Simple Revamps Homepage

By Jim Bruene Posted on
Categories: Simple, Website Usability & Design

Sometime in the past few days, Simple swapped out its homepage for one befitting its name. A Google-esque white-on-white beauty that lets visitors do only two things (above the fold):

Request an invite by entering your email Watch a 2-min video showcasing its platform (with great use case of saving/spending on new dog)

The record-low eleven words of copy focus on the basics:

No monthly fees No min balance

Below the fold, prospective customers can gather more info as the homepage unfolds with more features an and benefits (see third screenshot).

Interestingly, if you've been to the site previously (as determined with cookies), you get a more stylized page promoting goal-based savings rather than the no-fee mantra (see second screenshot).

Bottom line: From a UI perspective, Simple is the Apple of banking, and its worth looking at how they pull off a very hip look online. This…

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FinovateFall 2013 Best of Show Winners

By Jim Bruene Posted on
Categories: Finovate, Yodlee

In case you don't follow our Finovate blog, I thought I should post the audience favorites from last week's seventh annual Finovate in New York City. After an intense two days with 69 demos, the audience voted for their favorites. The top eight were named Best of Show (in alphabetical order):

  Interactions voice-based virtual assistant technology


LearnVest iPad app and Workplace Solutions Center

mBank & Accenture Bank 3.0 online platform

Mitek Mobile Photo Account Opening solution

  MoneyDesktop GuideMe solution

Motif platform that lets you invest in ideas in one click

TipRanks cloud-based accountability engine for investors

  Yodlee TANDEM system to help groups manage and discuss shared finances

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Full-length video of every demo will be posted on Finovate.com in a few weeks.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined the audience and participated in our largest New…

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F5 Networks Buys Versafe to Boost Online Fraud Protection Capabilities

By David Penn Posted on
Categories: AcceptEmail, Versafe

Less than one week ago, Israel-based Versafe was in New York City, making their case for total fraud protection before a Finovate audience of more than 1,100, and hundreds more following online.

Who knew how closely F5 Networks must have been listening!

F5 Networks announced today that it was purchasing the Internet security specialist and one-and-done Finovate alum for an undisclosed amount. All 40 employees, including Versafe's three founders, are expected to remain on board and the company will continue to operate out of its headquarters in Rishon Le Zion, Israel. Versafe chose FinovateFall 2013 to present some of the latest enhancements to its TotALL Online Fraud Protection Suite. Their technology relies on advanced encryption and real-time behavioral analysis to provide a layer of protection between the end user and the application. This protection is effective regardless of whether the app is access online or via a mobile device. Versafe…

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Applause Learning’s Coindexter Club Now Available to Credit Unions Partnered with My CU Services

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Applause Learning

My CU Services, provider of technology and payment systems for Credit Unions, recognizes the value that financial literacy programs for kids can bring to a brand.

How do we know? Because the Pennsylvania-based service provider recently announced a partnership with Atlanta-based Applause Learning, creator of the Coindexter Club.

Through this partnership, the Coindexter Club program will be made available to the more than 750 Credit Unions that work with My CU Services.

The program is targeted toward kids ages 5 to 12 years old, and aims to teach them how to spend, save and manage money in a virtual world that feels much like a video game. Credit Unions that sponsor the Coindexter Club for their members can include their logo within the game on ATMs, send kids a customized birthday card, and offer them branded apparel products.

Applause Learning demonstrated the Coindexter Club at FinovateSpring 2012. Check…

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Finovate Alumni News– September 17, 2013

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Azimo, Doxo, edo Interactive, Expensify, On Deck Capital, planwise, Xero
PandoDaily features Planwise's "coming of age" story.  OnDeck closes over $130 million in increased credit facility commitments, 150% 12-month growth surge drives doubling of debt capacity. doxo's new email Import and Organization capability simplifies record keeping for the your key accounts. Expensify's integration with Xero goes live. Azimo picks cross-border payments platform Earthport to help expansion into developing markets. Edo Interactive unveils self-serve portal for edo Marketplace that helps merchants set up card-linked offers on their own. 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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FinovateFall 2013 in the Press

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Akimbo Financial, Backbase, BizEquity, FinovateFall 2013, FlexScore, Float Money, FutureAdvisor, Instabank, Interactions, mBank, Mitek, MoneyDesktop, Narrative Science, Numbrs, Saved Plus, SECOM GMixon Pixeliris, SpearFysh, Think Finance, TipRanks, WordSentry, Yodlee, Zighra
Affluent Strategies Finovate Fall 2013 Best of Show Winners by JP Nicols Link All Marketing (in Hebrew) הסטארט-אפ הישראלי, TipRanks, זוכה זה בפעם השנייה בכנס Finovate by Shirley Asa Link American Banker Business Lender Finds Trove of Insights in Client CRM Data by Penny Crosman Link MoneyDesktop Launches Long-Term Goal Setting Tool by Sean Sposito Link PFM Apps Dominate FinovateFall Day One by Mary Wisniewski Link Reporter's Picks: Three Top Apps at FinovateFall by Sean Sposito Link The Cutting Edge of Online Banking, as Practiced by a Polish Bank by Mary Wisniewski Link The Top 10 Tweets of Finovate Link What Engagement Banking Needs Is Less Engagement by Jeanine Skowronski Link Backbase Blog Backbase Unveils New Commercial Banking Portal Solution at FinovateFall 2013 by Prue Duggan Link Bank Innovation 'Electronic Checks' Give Paper Payments New Life by Philip Ryan Link European Innovators Throw Down the Gauntlet: Where's the Innovation, Americans? by…

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P2Binvestor Raises $1.2 Million in Series A Round

By David Penn Posted on
Categories: P2BInvestor

The combination of peer-to-peer lending and business receivables financing championed by P2Binvestor continues to pay dividends for the Colorado-based startup.

