Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • BlueRush’s IndiVideo to Boost Customer Engagement for Meridian Credit Union.
  • Tradeshift Collaborates with MakerDAO on Blockchain Payments.
  • Azimo Adds 10 Countries for Nordic Users.

Around the web

  • Inc. talks to Kabbage about why its holding off on an IPO.
  • Lendio has helped facilitate nearly $120 million in growth capital through 5,000 loans to small businesses in California to date.

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 Global: Fintech News from Around the World

As Finovate goes increasingly global, so does our coverage of financial technology. Finovate Global: Fintech News from Around the World is our weekly look at fintech innovation in developing economies in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Central and Eastern Europe.

Central and Eastern Europe

  • Raiffeisen Bank Romania unveils eight fintech finalists for its Elevator Lab Challenge.
  • Alfa-Bank Belarus migrates to WAY4 platform from digital payments solutions provider OpenWay.
  • 150Sec.com takes a look at the graduating cohort of 19 fintech startups emerging from Latvia and Estonia accelerator programs.

Middle East and Northern Africa

  • Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) signs MoU with Astana Financial Services Authority.
  • Bahrain Development Bank (BDB) announces closing $100 million fundraising round for its Al Waha Fund of Funds.
  • Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) introduces its regulatory framework for spot crypto asset activities.

Latin America

  • BlueRush teams up with Kunder to forge partnership with Chilean pension fund leader, AFPHabitat.
  • Integrated Biometrics announces its 10-print fingerprint scanners have become the standard for financial service organizations in Mexico.
  • Argentine fintech Increase earns Best of the World award for its positive social and environmental impact.

Asia

  • MatchMove powers the first contactless prepaid Mastercard in South Asia
  • Singapore’s PayNow service to be extended to corporate customers with launch of PayNow Corporate later this summer.
  • Cambodia announces plans to build $70 million data center to support development of the country’s digital economy.

Sub-Saharan Africa

  • IT News Africa’s 5 Most Innovative Startups in Kenya list features P2P micro lending marketplace Pezesha; SaaS mobile commerce platform, Sky.Garden; and FX and payment platform, BitPesa.
  • EcoFin Hebdo looks at the rise of insurtech in Africa. In French.
  • Online sports betting in Nigeria sees boost as popularity of digital payments agrows.

Top image designed by Freepik

BLUERUSH Introduces New CEO and Director Steve Taylor

BLUERUSH Introduces New CEO and Director Steve Taylor

Steve Taylor will take the reins at BLUERUSH, the company announced today. Taylor, a current BLUERUSH director, replaces Larry Lubin who will remain with the firm as President and as a director.

“Since getting involved in Bluerush I have become increasingly impressed with the team and the market opportunity for the Digital Reach and Individeo platforms,” Taylor said. “We are now beginning to put the sales, marketing, and R&D elements in place to accelerate the transformation of Bluerush into a SaaS business.”

Additionally, Round 13 Capital co-founder John Eckert will join BLUERUSH’s board of directors. Round 13 contributed to the company’s recent fundraising effort along with the Capital Founders Fund.

Above: BLUERUSH President Larry Lubin demonstrating Individeo at FinovateFall 2017.

“I am very excited to have Steve Taylor on board as the CEO and John Eckert join our Board,” Lubin said. “Steve has been instrumental in helping us develop a roadmap that will help us grow our recurring revenues and he will be in an even better position to drive this as the CEO.”

Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, BLUERUSH demonstrated its Individeo platform at FinovateFall 2017. Individeo leverages big data visualization to produce personalized videos that help financial services customers better understand their financial options. Also active in healthcare and media verticals, the company’s flagship solution, Digital Reach, gives sales and marketing professionals personalization, distribution, and tracking of content, providing a high level of control over how content is distributed and to whom.

In October, the company announced a $1.3 million fundraising, featuring participation from Round 13 and Capital Founders Fund, as well as now-CEO Steve Taylor. BLUERUSH is a publicly-traded company on the TSVX under the ticker symbol “BTV” and has a market capitalization of $5 million.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • Backbase 6 Features New Digital Banking Backend, Open Banking and PSD2 Readiness
  • DoubleNet Pay to Power Cash Flow Management Tool for T. Rowe Price
  • SBDA Group Closes Series A Investment Round
  • ID.me Reaches 5 Million Users, Appoints C-Level Execs
  • BLUERUSH Introduces New CEO and Director Steve Taylor

Around the web

  • Filene interviews Larky CEO Gregg Hammerman on the company’s recent VISA partnership.
  • PR Savings Bank in APAC signs with Temenos.
  • Ripple completes XRP Lockup to create certainty of XRP supply at any given time.
  • ACI Worldwide receives SWIFT gpi certification for itsUniversal Payments (UP) Real-Time Payments solution.
  • Facebook Messenger chief David Marcus joins Coinbase board.

