1Kosmos Announces Integration with Microsoft Entra ID

1Kosmos Announces Integration with Microsoft Entra ID
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: 1Kosmos, Alumni News
  • Identity verification and passwordless authentication company 1Kosmos announced native support for Microsoft Entra ID.
  • The integration of 1Kosmos technology will enable enterprises to unify ID verification and passwordless access across their entire infrastructure for both Microsoft and non-Microsoft applications.
  • 1Kosmos won Best of Show in its Finovate debut at FinovateSpring 2023 in San Francisco.

Identity proofing and passwordless authentication specialist 1Kosmos has announced its native support for Microsoft Entra ID. A cloud-based identity and access management service, Entra ID enables users to sign into solutions like Microsoft 365, Azure, and other applications, including numerous external resources. The integration with 1Kosmos will give businesses additional security and enhanced user experiences by leveraging 1Kosmos to unify their identity verification and passwordless access to both their Microsoft ecosystem and non-Microsoft apps.

“Microsoft Entra ID is a powerful identity platform, but support for non-Microsoft applications, legacy systems, and hybrid environments can be challenging,” 1Kosmos CTO Rohan Pinto said. “The 1Kosmos platform supplements Entra ID with an external authentication infrastructure that spans both modern and legacy systems, enforces high-assurance identity proofing, and delivers secure, frictionless access to all enterprise applications — whether on-premises, in the cloud, or across hybrid environments.”

Via 1Kosmos’ self-service identity verification workflow and passwordless MFA credential, users can either scan a QR code or click a smart link to initiate onboarding or to reset passwords. In addition to unifying ID verification and passwordless access across a firm’s entire infrastructure, the integration provides a consistent passwordless MFA experience across Active Directory, Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Unix, and legacy systems.

“At Microsoft, we believe security is a team effort,” said Natee Pretikul, Principal Product Management Lead for Microsoft Security. “Our customers often use different vendor solutions, and Microsoft Entra ID helps protect these diverse environments. With the new integration of Entra ID External Authentication Methods and 1Kosmos, our customers can now use 1Kosmos’ identity verification and passwordless solutions to enhance their security. This will make access easier and reduce fraud risks.”

1Kosmos won Best of Show in its Finovate debut at FinovateSpring 2023 in San Francisco and returned to the Finovate stage later that year for FinovateFall in New York. Founded in 2021 and headquartered in New Jersey, the company reported a 3x gain in revenue for 2024, as well as a doubling of its customer base. 1Kosmos also last year secured a next-generation identity proofing Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) from Login.gov valued at more than $194.5 million.

Photo by Sigurd Brown

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

BVNK Launches Embedded Wallet to Unify Fiat and Stablecoins 

BVNK Launches Embedded Wallet to Unify Fiat and Stablecoins 
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Daily news
  • BVNK is launching an embedded wallet that unifies fiat and stablecoins.
  • The new wallet will allow fintechs, payment providers, and platforms to offer their customers seamless multi-currency payments across traditional and blockchain rails.
  • The API-powered wallet supports USD, GBP, EUR, and stablecoins, with auto-conversion options, compliance handling, and direct integration into client platforms under their own brand.

After raising $50 million for its stablecoin infrastructure platform two months ago, multi-rail payments infrastructure platform BVNK announced the launch of an embedded wallet that unifies fiat and stablecoins across the globe.

BVNK is launching the embedded wallet to help fintechs, crypto, and payment companies accelerate money movement for their customers by bringing together fiat and stablecoins on a single platform, providing payment flexibility. Using the new embedded wallet API, users can allow their customers to store, spend, and get paid in USD, GBP, EUR, and stablecoins any time of day.

The wallet, however, does not require end users to hold crypto even if they want to pay using crypto. BVNK has auto-conversion features that allow users to automatically convert stablecoin payments they receive into fiat currencies, or fiat to stablecoins upon payout.

The new wallet offers direct access to payments on leading blockchains and traditional networks such as Swift, ACH, and SEPA. Clients can use BVNK’s embedded wallet API to make the functionality available within their platform and as their own brand. In addition to the movement of funds, BVNK is responsible for the custody, safeguarding, and KYB and KYC compliance.

