“…will use the Application Risk Management and Funding Risk Management components of Andera’s software development kit (SDK) to power its online account opening process.”
Author: Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz)
BankSimple announced a new round of VC funding, $10 million from IA Ventures, Shasta Ventures, and other existing investors.
The banking startup also announced partnerships with Finovate
alums Visa and Andera, along with The Bancorp Bank, TxVia, Allpoint, and CBW Bank.
Andera’s press release reports that BankSimple,
BankSimple is readying for its launch later this year. Come see its first live demo at FinovateFall in New York next month where Andera will also be showcasing its new technology. Get your FinovateFall ticket here.
New Solution From Confident Technologies Uses Mobile Pictures for Additional Security
new security solution that is both multi-layered (referring to a second level of security before login) and multi-factor (referring to the use of a second, out-of-band device: the user’s cell phone).
How it works
1) Enroll online at your bank.
2) Select three categories that are meaningful to you. In the example below, food, beverages, and airplanes were chosen.
sends a text message with a link (as shown below) or a push notification through a smartphone app.
4) After clicking the link, an image-based challenge appears as a grid of randomly-generated pictures. The user clicks on the three categories previously chosen (in this case food, beverages, and airplanes).
The pictures and grid locations vary, so it is extremely difficult for a virus to capture the unique authentication code created.
5) Once the bank receives confirmation that the correct pictures were selected, the online banking session proceeds automatically.
More secure than text-message solutions
While many banks use multi-factor authentication via text-message for security, there are two risks that still exist:
1) The message can be intercepted using malware.
2) The user’s cell phone could be stolen or “borrowed” providing the thief account access if they know the user’s username/password.
Because the hacker doesn’t know your preselected categories, Confident’s System provides an extra dose of security.
More Information
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* Two-factor identification is often required when logging in from a new IP address, different device, or other unexpected condition.
Alumni News — Week of August 1, 2011

Bobber Interactive
Tech Flash interviewed Eric Eastman, Bobber Interactive’s CEO, on how the gamification of money management aims to help Generation Y better manage their money. Link
BrightScope
BrightScope released a report detailing the top 12 small-cap funds in America’s 401k plans. This report is part of a series that provides insight into the top funds and managers in the retirement marketplace. Link
ChargeSmart
Discover is offering an instant rebate to customers who pay their utility bills using a Discover Card on ChargeSmart’s website. Link
Check Point Software Technologies
- Check Point enhanced its Software Blade Architecture by releasing R75.20, a comprehensive approach to security that includes a URL filtering Software Blade, SSL inspection, and data loss prevention. Link
- The Wall Street Journal discussed Check Point’s ZoneAlarm SocialGuard that helps parents protect children on Facebook in a non-intrusive manner. Link
Clairmail
Clairmail announced record growth this quarter, with more than a 60% increase in bookings from last quarter. Link
Clovr Media
Credit.com
EQuicknews listed Credit.com as a free way to check your credit score with no strings attached and highlighed the Credit Report Card feature. Link
doxo
The Appvita blog profiled doxo, noting insider tips and practical uses, such as comparing bills on a month-to-month basis. Link
Dwolla
Bank Technology News looked at the players in the mobile payments space and listed Dwolla as a formidable competitor. Link
EDO Interactive
EDO Interactive received $20 million in Series B funding to grow its Prewards platform that enables advertisers to offer digital deals and incentives that consumers redeem by using their existing credit, debit, or prepaid cards. Link
eToro
eToro began a trading contest for users with both demo and live trading accounts. Traders who accumulate the greatest gains will win each round. Link
eWise
eWise added Renasant Bank to its customer base, providing Renasant customers access to Secure Vault Payments, an alternative payment method. Link
Expensify
Kony Solutions
Tower Group, in its Review of North American Consumer Mobile Banking Technology Vendors, ranked Kony Solutions among the top mobile banking technology vendors. Kony excelled in the feature/function and customization categories. Link
Lending Club
TechCrunch highlighted Lending Club’s announcement of $25 million in Series D financing from Union Square Ventures and other existing investors. Link
Lendio
Lendio added Cardinal Bank to its network of lenders providing clients with more options in finding equipment loans, business lines of credit, acquisition financing, commercial real estate, SBA 7(a) and SBA 504 loans. Link
Mitek Systems
Mitek Systems launched Mobile Imaging Cloud Service that captures, extracts, and routes information contained in documents. The service helps app developers create smartphone and tablet apps that use a camera input function. Link
Monitise
Monitise Asia Pacific launched its mobile banking, payments, and commerce services in Indonesia and signed a joint venture agreement with PT Astra Graphia Information Technology, an information and communication business. Link
On Deck Capital
On Deck Capital raised $19 million of its own in a Series C round of funding. Link
RobotDough
RobotDough founder, Wilton Risenhoover, revealed why he started RobotDough and how it works. Link
SafetyPay
SafetyPay received a Payment Services Directive License to provide cross-border payments throughout Europe strengthening its position in that market. Link
SecondMarket
BostInnovation used SecondMarket’s alternative investments platform to discover top Boston companies. Link
Striata
Baton Rouge Water Company selected Striata, along with payment services company Western Union, to provide email billing with integrated electronic payment service. Link
The Receivables Exchange
Treasury & Risk profiled The Receivables Exchange, describing the process companies use to sell their receivables on the online platform. Link
TradeKing
TradeKing launched a $100 bonus for new customers who open an account by August 31, 2011. Link
Wonga
Smarta interviewed Wonga director, John Moorwood, about Wonga’s growth over the past 12 months. Wonga is now issuing over 1.5 million short-term loans. Link
Xero
Xero released Xero Touch, its new accounting app for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. Link
Dwolla Passes $1 Million In Transactions Per Day Milestone
Payment platform Dwolla has been circulating around news headlines lately, and for good
reason. The startup recently announced that it is processing more than one million dollars in transactions per day. This news comes just seven months after launching its service and three months after achieving one million dollars in transactions per month.
Profile
Location: Des Moines, IA
Funding: $1.31 million
Founded: June 2008
Users: 20,000
Business Model: Dwolla charges merchants 25 cents per transaction.
User Experience
There are multiple ways to pay using Dwolla. The following scenario walks through the user experience of purchasing a coffee.
1) After establishing a profile, enter your bank account information. Here’s the email that describes how to verify your bank account:
2) Transfer funds from your bank account into your new Dwolla account. Dwolla confirms that funds are now available:
3) Find a business that accepts Dwolla payments. Dwolla Spots (mobile and online) locates a business near you, like this coffee shop:

3) To purchase your coffee, tell the cashier you’ll be paying with Dwolla. Find and select the merchant on Dwolla Spots, then enter your PIN and the payment amount.
4) Review the payment amount and send the money to the merchant.

That’s it. There’s no dirty cash or digging out a credit card. And for the merchant, there is no extra hardware necessary and no need to store credit card information.
Currensee’s Trade Leaders Program Now Available to China’s 450 Million Internet Users
Currensee, a Boston-based startup that provides an online trading platform for world
currencies, recently launched its Trade Leaders program in China. The Trade Leaders program allows investors of all ability levels to automatically copy the currency trades of the highest-performing investors on Currensee’s platform. As part of this expansion, the company is launching a dedicated website to serve the Chinese market — www.currensee.hk.
Why is Currensee expanding to China?
- It’s a huge potential market: China has 450 million Internet users and it is the second largest economy in the world.
- Investing is increasingly popular: Retail currency trading in China has grown 112% in the last 3 years to almost $20 billion in trading volume per day.
- Currensee’s performance is beating the Chinese stock market: From January to June 2011, Trade Leaders delivered returns of 33.5%. Compare this to the Heng Seng Index’s 2.94% return and the Shanghai Composite Index’s 2.39% loss during the same time.
- Plus Currensee’s Trade Leaders program already has a foothold there: Three of Currensee’s 15 Trade Leaders are from China.

Currensee’s Profile
- Founded: 2008 (Its Trade Leaders Program began in fall 2010)
- Located: Boston, MA
- Total Funding: $16.8 million from North Bridge Venture Partners, Egan-Managed Capital, and Vernon & Park Capital
- Assets Under Management: $12 million (50% is the result of existing customers increasing their investments)
More Info
Alumni News — Week of July 25, 2011
Clairmail
Clairmail chose Jigsaw’s Data Cloud to help its mobile banking client improve marketing and receive more leads. During vendor trials it saw an increase in productivity, response rates, sales, and marketing effectiveness. Link
Clovr Media
Boston Business Journal reported that Clovr Media is preparing for the launch of its credit
card-linked offers at the end of the fourth quarter by hiring 12 new staff members. Link
Confident Technologies
Confident Technologies released a two-factor mobile phone authentication platform that requires the user to memorize images. Because this second factor security is not stored on the user’s device, it mitigates the opportunity for Zeus-in-the-middle attacks. Link
Currensee
The Forbes blog looks at Currensee for social foreign exchange investing, paying special attention to its rapid growth rate. Link
doxo
The Entrepreneur blog compared doxo’s document storage and online payment system to PayPal, citing that the cost to collect payment is less than half of a typical PayPal transaction. Link
Dynamics
The Pittsburgh Business Times interviewed Jeff Mullen, CEO of Dynamics, Inc on the naming of the company. Link
eToro
Geezeo
Geezeo was selected by The Coca-Cola Family Credit Union to provide a PFM solution and integrated marketing platform. Link
Ideon Financial Solutions
Ideon Financial Solutions was granted a patent for its Choice Savings technology, a system that allows financial institutions to provide their clients with a variety of customizable savings products. Link
Identity Theft 911
Identity Theft 911 partnered with Arabella Protection Insurance Company to offer commercial data breach services like preparedness and response. Link
Intuit
TechCrunch reported that Intuit launched a QuickBooks mobile app for the Android that
allows small businesses to access their data from QuickBooks Pro, Online, and Premier. Link
Lending Club
- American Consumer News provided a comparison guide for borrowers and lenders to Prosper’s and Lending Club’s services. The benefits included high rates of return and flexibility. Link
- Brian Wong’s Database blog looked at what its like to invest in Lending Club. He presented his opinion on the usability of the service. Link
Metavante
EverBank, a $7 billion Internet bank, announced that it is seeking to be an early adopter of Metavante’s customer information management product, a product that was built from the Temenos Core Banking Platform, a result of the partnership formed in 2007. Link
mFoundry
NEFCU added a mobile app for the Android, using mFoundry’s technology to offer account balances, check history, transfers, and bill pay. This is in addition to its existing apps for Blackberry and the iPhone. Link
Micronotes
1st Advantage Federal Credit Union, a major Virginia credit union, announced that it will use
Micronotes’ cross-sell engine, KulaX, to improve lead generation. Link
Prosper
American Consumer News provided a comparison guide for borrowers and lenders to Prosper’s and Lending Club’s services. The benefits included high rates of return and flexibility. Link
Syphr
Syphr was among 6 out of 90 fintech companies selected by the Fintech Innovation Lab who will present their innovations to Wall Street venture capitalists. Link
Standard Chartered Bank Goes Mobile With Apple
Standard Chartered, a heavyweight in the banking industry with 80,000 employees in over 70
countries and territories, was recently featured on Apple’s website. An entire page in the iPad Customer Stories section highlights the bank’s innovative use of the iPad and iPhone. A three-minute video describes why Standard Chartered chose Apple and how the technology benefits employees and clients.
Mobile apps
Standard Chartered has developed more than a dozen in-house iPhone apps that employees and customers can download through an internal app store called The Standard Chartered App Centre. Here are a few highlights:
For Consumers:
- Breeze: A suite of mobile banking and lifestyle applications.
- FX Rates: A continuously refreshed, holistic view of exchange rates for currency traders (pictured on right).
For Employees:
- Straight2Bank: A mobile authorization app that gives corporate treasurers better control over transactions.
- TradePort: An iPhone app that enables Trade Finance Relationship Managers to securely perform and monitor trades on the go.
- iNeeds: An iPad app that allows bank Relationship Managers to organize clients by using customized profiles. It can also be used as an interaction platform to explain the benefits of products such as savings accounts or mortgages, which will ultimately lead to up-selling and/or cross-selling more products.
Security
In addition to the security that’s already built into the iPad and iPhone, Standard Chartered also uses:
- Restricted VPN access for internal systemsExchange servers to remotely wipe data from lost or stolen items
- Consumer confirmation of ATM activity using text messaging to complete transactions
What’s Next?
Standard Chartered has started using location-based services and is in the midst of creating a profound user experience by introducing augmented reality.
More Information
Balance Financial Launches Certified Pro
Last week Balance Financial launched a second service, Certified Pro, a new version of its
billpay service. It’s a mix of financial software, training, and tech support that allows Balance’s advisory clients a way to offer personalized services to end users.
While it’s designed primarily for professional bookkeepers and wealth managers, it also has a version geared toward financial advisors and CPAs. Pricing is $49 to $199/mo depending on the version; there is also a free, view-only option.
Certified Pro Services
- Initial and ongoing software training
- Co-branding that includes a branded sign-up page for end users
- Marketing support to generate new leads
- Tech support
- Bill payment services
- Document storage that organizes all client-related files in one place
The service is currently in beta and is being used by selected wealth managers.
More Information
Alumni News — Week of July 18, 2011