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.

BLUERUSH Raises $1.3 Million in New Funding

BLUERUSH Raises $1.3 Million in New Funding

BLUERUSH closed a non-brokered private placement this week, raising $1.3 million in capital. Participating in the funding were Round 13 Capital Founders Fund, which was responsible for $750,000 of the financing, and newly appointed director Steve Taylor, who subscribed for $250,000.

“This financing will allow us to ramp up our sales and R&D efforts as we continue on our path toward a recurring revenue model,” BLUERUSH President and CEO Larry Lubin said. “The investors in the private placement are highly strategic and bring decades of experience in high growth technology companies. They will be a valuable asset to us going forward.”

BLUERUSH President and CEO Larry Lubin demonstrating INDIVIDEO at FinovateFall 2017.

In a blog post at the BLUERUSH website, the company noted that the funding will also boost its digital platform strategy, providing momentum for the company’s sales enablement platform DIGITALREACH and its personalized video/rich media content platform, INDIVIDEO. Rielle Ullberg, Digital Marketing and Sales Coordinator for BLUERUSH wrote, “the demand for personalized digital experiences continues to increase; specifically within the realm of financial services.” Ullberg noted that the company’s client list includes “some of the biggest and most progressive banks, brokers, and insurance companies in North America.”

Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, BLUERUSH demonstrated its “advice engine” INDIVIDEO at FinovateFall 2017. The company, which also has offices in Montreal, Quebec and in Herndon, Virginia, leverages AI and big data visualization to create more engaging customer experiences for clients in financial services, healthcare, and media. From strategy development and lead generation to video marketing and interactive tools and training, BLUERUSH helps brands develop customized strategies to grow their businesses.

In financial services, BLUERUSH’s technology simplifies information and enables professionals to communicate it in a more compelling way. This makes it easier for consumers to make better decisions and helps advisors build trust with their clients. “It’s not just business,” Lubin said from the Finovate stage in September, emphasizing the importance of “advice” in the self-serve oriented, fintech experience. “It’s personal. And financial matters are really personal.”

BLUERUSH trades on the TSVX under the ticker symbol “BTV,” and has a market capitalization of $5 million (6 million CAD).

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • Tink Receives $16.5 Million in Funding, Announces Expansion, New Clients.
  • BLUERUSH Raises $1.3 Million in New Funding.

Around the web:

  • Blackhawk Network appoints Charles O. Garner as Chief Financial Officer.
  • Tavant enabling digital mortgage experience for goodmortgage.com.
  • TechCrunch: TransferWise changes fees for GBP transfers, introduces complicated flat transaction fees.
  • Chain.com announces a new service called Sequence, a cloud-based ledger service for managing balances in financial and commerce apps.
  • Fidor partners with Eight to jointly design the customer experience for Fidor’s  financial services marketplace.
  • Temenos and Abu Dhabi Global Market announce fintech collaboration.

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.

FinovateFall Sneak Peek: BLUERUSH

FinovateFall Sneak Peek: BLUERUSH

A look at the companies demoing live at FinovateFall on September 11 through 14 in New York. Pick up your tickets today and save your spot.

BLUERUSH specializes in reimagining financial tools and experiences to drive more active financial decision-making and smarter conversations.

Features

  • Creates a humanized experience that mimics an advisor conversation
  • Transforms financial tools from simple advertisements to lead generation opportunities.
  • Simplifies complex financial concepts

Why it’s great
Personalization is key to competing in the digital space. INDIVIDEO creates a more compelling story that makes more active financial decision-making and more impactful marketing outreach.

Presenters

Larry Lubin, CEO and President
Lubin is the founder of BLUERUSH and has been a leading individual in the financial services space. Being a key strategist on several major initiatives, he has driven the evolution of fintech.
LinkedIn

 

Matt Wrobel, Marketing Strategist
Bringing a unique background in science, business, and technology, Wrobel has played a major role in leading BLUERUSH’s product and business development.
LinkedIn