction, sales, and operations. Prior to NopSec, she advised Fortune500 enterprises on data security, privacy and technology risk management.
LinkedIn

3) Michelangelo Sidagni, CTO


Rippleshotlogo

Rippleshot detects bank card data breaches. Its cloud-based solution helps banks proactively stop fraud before it occurs and protects merchant brand reputation.

Features:

    • Next generation fraud prevention — stopping fraud before it occurs
    • 24/7 monitoring — detecting breaches faster
    • Early warning alerts — proactively protecting merchants, consumers and credit card issuers
Why it’s great:
It’s not if you are going to be breached, it’s when. Rippleshot’s 24/7 monitoring proactively detects, mitigates and stops fraud before it occurs.
Presenters: 
RippleshotLucas
1) Lucas Ward, Co-Founder and CTO
Ward is a proven technology leader. At Fundspire, he created an innovative product to change the way hedge funds viewed and analyzed their data.
RippleshotRandal
2) Randal Cox, Co-Founder and CSO
Cox has over a decade of experience in the credit card industry, modeling credit card and ATM fraud, ultimately culminating in the co-founding of Rippleshot.


Stay tuned later this week for a look at six more companies set to debut their new technology at FinovateFall this September 23 & 24 in New York.

PayPal Announces Access to its One Touch Mobile Payment Solution

PayPal Announces Access to its One Touch Mobile Payment Solution

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For mobile shoppers using PayPal, instant gratification just got a little more instantaneous.

PayPal announced today that it is opening up beta access to its One Touch feature. This feature allows people to pay with PayPal with a single swipe from inside other apps. Initially available only to iOS users, the feature will be accessible for Android users in September when the product is officially launched.

paypal_homepage_new
In an interview with VentureBeat, Braintree CEO Bill Ready put “one-touch buying” at the center of what to expect when it comes to payments over the next few years (recall that Braintree was acquired by PayPal in September 2013). Bill believes part of this has to do with the challenge of entering data on mobile devices, especially smartphones. But this initiative also responds effectively to the Prime Directive of E-commerce Innovation: “More Time Shopping, Less Time Transacting.”
The feature is optional, and users have both the ability to opt-in/opt-out, as well as specify which source of funding you want to be used for your One Touch transactions (PayPal balance, linked bank account, or credit card). Calling One Touch payments “the magical experience that every mobile user will come to expect,” Bill may be engaging in a touch of hyperbole. But in a world in which Amazon is increasingly interested in the payments business, it is interesting to see PayPal leverage Braintree technology in order to strike back at Amazon on its own “one-step shopping” turf. 
PayPal_one_touch
There will be a handful of merchant apps available initially as part of the developer beta, with other merchants coming on board in the weeks to come.  Soon any developer with access to the Braintree v.zero SDK – and anyone who uses PayPal – will be able to take advantage of One Touch. More information on the technology for consumers and merchants is available here. Developers can find out how to get started, including accessing the SDKs at PayPal’s developer portal.
And speaking of developers, join PayPal at FinDEVr for the company’s presentation on how wearables are changing the payments landscape. The first fintech event for developers, FinDEVr will be held from September 30 to October 1 in San Francisco. For more information, visit our FinDEVr page.

Alumni News– August 19, 2014

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgLivePlan launches its Black Widow update to enhance performance monitoring.
  • Bank Innovation looks at GoBank’s decision to shorten holding periods for mobile check deposits.
  • NICE Systems earns 2014 Star Performer award from Speech Technology magazine.
  • Top Image Systems partners with Allied Payment Networks to implement MobiPAY.
  • Time features ReadyForZero as 1 of 50 Best Websites for 2014.
  • Hiveage compares OnDeck, Kabbage, PayPal Working Capital, & CAN Capital Come see OnDeck at FinDEVr.
  • Quisk awarded US patent for enabling consumer activated security for a mobile payment system.
  • The Rude Baguette interviews Yseop CEO, John Rauscher.
  • New partnership brings Geezeo’s PFM solution to MEA’s native mobile banking platform. See Geezeo at FinovateFall 2014 in New York.
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.