BVNK is gearing its new embedded wallet to serve three main user groups: payment service providers and fintechs, which can use it to offer their customers payout capabilities; payroll and tech companies, which can use it to speed up payments to international workers, hosts, creators and sellers; and cryptos and neobanks, which can use it to allow their customers move from USD, EUR and GBP to stablecoins within your app.

BVNK’s announcement is a clear example of the payment industry’s collective shift toward adopting stablecoins, which are cryptocurrencies pegged to fiat or a physical asset. Over the past six months, both fintechs and banks have shown increased interest in stablecoins because of their potential to bring significant value to users. That’s because they are both instant and inexpensive, unlike payments made via traditional payments rails such as SWIFT.

Notably, stablecoins work great for cross-border payments and remittances because they offer greater accessibility compared to traditional banking systems, while also mitigating the volatility typically associated with other cryptocurrencies.

These attributes make BVNK’s embedded wallet a compelling tool for businesses looking to harness the speed, flexibility, and cost advantages of stablecoins without the complexity typically associated with handling crypto. By seamlessly bridging fiat and stablecoins within a single, embedded solution, BVNK empowers fintechs, payment providers, and global platforms to offer faster, more affordable cross-border payments, enabling their customers to send, receive, and convert funds across currencies and rails with minimal friction.

Photo by cottonbro studio

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Payoneer Partners with Bancolombia’s Neobank Nequi

Payoneer Partners with Bancolombia’s Neobank Nequi
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Alumni News, Alumni profile, Payoneer

Global payments company Payoneer is growing its presence in Latin America this month. The New York-based fintech has partnered with Colombian Bank Nequi, Bancolombia’s Neobank.

By integrating Payoneer, Nequi will enable its users to transfer their dollars and euros from Payoneer to Nequi and receive them in Colombian pesos in a matter of minutes. Payoneer joins 30+ other services that Nequi offers. Notably, Payoneer will enable Nequi users to bring euros through the Nequi platform for the first time.

A business line of Bancolombia, Nequi’s digital financial platform seeks to help improve its more than 21 million users’ relationships with money. Nequi users can pay with the Nequi Card, pay for public services, recharge their cell phone, receive money from abroad, buy insurance or a bus ticket, and more.

“At Nequi we work to adapt to new global dynamics by facilitating the reception of international payments in an efficient and economical way,” said Nequi Business Strategy Leader María del Pilar Correa. “That is why this new integration with Payoneer has us very excited because we continue to strengthen the possibilities for our users and this will undoubtedly be a great option for freelancers, entrepreneurs and people who do international business, since they can receive payments from clients in other countries, with different currencies, in a fast and secure way at a global level.”

Once they link their account, Nequi savings accountholders can transfer up to $5,000 per month, with a maximum of $2,000 per transaction. Nequi low-value deposit accountholders can transfer up to $2,000 per month, with a maximum of $2,000 per transaction.

Payoneer was founded in 2005 to help small-and-medium-sized businesses to transact, do business, and grow globally. The company’s global financial stack helps remove barriers and simplify cross-border commerce to make it easier for businesses to connect to the global economy, pay, get paid, manage their funds across multiple currencies, and grow their businesses.

Payoneer went public via a SPAC merger with FTAC Olympus Acquisition Corp. in 2021. The company listed on the NASDAQ in June of that same year under the ticker PAYO and has a current market capitalization of $3 billion.

“By partnering with the most popular neobank in Colombia, Payoneer is helping to address a critical need in the region: enabling entrepreneurs in Colombia [to] receive payments with increased flexibility in fund usage,” said Payoneer SVP of Growth in Latin America Mar Fernández. “Working with Nequi to enhance our functionalities further fulfills Payoneer’s mission to empower businesses from anywhere in the world to scale to their businesses globally. We aim to support the ambitions and boost the international competitiveness of Colombian professionals.”

Payoneer has presented at FinDEVr New York in 2016, where it showcased integrating its Armor Payments API into a marketplace. Prior to that, the company demoed its commercial account at FinovateAsia 2013 in Singapore.

Photo by Camila Melo

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Socure Unveils AI Assistant for Global Watchlist Screening

Socure Unveils AI Assistant for Global Watchlist Screening
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Alumni News, Socure
  • Digital identity verification and fraud prevention solutions provider Socure has launched its AI-powered assistant.
  • The new AI Copilot will help reduce the number of false positives for Socure’s Global Watchlist Screening and Monitoring solution.
  • Socure most recently demoed its technology at FinovateFall 2017 in New York.

