Finovate Alumni News– April 4, 2012

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgFamZoo lists the cost of the 6 partnership options for financial institutions.
  • Dough Roller lists Betterment as 1 of 5 ways to automate your finances.
  • Social Lending Network reports Lending Club and Prosper collectively issue over $50 mil in loans.
  • Q2ebanking names David Peterson EVP, customer experience and innovation.
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 Best of Show Winners: 2007 to Present

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We recently looked back at Finovate’s Best of Show Awards archives and wanted to share the list of the 41 award-winning companies.

Here’s the Best of Show history that stretches back to 2007, the inception of Finovate:

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Held October 2, 2007
Mint: Online PFM for individuals
Mortgagebot’s Mortgage Marvel: Mortgage marketplace
Prosper: P2P lending network
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Held April 29, 2008
First ROI (now BancVue): Develops products and services for community financial institutions
Jwaala: Provides software solutions to help financial institutions compete
Zecco: Online stock and options trading
Zopa: P2P lending network
Finovate2008.jpg
Held October 14, 2008
CheckFree: Online banking platform 
Credit Karma: Provides a free and easy way for consumers to understand, monitor and monetize their credit profile
Mint: Online PFM for individuals
Neosaej’s MoneyAisle: Platform where banks compete in live auctions for an individual consumer’s business 
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Held April 28, 2009
BillShrink (now Truaxis): Provides a free cost-savings tool that saves consumers money on everyday bills
Prosper: P2P lending platform
Silver Tail Systems: Predictive analytics to prevent fraud abuse
SimpliFi: A web service that allows anyone to create and update their own financial plan
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Held September 29, 2009
BancVue’s Kasasa: national checking/ savings account brand for community financial institutions
Credit.com: Provides free interactive tools, education, and unbiased comparisons of quality financial products and services
Digital Insight from Intuit: Provides on-demand banking services to help financial institutions serve clients
Silver Tail Systems: Provides online fraud detection platform 
Yodlee: Provides personalized financial solutions to financial institutions
FinovateSpring2010.jpg


Held May 11, 2010
Bobber Interactive: Money management platform for youth
Expensify: Online and mobile expense report platform
oFlows (Purchased by Andera in 2011): Multichannel paperless solutions for account openings
Wikinvest: A platform for investors to share trading tips
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Held October 4-5, 2010
Betterment: Investment account for savings management 
BillShrink (now Truaxis): Loyalty rewards provider
Bundle: Provides socially informed money management for individuals
Dynamics: Produces and manufactures intelligent powered cards
oFlows (Purchased by Andera in 2011): Multichannel paperless solutions for account openings
PayNearMe: Cash transaction network for the underbanked
SecureKey: Token-based authentication technology
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Held February 1, 2011
eToro: Social investment network
Finantix: Provides sales and advice solutions for financial services 
Liqpay: Payments platform
Meniga: Online PFM for financial institutions
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Held May 10-11, 2011
BancVue: Develops products and services for community financial institutions
BankOns: Mobile app offering consumers real-time savings at local merchants
Dwolla: Online, mobile, and social peer-to-peer payment platform
oFlows (Purchased by Andera in 2011): Multichannel paperless solutions for account openings
Mitek Systems: Provides apps for smartphones that allow users to deposit checks and pay bills via their devices’ cameras
PayNearMe: Cash transaction network for the underbanked
Wikinvest: A platform for investors to share trading tips
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Held September 20-21, 2011
BillGuard: People-powered antivirus for bills
Dynamics:  produces and manufactures intelligent powered cards
eToro: Social investment network
FamZoo: Online “virtual family Bank”
FeeFighters: Platform that simplifies the process of choosing a merchant account provider
LearnVest: Online PFM for women
Offermatic: Targeted online offers provider
oFlows (Purchased by Andera in 2011): Multichannel paperless solutions for account openings
Personal Capital: Online financial advisor helping people manage their investments
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Held February 2, 2011
Cardlytics: Transaction-based rewards
Dynamics: produces and manufactures intelligent powered cards
eToro: Social investment network
Nutmeg: Online investment manager that democratizes saving and investing

Finovate Alumni News– February 23, 2012

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgLodo chosen by 120 banks and CUs.
  • Betterment lowers fees, introduces new features.
  • WorldPay offers BOKU as mobile payment method to its merchant network.
  • ReadyForZero launches savings platform.
  • Insurance Journal features Mitek’s Mobile Photo Quoting app for insurance.
  • Credit Sesame launches mortgage comparison tool.
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 Alumni News– January 19, 2012

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  • WorkLight launches special program for enterprise mobile and ISV developers.
  • TRUSTe certifies miiCard’s website to display the TRUSTe Web Privacy Seal.
  • Clifford Change law firm deploys Check Point software for a network security solution.
  • Bill.com helps banks offer business customers a more powerful payment, invoicing, and cash management platform.
  • SC Magazine considers ValidSoft’s view of voice biometrics. Come see ValidSoft at FinovateEurope Feb. 7.
  • Huffington Post recommends Mint.com, HelloWallet, Credit Karma, TradeKing, ReadyForZero, & Betterment for college students.
  • Q2ebanking selects Matt Flake as new CEO.
  • Doxo looks back at 2011 achievements.
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 Alumni News– November 16, 2011

