Envestnet to Acquire PIEtech for $500 Million

Envestnet to Acquire PIEtech for $500 Million

Wealthtech innovator Envestnet announced earlier this month plans for its tenth acquisition. The Chicago-based company will bolster its existing advisor offerings with the purchase of PIEtech, a deal expected to close mid-year 2019.

PIEtech is the parent company of MoneyGuide, a suite of goals-based financial planning applications for advisors. “Financial planning is a key component of our vision for enabling Financial Wellness,” said Jud Bergman, Chairman and CEO of Envestnet. “With MoneyGuide’s financial planning applications more deeply integrated into Envestnet’s wealth management solutions, enterprises, advisors and their clients can benefit from a frictionless wealth management technology solution across the application stack, driving higher productivity and better client outcomes.”

Envestnet will continue to build on the success of MoneyGuide’s offerings, including MoneyGuideOne, MoneyGuidePro and MoneyGuideElite. These solutions, which serve tens of thousands of financial advisors, are integrated with more than 150 wealth management providers.

Envestnet will leverage the acquisition to complement its Logix and Apprise features to provide advisors and their clients with access to financial planning capabilities. The deal will also enable Envestnet to offer additional domestic and international financial wellness solutions and will boost cross-selling opportunities.

Envestnet | Yodlee showcased its predictive financial wellness and intelligence solution at FinovateFall 2018. Late last year, the company entered into a strategic partnership with Blackrock in which Envestnet integrated BlackRock’s Digital Wealth technologies into its platform.

Envestnet was founded in 1999 and acquired Yodlee in 2015 for $660 million. Envestnet | Yodlee is a public company listed on NYSE under the ticker ENV. It has a market capitalization of $3 billion.

InComm Acquires Linq3 Technologies

InComm Acquires Linq3 Technologies

Prepaid payments technology firm InComm marked its eighth acquisition this week with the purchase of Linq3 Technologies, an Atlanta, Georgia-based digital lottery company. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The deal gives InComm access to Linq3’s suite of lottery products that leverage consumer interaction at retailers’ point of sales systems. Brooks Smith, InComm founder and CEO, noted that incorporating the new technology will enable InComm “to deliver new product solutions to create experiences that will engage the consumer – right at the retailer’s point of sale.”

Smith also noted that this week’s purchase extends beyond technology and into Linq3’s human resources, offering InComm lottery industry intelligence. “This transaction brings us an experienced management team with a great deal of industry knowledge that can be leveraged to transform and grow lottery business across North America.”

In anticipation of the acquisition, InComm has already integrated with central gaming system vendors in the U.S. In fact, the company plans to launch lottery products including point of sale-activated draw games, prize payouts and validations, and prepaid state lottery gift cards for its retail clients.

Tom Spiegel, CEO of Linq3, noted that InComm will especially benefit from state lotteries. “Today, state lotteries face many challenges tied to retailer expansion, new player acquisition, and product innovation in an increasingly digital world. Through InComm’s acquisition of Linq3, state lotteries will now have the ability to reach more players through new and current retailers, retailers can realize more revenue by driving new consumer traffic to their locations, and lottery players will benefit from easy, simple and new ways to purchase and play lottery products.”

InComm offers more than 500,000 points of retail distribution with 1,000+ brand partners in more than 30 countries. The company debuted CorFire Mobile Commerce at FinovateFall 2011. More recently, InComm showed off the Cashtie API at FinDEVr Silicon Valley 2014. Last June, the Atlanta-based company teamed up with Fiserv to make it easier for consumers to pay their bills using cash at retailers’ physical point of sale systems.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • LendingFront, Veridium, Voca.ai Join Mastercard’s Start Path.

Around the web

  • Kinetica releases active analytics platform to simplify architecture and deliver analytical applications at scale
  • Tango Card partners with StatementGames to deliver e-gift cards as a redemption option for StatementGames players.
  • Larky wins big at Finastra’s Innovation Challenge

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.

Doxo to Provide Electronic Billpay Solution to R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company

Doxo to Provide Electronic Billpay Solution to R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company

Billpay solutions company doxo announced a new partnership with R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company (RRD) recently that will offer the marketing and communications solutions provider’s clients access to doxo’s electronic billpay solutions.

