Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • Vera Hires First Chief Financial Officer and Adds Technical Talent.
  • Akamai Appoints Former Verizon CIO as Chief Information Officer.
  • Wealthfront Rakes in $75 Million.
  • Daon Forges Strategic Partnership with North African Technology Innovator GEMADEC.
  • Ghana Government to Leverage Entrust Datacard to Issue National ID Cards.

Around the web

  • Fintech News names Flywire 1 of 8 promising fintechs in Singapore to watch.
  • IDology listed among 50 fastest growing tech companies in 2017.
  • Fiserv VP of Product Strategy for Card Services, Jon Rosner talks about the pace of digital wallet adoption.

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.

Finovate Alums Garner $2.7 Billion in 2017, $730 Million in Q4 Alone

Finovate Alums Garner $2.7 Billion in 2017, $730 Million in Q4 Alone

Updated! Funding for fintechs is back on the rise. We tallied up equity funding in 2017 and our totals show that Finovate alumni pulled in $2.7 billion over the course of the year. This marks the fourth consecutive year alums passed the $2 billion mark and pushes the 4-year total to more than $10 billion. 

In the fourth quarter of 2017, Finovate alums raised more than $730 million, beating last year’s Q4 total by more than $30 million. Q4 2017 also marked a resumption of the strong Q4s of last year and 2014.

Previously Quarterly Comparisons

  • Q4 2016: More than $700 million raised by 26 alums
  • Q4 2015: More than $302 million raised by 28 alums
  • Q4 2014: More than $1.4 billion raised by 26 alums
  • Q4 2013: More than $294 million raised by 17 alums

Q4 2017’s largest equity investment was the $280 million raised by TransferWise in November. Coming in second place was the $130 million in capital raised by BlueVine in October. The top 10 overall investments for the fourth quarter of 2017 totaled $654.7 million or more than 90% of the total alum funding for the quarter.

Top 10 Equity Investments (equity only)

  1. TransferWise: $280 million
  2. BlueVine: $130 million
  3. Feedzai: $50 million
  4. Passport: $43 million
  5. Credit Sesame: $42 million
  6. BankBazaar: $30 million
  7. TrueAccord: $22 million
  8. Featurespace: $21.9 million
  9. BondIT: $18.3 million
  10. Simility: $17.5 million

Here is our detailed alum funding report for Q4 2017.

October 2017: More than $337 million raised by 12 alums

  • BankBazaar: $30 million – post
  • BLUERUSH: $1.3 million – post
  • BlueVine: $130 million – post
  • BondIT: $18.3 million – post
  • Credit Sesame: $42 million – post
  • Featurespace: $21.9 million – post
  • Feedzai: $50 million – post
  • Finn.ai: $3 million – post
  • Omnyway: $12.75 million – post
  • SelfScore: $12 million – post
  • Tink: $16.5 million – post
  • Wealthify: undisclosed – post

November 2017: More than $308 million raised by three alums

  • PayStand: $6 million – post
  • TransferWise: $280 million – post
  • TrueAccord: $22 million – post

December 2017: More than $89 million raised by eight alums

  • Avoka: $12 million – post
  • Financeit: undisclosed – post
  • NuCypher: $4.3 million – post
  • Passport: $43 million – post
  • Payoneer: undisclosed – post
  • Prevoty: $13 million – post
  • SBDA: undisclosed – post
  • Simility: $17.5 million – post

If you are a Finovate alum that raised money in the fourth quarter of 2017, and do not see your company listed, please drop us a note at [email protected]. We would love to share the good news! Funding received prior to becoming an alum not included.

In the Navy: nCino Brings its Bank Operating System to World’s Largest Credit Union

In the Navy: nCino Brings its Bank Operating System to World’s Largest Credit Union

With more than $87 billion in assets, more than seven million members, and 300 branches, Navy Federal Credit Union is known as the largest credit union in the world. So it is a pretty big deal for the team at nCino to announce that NFCU has selected the North Carolina-based fintech’s Bank Operating System to help support its continued growth.

“With nCino, our employees can service members with key insights gained on the digital banking platform,” SVP for Consumer and Business Lending for NFCU Dave Ledwell explained. “We want to provide an experience that is quick, effortless and enjoyable, and we see nCino as being the tool to provide these things and more.” Ledwell called NFCU’s military-based membership – including veterans and their families – “some of the best borrowers of any financial institution.”