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgApparel Retailer Aeropostale selects CashStar to provide e-gift cards.
  • CU Insight reports that Geezeo partners with IBT, a financial services innovator.
  • Dynamics’ Chip And Choice Technology wins 2011 CARTES Best in Show Award.
  • NY Daily News recommends LearnVest and DoughMain as resources for financial education.
  • Lendio inspires future entrepreneurs with $2,500 scholarship.
  • Arroweye approved to digitally produce Discover Cards.
  • ABA Banking Journal describes mobile banking, citing Celent’s report, “Innovations in Mobile at Finovate.”
  • Affinion Group to distribute Finsphere’s Mobile Transaction Monitoring service.
  • Betterment CEO Jon Stein interviews with top investment bloggers.
  • Centuryware discusses SecondMarket’s success.
  • Wonga CEO named Entrepreneur of the Year by European Tech Tour Association.
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 Alumni News– November 7, 2011

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  • BillGuard CEO, Yaron Samid, shares lessons learned as a startup entrepreneur.
  • Expensify listed as 1 of 7 software makers to bring integrated, cheaper add-ons to Google Apps.
  • The Globe and Mail lists Wikinvest as a tool to help ordinary investors dig through the data.
  • Investors.com explains the benefits of using Yodlee to track your finances.
  • Fast Company examines Betterment and BillGuard’s  #occupywallstreet event.
  • Dwolla alters its registration process into a more pleasant experience.
  • VentureBeat explains how Prosper is helping to support the #occupywallstreet protesters.
  • peerTransfer partners with 30 new universities.
  • Bill.com receives “Awesome Add-On” award.
  • Social Lending Network provides details on Prosper’s recent round of funding.
  • Balance Financial launches professional platform.
This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

Finovate Alumni Website Traffic in September

Each month we survey the Web-traffic performance of Finovate alums using data from Web-analytics company Compete.
Out of 268 alumni, 80 had more than 10,000 unique U.S. visitors in September 2011 and are included in the tables below. Of those, 33 (41%) had more visitors in September than August. Year-over-year, 42 (52%) had traffic increases.
Private Companies
  • Seeking Alpha and Cortera had the highest traffic in September with 2.1 and 2.0 million unique visitors, respectively. Cortera also had the highest increase in number of unique year-over-year visits with over 1.5 more visits in 2011 than in 2010.
  • Kabbage had the highest percentage growth year-over-year, up 280x.
  • Weemba saw the highest monthly growth percentage with more than 7.5 times the number of unique visitors in September compared to August.
  • SmartCredit.com had the highest increase in number of unique year-over-year visitors, growing by 126,000.
PrivateWebTrafficSeptember2.jpg
Source: Compete.com retrieved the week of October 26, 2011
 
1) The previous month recorded was August 2011
2) Sears Credit Score is powered by CreditKarma.com
3) Truaxis was formerly BillShrink
4) Kasasa is powered by BancVue
Public companies
 
  • CheckFree had the highest percentage growth year-over-year, with over 7 times the number of visitors this year than last year.
  • Intuit had a notable increase in number of unique, year-over-year visitors, increasing by 300,000 visits.
  • Check Point had the highest month-over-month percent growth, with 41% more visitors in September than in August.
PublicWebTrafficSeptember2.jpgSource: Compete.com retrieved the week of October 26, 2011

1) The previous month recorded was July 2011.
_______________________________________________________
Notes:
1. We reviewed 268 Finovate alumni. Only those with at least 10,000 unique visitors in July are listed.
3. NM = not measurable
4. t= tie
5. Compete estimates online visitors based on the activity of a panel of more than 2 million U.S. Internet users. It is only an estimate of traffic and may undercount at-work usage.

Finovate Alumni Website Traffic in August

Each month we survey the Web-traffic performance of Finovate alums using data from Web-analytics company Compete
Out of 268 alumni, 75 had more than 10,000 unique U.S. visitors in August 2011 and are included in the tables below. Of those, 41 (55%) had more visitors in August than July. Year-over-year, 45 (60%) had traffic increases.
Private Companies
  • Seeking Alpha — the most-trafficked in August with 2.5 million unique visitors — also had the highest increase in number of unique month-over-month visits with 300,000 more visits in August than in July.
  • Budgettracker.com saw the highest monthly growth percentage with more than 6.5 times the number of unique visitors in August compared to July.
  • Betterment had the highest percentage growth year-over-year, up 88x.
  • Cortera had the highest number of unique year-over-year visitors, growing by 1.5 million. 
August2011PrivateWebTraffic4.jpg
Source: Compete.com retrieved week of October 3, 2011
1) The previous month recorded was July 2011
2) Truaxis was formerly BillShrink
4) Kasasa is powered by BancVue
5) Checkingfinder.com is powered by BancVue

Public Companies

  • Fiserv had the highest month-over-month percent growth, with 50% more visitors.
  • CheckFree had the highest percentage growth year-over-year, with over 5 times the number of visitors.
  • S1 also had a high percentage growth year-over-year, doubling its visitors.
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Source: Compete.com retrieved the week of October 3, 2011
1) The previous month recorded was July 2011.
_______________________________________________________
Notes:
1. We reviewed 268 Finovate alumni. Only those with at least 10,000 unique visitors in July are listed. 
3. NM = Not measurable
4. t= Tie
5. Compete estimates online visitors based on the activity of a panel of more than 2 million U.S. Internet users. It is only an estimate of traffic and may undercount at-work usage.