Tim Reedy, president of RRD Business Communications Solutions said, “We partnered with doxo because consumers are increasingly seeking a seamless, digital bill pay experience, and doxo has developed a capability that delivers that experience.” doxo’s secure payment solution enables customers to access and pay bills from more than 45,000 providers using a single set of login credentials. “Like our other business communications solutions, doxo integrates easily into our clients’ current workflows and processes to further enhance their communications program without any down time,” Reedy added.

doxo is compatible with existing billing systems and allows billers to electronically connect for free. The platform offers a simplified experience for end users and provides a complete online payment system for billers who have yet to go digital. Among the company’s list of billing partners are AT&T, National Grid, Puget Sound Energy, Kansas City Light, and more providers across finance, utilities, healthcare, telecom, banking, and insurance sectors.

Founded in 2008, doxo debuted its Control Panel at FinovateSpring 2011. The Seattle-based startup is among the companies that will take the Finovate stage at FinovateSpring to demo its newest technology. doxo has raised $18.8 million and counts Mohr Davidow Ventures, Sigma Partners, and Bezos Expeditions as investors.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • Finovate Alums Digital Onboarding, ForwardLane, and SizeUp Join MassChallenge’s 2019 FinTech Inaugural Program.
  • CB Alerts Portal from Ethoca Helps Carte Bancaires Merchants Fight Fraud.

Around the web

  • Agreement Express and TD Ameritrade Institutional deliver straight-through account opening to Veo Platform.
  • Gusto’s Flexible Pay is now available to employees directly in Texas through a newly created subsidiary Gusto Capital LLC.
  • AlphaPoint announces support for Stellar Lumens.
  • Lincoln Financial Group unveils new partnership with eMoney Advisor.
  • Sezzle hires former Target, TD Bank executive Jamie Kirkpatrick as its new Chief Risk Officer.
  • Averon co-founder and COO Lea Tarnowski earns finalist spot in Banking Technology Awards’ Women in Technology Leadership category.
  • Coinbase introduces instant PayPal withdrawals for U.S. customers.
  • Ripple and UAE Exchange team up to launch blockchain-powered cross-border remittance payment services in Asia in early 2019.

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.

FI.SPAN Raises $4 Million for U.K. and Australia Expansion

FI.SPAN Raises $4 Million for U.K. and Australia Expansion

Financial services management platform FI.SPAN has some extra holiday spending cash, thanks to a new round of funding led by BDC Capital’s Women in Technology Venture Fund. The round also features participation from FinTop Capital, VFF, Panache Ventures and others. The $4 million investment brings FI.SPAN’s total funding to $6 million.

The Canada-based company will use the funds to expand its operations to the U.K. and Australia, as well as grow its Vancouver, B.C.-based team. FI.SPAN currently employs 20 people in its New York and Vancouver offices, and it hopes to double its Vancouver workforce within the next year-and-a-half.

FI.SPAN CEO Lisa Shields told BIV.com that she’s not worried about Brexit impacting the company’s U.K. expansion. “Brexit, to be honest, for my particular business doesn’t affect us that much and the market is massive in the U.K.,” Shields said. “Because we sell to banks, we’re less impacted by Brexit.”

Above: Shields and with co-founder Clayton Weir demo at FinovateFall 2018

Shields co-founded FI.SPAN in 2016 and recently demoed the company’s ERP Connectivity Suite at FinovateFall 2018 in New York.  The company’s white-labeled service designs, builds, and maintains live connections to online and cloud-based accounting systems. The company’s API services suite helps banks build out their APIs to offer clients third-party connectivity. Similarly, FI.SPAN’s Fintegration suite helps banks integrate with fintechs and securely manage data exchange between the two parties.

EVRY Wins $75 Million Contract

EVRY Wins $75 Million Contract

Less than a month after landing a deal worth almost $77 million, Nordic IT company EVRY announced it has inked a $75 million contract with Handelsbanken in Finland.

Under the agreement, which is set to last eight years with an optional two-year extension, EVRY will provide Handelsbanken its complete suite of SaaS core banking and payment solutions, reaching both corporate and private banking customers. This includes internet banking for personal and corporate customers, loan management and back office solutions for Handelsbanken’s employees, and selected card services.

“EVRY’s solution will give us a modern and configurable banking platform with extensive product development capabilities. Modernising our core banking system in this way will enable us to develop more efficient processes and thereby to provide better customer service,” said Nina Arkilahti, CEO of Handelsbanken in Finland.

EVRY has partnered with the Handelsbanken Group in the past. Earlier this year, the company teamed up with Handelsbanken in Norway to launch a wrist-based contactless payments solution. Describing today’s deal, Wiljar Nesse, EVP of financial services at EVRY, named it an “important milestone” for EVRY as it advances the company’s presence in Finland.

EVRY demonstrated its PFM solution, Spendific, at FinovateEurope 2015. With more than 10,000 customers across the private and public sectors and 8,800 employees across nine countries, EVRY is headquartered in Fornebu just outside Oslo. The company is listed on the Oslo stock exchange under the ticker “EVRY AS” and has a market capitalization of $11 billion. Terje Mjøs is CEO.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • EVRY Wins $75 Million Contract.
  • Best of Show Winner Voleo to Help Drive Social Trading in Europe.
  • FI.SPAN Raises $4 Million for U.K. and Australia Expansion.

Around the web

  • Sberbank offers clients new strategies for investment life insurance.
  • PaySend launches transfers to bank accounts and Napas cards in Vietnam.
  • Anorak earns a spot in FinSMEs’ Top 10 U.K. Insurtech Startups to Watch in 2019 roster.
  • Intuit relaunches its redesigned ProAdvisor program in the U.S., Canada, and Australia.
  • DataSine and FinovateFall Best of Show winner Golden join the Envestnet | Yodlee Incubator’s latest cohort.
  • API platform provider for banking and insurance NDGIT announces strategic partnership with Synpulse.
  • James Finance, Ocrolus, Hydrogen, and iProov shortlisted for India FinTech Awards 2018.
  • PYMNTS highlights WePay Co-founder Rich Aberman in its latest podcast.
  • Jack Henry & Associates introduces a voice-driven consumer billpay solution.

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.

Equifax Launches Ignite Solution in the U.K.

Equifax Launches Ignite Solution in the U.K.

Credit reporting agency and financial health company Equifax announced this week that its data analytics and insights platform, Ignite, has launched in the U.K. market.

Originally unveiled in March of last year, Ignite aggregates advanced analytics such as payment data and risk scores to offer businesses insights about consumer behavior that facilitate decision making. “Equifax Ignite will redefine businesses’ access to data and reduce the time it takes to build, test and deploy models,” said John Power, chief data & analytics officer for Europe at Equifax. “The cloud-based environment provides our customers with a flexible and scalable platform where they can easily access and intuitively manage and test multiple data sources, enabling them to easily explore new ideas and opportunities with market leading tools,” he added

Ignite is comprised of three delivery methods:

  • Ignite Direct, for businesses looking to extend and enhance the data and analytical tools available to their in-house analytics teams.
  • Ignite Models and Scores, which leverage expertise from Equifax analysts, data scientists, and consultants to deliver a tailored approach to solving problems quickly.
  • Ignite Apps, which offer simple visualizations created from a range of data sources for faster decision making.

At FinovateFall 2011, Equifax showcased the benefits of the Equifax Complete features of its mobile app. This summer, the company teamed up with Thinking Capital to launch BillMarket, a solution that helps small businesses in Canada extend payment terms and increase their purchasing power. Later that month, the company acquired DataX to promote financial inclusion.

Founded in 1899, Equifax is publicly traded on the NYSE under the ticker EFX. The company’s market capitalization sits at $11.7 billion.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • Accenture Acquires Select Assets from Banking Software Provider Zafin.
  • Equifax Launches Ignite Solution in the U.K.

Around the web

  • Enveil brings data in use security to the Azure Marketplace.
  • City of Charlotte and Charlotte Douglas International Airport upgrade to Passport’s real-time, connected platform.
  • Australia’s largest credit union, CUA, launches new chat app powered by Kony’s DBX.
  • Equifax unveils its integrated portfolio of data, analytics, and visualization tools, Equifax Ignite, in the U.K.
  • Temenos announces partnership with Tunisia’s Banque de l’Habitat.
  • GreatHorn meets SOC 2 standards for security, availability, and confidentiality after completion of attestation report.
  • Gitlab’s Kathy Wang and James Ritchey talk with HackerOne about why they decided to launch a bug bounty program.
  • Digital gifting solution provider Swych brings blockchain technology to its platform.
  • Fenergo wins Fintech Exporter of the Year award from Asia Matters.

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.

