Blackhawk Network Acquires CashStar in $175 Million Deal

Blackhawk Network Acquires CashStar in $175 Million Deal

With Blackhawk Networks’ $175 million acquisition of fellow Finovate alum CashStar, we may soon learn just how good digital gifting is going to get.

Talbott Roche, CEO and president of Blackhawk Network, said the deal “strategically enhances Blackhawk’s ability to provide the right digital solutions to our partners to meet the changing needs of business customers and consumers.” She added that the acquisition made Blackhawk “a leading provider in the fast growing, first-party digital (gift card) market.” CEO and president of CashStar Ben Kaplan added that the combination of CashStar’s platform and Blackhawk’s “product breadth and global reach” would deliver “more powerful capabilities and new revenue opportunities for our clients and partners.” The acquisition will make CashStar a part of Blackhawk’s digital and incentives business, with Kaplan remaining on board to manage the business.

The acquisition is an all-cash deal which Blackhawk CFO Jerry Ulrich said would be “at least earnings neutral in fiscal 2017 and meaningfully accretive after synergies in 2018.” Ulrich also anticipates the acquisition will “generate positive cash flow in 2018” as well as boost topline growth.

CashStar’s platform gives retailers the ability to market, sell, and distribute both plastic and digital gift cards. The company offers a Commerce platform for merchants and an Exchange platform for gift card distributors and loyalty program managers. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Portland, Maine, CashStar demonstrated its Digital Gifting and Incentives platform at FinovateFall 2011. The company added real-time card activation, security improvements, and streamlined ordering in its last platform upgrade in July, and in May, CashStar’s Velocity B2B division helped global prestige retailer Sephora to introduce a B2B gift card program.

This spring, the company partnered with discount gift card marketplace Raise in a deal that will give the Chicago-based startup access to more than 250 merchants and 40 payment processors. CashStar had raised $44 million in funding previous to this week’s acquisition, most recently completing a $15 million Series D in 2015. The company’s customers include Starbucks, The Home Depot, and Uber.

Headquartered in Pleasanton, California, Blackhawk Network demonstrated its GoWallet solution at FinovateFall 2012. Last month, the company partnered with fellow Finovate alum PayNearMe, giving the cash transaction network access to Blackhawk’s retail partners. In May, the San Francisco Business Times recognized Blackhawk’s Roche with its Inspire Award as part of its annual “Most Influential Women in Business” initiative. Also honored by the Times was the company’s Chief Marketing Officer, Teri Llach. Blackhawk Network trades on the NASDAQ exchange under the ticker “HAWK” and has a market capitalization of $2.5 billion.

Avoka Reports Record Growth for Second Consecutive Year

Avoka Reports Record Growth for Second Consecutive Year

Avoka is celebrating its second year in a row of topping expectations. The company has experienced big gains in order numbers (79% overall, 67% new business), opened a new office in Frankfurt, Germany, and launched a new solution to help FIs build and implement their visions for an omni-channel experience.

“Large banks across Europe, North America, and Australia are continuing to recognize the benefits we provide and this has spurred our growth,” Avoka CEO Phil Copeland said. He credited investments in talent and technology for a system that he said is reducing abandonment rates “by more than 40%,” while reducing implementation time to “as little as three months” and onboarding “from 40 days to three.”

Avoka’s success in Europe, North America, and Australia over the years has resulted in turning four out of Australia’s top 10 banks, four out of Europe’s top 50 banks, and eight out of North America’s top 50 banks into Avoka clients. Avoka’s investments in talent include appointing former KPMG executive Matt Lewis as Chief Financial Officer in February, and hiring former CA Technologies VP Steve Demchuk as Chief Product Officer in March.

Pictured: Avoka Director of Business Development, Hali Khan, demonstrating Transact Insights at FinovateEurope 2017.

Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Avoka demonstrated its Transact Insights solution at FinovateEurope 2017. Just a few weeks ago, the company announced that its partner, Bankwest, had been honored at the Australian Business Banking Awards for Best Omni-Channel Service and Best Digital Platform. In June, Avoka launched its CX Design for Banking solution, which combines human design experts and analytic tools to enable financial institutions to configure their application processes in what CX Design Practice Director Adam Miller called a “customer-centric” way instead of “around their own internal processes.”

Earlier this year, the company presented its 2017 State of Digital Sales in Banking report, looked at how quickly banks were embracing digital financial technologies. Concluding that there is a significant lag between adoption of consumer-based digital banking technologies compared to corporate banking offerings, the report noted that this meant substantial opportunity for fintech solutions exists in the corporate banking space, particularly in historically profitable business lines such as business banking and wealth management.

A multiple-time Finovate Best of Show winner, Avoka has raised $12 million in funding, and includes Moelis Australia Asset Management and Regal Funds Management among its investors.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • Avoka Reports Record Growth for Second Consecutive Year.
  • Blackhawk Network Acquires CashStar in $175 Million Deal.
  • Temenos to Power Cloud-Based Lifecycle Management Suite for Baxter Credit Union

Around the web

  • Jumio partners with Plynk to bring instant verification to Europe’s first money messaging app.
  • Alaska USA FCU chooses Ignite platform from banking solutions provider Jwaala.
  • Ondot Systems joins Symitar Vendor Integration Program (VIP).
  • Tavant Selected by Newfi Lending To Provide Next-Generation Digital Platform.
  • Plaid delivers bank account integration to enterprise developers.
  • Personal Capital Reaches $5 Billion in Assets Under Management.
  • PayPal launches Mastercard– it’s first cashback credit card offering.

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.

Accenture Acquires Verax to Boost Canadian Operations

Accenture Acquires Verax to Boost Canadian Operations

Consulting and technology services company Accenture acquired VERAX solutions last week. Terms of the deal with the Toronto-based company were not disclosed.

The acquisition is expected to enhance Accenture’s business services in Canada. Specifically, VERAX will bring its IT consulting initiatives across wealth management, brokerage and mutual funds, mobile and online banking, retail and commercial banking, and insurance and capital markets for a range of financial institutions.

Robert Vokes, managing director of Accenture’s Financial Services practice in Canada, said VERAX consultants will “greatly complement and enhance the breadth and depth of our financial services capabilities in Canada.” Vokes continued by saying that the merger will help clients “to react even more quickly and with even more confidence.”

Founded in 1951, Accenture serves clients in more than 120 countries across 40 industries. The company has made 15 consecutive appearances in Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies list and has 5,000 patents and patents pending in 44 countries.

At FinovateFall 2013, Accenture joined mBank on stage to showcase the Bank 3.0 revolution. The redesigned bank platform offers a modern user interface and user experience coupled with video banking, social channels, and gamification. Recently, Accenture launched a Fintech 71 accelerator program in Ohio, and formed a partnership with Apple to launch iOS-based business solutions.

Responsive Tiles from Geezeo Help Banks Build Personalized Digital Experiences

Responsive Tiles from Geezeo Help Banks Build Personalized Digital Experiences

Personalization and customization are the watchwords when it comes to designing a top quality digital banking experience. Unfortunately, for banks and credit unions lacking the technological know-how, the task of building a banking UI/UX that meets increasingly tough consumer standards can be a Herculean one.

The good news is that financial management solutions provider Geezeo has developed and released a new set of tools to enable FIs to create the same kind of seamless, personalized consumer experiences that people have come to expect with every other digital interaction in life. Responsive Tiles give banks and credit unions the ability to mix and combine core personal financial management features and content into both mobile and online platforms.

Pictured (left to right): Geezeo CEO Shawn Ward and President Peter Glyman demonstrating the TrueBusiness – Business Financial Management platform at FinovateFall 2014.

Providing more options by removing artificial barriers was front of mind for Geezeo in developing the new technology. “Consumers want simple money management tools that support daily and long-term financial needs, and banks are recognizing that they need to blur the lines between traditional digital banking features and PFM,” Geezeo President and co-founder Peter Glyman said. Matt Tollerton, VP and Director of Digital Banking at Central Bancompany praised the way the platform “incorporates simplicity and contextual relevance” and said Responsive Tiles would support the bank’s goal of being seen as a responsible and trusted partner for customers. “We’re putting the tools where the customer will use them, at a place and point where they’ll need them,” Tollerton said.

Responsive Tiles leverage Geezeo’s API to give FIs ready access to a suite of solutions that can be incorporated into existing online and mobile banking channels. The solution supports all display types, and tiles can be configured to match the colors and sizes designated by the bank or credit union. Geezeo can also build 100% custom tiles for clients. “We want to help make their digital banking experience unique and representative of their mission and brand,” Glyman said. “A Responsive Tile strategy is likely the best model for most our clients to see this idea come to fruition.”

Among the solutions included in the Responsive Tile library are:

  • Account Sync (aggregation)
  • Categorical Expense Tracker
  • Daily Spending Calculator
  • Net Worth Analyzer
  • Recent Cashflow Analyzer
  • Spending Analysis Tool

Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Braintree, Massachusetts, Geezeo demonstrated its TruBusiness – Business Financial Management platform at FinovateFall 2014. In April, the company announced a partnership with Liberty Bank, the oldest mutual bank in Connecticut, with $4.5 billion in assets and 55 banking offices throughout the state. Other partnerships forged this spring include an agreement with digital banking platform provider, Computer Service Professionals, and a deal with fellow Finovate alum Jack Henry & Associates. In May, the company’s marketing arm, Geezeo Interactive, introduced its digital reputation management solution. The service is geared toward credit unions and community banks and is designed to help smaller FIs establish a positive presence and share their message online.

FinovateFall Sneak Peek: GreatHorn

FinovateFall Sneak Peek: GreatHorn

A look at the companies demoing live at FinovateFall on September 11 through 14 in New York. Pick up your tickets today and save your spot.

Targeting phishing is the most successful cyberattack type in the world – and the fintech industry is a high-value target. GreatHorn will present Inbound Email Security: automated attack protection.

Features

  • Stops damaging and difficult-to-detect targeted email attacks
  • Built with a cloud-native architecture that deploys in less than five minutes
  • Continuously monitors all mailboxes (unlike single-point-in-time gateway solutions)

Why it’s a must-see
GreatHorn protects email users from targeted attacks by automatically detecting and stopping spear phishing attacks, malware/ransomware, and other types of malicious email that targets employees.

Presenters

Chris Fraser, VP, Strategic Accounts
Fraser is a founding member of GreatHorn and serves as its VP of Strategic Accounts, where he helps enterprises create cybersecurity strategies related to their cloud communication ecosystems.
LinkedIn

Sean Varga, Senior Account Executive
Varga has a decade of experience in enterprise software, specializing in cybersecurity. Prior to joining GreatHorn, he held positions at RSA Security and Veracode (acquired by CA Technologies).
LinkedIn

FinovateFall Sneak Peek: Experian

FinovateFall Sneak Peek: Experian

Experian is bringing the real time economy to the credit industry with Text for Credit, an innovative, convenient, and confidential way to apply for credit.

Features

  • Consumers can initiate and complete the credit application process in minutes with a text message.
  • No more paperwork or anxious minutes hoping for credit approval
  • Real-time access to credit

Why it’s a must-see
Experian’s Text for Credit modernizes the lending industry by allowing consumers to obtain “real time” credit via text.

Presenters

Alex Lintner, President, Experian Consumer Information Services
Lintner is responsible for overseeing Experian’s U.S. consumer credit bureau and building a stronger connection to consumer data and direct-to-consumer initiatives focusing on empowering the consumer.

 

Brittanee Moss, Senior Product Manager, Experian Consumer Information Services
Since joining Experian in 2013, Moss has worked in both the direct-to-consumer and business-to-business parts of the business. Moss manages products within the company’s prospecting suite.

FinovateFall Sneak Peek: CASHOFF

FinovateFall Sneak Peek: CASHOFF

A look at the companies demoing live at FinovateFall on September 11 through 14 in New York. Pick up your tickets today and save your spot.

CASHOFF is a research laboratory. The main field of activity is development of a service for collecting and analyzing financial flows of bank clients.

Features

The service helps banks collect data, and creates profiles of clients based on a model of their finances (transactions) and preferences (receipts with items).

Why it’s a must-see
Complete knowledge about the client (all their finances and goods) allows banks to suggest the best matched offers. The results of the analysis are also used in scoring systems, loyalty programs, and mobile banks.

Presenter

Dmitry Gorkov, CEO
LinkedIn

FinovateFall Sneak Peek: eSignLive by VASCO

FinovateFall Sneak Peek: eSignLive by VASCO

A look at the companies demoing live at FinovateFall on September 11 through 14 in New York. Pick up your tickets today and save your spot.

eSignLive by VASCO is the white-labeled, electronic signature and vaulting solution behind some of the world’s most trusted brands. It is a best-kept secret in the financial services industry.

Features

  • 100% transparency into the lifecycle of digital assets
  • Full compliance with ESIGN, UETA, & UCC Article 9
  • Easy to use for all parties in the digital lending process: consumers, lenders, and investors

Why it’s a must-see
eSignLive will unveil a new means for lenders and investors to register, track, and store mortgage notes and loan/lease contracts in a secure and compliant way – using the power of blockchain.

Presenters

Tommy Petrogiannis, President
LinkedIn

 

 

Francois Leblanc, Director of Technical Sales
LinkedIn

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • Responsive Tiles from Geezeo Help Banks Build Personalized Digital Experiences.
  • Accenture Acquires Verax to Boost Canadian Operations.
  • Urban FT Bids to Acquire Digiliti Money [UPDATE: Bid Rejected]

Around the web

  • Let’s Talk Payments interviews David Vélez, founder of Nubank.
  • Visa to encourage Australian banks to embrace biometric authentication in new security roadmap.
  • InComm buys distribution rights to American Express’ prepaid reloadable and gift card business in the U.S.
  • Flywire Simplifies Compliance with New Cross-Border Education Payment Requirements in Ireland.

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.

Klarna Celebrates Year-Over-Year Sales, Profit Gains

Klarna Celebrates Year-Over-Year Sales, Profit Gains

Klarna is having quite a summer.

On Friday the company reported sales and profit results for the first half of 2017 that represented gains of 21% and 138%, respectively. The strong financials come amid a series of headlines that show the Swedish payments company making strides on a number of fronts. This includes rumors that Klarna is partnering with Stripe to better access the U.S. market. Such a partnership would make Klarna the only non-credit card option available on the platform, and enable customers to take advantage of Klarna’s signature “pay after delivery” service. A deal between Klarna and Stripe also would provide what an anonymous source quoted in Nordic Business Insider referred to as “potentially an important piece of the puzzle” of Klarna’s plan for expansion in the U.S.

News of Klarna’s impressive first half finances – more than $254 million in revenue for Q1 and Q2 of 2017 (2.05 billion Swedish crowns), and operating profits of $28 million (228 million Swedish crowns) – caps off an impressive summer for the Swedish fintech. At the beginning of this month, Klarna unveiled its new P2P payment service, Wavy. The free service, available in both iOS and Android, enables Euro transfers between friends and family in more than 30 European markets. In July, Klarna announced receiving an investment valued at between $225 million and $250 million from a group advised by global investment firm, Permira. This followed a major strategic investments from Visa and Brightfolk announced in June. And, just in case you missed it, Klarna is also now a bank, having successfully applied for and won a full banking license from the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority earlier this summer.

“Klarna has played a role in disrupting payments services for the better and now as a consumer-oriented, product-driven, and technology-intensive bank, we have the tools to drive change in retail banking,” Klarna CEO and co-founder Sebastian Siemiatkowski said when the announcement was made in June. “We will do this by providing solutions that ensure a smooth customer experience, help people streamline their financial lives and continue to support businesses by solving the complexity of handling payments,” he added.

Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, and founded in 2005, Klarna most recently demoed at FinovateSpring 2012. The company has raised more than $521 million in funding, and has an estimated valuation of $2.55 billion. A member of CBInsights’ Fintech 250, Klarna acquired German rival, BillPay, from Wonga in February, and in January the company partnered with ASOS Partners to bring its “pay after delivery” services to consumers in the Nordic region. Klarna has more than 60 million customers and 70,000 merchants using its technology. Financial Times recently profiled Klarna co-founder Niklas Adalberth in a look at how young “unicorn” founders are turning toward social entrepreneurship.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • Klarna Celebrates Year-Over-Year Sales, Profit Gains.

Around the web

  • Fox Business highlights BILLSHARK in feature on “low-effort” savings strategies. See BILLSHARK at FinovateFall in New York next month.
  • Cardlytics to enable the new mobile rewards strategy from SunTrust.
  • Asseco signs four-year agreement to provide support for the electronic bookkeeping system for Poland’s Ministry of Justice. Join Asseco next month in New York for FinovateFall.
  • Zighra Receives Patent for Proprietary AI-Powered Continuous Authentication 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.