Narrative Science Turns Business Intel Into Data-Driven Stories

Narrative Science Turns Business Intel Into Data-Driven Stories
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Narrative Science

NarrativeScience_NarrativesforBI

With the launch of Narratives for Power BI, Narrative Science unveils the latest integration of its advanced natural language generation (NLG) technology. The new extension, developed in collaboration with Microsoft, will give Microsoft Power BI users advanced analytics and data-visualization tools to help them read and understand corporate data.

“Integrating Advanced NLG into Microsoft Power BI enables our customers to automatically turn complex data into insightful stories,” says Nick Caldwell, general manager of Microsoft Power BI. Both companies emphasized the importance of making technologies like advanced NLG accessible to the business. This collaboration is, according to Narrative Science CEO Stuart Frankel, key to “maximiz(ing) the value of their business intelligence efforts.”

NarrativeScience_screenshot“Put simply, this collaboration not only enhances and amplifies the user experience for customers of Power BI,” Frankel wrote in a blog post about the launch, “but also further drives the democratization of information, where users don’t need to interpret data and visualizations—they simply need to read.” Microsoft Power BI has more than 5 million users and works with Adobe Analytics, Github, Salesforce, and more than 50 other data sources.

Download Narratives for Power BI. Notes and tips on using the extension are published at the Microsoft Power BI Blog.

Narratives for Power BI is the second major new innovation from Narrative Science this year. In January, Narrative Science launched Narratives for Qlik, bringing its advanced NLG technology to the Pennsylvania-based company’s visual analytics and business-intelligence platform. Narrative Science was featured in Forbes earlier this month, and in the New York Times in February. The company has raised more than $29 million in funding; most recently picking up $10 million in a round led by USAA.

Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Narrative Science demoed Quill Financial at FinovateFall 2013.

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FinovateSpring Sneak Peek: Finova Financial

FinovateSpring Sneak Peek: Finova Financial
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Finova Financial, FinovateSpring 2016 Sneak Peek

FinovaFinancialHomepage

FS2016-wdateA look at the companies demoing live to 1,500+ fintech professionals on May 10 & 11. Register today.

Finova Financial, a socially responsible lender, provides fast, affordable loans based on the equity in your car to the 70 million financially underserved Americans.

Features:

  • Costs 70% less than the current national average
  • Instant access to capital and a 12-month pathway back to financial health
  • Online/mobile 24×7

Why it’s great
Finova provides a same-day solution for emergency expenses to the millions of Americans who spend $5.3 billion annually on title loans at a cost 70% less than the current national average.FinovaPresenter1

Presenter: Gregory Keough, CEO
Keough is an executive with global experience. He is a serial entrepreneur with an impressive track record of innovation in the technology and financial services arena.
LinkedIn

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FinovateSpring Sneak Peek: SaleMove

FinovateSpring Sneak Peek: SaleMove
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: FinovateSpring 2016 Sneak Peek, SaleMove

SaleMoveHomepage

FS2016-wdateA look at the companies demoing live to 1,500+ fintech professionals on May 10 & 11. Register today.

SaleMove enables organizations to engage online visitors the same way they would in person, using video, audio, chat, and co-browsing without any downloads or installations.

Features:

  • Increase conversions
  • Enhance customer experience
  • Improve contact center efficiency

Why it’s great
Businesses that use SaleMove are able to provide online customers with the same high-touch interactions that are possible face-to-face.

salemovepresenter

Presenter: Daniel Michaeli, Co-Founder and CEO
Michaeli is a Univeristy of Pennsylvania graduate, originally from Guatemala. His career has focused on Venture Capital, Tech/Strategy Consulting and Start-Ups.
LinkedIn

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FinovateSpring Sneak Peek: Linqto

FinovateSpring Sneak Peek: Linqto
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: FinovateSpring 2016 Sneak Peek, Linqto

LinqtoHomepage2016

FS2016-wdateA look at the companies demoing live to 1,500+ fintech professionals on May 10 & 11. Register today.

Linqto is the link between fintech developers and financial institutions. The App Store for Banks automates the process of mobile app branding and delivery. Choose your fintech from an online store.