Temenos Acquires Avoka in $245 Million Deal

Temenos Acquires Avoka in $245 Million Deal

In a $245 million deal, banking software company Temenos will acquire fellow Finovate alum Avoka. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals, is expected to close in the first quarter of next year.

A public company, Temenos will finance the purchase with cash and debt. The deal marks the company’s 14th acquisition since it was founded in 1993 and its second purchase this year, following the buy of its British competitor, Fidessa Group for $1.96 billion in February.

Temenos will integrate Avoka’s customer acquisition and onboarding technology into its Digital Front Office product, which serves 300 banking clients. “This is a highly strategic acquisition for Temenos as it not only reinforces our leadership position within the Digital Front Office space but it also strengthens our capabilities in the U.S. market where we are seeing significant traction as banks accelerate their digital transformation plans,” said Max Chuard, chief financial officer and chief operating officer of Temenos. “The combination of Avoka’s capabilities along with the extensive Temenos Digital Front Office product offers banks the most complete set of services which through APIs can be easily integrated either with the market-leading Temenos T24 Core Banking product or as a standalone on a third party banking system.”

Since it was founded in 2002, Avoka has grown to offer customer acquisition and onboarding technology to the financial services sector as well as government entities. In fact, the company’s first major client was the Australia Capital Territory government. Avoka also provides form filling technology to Australia’s Federal Department of Industry, Innovation, and Science’s business.gov.au portal. And according to ITNews, the company has provided services to Australia’s Defense, Centrelink, Attorney General’s Department, Customs and Border Protection, AUSTRAC, Education, Home Affairs, Human Services, as well as state and local clients. Temenos has not disclosed its plans for the government side of Avoka’s business.

Avoka CEO Philip Copeland said, “By combining our strengths with Temenos’ expertise and reach, we will expand our scope and scale to deliver winning omni-channel, digital experience solutions to banks globally. The combination of Temenos and Avoka is an excellent fit for our customers and employees and will catapult our growth to the next stage. Together, with the leadership on both sides, we are committed to the group’s future success.”

Founded in 1993, Temenos debuted its Connect Mobile Banking application at FinovateEurope 2015 in London. Last month marked the company’s 25th birthday. With clients in 145+ countries, Temenos employs more than 4,600 people in 63 offices. The company has a market capitalization of $9.14 billion.

Avoka most recently demoed Transaction Insights at FinovateEurope 2017. Transaction Insights is a digital account opening tool that helps financial services companies measure where customers are spending time, making errors, requesting help, or abandoning their session. Headquartered in Colorado, Avoka has offices in London, England and Sydney, Australia. The company has digitized more than 100 million transactions for 150+ global clients. Prior to today’s acquisition, Avoka had raised $28 million.

ShopKeep Closes $65 Million to Boost Small Business Financing Tool

ShopKeep Closes $65 Million to Boost Small Business Financing Tool

In its largest round of funding yet, point of sale (POS) technology company ShopKeep POS closed on $65 million in combined debt and equity funding, bringing its total funding to just over $72 million.

The investment was led by Tribeca Venture Partners and included all of the New York-based company’s major existing investors. New contributors include First Data Corporation and Salesforce Ventures. The debt portion of the round comes from ORIX Growth Capital and Square 1 Bank.

“We are extremely fortunate to be backed by some of the top investors in both fintech and SaaS. With the latest investments from Salesforce Ventures and First Data, ShopKeep has firmly established its position as a leader in SaaS based point-of-sale and payment platforms,” said ShopKeep CEO Michael DeSimone.

Founded in 2008, ShopKeep offers iPad-based POS software for retail, restaurants, and franchises. Not only does the technology process transactions and payments, it also offers inventory tracking, staff management, marketing capabilities, and provides reporting and analytics tools. The company will use the funds to boost its Android-based platform, which it launched in May of this year; expand ShopKeep Capital, an initiative that provides working capital to ShopKeep customers; and explore international markets.

“With our recurring revenue almost tripling in the past 3 years, the small business community continues to show incredibly promising – and accelerating – growth potential. ShopKeep will continue working tirelessly to deliver small business owners with technology and digital tools to fuel their businesses and compete in today’s marketplace at all levels,” DeSimone added.

ShopKeep is headquartered in New York City, with offices in Oregon, Illinois, and Belfast. The company’s founder Jason Richelson demoed the point-of-sale platform at FinovateSpring 2012. ShopKeep processes more than 289 million transactions for 25,000 merchant clients across the U.S.