Left to right: Jonathan Rowe (CMO), Trisha Price (EVP, Product Development and Engineering), and Nathan Snell (Head of Innovation and Design) demonstrating nCino’s Bank Operating System at FinovateEurope 2017.

nCino’s platform will enable bank professionals to facilitate the full process of business lending from application to funding faster and more accurately. The technology also gives banks an edge in customer engagement by providing what nCino SVP of Community and Regional Financial Institutions Paul Clarkson called “a clearer view of members’ needs.”

“Rapidly growing and service-oriented institutions like Navy Federal require an innovative solution that enhances the loan process in order to provide the highest levels of convenience and service to its members,” Clarkson said.

Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina. nCino demonstrated its Bank Operating System at FinovateEurope 2017. Last month, the company announced that Ithaca, New York’s CFCU Community Credit Union ($1 billion in assets) would deploy its Bank Operating System to better serve its 70,000 members.

The firm has raised more than $81 million in funding – most recently a $17 million private equity round in August – and includes Insight Venture Partners among its investors. Named to Deloitte’s 2017 Technology Fast 500 in November, and having earned the top spot in Aite Group’s report on global commercial loan origination in October, nCino has also partnered with Iberiabank of Lafayette, Louisiana, and teamed up with community bank ConnectOne Bank in recent months. Pierre Naudé is CEO.

Watch our interview with nCino Head of Innovation and Design Nathan Snell as he discusses personalization and the customer experience with Finovate research analyst Julie Muhn.

Kantox Closes Debt Financing

Kantox Closes Debt Financing

Currency and risk management solutions company Kantox closed a venture debt financing deal late last month. Silicon Valley Bank supplied the funds to the U.K.-based company. The amount of the funding was undisclosed.

Craig Fox, Vice President at Silicon Valley Bank’s U.K. Branch said, “At Silicon Valley Bank, we love businesses that solve real problems, create value and lead their market. Kantox is doing just that, changing the game for how companies manage their FX risk. We are excited to be a part of this amazing growth story.”

In the press release, Kantox noted that partnerships between banks and fintechs are on the rise. “Banks are approaching fintechs because their technology is attractive to them,” the company said. For more on this idea, check out Forbes’ piece The Banks Wanted to Sink this Forex Fintech: Now They’re Vying for It’s Technology.

Philippe Gelis, Kantox CEO and co-founder, said that the agreement with Silicon Valley Bank is “the first step in the process of business and product partnership projects with financial institutions which have approached us interested in our technology.” As a continuation of this trend, Kantox is currently negotiating partnerships with banks in the U.K. and across Europe, anticipating many deals will close in 2018.

Gelis demoed Kantox Peer FX at FinovateEurope 2013 in London. The company’s 2,000 clients have leveraged Kantox’s foreign exchange management solutions to trade more than $5 billion in 20 countries. In November of last year, the company boosted its currency portfolio from 35 to 92, adding markets in Latin America and Asia. Founded in 2011, Kantox has raised $27 million.

Envestnet Finalizes Acquisition of FolioDynamix for $195 Million

Envestnet Finalizes Acquisition of FolioDynamix for $195 Million

Wealth management intelligence solutions company Envestnet has finalized its acquisition of Actua Corp’s FolioDynamix, a wealth tech solutions company, this week.

The deal, which was first announced in September of last year, was closed for $195 million. The acquisition is expected to add complementary trading tools and brokerage business support to Envestnet’s existing suite of offerings.

Jud Bergman, Envestnet Chairman and CEO said, “This is the next important step in developing a financial wellness network that enables advisors and enterprises to improve their productivity and deliver better outcomes for their clients.”

The deal brings FolioDynamix clients access to Envestnet’s trading tools and commission and brokerage support, as well as integrated wealth management solutions. Joseph Mrak, Chairman and CEO of FolioDynamix said, “We are excited to see where this collaboration takes us and the wealth management industry as a whole.”

Founded in 1999 Envestnet |Yodlee recently won Best of Show for its demo of Financial Health Check at FinovateFall 2017. The new offering leverages consumer data to measure and score their financial health and offers personalized recommendations and tools to help them improve their well-being. In November, the Chicago-based company teamed up with Token to support PSD2 compliant payments in line with open banking regulations.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • Envestnet Finalizes Acquisition of FolioDynamix for $195 Million.
  • In the Navy: nCino Brings its Bank Operating System to the World’s Largest Credit Union.
  • Kantox Closes Debt Financing.
  • Finovate Alums Garner $2.7 Billion in 2017; $721 Million in Q4 Alone.

Around the web

  • CIO Review names AI Foundry one of the 20 Most Promising Enterprise Information Management Solution Providers 2017.
  • nCino to power cloud-based digital platform to Navy Federal Credit Union.
  • Motor City Community Credit Union partners with Fiserv.
  • Elixirr interviews Personetics founder and CEO David Sosna.

