Author: Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz)

FinovateSpring 2016 in the Press

FinovateSpring 2016 in the Press
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: FinovateSpring 2016

FSPressEven if you attended FinovateSpring in San Jose last week, it’s likely you need a recap of the 72 demos from companies across a range of fintech industries. We saw everything from using the blockchain to create an identity for underserved populations to checking your net worth on VR.

Fortunately, we had plenty of press representatives on the ground to offer us a full report:

ABA Bank Marketing
On the Floor at Finovate
by Grace Dinn

Australian Financial Review
Blockchain is over-hyped but still part of the solution
by David Rowe

Bank Innovation

Barron’s 
Two New Employee Benefits Aimed at Millennials
by Theresa W. Carey

Beyond the Arc Blog

Business Weekly
Adams Hub investment still showing promise

The Cointelegraph
Russia’s Largest Bank Adopts Blockchain, Develops App for Conversational Commerce
by Alisa Tciriulnikova

Crowdfund Insider
OurCrowd Launches Social Investor App. Invest in Equity Crowdfunding Offers on Your Smartphone
by JD Alois

Cryptonoticias
Los Finovates del 2016 han sido Conquistados por la Blockchain
by Mariano Puigvert

Earnix blog
Fresh Focus From FinTech During FinovateSpring 2016
by Marc Trudeau

The Financial Brand
Using Digital Lending Solutions to Fuel Growth
by David Gerbino

Fintech Business
Fintech’s Woodstock
by Aleks Vickovich

FP Pad
FPPad Bits and Bytes for May 13
by Bill Winterberg

Handelsblatt
Wie Banken sich selbst überflüssig machen
by Axel Postinett

Ignition Wealth

Javelin
What to Look for at Finovate in Silicon Valley
by Mark Schwanhausser

Members Development Company
FinovateSpring 2016– MDC and Owner Insights

Kofax blog
Finovate Spring 2016: 4 Ways to KYC with Robotic Process Automation
by Darren Collins

LinkedIn Pulse
My Finovate State of Mind
by Sandhya Krishnamurthy

meetinvest blog
meetinvest report from Silicon Valley

OurCrowd blog
Introducing the new OurCrowd social investor app!

PayActiv Blog
PayActiv Awarded Best of Show at FinovateSpring 2016

Roboadvisor Pros

Sezzle blog
Sezzle’s Fintastic Finovate Experience
by Mia Bernad

Student Loan Genius blog
Finovate, 401(k)’s, and the Future of Student Loans
by Tony Aguilar

William Mills Agency Blog

Thanks to everyone who attended and covered the show. Check out our other FinovateSpring coverage, Tales from the Tweet Side and Best of Show Winners Announced.

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Finovate Alumni News

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Avalara, ayondo, Banno, Bazaarvoice, Check Point, FutureAdvisor, Geezeo, Matchi, NuData Security, OutsideIQ, SayPay, Symbiont, Tagit, Zenmonics

On Finovate.com

  • “Tagit Locks in More than $8 Million in New Funding”

On FinDEVr.com

  • “Symbiont to Help Delaware Embrace the Blockchain”

Around the web

  • “OutsideIQ Launches Real-Time Risk Monitoring Tool”
  • Check Point launches free Security Checkups for Australian and New Zealand enterprises.
  • Business Insider covers the birth of BlackRock’s FutureAdvisor.
  • NuData Security more than doubles behavioral transaction volume in the past year, following rapid adoption of its NuDetect solution.
  • Ayondo doubles Revenues in 2015 to £7.3 million.
  • Jack Henry extends Banno platform to Windows 10.
  • Avalara discusses plans to use blockchain technology to track asset ownership.
  • Matchi to host the Liberty Fintech Challenge 2016.
  • CIO.com quotes Bazaarvoice CMO Sara Spivey on marketing to millennials with user-generated content.

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.

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Welcome to FinovateSpring 2016: Day 1

Welcome to FinovateSpring 2016: Day 1
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: FinovateSpring 2016

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You made it to FinovateSpring! Now what?

