Author: Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz)

Billeo Launches ShopSmart To Bring Consumers Relevant Discounts

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Billeo

Thumbnail image for BilleoLogo29.9.11.jpgBilleo, the registration and checkout assistant with 1.5 million users, launched a new app earlier today. This free app, called ShopSmart, brings consumers relevant discounts from over 1500 merchants and instantly alerts users of deals available from their loyalty or rewards programs. 

For financial institutions:

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“The app gives Billeo’s network of financial institution and program provider partners the ability reach, engage and incentivize iPad users during the holiday shopping season.”

In addition to alerting users of their rewards, it also serves as a platform to help them organize their daily deals and share them on Facebook.

To learn more about Billeo, watch its FinovateSpring 2011 demo.

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Finovate Alumni News– November 9, 2011

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Billeo, Dwolla, eWise, Expensify, GoalMine, Intuit, Lendio, MiiCard, PayPal, Simple, Xero, Zecco

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  • Read Write Web argues the mobile payments capital of the US is Des Moines, IA thanks to Dwolla.
  • Fox Business News reports GoalMine seeks to level the investing field.
  • PayPal updates its Android app with support for NFC payments.
  • eWise hires Alexandre Gonthier, former Boku CTO, as new CEO.
  • Lendio makes its business loan matching service free.
  • Finextra reports Intuit partners with AT&T to take on Square in the emerging mobile card processing market.
  • Xero updates its app: increases speed and improves UI.
  • Business Insider lists Dwolla and Simple as 2 of 20 most innovative startups in tech.
  • Billeo launches ShopSmart to bring consumers relevant discounts.
  • Zecco hosts $500 sweepstakes.
  • miiCard gives first 10,000 users free accounts for life.
  • Netbanker: Top 10 Reasons Why BankSimple Dropped the Bank.
  • Expensify creates four pricing plans.
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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eToro Launches iOS Mobile App for On-The-Go Trading

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: eToro

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eToro announced a non-native mobile app to trade currencies, commodities, and indices on their mobile devices: 

“The Mobile Trading application is based on HTML5 that runs the eToro OpenBook™ social trading platform and its award winning CopyTrader™ functionality and supports IOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod) and all Android mobile devices including tablets. eToro also provides a native Mobile Trader application for Android™ which was launched September of last year.”

Javier Paz, Senior Analyst at the Aite Group notes that the new app makes it easier for users to check their account performance, search for people to follow, and find a user to copy.

To learn more about eToro’s trading platform, watch its FinovateFall 2011 demo.

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BankSimple Launches to the Public, Changes its Name to Simple

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Simple

SimpleLogo.jpgThis morning, BankSimple made two big announcements.

1) It opened its service to a select group of non-employee customers for the first time:

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“We want to understand what works for them and what can be improved. We also want to learn how our customers prefer to reach us so that we can intelligently grow our customer relations team. Using this feedback, we’ll rework and revise; the experience we’re launching today will continuously evolve.”
2) It changed its name to Simple
(Simple.com). This is a logical move because the word “bank” was a misnomer. In fact, Simple is not a bank, but a consumer-facing product that partners with chartered banks that hold your money in FDIC-insured products:
“Simple is a better representation of what we aspire to. It releases us from the constraints of an industry in desperate need of innovation.”

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To learn more about Simple, watch its FinovateFall 2011 demo.

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Finovate Alumni News– November 8, 2011

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Backbase, BillGuard, Budgettracker, Credit Karma, eToro, Geezeo, Ixaris, Kony Solutions, SecureKey, Wesabe
  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgNetbanker: Credit Karma Launches “Hands Free” Account Aggregation.
  • Kony and CIBC deliver new mobile brokerage application.
  • Ixaris to introduce the Opn Payment Partner.
  • Backbase & Forrester Research to host free webinar Nov 9: ‘Banks Need to Become SUPER.’
  • Everything PR lists BillGuard in the Money category of 2011′s Top 100 Best Startups for PRs.
  • eToro launches mobile HTML 5 App for social trading on the go.
  • SecureKey Technologies Inc. to power the Government of Canada’s new online authentication service.
  • Malta Independent Online looks at Wesabe, Geezeo, and Budgettracker as key online money management tools.
  • BankSimple launches to the public, changes its name to Simple.
  • eToro launches iOS mobile app for on-the-go trading.
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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Balance Financial Launches Professional Platform

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Balance

Thumbnail image for BalanceFinancial.pngBalance Financial announced today that its Balance Professional platform has launched out of beta and is now available to any financial, accounting or tax advisor. 