Digital identity verification, compliance, and fraud prevention company Socure unveiled its first AI-powered assistant for its Global Watchlist Screening and Monitoring solution. The AI Copilot enhances watchlist screening by reducing false positives, accelerating case reviews, and improving analyst decision-making.

High false positives, manual review, and regulatory complexity are three of the issues that traditionally make watchlist screening inefficient for most organizations. With regard to the regulatory challenges alone, firms have paid non-compliance penalties totaling more than $8 billion globally over the past two years.

Socure’s Global Watchlist Screening and Monitoring solution leverages a two-stage scoring system providing dual controls: a Name Match Scoring assignment and an Entity Correlation Score. The Name Match process determines how closely a customer’s name aligns with names on watchlists. This process is further enriched using personally identifiable information (PII).

The second stage assesses the likelihood that the source list and the matched entity are the same. This stage specifically helps minimize false positives and negatives, streamlining compliance by reducing the need for manual review.

In both stages, Socure’s AI Copilot brings consistency to workflows, minimizing human subjectivity and ensuring standardized documentation. The AI Copilot provides a clear, structured explanation of disqualification criteria, obviating the need for human analysts to draft decision narratives. At the same time, human analysts maintain the ability to confirm or override results, with all activity logged to ensure both transparency and compliance.

“The compliance landscape is evolving rapidly, and traditional watchlist screening simply hasn’t kept pace with the demands of modern risk management,” Socure VP of Regulatory and Compliance Solutions Debra Geister said. “With our AI Copilot, we are eliminating inefficiencies, slashing review times, and delivering the most precise match intelligence in the industry — all while reducing operational costs and analyst fatigue. This is a massive leap forward for compliance teams, giving them the speed, accuracy, and confidence they need to stay ahead of regulatory challenges.”

Headquartered in Incline Village, Nevada, Socure demonstrated its technology at FinovateFall 2017 in New York. In recent years, the company has grown into a major digital identity and fraud prevention solutions provider with more than 2,800 customers in financial services, government, marketplaces, e-commerce, and other industries. Socure’s clients include 18 of the top 20 banks and more than 500 fintechs.

Socure was recognized as a Leader in the 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Identity Verification for its “Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute.” The company began this year noting that it verified more than 2.7 billion identity requests in 2024. This figure represented 370 million unique identities and a 2x gain over the previous year’s totals.

Last month, Socure launched RiskOS, a risk decisioning engine that leverages the firm’s acquisition of Effectiv to provide a platform that combines orchestration and decisioning with identity verification and fraud prevention. Johnny Ayers is CEO.

Photo by Michael Villanueva

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Swap Raises $40 Million for eCommerce Logistics Network

Swap Raises $40 Million for eCommerce Logistics Network
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Daily news, Funding
  • Swap raised $40 million in Series B funding, boosting its total raised to $49 million.
  • ICONIQ Growth led the round, which will help Swap expand into the US, EU, Australia, and Canada while launching new products like Swap Inventory to optimize restocking and avoid inventory issues.
  • Swap’s unified platform will become even more essential to ecommerce companies as trade disruptions and rising shipping costs threaten cross-border commerce.

Ecommerce inventory management platform Swap received a $40 million investment this week. The Series B round was led by ICONIQ Growth and saw participation from previous investors Cherry Ventures, QED Investors, and 9900 Capital. The investment brings Swap’s total funding to $49 million since it was founded in 2021.

Swap manages a global network that helps ecommerce companies with shipping, returns, inventory management, and cross-border commerce. By combining everything companies need into one place, Swap offers an all-in-one ecommerce operating system that helps companies simplify their operations, save money, and see all the metrics they need on a single dashboard.

Swap will use today’s funds to accelerate its expansion into the US and EU, and kickstart operations in new regions, including Australia and Canada. The company also plans to expand into new verticals such as beauty, home goods, and consumer technology; grow its team; and launch new products, including Swap Inventory. Swap Inventory provides customers with pricing modeling and AI-driven recommendations around inventory restocking and replenishment to avoid overstocks and stockouts.