Features:

  • Connect with and attract millennials
  • No long term contracts
  • Monetize without charging the consumer

Why it’s great
The App Store creates a revolutionary new marketplace where banks and credit unions can brand new software and use it with their customers. Automatically. In an online store. In minutes, not months.LinqtoPresenter1

Presenters

Bill Sarris, CEO of Linqto
Sarris is a recognized expert in the field of collaborative technology and has delivered major enterprise software applications for Microsoft, Intuit, Digital Insight, NCR, Stanford and other clients.
LinkedInLinqtoPresenter2

Kim Fraser, SVP Business Development at Wallaby
Fraser has extensive experience in business development, partnership and GTM strategic experience, driving recurring revenue growth, consumer acquisition and end-user engagement.
LinkedIn

LinqtoPresenter3Matt Kirchharr, Innovation Development Coordinator at LEVERAGE
Kirchharr is experienced in innovation development, vendor due-diligence of prospective partners, implementation planning, and is a subject-matter expert for all new product lines.
LinkedIn

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FinovateSpring Sneak Peek: Sberbank

FinovateSpring Sneak Peek: Sberbank
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: FinovateSpring 2016 Sneak Peek, Sberbank

SberbankHomepageFS2016-wdateA look at the companies demoing live to 1,500+ fintech professionals on May 10 & 11. Register today.

Sberbank, one of Europe’s largest banks, created an omni-purpose communication platform for people and companies.

Features:

  • A smart search tool that finds relevant people and businesses based on data
  • Chats with payments and transfers
  • New way to find and serve clients

Why it’s great
At the heart of the product is the smart-search engine that suggests contacts of people and businesses based on the user’s data that includes habits, preferences and perceived needs.SberbankPresenter1

Presenters

Vladimir Stasevich is the executive director of Sberbank’s Bank XXI department.
LinkedIn

Katerina Frolovicheva is managing director of technology innovations for Sberbank.SberbankPresenter2
LinkedIn

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FinovateSpring Sneak Peek: Student Loan Genius

FinovateSpring Sneak Peek: Student Loan Genius
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: FinovateSpring 2016 Sneak Peek, Student Loan Genius

StudentLoanGeniusHomepage

FS2016-wdateA look at the companies demoing live to 1,500+ fintech professionals on May 10 & 11. Register today.

The co-founders of Student Loan Genius graduated with a combined total of $275,000 in student loan debt and are now helping employees turn their student loan payment into a wealth-building activity.

Leveraging existing frameworks for retirement savings, the 401(k) Contribution Feature helps employees save by using student loans to activate unused 401(k) dollars and helps employers retain talent.

Why it’s great
No matter the retirement provider, the Student Loan Genius 401(k) Contribution Feature can help eliminate one of the biggest barriers for employees to invest using their existing student loan payment.StudentLoanPresenter

Tony Aguilar, CEO
A former financial adviser turned startup CEO, Tony is committed to helping millennials improve their financial picture and secure freedom from student loan debt.
LinkedIn

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FinovateSpring Sneak Peek: Qumram

FinovateSpring Sneak Peek: Qumram
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: FinovateSpring 2016 Sneak Peek, Qumram

QumramHomepage

FS2016-wdateA look at the companies demoing live to 1,500+ fintech professionals on May 10 & 11. Register today.

Qumram provides a fully compliant, digital audit-trail by recording every digital interaction (web, social, mobile) securely and transparently in accordance with global regulatory requirements.

Features:

  • 100% recording for 100% compliance
  • Indisputable evidence for conduct risk and fraud detection – internal and external
  • Complete, end-to-end view of every customer’s digital journey

Why it’s great
For peace of mind, ensuring that your digital business is 100% compliant, and by recording indisputable evidence of every digital interaction, Qumram is the only answer.
QumramPresenter1

Presenters:

Simon Scheurer, Co-Founder and CTO
CTO Scheurer is a strategic technology advisor and entrepreneur. With Masters degrees in both mathematics and physics, Scheurer loves solving technical challenges.
LinkedInQumrampresenter2

Nicola Cowburn, CMO
CMO Cowburn is an accomplished financial services marketing executive, experienced in developing high-growth SMEs into successful global enterprises.
LinkedIn

Qumrampresenter3Patrick Barnert, CEO
CEO Barnert (and board member) is a visionary business leader and global entrepreneur. As SVP at OpenText, Patrick was responsible for $800 million in revenue.
LinkedIn

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FinovateSpring Sneak Peek: savedroid

FinovateSpring Sneak Peek: savedroid
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: FinovateSpring 2016 Sneak Peek, savedroid

savedroidhomepage

FS2016-wdateA look at the companies demoing live to 1,500+ fintech professionals on May 10 & 11. Register today.

savedroid is the algorithm-based mobile app for end-2-end savings: We turn your everyday activities into automated savings and cut your monthly bills to make your wishes come true.