P2Binvestor announced on Monday that it had successfully raised $1.2 million in equity and warrants in Series A round of funding. Participating were entrepreneur John Spiers, Rockies Venture Club investors, as well as others. The financing will help the crowdfunding receivables company grow its software platform, and expand its sales and marketing operations to accommodate new business.

P2Binvestor helps connect the needs of small businesses seeking capital with entrepreneurs and investors seeking market-based returns. Collateralized by business receivables, the funding made available to small businesses via the P2Binvestor platform often provides working capital that is both quicker and more efficient than what has been offered traditionally by the banks. Said P2Binvestor CEO and co-founder, Bruce Morgan, "Bank credit remains tight ... 67 percent of small businesses were unable to secure…

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Wipit Brings in Series A Financing from Core Innovation Capital

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Funding, Wipit

Mobile wallet provider Wipit announced last week that it received an undisclosed amount in Series A funding.

Wipit's major offering is a mobile wallet service, which, in a combined effort with Boost Mobile, was launched 

specifically to serve the underbanked community. Any user with a mobile phone has access to the mobile wallet-- even if they don't have a bank account. 

Since Core Innovation Capital focuses on supporting innovations that serve the underbanked community, Wipit is a good candidate for the funding.

The California-based company plans to use this Series A round to expand consumer adoption.

To learn more about Wipit, watch its FinovateSpring 2012 demo.

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Finovate Alumni News– September 16, 2013

By David Penn Posted on
Categories: BankersLab, Doxo, Finect, MasterCard, P2BInvestor, Q2ebanking, Toopher, Wipit
P2BInvestor raises $1.2 million in Series A round. Toopher wins spot among finalists for IBM SmartCamp North America Regional competition. MasterCard partners with Entrepreneurial Finance Lab (EFL) to promote small businesses in developing nations. Finect provides winning entry for Web Marketing Association's WebAward 2013. Eli Lilly FCU selects Q2 for implementation of Unified User Experience. Boost Mobile Wallet powered by Wipit now offers Quick Check RDC service. BankersLab adds 4 senior financial services executives to its training team. Rubatino Refuse Removal joins doxo, its paperless adoption jumps 10% in first 90 days. 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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Finovate Alumni News– September 13, 2013

By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Dashlane, eDeposit, Emida, IDology, InComm, Interactions, LearnVest, mBank & Accenture, Mitek, MoneyDesktop, Motif Investing, Numbrs, TipRanks, TradeKing, Yodlee
TradeKing wins FINRA approval for acquisition of GAIN Securities. Numbrs AG earns $3.8M in funding from parent Centralway. Interactions, LearnVest, mBank & Accenture, Mitek, Money Desktop, Motif Investing, TipRanks, and Yodlee pick up Best of Show awards at FinovateFall 2013. InComm, in partnership with CVS/pharmacy wins Best Third-Party Card Retailer Award. Standard Distributing and Other Side Produce select eDeposit as their web and mobile payment solution. Emida launches new smartphone POS app, available worldwide. Dashlane launches iPad app. IDology launches ExpectID Global, an international expansion of its solution. 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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Numbrs AG Earns $3.8 Million in Funding from Parent Centralway

By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Numbrs

Under the banner "One app to rule them all" Numbrs AG announced this week that they had picked up an additional $3.8 million from parent company, Centralway.

The capital infusion takes the total funding for the mobile-first banking app spinoff to more than $11 million. The funding is earmarked to help suppoprt Numbrs' launch in the United States, slated for early 2014.

Switzerland-based Numbrs aggregates all a user's financial accounts into one app. The multi-banking app gives consumers access to all of their accounts from any location, allowing them to pay bills and conduct other financial transactions such as money transfers.  The app also includes a feature called the "Future Timeline" which provides an overview of likely future transactions based on past spending. This feature helps users better understand, anticipate, and manage their cash flow. Founded in 2012, Numbrs has been available in Germany since August of this year. As…

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FinovateFall 2013 Best of Show Winners

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: FinovateFall 2013, Interactions, LearnVest, mBank, mBank & Accenture, Mitek, MoneyDesktop, Motif Investing, TipRanks, Yodlee

We just wrapped up FinovateFall 2013 in New York. After a successful two days filled to the brim with 69 live demos, the audience voted for their favorites. Ultimately, the top eight companies were named Best of Show, and took home a trophy.

The winners (in alphabetical order):

Interactions, for its voice-based virtual assistant technology

LearnVest, for its iPad app and Workplace Solutions Center

mBank & Accenture,  for their Bank 3.0 online platform

Mitek for its Mobile Photo Account Opening solution MoneyDesktop, for its GuideMe solution

Motif for its platform that lets you invest in ideas in one click TipRanks, cloud-based accountability engine for investors

Yodlee, for its debut of TANDEM that helps groups manage and discuss shared finances

All of the 69 demo videos will be posted on Finovate.com in a few weeks.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined…

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