We have a full show today packed with plenty of fintech to explore. Tickets are still available at the registration desk. If you can’t make it today but want to come tomorrow we have special one-day tickets available (ask at the registration desk).

Here’s today’s lineup:

Registration opens at 8:00 a.m.

8:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Intermission & refreshments

10:45 a.m. – 12:05 p.m.

Lunch 12:05 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

1:00 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.

2:20 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. Intermission & refreshments

2:50 p.m. – 4:10 p.m.

4:10 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. Networking, open bar & appetizers
Best of Show winners will be announced on day two.

All demo videos will be available for free in a few weeks in our video archives.

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Behind-the-Scenes Look: Rehearsals Underway at FinovateSpring 2016

Behind-the-Scenes Look: Rehearsals Underway at FinovateSpring 2016
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: FinovateSpring 2016

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It’s the eve of what’s shaping up to be the biggest FinovateSpring in history and we’re watching the presenting companies polish their demos for their seven minutes of stage time.

While they’re prepping their tech, you can prep your schedule. Here are a few things to know:

  • When: The first demo session begins at 8:45 AM and you won’t want to be late. We’re opening registration at 8:00 AM so you can check in, grab a coffee and some breakfast before the fun begins.
  • Who: We’ll feature 72 presenters as they demo their newest tech live on stage. No slides. No canned videos.
  • Mobile app: We’re set up to host our largest audience yet. The best way to connect with others is to use our official event app. Download the Bizzabo app and search Finovate. From there you can connect with other attendees, find out more about the presenting companies and presenters, and more. Available on Android and iOS.

For all you need to know, visit the FinovateSpring website and check out the FAQ section. Still need help? Contact spring@finovate.com.

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Nexmo Acquired by Vonage for $230 Million

Nexmo Acquired by Vonage for $230 Million
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Mergers & Acquisitions, Nexmo

NexmoHomepage

Cloud communications startup Nexmo is now Nexmo, a Vonage company, after being acquired by communications giant Vonage for $230 million.

The company’s CEO Tony Jamous is now president of the newly acquired entity. CTO Eric Nadalin and Nexmo’s 170-person team are also moving over to Vonage.

Nexmo brings 350 enterprise customers from across the globe, which marks Vonage’s first expansion outside of the United States.

Vonage CEO Alan Masarek comments on the acquisition, “By combining Vonage’s rapidly growing, unified communications-as-a-service business with Nexmo, we are creating the future of cloud communications. These companies represent a set of strategic, technology and human resources assets that deliver the broadest services offering in our industry.”

Nexmo demoed its Verify SDK at FinovateEurope 2016 and presented on using the crowd to decrease fraud at FinDEVr New York 2016.

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TransCard Brings on New CFO Ahead of FinovateSpring Demo

TransCard Brings on New CFO Ahead of FinovateSpring Demo
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: TransCard

TransCardHomepage52016

HaddockPayment solutions company TransCard has brought on John Haddock as its new chief financial officer today. Haddock is a graduate of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and previously served as EVP and CFO for First Security Group and FSG Bank.

TransCard also expanded its leadership team by recruiting Ed Kelley as VP of financial institutions and Ann Evans as VP of corporate solutions.

Greg Bloh, president of TransCard, says of the appointments: “The wealth of knowledge John, Ed and Ann bring to the team puts TransCard in a great position to grow and expand our footprint within the financial and corporate disbursement industries.”

TransCard’s Paynuver simplifies payment disbursement by offering multiple payout options through a digital account. Its self-service portal and multiple payout options place the work into the hands of the recipient. The Tennessee-based company will debut Paynuver at FinovateSpring next week. Register today to be among the first to watch the live demo.

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Money Transfer Company Azimo Pulls in $15 Million in Strategic Funds from Rakuten

Money Transfer Company Azimo Pulls in $15 Million in Strategic Funds from Rakuten
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Azimo, Funding

AzimoHomepage

Digital money-transfer network Azimo added $15 million to its $25 million in VC funds today, bringing the London-based company’s total to around $40 million.