“From the beginning, we’ve set out to create a new category that is a platform-level solution across all of a brand’s operations,” said Swap Co-Founder and CEO Sam Atkinson. “This funding cements us as the only e-commerce operating system that can enable inventory solutions, cross-border growth, returns management, and shipping and logistics in a way genuinely tailored to a brand’s needs.”

Swap’s funding comes at a time when cross-border commerce is vulnerable to disruptions from the emerging trade war, shifting global policies, and rising shipping costs. For ecommerce companies, streamlining logistics and maintaining efficient inventory management across multiple geographies is critical, especially as brands look to scale internationally.

By offering an end-to-end operating system, Swap is positioning itself to help brands navigate these challenges. By combining inventory intelligence, flexible shipping options, and seamless returns management, Swap helps ecommerce businesses adapt quickly to volatile global supply chain pressures.

“As cross-border commerce becomes increasingly complex, we have seen Swap emerge as a valuable partner for direct-to-consumer brands by unifying fragmented global e-commerce operations into a cohesive platform,” said ICONIQ Growth General Partner Seth Pierrepont. “We believe the company is well positioned to be a leading software enabler of global e-commerce and are excited to support them on this journey.”

Photo by Tiger Lily

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

The Conversation Continues: AI, Data Apps, and Fintech Investment on the Finovate Podcast

The Conversation Continues: AI, Data Apps, and Fintech Investment on the Finovate Podcast
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Podcasting

The conversation continues, indeed! Fresh off the Finovate team’s return from FinovateEurope 2025, we’re dropping a pair of Finovate podcasts that you might have missed.

First up is Finovate VP and Podcast host Greg Palmer’s discussion about AI, data apps, and FinovateEurope with Plotly European Sales Director Andy Wisbey. Second, Greg sits down with Portage Capital Solutions Partner and Co-Head Devon Kirk to talk about the current investment climate for fintechs and what to expect this year.

Andy Wisbey (LinkedIn), European Sales Director with Plotly, talks with Finovate Podcast host Greg Palmer about AI, data apps, and the recently-concluded FinovateEurope conference in London. Episode 247.

Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Plotly enables organizations to collaboratively develop and deploy apps in secure, scalable, managed environments.

The company’s flagship solution, Dash Enterprise, is a leading data app platform for Python. With more than 20 million downloads a month, Plotly’s technology empowers companies across the Fortune 500 to control, customize, and collaborate on data-driven decision-making. Plotly was a Bronze sponsor of FinovateEurope 2025.

Greg Palmer interviews Devon Kirk (LinkedIn), partner and co-Head of Portage Capital Solutions, about the current investment landscape, IPO and M&A predictions for the year, and what to expect in 2025. Episode 246.

Portage Capital Solutions is an international investment firm that specializes in fintech and financial services. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Portage teams up with companies across all stages to provide flexible capital, as well as a global network of investors, commercial partners, advisors, and value creation experts.

Most recently, Portage announced its support of open source financial infrastructure provider Formance. The firm co-led a $21 million Series A funding round with PayPal Ventures in January.

Photo by David Bartus

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Fintech Rundown: A Rapid Review of Weekly News

Fintech Rundown: A Rapid Review of Weekly News
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Backbase, Bluefin Payment Systems, Fintech Rundown, NCR Corporation, SaveAway

The Finovate team is back from another successful FinovateEurope fintech conference. We will share our event reviews, including key moments and top takeaways, on the Finovate blog in the days to come.

In the meanwhile, the Fintech Rundown is here to help us all catch up on the latest fintech news and announcements.

Payments

Bluefin forges collaboration with Fiscal Systems to leverage PCI-validated point-to-point encryption to boost payment security and data protection in the fuel industry.

Cross-border payments company MANSA raises $10 million in funding.

Global payout orchestration platform PayQuicker expands its instant payout and local currency solution for clinical trialsto the UK and EU.

Digital banking and infrastructure

Backbase announces strategic partnership with digital transformation company, Siili Solutions.

Utah Community Credit Union (UCCU) joins NCR Atleos’ Allpoint Network.

Financial wellness

SaveAway announces 25 for 25 campaign, as well as a range of platform enhancements, ahead of the company’s return to SXSW.