Alumni News– August 18, 2014

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgSilanis Technology releases e-signature solutions for Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics CRM. See Silanis at FinovateFall 2014 in New York.
  • Michael Grillo of ACI Worldwide talks about the role of mobile devices in fighting payments fraud.
  • Klarna announces appointment of Jon Kamaluddin to its Board of Directors.
  • SumUp earns double-digit million dollar investment led by Life.SREDA
  • Xero’s Customer Experience team wins Bronze Stevie Award in 2014 International Business Award. Check out Xero’s presentation at FinDEVr in San Francisco this October.
  • TechCrunch: Coinbase acquires blockchain explorer, Blockr.io.
  • Silicon Angle: Why Cardlytics ditched sample data for its real-time analytics tactics.
  • EE Times reviews the similarities and differences between Ripple and bitcoin.
  • Forbes column on “the other sharing economy” profiles Expensify
  • Investors.com checks in with Betterment on strategies for meeting retirement financial challenges.
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.

SumUp Announces Double-Digit Million Dollar Investment Led by Life.SREDA

SumUp Announces Double-Digit Million Dollar Investment Led by Life.SREDA

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There are many nice ways to qualify an “amount undisclosed” investment. But “double-digit million” is probably near the top of the list.

SumUp, specialists in the field of mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) technology, announced today that it had completed a new round of funding. Characterized by the company as a “double-digit million dollar” investment, the round was led by Life.SREDA, and featured participation from Groupon, BBVA Ventures, and other existing investors.

LifeSREDA_logo_jpeg
Like the company’s Series B round a year ago, the exact amount of this new investment was not made available. Last year’s investment was characterized as “multi-million euro”. 

Update: Crunchbase reports that the amount has been rumored at $13 million.

Daniel Klein, SumUP CEO, pointed to Life.SREDA’s experience in the fintech space worldwide. “Life.SREDA is building an eco-system of companies disrupting a wide range of financial services and products. We are happy to become a part of this network.”
For its part, Life.SREDA praised SumUp’s focus on “end-to-end payment capabilities” such as the company’s proprietary Chip & Pin terminal. Life.SREDA CFO Alex Ivanov said, “no other mPOS player in the world has focused so much on disrupting the actual technology behind the revolutionary mPOS business model.”
SumUp_homepage
SumUp says that the new capital will help fund building out its payments gateway, proprietary hardware, and operations systems. Part of this will be a push to help promote the company’s Chip & Pin terminal, called “PIN+” internationally.
Founded in 2011, SumUp is based in Dublin, Ireland. The company demoed its mPOS technology as part of FinovateEurope 2013, where SumUp earned Best of Show honors. See the company’s demo video here.

Alumni News– August 15, 2014

  • Credit.com releases new version of its iPhone mobile app.
  • Pymnts: EBay in talks to accept Bitcoin through its Braintree unit.
  • Pymnts compares DoubleBeam to the Merchant Customer Exchange.
  • GoBank now holds mobile check deposits for less than 10 days.
  • Forbes features multiple Finovate financial management and wealth planning alums: LearnVest, Personal Capital, FutureAdvisor, SigFig, Wealthfront, Betterment, Motif, and Kapitall.
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.

CEO Interview: Paul Doyle of VerifyValid

CEO Interview: Paul Doyle of VerifyValid

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A person could readily go broke betting against the demise of the check. While there are at any given moment plenty of startups and fintech veterans looking for new ways to avoid writing checks, the data suggests that people (and businesses) aren’t going to stop writing checks any time soon.

pauldoyle_verifyvalid

This is one of the reasons why we thought it would be a great idea to get in touch with Paul Doyle, CEO of VerifyValid. VerifyValid is a leader in the movement to bring checks into the 21st century.