The strategic investment was led by Japanese fintech services company Rakuten, the organization that owns messaging service Viber. Existing investors—eVentures, Frog Capital, Greycroft, Accion and MCI Capital—also participated in the round.

The funds will be used to integrate Azimo’s money-transfer services into messaging apps and fuel the company’s expansion into Asia, which is home to seven of the top 10 remittance-receiving countries. Azimo already offers its services in a small portion of Asia. While 30% of its total transfers are sent to the region, the expansion efforts will enable more outbound remittances from Asia.

Michael Kent, CEO and founder of Azimo, explains:

While we weren’t actively looking for additional capital, the approach from Rakuten really appealed because of their presence in markets core to our long-term ambitions. They have a huge presence in Asia, they really understand consumer financial services, and, as owners of Viber, are a significant player in the social messaging market. The partnership will accelerate our Asian expansion and assist in our aim of developing ever deeper social network integrations.

Azimo is not disclosing its valuation but TechCrunch estimates it to be $100 million with the prospect of raising a bigger round of funding next year. Founded in 2012, the company operates in 190+ countries and 80+ currencies. Its network connects half a million people and has the potential to reach up to 5 billion people across the globe.

Founder and CEO Michael Kent and CTO Marek Wawro, co-founder, debuted Azimo’s social remittance network at FinovateEurope 2013.

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Finovate Alumni News

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Azimo, BioCatch, CAN Capital, CSI globalVCard, Green Key Technologies, Jemstep, Kabbage, Klarna, Misys, myInvenio, On Deck Capital, OurCrowd, SigFig, Thomson Reuters

On Finovate.com

  • “Money Transfer Company Azimo Pulls in $15 Million in Strategic Funds from Rakuten”
  • “From Billpay to Blockchain: The Themes of FinovateSpring”
  • “Finovate Debuts: myInvenio Turns Data Analysis into Process Intelligence”

On FinDEVr.com

  • “GreenKey Technologies Names Richard Garnier as Chief Revenue Officer”

Around the web

  • Klarna moves beyond ecommerce to service brick-and-mortar retail shops.
  • CSI GlobalVCard partners with Cambridge Global Payments for x-border payment solution.
  • Pershing selects Invesco-owned Jemstep, SigFig as roboadviser partners.
  • OurCrowd interviews BioCatch CEO Eyal Goldwerger. Check out OurCrowd at FinovateSpring next week.
  • OnDeck, Kabbage, and CAN Capital team up to form the “Innovative Lending Platform Association.”
  • Misys wins Best Portfolio Management Software Provider in HFM European Services Awards for 2016.
  • Thomson Reuters unveils new version of its ONESOURCE tax solution for companies doing business in Brazil.

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.

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A Topological Look at Next Week’s FinovateSpring Presenters

A Topological Look at Next Week’s FinovateSpring Presenters
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: FinovateSpring 2016

FS15AudienceIMG

Next week at this time we’ll be in San Jose watching the first demo session of FinovateSpring 2016 unfold (register here). That means it’s time to take a look at the 72 presenting companies that will step up to the stage of San Jose’s City National Civic on May 10 & 11.

There are a few things you can do to learn more about the presenting companies and what they plan to demo:

  1. Check out our FinovateSpring Sneak Peek series on the blog
  2. Visit presenting company websites on the FinovateSpring homepage
  3. Take a look at the presenter map below that details each company’s headquarters location:

Finovate_SP162.0

FinovateSpring will showcase 17 companies from the Bay Area; 36 companies from elsewhere in the United States; and 19 from other countries. Presenters from VIX Verify have the longest commute; they’ll be flying in from Australia.

For last-minute questions about the event, check out the FAQ section of the FinovateSpring homepage or email spring@finovate.com. We’ll see you next week!

FinovateSpring 2016 is sponsored by The Bancorp, Accenture, Association for Financial Technology, Cyberport/InvestHK, FT Partners, Greater Zurich Area/Swiss Business Hub,  Hudson Cook, KPMG, and Leverage PR.

FinovateSpring 2016 is partnered with Acuity Market Intelligence, Aite Group, American Bankers Association, Bank Innovators Council, BankersHub, Bankless Times, BayPay Forum, Bitcoin Magazine, bobsguide, Breaking Banks, Byte Academy, California Bankers Association, Canadian Trade Commissioner Service, Celent, Cointelegraph, Digital Currency Council, EbankingNews, FemTechLeaders, Filene Research Institute, The Fintech Times, IDC Financial Insights, Javelin, Juniper Research, Korea FinTech Forum, Mercator Advisory Group, Payments & Cards Network, The Paypers,PitchBook, Plug and Play, SME Finance Forum, and Western Independent Bankers.

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FinDEVr APIntelligence

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Bluefin Payment Systems, Chain.com, FinDEVr APIntelligence, Hyperwallet, Infosys, Kabbage, PayPal, Plaid, Xero, Xignite

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

On FinDEVr.com

  • “What’s in a Name? Plaid Earns “Cool Vendor” Status from Gartner”
  • “Chain Launches Open Source Blockchain Protocol”

The latest from FinDEVr New York 2016 presenters

  • PayPal’s Venmo processed $3.2 billion in total payments volume in Q1 2016, an increase of 154% year-over-year.
  • Infosys Finacle teams up with Samsung SDS to give mobile banking customers better authentication technology.
  • A look at APIs in the robo-adviser industry by Bank Innovation underscores the role played by Xignite.
  • PYMNTS interviews Hyperwallet CEO Brent Warrington.

Alumni updates

  • Bluefin Payment Systems integrates Visa Data Secure Platform into its portfolio.
  • Xero for Payroll goes live in Pennsylvania, making the technology available in a total of 22 states.

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

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mCASH Pivots to AUKA, Launches Mobile Payments Services Across Europe

mCASH Pivots to AUKA, Launches Mobile Payments Services Across Europe
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Auka, mCASH

AukaHomepage

Mobile payments platform Auka launched its services in Europe after pivoting* from mCASH earlier this year.

Auka has built a payment infrastructure entirely on the Google Cloud Platform and is the first fully licensed and regulated financial company to do so. The company’s platform-as-a-service model takes only three months for a bank to integrate. The payments infrastructure connects banks to consumers and merchants with white-labeled P2P payments, POS solutions, and merchant services.

This news comes just after the European Parliament approved the Payment Service Directive and Access to Accounts initiative, which will require banks to make their APIs available to third parties, thus opening the once-restricted payment system to the open markets. This means it’s in a bank’s best interest to offer an easy-to-use API to avoid losing out on transaction revenue. Auka CEO Daniel Döderlein explains:

Banks need to be prepared to use the Access to Accounts (XS2A) provision within the new regulations to its full extent. It’s not just about complying with requests to provide their API, but building the kind of sticky, high-frequency use services that they can then plug their rivals’ APIs into, ensuring that they are the brand that customers have facetime with.

Auka launched as mCASH in 2014 and has 17 bank customers with thousands of merchant clients. The Norway-based company debuted at FinovateFall 2014.

Google Cloud Platform presented its Big Data secret at FinDEVr San Francisco 2014.

*Auka is the parent company of mCASH, which was acquired by the second largest bank in Norway. mCASH kept the rights to all IP outside of Norway and rebranded that company to Auka.

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Finovate Alumni News

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: BBVA Compass, Bluefin Payment Systems, Green Key Technologies, IBM, mCASH, Ripple

On Finovate.com

  • “mCASH Pivots to AUKA, Launches Mobile Payments Services Across Europe”

Around the web

  • IBM launches quantum computing as a cloud service. See IBM demo next week at FinovateSpring.
  • CGI Group adds Ripple Connect to its Intelligent Gateway at Payments.
  • Bluefin Payment Systems integrates Visa Data Secure Platform into its portfolio.
  • BBVA Compass cardholders gain access to Android Pay and Samsung Pay.
  • “GreenKey Appoints Richard Garnier Chief Revenue 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.

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