Features:

  • Lifestyle saving rules: go for a run +$5; hit snooze +$1; shop at Amazon +5%
  • Smart contract optimization: Based on your consumption, savedroid finds the best-value cell phone, electricity, internet, insurance contract

Why it’s great
savedroid is not just another savings app; savedroid is end-to-end savings. We are the very forefront of algorithm-based saving tools using big data to create significant value for our users.savedroidpresenter1

Presenters

Yassin Hankir, Founder & CEO
Yassin is a fintech entrepreneur and enthusiast. He initiated savedroid, is co-host of FinTech Meetup Frankfurt, and co-founded robo-adviser vaamo; previously, he worked as engagement manager at McKinsey.
LinkedIn

savedroidpresenter2Marco Trautmann, Founder & COO
Marco has deep experience in strategy and banking IT. Before co-founding savedroid, he worked for McKinsey setting up innovative digital business models for banks and bringing them to market.
LinkedIn

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TIO Networks Closes Purchase of Softgate Systems

TIO Networks Closes Purchase of Softgate Systems
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Mergers & Acquisitions, TIO Networks

TIOHomepage

Cloud-based bill payment processor TIO Networks today announced it closed on the acquisition of Softgate Systems. The acquisition of the New Jersey-based bill payment services provider makes TIO the largest walk-in bill payment network in North America.

In a press release, TIO CEO Hamed Shahbazi says the deal “provides a unique opportunity for TIO to scale its business substantially and represents an important corporate milestone as we continue to grow and evolve to meet the needs of our customers.” He continues, “TIO has enjoyed an eight-year relationship with Softgate. …We expect to be able to expand and extend services towards our customer base across North America, with a strong focus on servicing the underbanked and unbanked population.”

Along with the news, TIO cited recent metrics about the combined companies:

  • The two generated 12-month historical revenues of more than $83 million (CAD$105 million)
  • In the last year, the two processed  about 80 million consumer transactions worth over $9 billion
  • The addition of Softgate adds $5 million in incremental EBITDA per year (providing TIO with $30 million in net operating losses)
  • TIO’s geographical footprint has expanded from 15 U.S. states to 46 states.

The financial terms of the deal, for which TIO secured a $5.7 million loan, were divided into three aspects:

  1. $4.6 million in cash
  2. 25 million TIO Network shares issued to Softgate shareholders
  3. $4 million issuance in vendor take-back promissory notes

TIO was founded in 1997 under the name Infotouch Technologies. At FinovateSpring 2012, the company launched TIO Mobile Pay, a mobile app that empowers consumers by allowing them to pay telecom, utility, financial services, and insurance bills using their Visa or MasterCard credit cards, or their debit card. Since then, the Vancouver, B.C.-based company garnered $1.7 million through the issuance of a secondary stock offering, and was awarded second place in the top-10 companies on the 2016 TSX Venture 50. It was also named one of Canada’s 20 hottest and most innovative public tech companies.

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Finovate Alumni News

By David Penn Posted on
Categories: FICO, Finova Financial, Ignite Sales, iSignthis, Linqto, Misys, Narrative Science, Ping Identity, Qumram, SaleMove, Sberbank, Student Loan Genius, TIO Networks, Top Image Systems, WorkFusion

On Finovate.com

  • “TIO Networks Closes Purchase of Softgate Systems”
  • “Narrative Science Turns Business Intel into Data-Driven Stories”

Around the web

  • Top Image Systems inks a pair of banking process automation deals worth $700,000.
  • iSignthis brings its KYC technology to Chinese e-payment leader, YeePay.
  • WorkFusion and VirtusaPolaris team up to provide smart automation solutions for companies in banking and financial services.
  • Misys launches FinCloud, a new range of cloud solutions and global cloud environment.
  • Capgemini consulting services adds risk- and fraud-management technology from FICO.
  • Ignite Sales powering Regions Bank’s guided selling tool.
  • Ping Identity releases new Knowledge Center, a customer support and documentation portal

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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Fintech Fundings: 39 Companies Raised $930 Million Week Ending April 15

By Jim Bruene Posted on
Categories: Uncategorized

money_keyFor the third time this year, we broke the single-week record of number of deals. This week we hit 39, three more than the previous high of 36 (the week ending Mar 17). This week the total capital raised was a whopping $932 million (or $680 million not counting the $253-million Bats Global IPO). The total also included $46 million in debt.

That makes it 15 straights weeks with at least 20 deals worldwide.

The total number of deals YTD stands at 402, nearly double last year’s 204 (through April 17). Total dollars raised YTD is $8.8 billion, and is double the $4.4 billion raised during the same period a year ago.