With solutions like Mobile Checkbook, which allows consumers to issue, receive and deposit eChecks from their iPhone or iPad, VerifyValid has made key additions to its basic web-based check service – all geared toward providing the benefits of paper checks with the cost savings of using VerifyValid’s eChecks.

We were fortunate enough to catch a very busy Paul Doyle earlier this summer, and to ask him a few questions via email about his company, its partnership with Deluxe, and what we can expect from VerifyValid in the months to come.

Finovate: Your relationship with Deluxe is a big deal. Can you tell us more about how that partnership came about?
Paul Doyle: Deluxe’s name is synonymous with the check. Having the biggest name in checks decide to resell your solution to their more than 4.5 million small business customers and selling through their more than 5,400 financial institutions is a big deal.
We at VerifyValid wanted a partner that could give us reach and whose brand completely aligned with the type of payment we enable … the check! Deluxe was an obvious answer.
How and where did it all happen? We have been long-time participants in industry initiatives, such as standards development through X9 and ISO, as well as newer initiatives such as the Remittance Coalition. When one works among industry peers at this level, the industry becomes a fairly small and well-connected universe.
Finovate: What are some of the other companies and institutions that have deployed VerifyValid’s technology?
Doyle: VerifyValid has over 10,000 users currently and more are joining every single day. Our customers run the gambit from several large companies such as $10B multi-national corporations down to sole proprietors and not-for-profits. Many of our customers are private sector, but we are getting an increasing number of public sector entities, such as school districts and municipalities, beginning to use the service.
VerifyValid_homepage1
Finovate: How big is the B2B check business right now? Amid the overall declining use of checks, are we still seeing strong numbers on check issuance in the B2B space?
Doyle: There are approximately 5 billion B2B checks written and another 3 billion B2C checks written. This means businesses will write roughly 8 billion checks in 2014. Given the average value of a check is $1,420, this translates to more than $11 trillion dollars disbursed via checks by businesses. Given all forms of cards combined still only add up to about $4.5 trillion, we think this is still a very big and important part of our payments marketplace.
Finovate: What kind of cost savings are your customers realizing by using VerifyValid?
Doyle: Customers can pay for using VerifyValid’s service using money they already have in their existing budgets. For the same price as a 1st Class postage stamp, a user can complete the full process of creating, authorizing, and sending an eCheck.
As a result, all the other costs associated with the payments (i.e., purchasing of check stock, special printer cartridges, labor, etc.) go away. Our customers tell us they save $1 per transaction for each use of the service that would have formerly been a hard-copy check sent via the US Mail.
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Finovate: Let’s talk about the technology, the Trusted Time Stamp that keeps the check delivery system secure. What kind of authentication is happening here that ensures that a check a bank receives is legitimate?
Doyle: This can get VERY geeky very fast, so I will try to keep it simple, and high-level.
We have built and brought to market the industry’s first Universal Positive Pay system, which gives a bank-of-first-deposit (BOFD) that ability to verify that a check which was issued through our service or registered with our service is a true, authentic item.
The beautiful thing about the check is that the real value of the check is in the data of the check, not the paper. There are 5 critical pieces of information: 1) the bank routing and transit number, 2) the account number, 3) the check number, 4) the amount of the check, 5) the “Pay to the order of” or payee. We give the ability to prove the truth of authentic transactions. This is a big deal. It is a game changer when it comes to the problem of check fraud because now, through VerifyValid, banks can trap inauthentic checks before they even enter the banking ecosystem.
VerifyValid takes the 5 critical values and creates a cryptographic times tap or Trusted Time Stamp (per ASC X9.95). The cryptographic timestamp allows for us to prove the authenticity of the transaction while still preserving the privacy of the underlying financial transaction.
Finovate: What percentage of VerifyValid customers are printing out the electronic checks? Do you expect this percentage to change significantly going forward? If so, what would be the catalyst for that change?
Doyle: The vast majority of our customers are printing out the checks they receive and depositing them traditionally. While we do see this changing in the future, the nice thing is that it does not have to change before more people can take advantage of the service. We hear from customers their delight at receiving their payments faster. This, in and of itself, is a big benefit. When we talk to users and the opportunity to deposit the check electronically, this takes things to a whole new level. It surprises and delights. Most people say things like, “Wow … now that is great … you’ve got it all. That is cool!”
VerifyValid_mobilecheckbook
Finovate: Where do VerifyValid’s revenues come from?
Doyle: VerifyValid’s revenues primarily come from the business check writer. A business pays to issue checks and the cost of using the service is essentially equal to the cost of the 1st class postage that they no longer need to use.
Finovate: So VerifyValid’s approach to electronic checks keeps banks in the picture?
Doyle: VerifyValid’s approach is built around banks and credit unions. The check is a payment instrument drawn against a DDA and is the essential domain of the banking industry. We believe this is the right way to build a modern, next-generation payments capability: by working with and through the banks and credit unions, and constructed on a rock-solid foundation of an existing, trusted and effective payment system. We allow banks and credit unions to use what they already have, what they already own. No new IT spend or investment required.
Finovate: The option to deposit checks directly into your checking account is a key feature. How many participating banks/FIs do you have? How quickly can you grow that number?
Doyle: My team is working out a plan to open up deposit-ability and Deposit Services for all banks by the end of the year. Stand by for more details on this in the 4th quarter.
Finovate: Let’s talk about the new app, Mobile Checkbook. How is it being talked about and received so far?
Doyle: Customers and pundits seem to love our mobile checkbook. As the market’s first real general purpose checkbook for the smartphone, it has a wide variety of uses. We are also being asked for a number of additional features. This shows us how much customers already like and use the app, and what more they want to be able to do. This also shows how relevant and useful checks still are.
Finovate: Brett King of Moven famously predicted that the last personal check will be written in the US in 2018. Interestingly, an initiative in the UK that set out to sunset paper checks around the same time as King’s prediction was met with a popular backlash. 
 