Crypto / DeFi

Bay Federal Credit Union joins Metallicus’ Metal Blockchain Banking Innovation Program.

London-based Netmind.AI unveils its decentralized AI agent society, NetMind XYZ.

Risk management

Risk and business intelligence solutions provider SRA Watchtower raises $4 million in funding in a round led by FINTOP Capital, JAM FINTOP, and EJF Capital.

Photo by Tanathip Rattanatum

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

FinovateEurope 2025 Best of Show Winners Announced

FinovateEurope 2025 Best of Show Winners Announced
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Best of Show, FinovateEurope 2025, Keyless, R34DY, Tweezr

The votes are in and the people have spoken! After a full day of live fintech demos from companies representing 13 countries, the attendees of FinovateEurope 2025 have made their decision as to which of this year’s 30+ demoing companies will take home a Best of Show trophy.

With no further ado, here are this year’s winners.

Keyless for its technology that replaces traditional multi-factor authentication (MFA) methods with automated biometric authentication, improving the user experience while cutting costs.

R34DY for its solution that helps organizations transform their business by taking the pain out of integrations and making it easy for business owners to create use cases and reduce time to market.

Tweezr for its technology that helps organizations transform and grow by accelerating time-to-market and increasing developer productivity for both legacy system maintenance and modernization (or even obviating modernization all together).

A heartfelt thanks to all the demoing companies, sponsors, speakers, and attendees for making FinovateEurope 2025 an exciting, impactful event. Be sure to keep in touch with us on the Finovate blog as these and the rest of our demoing companies continue to innovate and solve problems for banks, financial services providers, fintechs, and their customers.

Our next conference is FinovateSpring, which will be making its San Diego debut on May 7-9. We can’t wait to bring Finovate to California’s second-most populous city and look forward to seeing you there!

Notes on methodology:
1. Only audience members NOT associated with demoing companies were eligible to vote. Finovate employees did not vote.
2. Attendees were encouraged to note their favorites during each day. At the end of the last demo, they chose their three favorites.
3. The exact written instructions given to attendees: “Please rate (the companies) on the basis of demo quality and potential impact of the innovation demoed.”
4. The three companies appearing on the highest percentage of submitted ballots were named “Best of Show.”
5. Go here for a list of previous Best of Show winners through 2014. Best of Show winners from our 2015 through 2024 conferences are below:
FinovateEurope 2015
FinovateSpring 2015
FinovateFall 2015
FinovateEurope 2016
FinovateSpring 2016
FinovateFall 2016
FinovateAsia 2016
FinovateEurope 2017
FinovateSpring 2017
FinovateFall 2017
FinovateAsia 2017
FinovateMiddleEast 2018
FinovateEurope 2018
FinovateSpring 2018
FinovateFall 2018
FinovateAsia 2018
FinovateAfrica 2018
FinovateEurope 2019
FinovateSpring 2019
FinovateFall 2019
FinovateAsia 2019
FinovateMiddleEast 2019
FinovateEurope 2020
FinovateFall 2020
FinovateWest 2020
FinovateEurope 2021
FinovateSpring 2021
FinovateFall 2021
FinovateEurope 2022
FinovateSpring 2022
FinovateFall 2022
FinovateEurope 2023
FinovateSpring 2023
FinovateFall 2023
FinovateEurope 2024
FinovateSpring 2024
FinovateFall 2024

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Fintech Rundown: A Rapid Review of Weekly News

Fintech Rundown: A Rapid Review of Weekly News
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Backbase, Equifax, Fintech Rundown, Klarna, Plumery

FinovateEurope 2025 kicks off this week at the Intercontinental O2 in London. Learn more about the conferences’s keynote speakers, power panels, demoing companies and more in our pre-show briefing.

In the meanwhile, here’s a look at some of the news making fintech headlines as the week begins. Be sure to check back all week long for more updates.

Payments

Backbase and MeaWallet team up to bring advanced tokenization solutions to Australia and New Zealand.

Payments orchestration platform Yuno partners with Invest Qatar to as the company opens its new Middle East headquarters in the country.

Digital banking

Digital banking experience systems provider Plumery announces partnership with African digital identity verification provider, Smile ID.

Embedded finance

NatWest Boxed and The AA forge strategic partnership to leverage Boxed’s embedded finance platform to offer financial products, including instant savings accounts, to AA customers.