Two Finovate alums raised fresh capital:

Here are the fintech deals by size from 9 April to 15 April 2016:

Bats Global
Equities markets operator
Latest round: $252.7 million IPO
Total raised: Unknown
HQ: Lenexa, Kansas
Tags: Enterprise, trading, stocks, assets, exchanges
Source: FT Partners

XP Investimentos
P2P lending platform
Latest round: $130 million
Total raised: $229 million
HQ: Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Tags: Consumer, investing, trading, stocks, advisors
Source: Crunchbase, FT Partners

Net1 UEPS Technologies
Alt-payment system provider
Latest round: $107.7 million
Total raised: Unknown
HQ: Johannesburg, South Africa
Tags: Enterprise, SMB, consumer, payments, mobile
Source: FT Partners

Affirm
Alt-lender at the point-of-sale
Latest round: $100 million
Total raised: $420 million
HQ: San Francisco, California
Tags: Consumer, lending, credit, underwriting, merchants, acquiring, purchase finance
Source: Crunchbase

Licaifan
P2P lending platform
Latest round: $51 million Series C
Total raised: Unknown
HQ: Bejing, China
Tags: Consumer, P2P lending, peer-to-peer, credit, underwriting, investing
Source: Crunchbase

Omni Prime
Mobile alt-lender
Latest round: $46 million Series C
Total raised: $87 million
HQ: Shanghai, China
Tags: Consumer, credit, underwriting, mobile
Source: Crunchbase

Chedai.com
Automotive lending platform
Latest round: $34 million Series A
Total raised: $34 million
HQ: Shanghai, China
Tags: Consumer, credit, underwriting, vehicle loans, auto lending
Source: Crunchbase

Vestmark (Wilmark Associates)
Wealth managment platform
Latest round: $30 million Private Equity
Total raised: $31.7 million
HQ: Wakefield, Massechuessets
Tags: Advisers, wealth management, retirement planning, trading, stocks
Source: Crunchbase

Lend Street Financial
P2P lending platform
Latest round: $28 million Debt
Total raised: $31.2 million (includes $28 million Debt)
HQ: Oakland, California
Tags: Consumer, lending, debt restructuring, credit, underwriting
Source: Crunchbase

Eligible
Payment infrastructure for healthcare
Latest round: $25.2 million Angel
Total raised: $25.2 million
HQ: Brooklyn, New York
Tags: SMB, insurance, enterprise, payments, health care, benefits, developers, APIs
Source: Crunchbase

Viva Republica 
P2P money transfers
Latest round: $23 million Series A
Total raised: $24 million
HQ: Seoul, South Korea
Tags: Consumer, peer-to-peer, payments, money transfer, remittances
Source: Crunchbase

Varthana
Student lending
Latest round: $14 million Series B
Total raised: $18.43 million
HQ: Bangalore, India
Tags: Consumer, credit, underwriting, student loans
Source: Crunchbase

Wolt
Mobile payments for restuarants
Latest round: $12.4 million Series B
Total raised: $26.05 million
HQ: Helsinki, Finland
Tags: SMB, payments, merchants, mobile, acquiring, debit/credit cards, B2B2C
Source: Crunchbase

Nauto
Automobile collision recording for insurance claims
Latest round: $12 million Series A
Total raised: $14.85 million
HQ: Palo Alto, California
Tags: Enterprise, SMB, insurance, automobiles, fraud
Source: Crunchbase

ThinCats Australia
Small business marketplace lender
Latest round: $10 million Debt
Total raised: $10 million Debt
HQ: Sydney, Australia
Tags: SMB, P2P lending, peer-to-peer, credit, underwriting, investing
Source: Crunchbase

Even
Alt-lender
Latest round: $9 million
Total raised: $12 million
HQ: Oakland, California
Tags: Consumer, lending, credit, underwriting
Source: Crunchbase

Pave
Alt-lender
Latest round: $8 million Series A
Total raised: $308 million
HQ: New York City
Tags: Consumer, millendials, lending, credit, underwriting
Source: Crunchbase

Borro
Alt-lender using high-end luxery items for security
Latest round: $5.9 million
Total raised: $177.5 million
HQ: London, England, U.K.
Tags: Consumer, credit, pawn, underwriting
Source: Crunchbase

Emailage
Fraud protection for financial institutions
Latest round: $5.67 million
Total raised: $5.67 million
HQ: Chandler, Arizona
Tags: Enterprise, security, fraud protection, email, Finovate alum
Source: Crunchbase, Finovate

Viewpost
Online invoicing and payments platform
Latest round: $5.13 million Debt
Total raised: $54.47 million
HQ: Orlando, Florida
Tags: SMB, payments, billing, invoicing, accounts payable, accounting, bookkeeping
Source: Crunchbase