As an innovator in the space, what do you see as the future of the check?
Doyle: I believe Brett’s prediction is simply wrong and may have been meant to hype his company’s marketing message. The data in the US tells a different story, as do the direct experiences of the UK.
In the US, the actual number of checks written in 2012 as compared to nine years earlier in 2003 was 56% of the earlier volume. There were 21 billion checks written in 2012 as compared to 37.6 billion written in 2003. At this rate, if we look at 2018 (which would be a 6-year difference as compared to a 9-year difference in the prior number) one could predict that in 2018 there will still be approximately 12 billion traditional, paper checks written. Ironically, the number of consumer-to-consumer checks written has grown approximately 2% over the prior 6 years (2006-2012).
The experience of the UK is also worth noting. The UK Payments Council tried to mandate the end of checks by October 2018. Then, in July of 2012, this mandate was abandoned. The UK Payments Council was criticized for having attempted to implement a mandate without coming up with an acceptable alternative to the check.
According to mobilepaymentstoday:
“Checks still play an important part in the British payments landscape. Nearly 840 billion pounds ($1.4 trillion) worth of checks were processed in 2013 accounting for 10% of all payments made by individuals. In 2013, 23 million checks were sent as gifts because they are still the most trusted method of sending money through the post.”
We believe the check is as good a form of payment or better than anything else out there today. If one removes the paper or shifts where an dhow the item gets printed, we think the check will see a very long future. My prediction is that the VerifyValid eCheck will help checks continue to be used for at least the next decade or two. I believe we will see eCheck volumes reverse the trend in paper checks and will ultimately result in an increase in check usage.
Finovate: What can we expect to see from VerifyValid in the second half of 2014?
Doyle: The second half of 2014 is going to be exciting
  • Significant expansion of our mobile offering
  • Expansion of our offerings on the security and fraud prevention side of the business
  • Enhanced experience, functionality, and services for banks
And a few things we cannot talk about just yet!
Learn more about VerifyValid. Watch the company’s FinovateFall 2013 demo with Deluxe Corporation.