Financial wellness

PensionBee teams up with financial wellness marketplace ClearScore.

Socially responsible credit provider Kashable announced a technology partnership with HR, payroll, workforce management, and culture solutions company UKG.

E-commerce

Payments and e-commerce network Klarna expands its partnership with European paytech Nexi.

Regtech

Equifax UK goes live with its Finance Emissions Calculator to help enhance sustainability reporting requirements.

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

FinovateEurope 2025 Kicks Off Tomorrow: Last-Minute Details You Need to Know

FinovateEurope 2025 Kicks Off Tomorrow: Last-Minute Details You Need to Know
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: FinovateEurope 2025, Marketing

We are just hours away from the launch of FinovateEurope 2025. Launching tomorrow and running through February 26, this year’s event is taking place at the Intercontinental O2 in London.

There’s still time to register, so sign up today to secure your spot! If you’re already registered, here are the last-minute details you’ll need to know:

Stay connected:

  • Download the ConnectMe app and create your profile to start networking, set your schedule, and view the agenda.
  • Follow #FinovateEurope on LinkedIn and Twitter for live updates and key takeaways.

Event logistics:

  • The Leaders+ VIP banking session (by invitation only) begins tonight at 6pm.
  • Registration opens at 8:15 am tomorrow morning — grab your badge early to avoid the queue!
  • Enjoy a light breakfast and networking before the general session begins.
  • The general session begins promptly at 9 am, so plan ahead and find your seat early.
  • On Wednesday, February 26, the sessions begin at 9am. Don’t forget your badge.

Key highlights:

  • The Best of Show winners will be announced during the evening cocktail reception, which starts at 5:25 on February 25.
  • The event closes with one of our most popular sessions, the Investor All Stars panel, which begins at 4:15. Be sure to stick around!

Final reminders:

  • Bring your badge each day — you’ll need it for entry!
  • Plan your travel time to the venue, especially if you’re commuting or taking public transport.
  • Dress code: Business casual to business formal. Be comfortable, but ready to make an impression.
  • Need help? Stop by the registration desk or find a Finovate team member for assistance.

We are thrilled to bring you this year’s event, as it’s shaping up to be one of the biggest to-date!

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Deep Dive into the Future of Fintech: What’s Happening on Day 2 at FinovateEurope 2025

Deep Dive into the Future of Fintech: What’s Happening on Day 2 at FinovateEurope 2025
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: FinovateEurope 2025, Speaker series

Over the past month, we’ve highlighted most of the speakers that will grace the Finovate stage next week at FinovateEurope 2025 (there’s still time to register for the event!). From keynote presentations to demoing companies and panels, our previews offer a sneak peek into the wide range of sessions that will showcase some of the newest thoughts and ideas in fintech and banking in 2025.

In our final segment of this series, we are showcasing the five breakout stages that will be held on the second day of the conference. These stages dive into some of the most pressing topics in financial services today. Whether you’re a banker, fintech founder, investor, or analyst, these sessions will arm you with the insights and strategies needed to stay ahead.

Here’s what’s on the agenda for Day 2’s breakout stages:

Customer Experience Stage

Panels and keynotes on this stage will discuss how to serve today’s digital-first customers. This stage will showcase strategies for redefining banking UX, leveraging AI for hyper-personalization, and ensuring seamless omnichannel experiences. Industry thought leaders will discuss how to balance innovation with security, tackle legacy tech challenges, and meet evolving customer expectations.

Expect to hear about:

  • AI-powered customer journeys
  • Embedded finance and contextual banking
  • What to know about how customers view the world

Payments Stage

Thought leaders on this breakout stage will discuss the evolution of payments: from fraud to opportunities in real-time to cross-border and beyond. With global e-commerce booming and alternative payments like stablecoins on the rise, this track is essential for anyone involved in B2B, B2C, or P2P payments.

Expect to hear about:

  • How regulators are addressing authorized push payment fraud
  • How can banks reimagine payments
  • How to capture growth opportunities

Lending Stage

This breakout stage will cover how the newest technologies are impacting lending, risk, and consumer credit. You’ll hear updates on small business lending, embedded lending, as well as consumer lending.