Sardex.net
Connected commerce platform
Latest round: $3.42 million
Total raised: $3.42 million
HQ: Campiano, Italy
Tags: SMB, credit, commerical lending, commerce
Source: Crunchbase

Squirrel
Alt-lender
Latest round: $3 million
Total raised: $3 million
HQ: New Zealand
Tags: Consumer, lending, credit, underwriting, mortgage
Source: FT Partners

Total Expert
Marketing platform for mortgage and real estate brokers
Latest round: $3 million Series A
Total raised: $3 million
HQ: Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Tags: SMB, brokers, mortgage, lending, marketing, real estate, home buying
Source: Crunchbase

Plastiq
Mobile bill payments
Latest round: $2.85 million
Total raised: $21.2 million
HQ: San Francisco, California
Tags: Consumer, mobile, payments, billpay
Source: Crunchbase

Sixup
Student loan marketplace
Latest round: $2.5 million Debt
Total raised: $6 million
HQ: San Francisco, California
Tags: Consumer, student loans, lending, underwriting, education finance
Source: Crunchbase

Habito
Digital mortgage broker
Latest round: $2.2 million Seed
Total raised: $2.2 million
HQ: London, England, U.K.
Tags: Consumer, lending, mortgage, home buying, credit, underwriting,
Source: Crunchbase

Waves
Blockchain platform
Latest round: $2 million Equity Crowdfunding
Total raised: $2 million
Tags: Consumer, SMB, blockchain, trading, contracts
Source: Crunchbase

BitKan
Bitcoin trading services
Latest round: $1.6 million Series A
Total raised: $1.6 million
HQ: Shenzen, China
Tags: Consumer, payments, cryptocurrency, blockchain
Source: Crunchbase

RenewBuy
Car insurance renewal service
Latest round: $1 million Angel
Total raised: $1.5 million
HQ: Gurgaon, India
Tags: Consumer, automobiles, insurance, lending, price comparison, lead gen, discovery
Source: Crunchbase

Kredx
Invoice factoring marketplace
Latest round: $750,000 Seed
Total raised: $750,000
HQ: Bangalore, India
Tags: SMB, consumer, factoring, trade finance, invoicing, investing, P2P, peer-to-peer credit
Source: Crunchbase

PesaBazaar.com
Insurance portal
Latest round: $396,000 Seed
Total raised: 421,000
HQ: Nairobi, Kenya
Tags: Consumer, insurance, price comparison, quotes, discovery, lead generation
Source: Crunchbase

Accrualify
Accounting tools to for invoicing, payments and vendor management
Latest round: Undisclosed Series A
Total raised: Unknown
HQ: San Mateo, California
Tags: SMB, accounting, billing, invoicing, accounts payables, payments
Source: Crunchbase

Aire
Alt-credit score
Latest round: Not disclosed
Total raised: Unknown
HQ: London, England, U.K.
Tags: Enterprise, consumer, lending, credit, underwriting, credit score
Source: Finovate

Cloud9 Technologies
Trader voice and messaging services
Latest round: Not disclosed
Total raised: Unknown
HQ: New York City
Tags: Enterprise, brokerages, traders, equities, stocks, investing
Source: FT Partners

Deal4Loans
Lending portal
Latest round: Undisclosed
Total raised: Unknown
HQ: Delhi, India
Tags: Consumer, lending, price comparison, discover, lead gen
Source: Crunchbase

Kickfurther
Crowdfunded inventor marketplace
Latest round: Not disclosed
Total raised: Unknown
HQ: Watchung, New York
Tags: Consumer, SMB, investing, working capital finance, trade finance, P2P, peer-to-peer
Source: FT Partners

Kraken Bitcoin Exchange
Bitcoin exchange
Latest round: Undisclosed
Total raised: $6.5 million
HQ: San Francisco, California
Tags: Consumer, cyrptocurrency, payments, blockchain
Source: Crunchbase

Lenden Club
P2P lending platform
Latest round: Undisclosed
Total raised: Unknown
HQ: Mumbai, India
Tags: Consumer, P2P lending, peer-to-peer, credit, underwriting, investing
Source: Crunchbase

Tandem
Digital bank
Latest round: Undisclosed Series B
Total raised: Unknown
HQ: London, England, U.K.
Tags: Consumer, lending, banking, deposits
Source: Crunchbase

——–
Image licensed from 123rf.com

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Finvoate Alumni News

By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Blockchain, BlueVine, Coinbase, Fiserv, Ledger

Around the web

  • Let’s Talk Payments features Ledger, Blockchain, and Coinbase in its roundup of blockchain-powered digital wallets.
  • PYMNTS.com interviews BlueVine CEO Eyal Lifshitz on the return of the SMB line of credit.

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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