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.

Tradeshift Partners with Infosys to Help Clients Digitize Supply Chain Management

Tradeshift Partners with Infosys to Help Clients Digitize Supply Chain Management

Software giant Infosys BPO teamed up with Tradeshift last month. The India-based company’s Business Process Outsourcing subsidiary will leverage Tradeshift’s cloud-based platform to enable clients to digitize their supply chain processes.

John Sibley, Vice President of Global Alliances and Channels at Tradeshift, said that he looks forward to “combining Infosys’ deep domain and process expertise” with Tradeshift’s B2B commerce platform. He added that the partnership “will provide greater transparency and agility, along with a compelling value proposition to suppliers and buyers alike, on various touch points in the source to pay lifecycle.”

Anantha Radhakrishnan, CEO and Managing Director of Infosys BPO said that the partnership “will help augment our experience and expertise in transformative Business Process Management and enable us to further deliver tremendous business outcome benefits to our clients.”

According to the press release, the partnership will enable customers to take advantage of early payment discounts, remove manual paper-based processes, and build custom applications. This will not only reduce costs but also increase efficiency. Infosys plans to pilot these capabilities for clients in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and China.

Founded in 2010 and headquartered in San Francisco, Tradeshift’s business commerce platform connects buyers and sellers. The company links up more than 1.5 million companies across 190 countries and is currently on track to process over half a trillion U.S. dollars in transaction value. At FinovateEurope 2012, the company’s co-founder and CEO Christian Lanng debuted Tradeshift Instant Payments, a solution that enables businesses to receive payments in real time for invoices. The company has raised a total of $182 million and was recently featured in CB Insights’ Fintech 250 list.

Infosys recently made headlines when it unveiled Finacle Trade Connect, a blockchain-based trade finance solution. Last month, the company appointed Salil Parekh as CEO and Managing Director. Finacle, part of EdgeVerve Systems, a subsidiary of Infosys, showcased EdgeVerve Blockchain Framework for Financial Services at FinovateEurope 2017.

Passport Raises $43 Million from Bain Capital

Passport Raises $43 Million from Bain Capital

Transportation mobile payments company Passport is starting 2018 with an extra $43 million in the bank. The North Carolina-based company closed the Series C round– an investment that brings Passport’s total capital to $60 million–  just before the holidays.

Today’s investment comes from Bain Capital, which joins previous investors Grotech Ventures, MK Capital and Relevance Capital. Bob Youakim, Passport’s founder and CEO, said that he sees the Bain Capital team as partners who “align really well with both our vision and our culture.”

In the press release, the company notes it will use the funding to evaluate strategic acquisition opportunities and bolster sales and marketing efforts. Youakim also said the investment, “gives us additional resources to expand quickly and strategically into new markets, innovate rapidly, and support our clients around the world.”

Proving its readiness for expansion, the company has already achieved notable growth. In the past three years, Passport has experienced 3.5x revenue growth and has expanded its staff to 100 employees in the past year with plans to add 50 more employees in 2018.

Founded in 2010, Passport offers mobile payment solutions for parking, transit, and tolling. To date, the company’s solutions have been adopted by more than 450 agencies in over 5,000 locations worldwide, including Chicago, London, Toronto, Boston, Vancouver, Portland, Montreal, and Miami. At FinovateEurope 2016, the company demoed its Mobile Ticketing for Transit solution. Last month, the company partnered with TransLink to develop and launch Park&Go, a free mobile payment app for Park & Ride users in Metro Vancouver.

Union Mobile Financial Technology Partners with Transaction Controls Specialist Tranwall

Union Mobile Financial Technology Partners with Transaction Controls Specialist Tranwall

Courtesy of a new partnership between Australia’s Tranwall and Union Mobile Financial Technology, transaction control technology is headed to card and account holders in China. With Tranwall’s platform, customers will be able to manage both card and account transactions in real time, using a variety of channels including their smartphones. Customers can manage transactions by merchant type or switch off certain transaction types (tap-to-pay, ATM) entirely. Available as both an integrated solution to an FI’s mobile banking app or as a standalone solution, the new platform helps increase customer engagement while simultaneously reducing fraud and fraud-related costs.

“This is a significant agreement for the growth of our business and provides the opportunity for Tranwall to market the technology to UMFs existing Chinese client base, and new clients,” Tranwall co-CEO Greg Haynes said. Hayes pointed out that UMF is partnered with more than 110 FIs, more than 3,000 large corporations, 700,000 SMEs, and more than 450 million individual consumers. “We are very proud to have an organization of this standing in our camp, providing local credibility to the technology and services we provide,” he said.

The APAC market is an area of emphasis for Tranwall, Hayes said, and the company plans to invest “significant resources” in China’s banking market. China has an enormous card market, the largest in the world,in fact. This, coupled with its leadership in mobile banking technology and mobile payments adoption (more than $5 trillion in mobile payment volume last year), make the region a priority for firms like Tranwall that give consumers more control over their card accounts. “(We) expect that the Chinese adoption of Tranwall technology will lead to market acceptance throughout the wider Asia market,” Hayes said.

Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Perth, Australia, Tranwall demonstrated its Transaction Control for Business solution at FinovateFall 2015.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • Passport Raises $43 Million from Bain Capital.
  • Tradeshift Partners with Infosys to Help Clients Digitize Supply Chain Management

Around the web

  • Finastra CMO Martin Häring discusses mobile payments with Tearsheet.
  • Abu Dhabi-based LuLu Exchange to deploy AML Risk Manager from Fiserv.
  • Ripple’s XRP now available on 50 exchanges worldwide.
  • Kinetica listed among ProgrammableWeb’s Most Interesting APIs in 2017.

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.

ACI Worldwide Partners with HyperPay to Help Fight Fraud in the MENA

ACI Worldwide Partners with HyperPay to Help Fight Fraud in the MENA

Cyberfraud fighters in the MENA regions gained new allies this week. ACI Worldwide has announced that it will collaborate with HyperPay to offer integrated, real-time fraud prevention solutions for e-commerce payments for merchants in the Middle East and North Africa.

The need for ever-more capable fraud fighting technology is a key factor in ensuring the growth of  – and trust in – e-commerce. And the MENA region is no exception. “While the growth opportunity is considerable, we also know that merchants need to protect their revenues and secure their transactions, as well as be responsive to the evolving threat of fraud,” HyperPay CEO Muhannad Ebwini said. He added that ACI’s Universal Payments solutions – including UP Payments Risk Management – “perfectly complement our local knowledge and experience” and that he “fully trust(s) ACI to deliver a sophisticated, real-time fraud detection and prevention solution that protects our customers.”

Left to right: Wolfgang Berner (Director, Product Global eCommerce), Christian Schonhuth (Solution Consultant), and Grit Ruehling (Sr. Product Manager) during their presentation Simple, Global, and Secure eCommerce Payments with ACI Worldwide’s Next Generation API.

Echoing Ebwini’s sentiments, Manish Patel, ACI Worldwide GM for the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, also underscored the importance of trust. “eCommerce in the MENA region is growing rapidly, as consumers move from cash-based transactions to using cards and other online payment methods,” Patel explained. “As this shift – with mobile acting as an additional catalyst – gathers pace, retailers need to gain the trust of consumers and protect themselves against the risk of fraud across multiple channels.”

A major MENA area payments service provider HyperPay uses ACI’s UP eCommerce Payments solutions to provide cross-border payments services. This week’s news means HyperPay will open access to ACI’s UP Payments Risk Management solution, as well. The Risk Management technology leverages adaptive machine learning and a “shared intelligence approach” that also takes advantage of the insights gained from global risk analysts to refine fraud-fighting strategies for e-commerce merchants and PSPs.

Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Elkhorn, Nebraska, ACI Worldwide demonstrated its technology at FinovateFall 2011 in partnership with MShift. More recently, the company participated in our developers conference, FinDEVR Silicon Valley 2016, showcasing its COPYandPay, SAQ-A compliant JavaScript payment form solution. The presentation, led by ACI Worldwide’s Wolfgang Berner (Director, Product Global eCommerce), Grit Ruehling (Sr. Product Manager), and Christian Schonhuth (Solution Consultant), was titled Simple, Global, and Secure eCommerce Payments with ACI Worldwide’s Next Generation API. The presentation also included a live demonstration of the omni-channel capabilities of the company’s UP eCommerce Payments solution, as well as how to configure and integrate ACI’s ReD Shield real-time fraud prevention.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • ACI Worldwide Partners with HyperPay to Help Fight Fraud in the MENA.

Around the web

  • FST Media talks with Avoka Chief Experience Officer Derek Corcoran.
  • Ripple reports that XRP is now available on 50 exchanges around the world.
  • Indiana-based Owen County State Bank ($201 million in assets) partners with Insuritas.
  • PYMNTS.com interviews Currencycloud head of U.S. product, Arshi Singh.

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.