Finovate Alumni News– October 20, 2011

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  • FreeMoneyWisdom blog interviews Jon Stein, Betterment CEO.
  • Silicon India Startup blog lists Expensify as a good app for busy CEOs.
  • National Review Online holds BankSimple up to Richard Bronson’s new ethics initiative.
  • Bremer Bank to add CheckFree RXP from Fiserv.
  • Yaron Samid of BillGuard & Jon Stein of Betterment to show how their products help solve #occupywallstreet issues.
  • Check out Finovate Alumni Website Traffic in August.
  • mFoundry & SecondMarket Hit Deloitte’s 2011 Technology Fast 500 list.
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 Alumni News– October 18, 2011

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgTSYS signs payments agreement with Imperial Bank.
  • The Baltimore Sun mentions BillFloat & Prosper.com as two companies that are assisting cash-strapped consumers.
  • LearnVest launches LV Mom’s Newsletter & 2 new products: Baby On Board Bootcamp & LV Discussions.
  • Weemba gives small businesses simple, direct pipeline for raising financing pre-holiday season.
  • Morningstar recommends CheckFree to help control your bills by setting up automatic payments.
  • Continuity Control buys Compliance Services Group of Iowa & Kirschler Peterson & Associates of Atlanta.
  • Crain’s New York Business.com mentions BillGuard, BankSimple, Betterment, SecondMarket, On Deck Captial & Plastyc.
  • Jemstep launches out of beta to offer custom investment advice & guidance.
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.

Betterment Enables Goal-Based Decision Making

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Next, Betterment shared Multiple Goals, a feature that helps consumers make smart decisions:
“Betterment is committed to helping consumers make the right investing decisions to meet their financial goals. Our new goal based tool enables users to make smart, goal-based investment decisions. In keeping with Betterment’s easy and intuitive user experience, we’ve created a simple three step process that empowers users to invest towards specific goals.
Step 1 – A user identifies their goal (i.e. retirement, buy a house, vacation, etc.), when they want to reach this goal, and how much they will contribute towards this goal.
Step 2 – User selects short term risk tolerance for this particular goal, based on Betterment’s projections of likely return, potential upside and downside.
Step 3 – User selects long term risk tolerance for this particular goal, based on Betterment’s projections.
After completing these three steps, the user receives a recommended portfolio allocation, and, can set their portfolio for this goal with just one click. Reaching future goals through investing is now faster and simpler than ever before!”
Product Launched: September 2011
HQ Location: New York, NY 
Company Founded: August 2008 
Presenting Jon Stein (Founder & CEO) & Anthony Schrauth (SVP Product)

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Finovate Alumni Website Traffic in July

Each month we survey the Web-traffic performance of Finovate alums using data from Web-analytics company Compete
Out of 255 alumni, 59 (23%) had more than 10,000 unique U.S. visitors in July 2011 (see tables below). Of those, 19 (32%) had more visitors than in the previous month and 25 (42%) were flat. Year-over-year, 26 (44%) had an increase, 10 (17%) were flat, and 23 (39%) were down. 

Private Companies
Notable successes:
  • Seeking Alpha had the most traffic in July with more than 2 million unique visitors.
  • eToro saw the highest monthly growth percentage with 3 times the number of unique visitors in July compared to June.
  • Bundle had the highest increase in number of unique month-over-month visits, with 450,000 more visitors in July than in June.
  • eRollover had the highest percent year-over-year traffic increase, with 260,000 more visitors from last July. 
JulyWebTrafficPrivate6.jpg
Source: Compete.com retrieved week of August 15, 2011
1. The previous month recorded was May 2011
2. Sears Credit Score is powered by CreditKarma.com
3. Kasasa is powered by BancVue
Public Companies
Notable successes:
  • PayPal had the highest number of U.S. visitors in July, with more than 30 million visitors.
  • Jack Henry & Associates saw the highest monthly growth with twice as many visitors in July than June.
  • Wipro Technologies had the highest year-over-year growth, with 3 times as many visitors this year compared to last year.
  • FIS Global and Online Resources also doubled their traffic compared to last year. 
JulyWebTrafficPublic4.jpg
Source: Compete.com retrieved the week of August 15, 2011
1. The previous month recorded was May 2011.
_______________________________________________________
Notes:
1. We reviewed 255 Finovate alumni. Only those with at least 10,000 unique visitors in July are listed. 
3. NM = Not measurable
4. Compete estimates online visitors based on the activity of a panel of more than 2 million U.S. Internet users. It is only an estimate of traffic and may undercount at-work usage.