ChargeSmart
AOL’s Daily Finance highlighted Chargesmart’s secondary gift card market that allows
consumers to pay for bills in exchange for gift cards. Link
CheckFree
Family Wealth Report stated that CheckFree is leading the way in UMA processing. Link
Credit Karma
doxo
Practical Ecommerce listed doxo as one of 17 apps for productivity. Link
Dwolla
- Dwolla hit $1 million in payments per day and Ben Milne, CEO, shared a sneak peak of future plans. Link
- Ace Community Credit Union provided customers with access to Dwolla through its site.
- Dwolla CEO Ben Milne explained why starting a business in Iowa isn’t hard. Link
- Dwolla introduced a new Autoload feature. Link
- Dwolla was listed on The Next Web as one of eight awesome ways to pay with your phone. Link
eToro
eToro Partners began testing a new foreign exchange affiliate tool called Custom Links. Link
Expensify
GoalMine
Mango Money added GoalMine to its list of services. Link
HelpMyCash
HelpMyCash revamped its website to be more consumer-friendly. Link
IDTheft 911
Barnstable County Mutual Insurance Company selected Identity Theft 911 for its LifeStages service. Link
iPay Technologies
TechCrunch reported that Bill Ready, former President of iPay Technologies, joined Accel Partners as an Executive in Residence. Link
Lending Club
Lendio
mFoundry
Mint.com
Monitise
peerTransfer
Yahoo! Finance reported peerTransfer’s growth in international student payment processing. Link
Prosper
SmartyPig
SmartyPig introduced its back-to-school cash giveaway contest. Link
ThreatMetrix
ThreatMetrix announced its upcoming user conference October 9th through 10th. Link
TradeKing
TradeKing launched a new video series to help consumers understand options trading. Link
Tyfone
Oregonlive.com described Tyfone as a major player in mobile payments. Link
Wikinvest
Forex Promos shared an interview with Mike Sha, Wikinvest CEO. Link
Xero
Reuters reported that Xero agreed to acquire Paycycle, a payroll company. Link
Zecco
Wealth Building Tips and Strategies blog shared Zecco’s options trading video series. Link
ZimpleMoney
ZimpleMoney adjusted its services in response to the Dodd-Frank reform. Link
Finovate Alumni Chosen for Institutional Investor’s Tech 50
Institutional Investor’s Tech 50 List ranks technological leaders and innovators in the financial
industry. It includes nominations and input from industry experts and is finalized by the editors and staff of Institutional Investor who assess the nominees on 4 attributes:
- Experience and contributions over the course of a career
- Scope and complexity of responsibilities
- Influence and leadership inside and outside one’s organization
- Technological innovation or achievement
Below are the three Finovate alum chosen for this year’s Tech 50 list.
Founded: 2007
Located: New Orleans, LA with offices in New York
Funding: $29.8 million from Fidelity Ventures, Prism VentureWorks, RedPoint Ventures, and Bain Capital Ventures
Market: Online Accounts Receivable Trading
FinovateFall 2010 Demo

Founded: 1969
Located: Worldwide with headquarters in Singapore
Market: Global Bank
FinovateFall 2010 Demo
Founded: 2003
Located: Paris
Market: Online Trading and Investments
FinovateEurope 2011 Demo
More Information
AlphaClone’s Sentiment Scores: More Than a Feeling
Last week, AlphaClone introduced a new feature called sentiment scores which tracks changes in aggregate holdings of individual stocks within mutual fund portfolios *
Sentiment Scores are listed on users’ Current Clone Portfolio (see image below) and Stock View Pages. Note how the numbers are color-coordinated with sentiment:
- Green when bullish
- Red when bearish
- Black when there is no change
———————————————————————————
*The sentiment score is derived from taking the total market value in a stock and dividing it by the sum of the market values of all holdings. As an example, AlphaClone provides the following:
“…if 30 out of 300 funds own AAPL with a combined total market value in AAPL of $15 billion and the total market values for all holdings across all 300 funds is $2 trillion, AAPL’s Sentiment score would be ($15/$2000) x 1000 or 7.50.”
Guardian Analytics Adds Security Expert to Your Team
FraudDESK, released July 13th by Guardian Analytics, adds an experienced fraud analyst to
your team without having to hire or train anyone. A staff member from Guardian Analytics is assigned to monitor customers’s online transactions using FraudMAP software (see screenshot below).
Guardian Analytics Overview

Founded: 2005
Location: Los Altos, CA
Funding: $25.8 million from Foundation Capital, Sutter Hill Ventures, and Split Rock Partners
Market: Security
FraudDESK Capabilities
- Proactively monitors every online banking session for all customer accounts
- Monitors Transactions and investigates suspicious activity
- Detects anomalies and informs FI of likely account takeover and payments fraud before money is lost
- Provides weekly reports that summarize risk-related trends, analyst activity, and the status of cases in process. The reports also help the FI understand online usage trends and consumer behavior.
More Information