Alumni News– August 14, 2014

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgFiserv and DBS win Asian Banker Technology Implementation award.
  • Expensify enables in-app report comments to make annotations directly on expense reports.
  • Merchants using WordPress now have access to two new payment gateways: Dwolla and PayPal Express Checkout.
  • Bank Innovation takes a look at how “Pay with Venmo” will impact mobile e-commerce.
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.

Wipit Brings Omni-Payment Functionality to its Prepaid Cash Mobile Wallet

Wipit Brings Omni-Payment Functionality to its Prepaid Cash Mobile Wallet

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Wipit’s mobile wallet just got even handier.

The company unveiled this week omni-channel payment technology that will enable Wipit mobile wallet customers to use their prepaid cash mobile wallets to make payments at the retail point-of-sale, as well as online.

Wipit CEO Richard Kang said, “Omni-payments is a natural extension of our mobile wallet and will allow merchants to provide more options and better payment experiences to their customers.”
Wipit_homepage
The new features expand the range of payment choices for consumers using Wipit’s network, which includes a branded GPR (general purpose reload able) card and in-app services. Brick and mortar retailers benefit from the wallet’s POS payment feature. Online merchants can take payments from consumers who may be unable to make digital payments through other means (for example, credit cards). There is also the advantage of merchants of avoiding interchange fees when transacting via Wipit.
The technology is designed to be easy to implement. Merchants have the option to deploy point-of-sale payment features via closed-loop payment cards, in-app barcodes, or NFC.
Wipit was founded in 2010, and is headquartered in Pasadena, California. The company demoed its Boost Mobile Wallet at FinovateSpring 2014. See Wipit’s live demo here.

Alumni News– August 8, 2014

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgTransferWise earns a spot on Wired UK’s list of the “100 hottest start-ups” in Europe for 2014.
  • TMC Net takes a look at CU of America’s deployment of mobile banking solutions from Malauzai Software. See Malauzai at FinovateFall 2014 in New York.
  • First Access Funding Corporation to deploy loan origination system (LOS) from defi SOLUTIONS.
  • MasterCard Indonesia launches e-commerce initiative.
  • Intuit acquires PaySuite, bringing cloud-based payroll services to Quickbooks.
  • American Banker: Authentify introduces extension of xFA called Smart Choice to determine authentication mechanisms the user’s device has access to.
  • Cachet Financial Solutions and Contact Solutions bring Mobile Customer Care to Prepaid Clients.
  • CNBC looks at how LearnVest, Tuition.io, and ReadyForZero are making student loan payback easier.
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.

Alumni News– August 7, 2014

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgTSYS to license payment transaction processing platform to Metrobank Card Corporation in the Philippines.
  • Payoneer partners with Gosocet to bring cross-border e-invoicing capabilities to Latin American businesses.
  • American Banker interviews Green Dot CEO, Steve Streit, on the relationship between fraud and reload cards.
  • PYMNTS column on what to expect in the 2nd half of 2014 features thoughts from Justin Benson, CEO of Spreedly, and Teri Llach, CMO of Blackhawk Network.
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.

Alumni News– August 6, 2014

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgYahoo! Germany looks at financial innovation in Kreditech.
  • Prosper earns a spot on the 2014 AlwaysOn Global 250 Top Private Companies roster.
  • Feedzai launches anti-fraud, transaction scoring apps for Shopify and Big Commerce.
  • Forbes.com features Betterment, FutureAdvisor, Kapitall, LearnVest, Motif Investing, Personal Capital, SigFig, and Wealthfront in a discussion on Millennial generation investment habits.
  • Richard Hagen, CEO of TradeKing Advisors, named to WealthManagement.com’s “Ten to Watch in 2015”.
  • Insuritas announces partnership with Financial Partners CU to open and manage its turnkey insurance solution.
  • Bank Innovation highlights alums SigFig and Ripple in a discussion on “8 under the radar fintech startups you should know.”
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.