“Balance Professional gives financial professionals a free client portal to start that allows them to collaborate with their clients over shared files and documents as well as a client’s financial accounts. The Balance platform allows clients to connect their financial accounts and use the integrated budgeting, expense tracking and reporting tools.”

The screenshot below shows the PFM platform for advisor clients.

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To learn more about Balance Profesional, watch the demo from FinovateFall 2011.

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peerTransfer Partners With 30 New Universities

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: peerTransfer

Peertransferlogo.jpgLast week, peerTransfer announced that during the third quarter of 2011 it signed up more than 30 new universities:

“Schools such as Oberlin College, Georgia State University, Western Kentucky University, Mount Holyoke College, University of San Diego and Stevens Institute of Technology join peerTransfer’s now 50 plus partner schools.”

The startup allows international students to finance tuition in their own currency helping them save on currency exchange fees.

To learn more about peerTransfer, watch its demo from FinovateSpring 2011.

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Finovate Alumni News– November 7, 2011

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Balance, Betterment, Bill.com, BillGuard, Dwolla, Expensify, FTRANS, peerTransfer, Prosper, Wikinvest, Yodlee

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  • BillGuard CEO, Yaron Samid, shares lessons learned as a startup entrepreneur.
  • Expensify listed as 1 of 7 software makers to bring integrated, cheaper add-ons to Google Apps.
  • The Globe and Mail lists Wikinvest as a tool to help ordinary investors dig through the data.
  • Investors.com explains the benefits of using Yodlee to track your finances.
  • Fast Company examines Betterment and BillGuard’s  #occupywallstreet event.
  • Dwolla alters its registration process into a more pleasant experience.
  • VentureBeat explains how Prosper is helping to support the #occupywallstreet protesters.
  • peerTransfer partners with 30 new universities.
  • Bill.com receives “Awesome Add-On” award.
  • Social Lending Network provides details on Prosper’s recent round of funding.
  • Balance Financial launches professional platform.
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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Lending Club Reaches $400 Million in Loan Originations

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Lending Club

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Yesterday morning, Lending Club announced its achievement of reaching the $400 million mark in loan originations:

“The milestone comes less than four months after Lending Club reached $300 million in total loan originations in July. A record $27.5 million in personal loan originations in October contributed to the milestone. Lending Club loan originations are growing by more than 150 percent year-over-year, and the platform has now paid investors more than $33 million in interest.”

To learn more about Lending Club, watch its demo from FinovateStartup 2009.

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Finovate Alumni News– November 4, 2011

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Diversinet, Lendio, Personal Capital, Plastyc, Truaxis, Xero

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  • Plastyc launches UPside Visa Savings Purse.
  • Diversinet receives U.S. Patent for securely storing information on a mobile device.
  • American Banker reports Ohio Valley CU is working with Truaxis to offer discounts.
  • Xero calls on UK Gov to deliver better reporting, not simpler reporting for micro businesses.
  • Lendio adds 40 Banks, offers local business loans to 70% of the U.S.
  • Lending Club reaches $400 million in
    loan originations.

  • Huntington Bank works with Kony to
    create an iPad app.
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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SecondMarket Reels in $15 Million From Former Facebook VP

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: SecondMarket

SecondMKTLogo.jpgYesterday, SecondMarket announced a new round of funding: a $15 million Series C from The Social+Capital Partnership, a new venture fund established by former Facebook executive Chamath Palihapitiya. He will also join the SecondMarket board. 

This brings SecondMarket’s total funding to $34 million with a $200 million valuation according to the Wall Street Journal, an increase of $50 million since February 2010.
To learn more about SecondMarket, watch its FinovateStartup 09 demo.

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doxo Adds AT&T as a Biller and Launches New Feature

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Doxo

Thumbnail image for doxologo9.11.jpgMy collegue at Netbanker recently covered doxo’s recent addition of auto pay with limits:

“Digital ebill storage and payment startup doxo announced an important new feature to its service today, the ability to automatically pay ebills that fall within preset maximum values. For example, as long as my family’s wireless bill is under $250, doxo will automatically pay it and send me a confirmation message. If it’s more, I get an alert advising me to take a look at my bill before it’s paid.”

It also announced the addition of AT&T, a biller with almost 100 million billing accounts.

To learn more about doxo, watch its FinovateSpring 2011 demo. 

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