Expect to hear about

  • How agentic AI is reinventing business lending
  • The revenue opportunity in small business lending
  • How to capture the opportunity in BaaS-powered embedded lending

Banking, Regulation, and Risk Stage

With all of the changing regulations in 2025, you don’t want to be caught unaware. Experts on our regulation and risk stage will inform you on what you need to know about the newest regulations. There will also be a panel highlighting the latest on cybersecurity and risks in emerging technologies.

Expect to hear about

  • How regulators are cracking down on risk management
  • Rising bank fraud threats
  • What you need to know about DORA, FiDA, eIDAS, and DMA

Artificial Intelligence Stage

You will hear plenty about AI throughout the two-day event, and for good reason. The technology is changing everything from the way we work to the way we think to how we manage risk. Because AI is so fundamental, we’re dedicating two rounds, for a total of six sessions, for discussions about AI, its impacts, and what you need to know.

Expect to hear about

  • Leading use cases for GenAI
  • Strategies for successful AI
  • The real value and risks of AI

These breakout tracks aren’t just about listening — they’re about engaging, learning, and networking with other leaders who are facing the same issues. Whether you’re focused on customer experience, payments, lending, regulation, AI, or all five, there are dedicated tracks to help you stay ahead of industry shifts, discover fresh opportunities, and spark new partnerships.

Join us at FinovateEurope 2025 and be part of the conversations that matter.

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Illuma Receives Financing for Voice Authentication Security Solutions

Illuma Receives Financing for Voice Authentication Security Solutions
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Alumni News, Daily news, Funding, Illuma Labs
  • Illuma has secured strategic financing from Stifel Bank. The amount of the financing was undisclosed.
  • The funds add to the company’s $9 million Series A funding round it received in September of 2024.
  • Illuma plans to use the funds to accelerate product innovation, expand its market reach, and help financial institutions safeguard interactions.

Voice authentication solutions provider Illuma received strategic financing from Stifel Bank. While the amount of the financing was not disclosed, it adds to the $9 million Series A funding the company received in September of 2024.

“Our tech and operations teams went through deep due diligence and have been highly impressed with the quality and simplicity of Illuma’s offerings, which address a critical gap for mid-market FIs,” said Senior Vice President of Venture Lending and Banking Stifel Bank Nick Elsenpeter. “We are excited to support their continued growth.”

Illuma will use today’s financing to help community banks and credit unions enhance security and streamline authentication processes across voice channels. More specifically, the funds will help the company accelerate product innovation, expand its market reach, and further support financial institutions in safeguarding consumer interactions.

“This strategic financing marks an exciting milestone for Illuma as we continue to scale and provide financial institutions with cutting-edge authentication solutions,” said Illuma CEO Milind Borkar. “The support from Stifel underscores the growing demand for frictionless security solutions that reduce operational costs while enhancing consumer trust. With this financing, we are well-positioned to expand our capabilities and further solidify our leadership in the market.”

Headquartered in Plano, Texas, Illuma offers a flagship product, Illuma Shield. The Illuma Shield authentication tool replaces traditional knowledge-based authentication (KBA) practices, such as asking security questions or prompting for PINs, with a real-time voice authentication solution. The low-friction solution not only enhances the caller experience, but it also improves operational efficiency for the financial institution while helping prevent fraud.

When a consumer calls into a call center using Illuma Shield, they can complete enrollment simply by saying “yes” and continuing the conversation. The system does not require them to call into a specific line, wait on hold, or repeat a special phrase. As a result of the straightforward experience, Illuma reports that more than 95% of callers invited agree to enroll.

As fraud continues to rise and the need for a seamless customer experience escalates, organizations can no longer afford to rely on outdated authentication methods that frustrate customers and leave security gaps. Traditional KBA techniques are increasingly vulnerable to social engineering attacks and data breaches. Voice authentication solutions like Illuma’s can help reduce fraud risk while enhancing operational efficiency, cutting down on call times, lowering authentication costs, and ultimately building consumer trust. As the industry moves toward more sophisticated identity verification methods, voice authentication solutions like Illuma’s will play a crucial role in the future of secure and efficient financial interactions.

Founded in 2016, Illuma recently won Best of Show at FinovateFall 2024 in New York for its deepfake detection technology. Check out the award-winning demo below.

Photo by Tiger Lily

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook