Author: Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz)

Ledger Launches Newest Hardware Wallet: Nano S

Ledger Launches Newest Hardware Wallet: Nano S
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Ledger

Screen Shot 2016-06-20 at 7.40.24 AM

Blockchain hardware-solutions company Ledger announced a new hardware wallet today. A successor to the HW.1 and Unplugged wallets, Ledger’s Nano S differentiates itself by offering a built-in OLED display and by adding protection for Ethereum fund transfers.

The Paris-based company created the Nano S after spending 18 months improving the Nano, Ledger’s best-selling product. It connects to any computer through USB—allowing users to send and receive payments, check their accounts, manage multiple addresses—and even supports the FIDO Universal Second Factor standard.

Screen Shot 2016-06-20 at 9.53.48 AMThe built-in OLED display on the Nano S allows the user to double-check and confirm each transaction by tapping the buttons on the device. While the Nano S includes built-in apps for both Bitcoin and Ethereum, it also supports other blockchain-based currencies.

Priced at 58€ ($66), the Nano S comes with a set of Chrome applications to help users manage their wallets. It is available for pre-order today and will be shipping at the end of July.

At FinovateEurope 2016 Ledger CEO Eric Larchevêque debuted Ledger Blue, a touch-screen smartcard for developers. Ledger Blue offers a second display that connects to devices via BLE, NFC, or USB and thwarts malware attacks by delivering the correct payment address.

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Personal Capital Brings on Former Yodlee CFO

Personal Capital Brings on Former Yodlee CFO
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Personal Capital

Screen Shot 2016-06-17 at 1.21.26 PM

ArmsbyOnline wealth-management platform Personal Capital today announced it has brought on former Yodlee CFO, Mike Armsby (pictured), as its new CFO. Armsby, a Harvard MBA grad, has previously served as CFO of View, a high-tech glass supplier, and PowerLight, a solar development company.

The California-based company has also promoted three current executives:

  • Jay Shah is now CEO of Personal Capital Advisors, an RIA which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Personal Capital; Shah retains his role as chief operating officer of the parent firm.
  • Mark Goines is now vice chairman.
  • Paul Bergholm is now chief administrative officer.

In a funding round that boosted its valuation to $500 million, Personal Capital raised $50 million last month, with another $25 million pending. The company’s CEO Bill Harris said the new executives are “key to powering our next phase of hyper-growth.” Earlier this spring, the company announced it had exceeded $2 billion assets under management, up from $1.6 billion in November of last year.

At FinovateSpring 2014, Personal Capital launched One Click Investment Proposals. The company’s CTO Fritz Robbins gave a presentation titled Data-Driven Retirement Planning at FinDEVr San Francisco 2015.

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Cachet Financial Solutions to Power Mobile Deposit for Malauzai Software

Cachet Financial Solutions to Power Mobile Deposit for Malauzai Software
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Cachet Financial Solutions, Malauzai

Screen Shot 2016-06-17 at 7.51.14 AM

Mobile deposit-capture specialist Cachet Financial Solutions teamed up with community financial institution (CFI) technology-provider Malauzai to deliver mobile-deposit capabilities to Malauzai’s clients.

Austin-based Malauzai has integrated Cachet’s Select Mobile Deposit API into its MOX Everywhere Suite to help CFIs offer customers a way to deposit checks by taking a photo. Cachet’s solution works well with Malauzai’s needs: It allows individual CFIs to define separate business groups and to set up different sets of deposit limits and rules for each group. This way a financial institution can increase a customer’s deposit limits over time.MalauzaiDemo

This news comes after Malauzai CPO Robb Gaynor launched MOX Pay at FinovateSpring 2016 last month. MOX Pay allows CFIs to extend their current business-service offerings with a mobile wallet option that empowers business customers to publish payment-centric mobile apps.

Last year, Malauzai counted one million downloads of its SmartApps. The company has more than 400 banks and credit union clients covering 7 million logins from 400,000+ active end users.

Based in Minnesota, Cachet Financial Solutions debuted Select Mobile Money at FinovateFall 2014. The company partnered with PAYTOO mobile wallet last month to power the startup’s mobile account-opening process.

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Stock Gifting Platform Stockpile Acquires SparkGift

Stock Gifting Platform Stockpile Acquires SparkGift
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Mergers & Acquisitions, Stockpile

Screen Shot 2016-06-16 at 1.58.40 PM

Just in time to remind you of what would make a great Father’s Day gift, stock gift card company Stockpile acquired SparkGift, a startup behind a similar stock egifting idea.

Stockpile will transfer SparkGift’s customer base onto its own brokerage platform for free in the next three months. Upon transferring, SparkGift customers will receive new features, including 99-cent stock trades, an iOS app, and the ability for kids and teens to independently check their own accounts and place trades (with their moms’ and dads’ permission, of course).

Stockpile CEO Avi Lele describes SparkGift as “an innovator in personalizing and democratizing the stock market for the millennial generation” saying that the San Francisco-based startup “shares Stockpile’s mission of making investing accessible to everyone.”

Palo Alto-based Stockpile allows users to buy fractional stock shares starting at $10. In 2015 the company partnered with Blackhawk Network to offer physical gift cards in denominations of $25, $50, and $100 at select U.S. retailers.

Founded in 2010, Stockpile CEO Avi Lele and Chief Commercial Officer Dan Schatt launched the company at FinovateSpring 2014 in a demo that won Best of Show.

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Finovate Alumni News

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Cachet Financial Solutions, Corezoid.com, defi Solutions, Malauzai Software, myInvenio, Patch of Land, Personal Capital, Stockpile, Yodlee

On Finovate.com

  • Stock Gifting Platform Stockpile Acquires SparkGift.
  • Corezoid Goes AWS with its Platform-as-a-Service Core Banking Technology.
  • Cachet Financial Solutions to Power Mobile Deposit for Malauzai Software.
  • Personal Capital Brings on Former Yodlee CFO.

Around the web

  • Gartner names Cognitive Technology a 2016 Cool Vendor in Analytics for myInvenio.
  • Times Realty news looks at why Patch of Land is choosing not to adopt Title III Crowdfunding rules.
  • defi Solutions announces new Chief Technology Officer.

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.

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Tuition.io Has Saved Users More Than 5,000 Years of Student Loan Payments

Tuition.io Has Saved Users More Than 5,000 Years of Student Loan Payments
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Tuition.io

Screen Shot 2016-06-16 at 1.12.12 PM

Employer-funded student loan contribution platform Tuition.io reached a milestone this week. The California-based company today announced it has saved employees more than 5,000 years of student loan payments totaling more than $2 billion.

Tuition.io allows companies to contribute to their employees’ outstanding private and federal student loan debt, helping employers attract and retain millennial talent. Tuition.io CEO and co-founder Brendan McQueen says, “We’re on track to save consumers tens of thousands of years of payments next year.”

After graduating from Colombia University with 12 loans totaling $120,000, McQueen launched a consumer-facing version of the platform at FinovateFall 2012. According to McQueen, the company last year transitioned to exclusively serve the enterprise because “we would be able to impact many more lives this way.”

Last month, the company expanded its focus to include support for Federal Parent PLUS loans, loans taken out by parents to help finance their child’s college education.

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Radius Selects Chief Product Officer

Radius Selects Chief Product Officer
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Radius

Screen Shot 2016-06-16 at 12.10.03 PM

RadiusCPOPredictive marketing platform Radius named Mark Woollen as chief product officer. In his new role, Woollen will be responsible for expanding Radius’ marketing tool.

Radius CEO Darian Shirazi says the company selected Woollen for his “impressive experience” and his “ability to manage teams through the entire product lifecycle.” Woollen, who previously served as VP of product management at DocuSign, has also held VP positions at Salesforce, Oracle, and InQuira.

Founded in 2012, Radius offers a Business GraphSM database that draws on 50 billion attributes from CRM systems of 18+ million U.S. companies. The San Francisco-based company’s algorithm helps banks connect prospective and current client information to gain insight into their best customers, deploy marketing campaigns, and measure conversions. Radius CEO Darian Shirazi demonstrated how banks can benefit from the Business GraphSM at FinovateSpring 2014.

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Fiserv Makes In-Branch Customer Identification as Easy as a High Five

Fiserv Makes In-Branch Customer Identification as Easy as a High Five
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Fiserv

Screen Shot 2016-06-16 at 8.49.30 AM

Financial services technology giant Fiserv recently launched palm-authentication hardware for bank tellers to authenticate clients’ identities. The solution, a play on words, is called Verifast: Palm Authentication and aims to reduce transaction time and improve the customer in-branch experience.

The solution is an integration between Fujitsu’s PalmSecure biometric hardware and Fiserv’s DNA account-processing platform. To authenticate their identity, consumers hold their hand over an infrared sensing device that reads the subcutaneous veins in their hand. Because unique palm vein patterns contain more than five million reference points, they are a secure and accurate way to authenticate identity.

Gesa Credit Union piloted the new offering and boasts that its tellers and members love the new technology, which shaves off an estimated 14 seconds from each transaction. In fact, in a survey Fiserv conducted, 97% of consumers who tried Verifast: Palm Authentication said they would likely use it again in a branch environment.

Verifast: Palm Authentication is now available to customers using Fiserv’s DNA account-processing platform.

Fiserv showed off account-opening technology on its Mobiliti platform at FinovateSpring last month. Earlier this month, the Wisconsin-based company was honored for the first time on the Fortune 500.

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

FinDEVr APIntelligence

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: BlockCypher, Braintree, FICO, Fidor Bank, FinDEVr APIntelligence, Infosys, Kabbage, Markit, Stocktwits, TokBox, Twilio, Xero

FinDEVrSV16-LogoV2(wdate)Our FinDEVr New York developer showcase was a success! FinDEVr Silicon Valley will be held October 18 & 19 in Santa Clara. Register today and save.

On FinDEVr.com

  • BlockCypher to Developers: Your Ethereum Toolkit is Ready.
  • FICO Launches Falcon Assurance Navigator to Help Universities Monitor Federal Grant Spending.

The latest from FinDEVr New York 2016 presenters

  • Markit to provide fixed-income pricing data and liquidity metrics for the European Commission.
  • Fidor Bank Opens its Doors in Dubai; Ge Drossaert Tapped as Managing Director.
  • FICO launches its Academic Engagement Program, helping business students get hands-on experience with analytic software.
  • Braintree announces new integrations with Demandware and Netsuite.
  • Tokbox launches its video broadcast solution for producers.
  • Banking Technology: Goldman Sachs to use technology from Infosys to power its new digital bank, GS Bank.

Alumni updates

  • PCWorld votes Xero as its top-choice accounting software in 2016.
  • 2016 CNBC Distruptor 50 Features Kabbage and Twilio.
  • CNN features StockTwits in a list of the 10 best investing apps.
  • Business Insider features Currency Cloud in list of potential future U.K. fintech unicorns.

Stay current on daily news from the fintech developer community! Follow FinDEVr on Twitter.

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Kasasa Reaches One Millionth Account

Kasasa Reaches One Millionth Account
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Kasasa

Screen Shot 2016-06-15 at 7.03.10 AM

Kasasa, a national brand of banking products for community financial institutions, has arrived at a milestone for its rewards-based checking and savings accounts. The Austin-based company recently surpassed its one millionth account.

Kasasa’s free accounts boast a 92% annual retention rate and require no minimum balance. Since launching in 2009, the company has increased its total client base to 779 community financial institutions, 395 of which offer Kasasa’s rewards checking and savings accounts. At the close of 2015, the company saw a 45% annual growth rate.

Earlier this month, Kasasa partnered with AudioEye, a provider of technology that helps optimize digital content for people with disabilities and physical limitations. The technology is fully integrated into Kasasa’s FIRSTBranch websites for community financial institutions.

Kasasa debuted at FinovateFall 2009 under the name BancVue.

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

HelloWallet Launches Savings and Debt Guidance Tool

HelloWallet Launches Savings and Debt Guidance Tool
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: HelloWallet

Screen Shot 2016-06-15 at 9.10.04 AM

Morningstar-owned HelloWallet launched a new tool today in an effort to help banks and companies encourage their members and employees to focus on their finances. Prompted by requests from users, the Washington, D.C.-based company launched Savings & Debt Guidance to help users achieve their emergency savings, spending, and debt goals.

combined-chart-2

Saving

The chart helps users add spending goals and visualize large upcoming purchases. In the column on the right, HelloWallet gauges how prepared the user is for unexpected expenses based on their personalized emergency savings estimate. If a spending goal puts the user’s emergency savings funds at risk, HelloWallet offers suggestions to delay spending, reduce their goal amount, or increase savings contributions to reach their goal on time.

savings-chart-spending-goal-on-600x510

Debt

The tools also let users set goals for debt, guiding them to pay down loans with the highest interest rate first. To help motivate, HelloWallet educates the user on how much interest they will pay in the upcoming years and adjusts the number based on their payoff date.

add-debt-car-additional-600x537

At FinovateFall 2015, the founder of HelloWallet and CIO of Morningstar, Matt Fellowes, gave a Best of Show-winning demonstration in its debut of Retirement Explorer, a planning tool that allows users to model and save retirement scenarios. Fellowes also announced it now allows banks to integrate HelloWallet’s financial wellness programs.

hellowalletstageMatt Fellowes, chief innovation officer of Morningstar and the founder of HelloWallet; Andrew Vincent, senior product manager; and Gabe Gorelick-Feldman, software engineer, showcased Retirement Explorer, which won Best of Show at FinovateFall 2015.

HelloWallet’s customers include Salesforce, T. Rowe Price, Allstate, Vanguard, and more. Before it was acquired by Morningstar in 2014, the company had raised $15.6 million.

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Shoeboxed Partners with ScanSnap Cloud for Receipt Scanning

Shoeboxed Partners with ScanSnap Cloud for Receipt Scanning
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Shoeboxed

Screen Shot 2016-06-14 at 8.24.19 AM

Email and mobile receipt-processing company Shoeboxed today announced a partnership that offers increased functionality to help small businesses import and organize their expenses.

The North Carolina-based company announced it is working with ScanSnap Cloud to help users scan receipts, documents, and business cards by using its iX500 and iX100 scanning devices.

ScanSnap, which has partnerships with companies such as Expensify, Evernote, and Dropbox, helps mitigate manual data entry by automatically extracting data and sorting scans in a way that is human-verified to be fully searchable.

Once the scans are uploaded, Shoeboxed extracts the data, which the user can export into other tools. Check out the video to learn more about the integration.

Founded in 2007, Shoeboxed presented at FinovateSpring 2015 where the company’s COO and cofounder Tobi Walter demonstrated receipt-capture for banks. The company’s team of 40 serves more than 1 million users in 100 countries.

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook