Alumni News– January 26, 2015

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgMIT Technology Review features Feedzai and Zumigo in a discussion on mobile authentication technologies.
  • Loan origination platform LoanLaunch (formerly Common Origination Platform) now available from Fiserv.
  • Experian partners with BillGuard to boost effectiveness of its anti-fraud solution, ProtectMyID.
  • Misys unveils FusionBanking Lending.
  • American Banker takes a look at the relationship between Google and Lending Club.
  • Kabbage named one of America’s top 100 Most Promising Companies 
  • Coinbase to open the first regulated Bitcoin exchange in the U.S. 
  • Actiance announces support for IBM Verse and IBM Connections Social Cloud.
  • Credit Sesame launches iOS app with Siri integration in its credit monitoring feature.
  • Google Wallet partners with WePay to put its Instant Buy API in 200,000 e-commerce shops.
  • TransferWise Raises $58 Million in Round Led by Andreessen Horowitz.
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.

Alumni News– January 22, 2015

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgKreditech secures $200 million credit line from Victory Park Capital.
  • GMC Software and Silanis Technology partner to integrate eSignLive with Inspire.
  • Internet Retailer features Trustev CEO Pat Phelan in discussion on consumer fraud.
  • TradeKing unveils Risk Assist to protect clients against steep market declines.
  • Braintree completes initial integration with Coinbase; opens up private beta access.
  • Financial Post business section features Digital Retail Apps in its look at digital payments in 2015.
  • Realty Mogul adds new Senior VP of Mortgage Operations, Kendra King.
  • Temenos forges strategic alliance with EFT processor, Elan Financial Services.
  • Check out our latest FinovateEurope 2015 Sneak Peek, Part 4 featuring Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, CPB Software AG, Ixaris, JSC Delta Bank, QCR, and Topicus Financial.
  • Planwise launches Connect, leveraging affordability tools to help real estate agents engage potential buyers.
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.

Alumni News– January 21, 2015

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgYour Personal Financial Mentor profiles EZBOB.
  • BrightScope releases AdviceMatch, a free online service to help consumer choose financial advisors.
  • OnDeck Marketplace emerges from pilot program. Platform helps institutional investors buy small business loans.
  • Venture Burn takes a look at Azimo and the West African remittance market.
  • Kreditech named Germany’s leading digital innovator of the year by Focus Magazine.
  • Arroweye Solutions CEO Render Dahiya urges issuers on EMV adoption.
  • Check out FinovateEurope 2015 Sneak Peek: Part 3.
  • Coinbase Raises $75 Million from BBVA, USAA, NYSE, & Others.
  • Millennial-focused BankMobile app is powered by Malauzai Software and uses Mitek to power mobile customer on-boarding.
  • Roostify describes its experience with Yodlee’s FinDat Disruptor program.
  • PayPal to use InComm to support PayPal’s digital gifts services in Canada.
  • Yale Undergraduate selects Wall Street Survivor to help students understand investing and personal finance. 
  • Technical.ly/ Baltimore looks at how TIO Networks powers Baltimore’s online bill pay system.
  • Tradeshift wins Circular Economy Digital Disruptor Award held at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
  • CustomerXPs and EY, a tax advisory firm, partner to help companies deal with fraud.
  • iBillionaire updates mobile app & releases new High Dividend Index.
  • Payment Data Systems to acquire Akimbo for $3 million.
  • Be sure to check out FinovateEurope Sneak Peek #2 featuring AlphaPoint, Avoka, Encap Security, investUP, Nostrum Group, and StreetShares.
  • True Link Raises $3 Million in Round Led by Cambia Health Solutions.
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.

Coinbase Raises $75 Million from BBVA, USAA, NYSE, & Others

CoinbaseLogo.jpg

Amid recent murmurs of cryptocurrency’s projected outlook for 2015, bitcoin wallet Coinbase just received some credibility from some major financial institutions.

The San Francisco-based company pulled in $75 million in a round led by Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ). BBVA VenturesUSAA Bank, New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), and Crypto Currency Partners also contributed, along with existing investors Andreessen Horowitz, Union Square Ventures, and Ribbit Capital.

From a fintech standpoint, the most notable investors are BBVA and USAA. Both have historically been known for being on the cutting edge of fintech. In an interview yesterday with CoinDesk, BBVA Ventures executive director Jay Reinemann stated:

“This is unfortunately not an announcement that we’re opening up the bank to do that, it’s moreso a precursor. We need to better understand the industry and understand how merchants and consumers are interacting with bitcoin.”

According to TechCrunch, this is the largest round yet a bitcoin-related company has raised. The new installment adds up to more than double its last three rounds combined, and brings its total funding to almost $107 million.

CoinbaseHomepage.jpg

What’s a bitcoin-focused company to do with all of those dollars? The Coinbase team will use the money to work on its mobile channel, increase its international availability from the current 19 countries to 30 countries, and build out its API.

To see the Coinbase wallet in action, check out its live demo from FinovateSpring 2014 where it demoed Instant Exchange.

Alumni News– January 7, 2015

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgGreen Dot boosts CTO Kuan Archer to Chief Operating Officer.
  • Algomi announces Jesper Bruun-Olsen as new head of Asia-Pacific operations.
  • LendingTree parent company, Tree, to change corporate name back to LendingTree.
  • New York Daily News coverage of financial advisor, Nicole Lapin, references Toshl Finance.
  • European CEO publishes an extended feature on ayondo.
  • American Banker considers how Larky offers geolocation-based offer services to community banks.
  • KissMyAds partners with Payoneer to receive funds through Payoneer MasterCard.
  • ABC News features Betterment and Wealthfront to help investments.
  • AboutThatRatio names Dwolla, Wealthfront and Kabbage as 3 fintech companies to watch.
  • How Backbase Engage Upgrades Banks’ Digital Channels.
  • Coinbase redesigns iOS and Android wallet apps.
  • SigFig Starts 2015 with New Mobile Features, Refreshed Look.
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.

Alumni News– January 5, 2015

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgCredit Karma to offer Equifax credit scores and reports.
  • American Banker profiles Global Debt Registry.
  • Silicon Valley Tech News interviews Ayasdi CEO Gurjeet Singh.
  • Central Florida Future features Toshl Finance in its look at smartphone apps.
  • Burning Man using Coinbase to accept Bitcoin donations.
  • In case you missed it while you were in Holiday Hibernation: A look back at the 28 Finovate and FinDEVr Best of Show winners of 2014.
  • NICE Systems releases voice biometrics-based Real-Time Fraud Prevention solution.
  • Airbnb, Boxed, Munchery and YPlan enable Braintree’s One Touch buying experience.
  • Authentity blog names ThreatMetrix and Entersekt as authentication companies to watch in 2015.
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 Alums Fill Ranks of KPMG’s Fintech Innovators for 2014

Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpg

Draw up a list of the top fintech innovators of 2014. Got it? Now tell me how many of your top 50 companies are not just impressive companies in their respective fields, but Finovate alums, as well.

If you are global accounting and consulting group, KPMG, then the answer is “more than half.”

Of the 50 companies recognized by KPMG in its 2014 review of top fintech innovators, 27 have demoed their technologies at Finovate conferences. And of that 27, 13 have won Best of Show at least once.
50Fintechreport.jpg
The inaugural “50 Best Fintech Innovators” report is a joint venture between AWI Ventures KPMG Australia and the Financial Services Council (FSC). 
The companies chosen were selected based on four factors: total capital raised, rate of capital raising, degree of sub industry disruption, and “degree of product, service, customer experience and business model innovation.” 
Writing in an introduction to the report, AWI Limited CEO Ben Heap explained why fundraising played such a prominent part of the selection process.
“These assessment criteria reflect the fact that venture capital invested is a relevant measure of innovation which in turn fuels enduring competitive advantage,” he wrote. 
“Venture capitalists seek this enduring competitive advantage over and above everything else.”
Here’s a breakdown of Finovate alums in the list, in order of appearance, along with links to their most recent demo video. Boldface indicates Best of Show winner.
“Ones to Watch” 
See the full list of companies here.

Alumni News– December 17, 2014

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgThe Jerusalem Post profiles Israeli startup, TipRanks.
  • CashStar Market Solution is now powering 150 promotions during this year’s winter holiday season.
  • Enterprising Investor highlights Betterment, LearnVest, Motif Investing, Venmo, and Wealthfront in its column on Millennials and money.
  • TechZone 360 discusses CrowdFlower in a review of “What’s Hot and What’s Not on Data Science for 2015.”
  • Yahoo! Finance features an interview with Rippleshot co-founder and CPO Yueyu Fu.
  • WingCash unveils Brand Cash, a digital currency that replaces merchant-specific gift and loyalty cards.
  • Financial Times profiles Betterment CEO and co-founder, Jon Stein.
  • After Manilla’s demise, Mint launches bill pay and bill management platform.
  • Time, Inc partners with Coinbase to accept bitcoin for subscriptions to Fortune, Health, This Old House and Travel + Leisure.
  • Tradeshift to waive 30% revenue share from organizations that build apps to support the circular economy http://bit.ly/13cY6S6
  • Wealth Management looks at the human advisors behind Personal Capital and SigFig.
  • Money Talks News lists alternative lending sites to consider: Prosper, Lending Club, and Kabbage.
  • ID Analytics names Timothy Laughlin as new CFO.
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.

Alumni News– December 15, 2014

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgSFGate column on the technology of mobile payments features thoughts from PayPal’s Max Levchin and Loop’s Will Graylin.
  • Stockpile teams up with Yodlee to provide Invest Your Change, Stock Purchasing and Gifting products.
  • American Banker takes a look at “post-IPO expectations” for newly-public Lending Club.
  • Golden Pacific Bank adds mobile remote deposit capture to its mobile banking offerings courtesy of Digital Insight.
  • National Association for Business Resources names Billhighway Best and Brightest Company to work for in 2014.
  • Time asks: What is Venmo?
  • Nine of the 15 fintech startups Forbes recommends watching in 2015 are Finovate and FinDEVr alums.
  • eWeek reports on Arxan Technology’s mobile Runtime App Self Protection (RASP) enhancements.
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.

Alumni News– December 3, 2014

  • iQuantifi announces million-dollar angel investment.
  • LendingTree unveils its small business loan marketplace with loans from $5,000 to $1 million.
  • Young Adult Money explains how to invest using Motif Investing.
  • Betterment reaches 50,000 customer milestone.
  • SK Planet promotes its Bluetooth Low Energy powered mileage app, Syrup, in Seoul.
  • True Potential announces the launch of 15 new, open-ended investment company funds in Q1 2015.
  • Bank of South Pacific to deploy ACI Proactive Risk Manager from ACI Worldwide to help protect against fraud.
  • Klarna to invest $100 million over the next three years to launch its payments systems in the U.S.
  • Finovate Debuts: Loyal3’s Stock Investments Democratizes Access to Stocks and IPOs.
  • Entrepreneurial Finance Lab gets a new look.
  • Pymnts features conversation with Currency Cloud’s Chief Commercial Officer on how they modernize money movement.
  • Coinbase now enables some customers to hold USD balances in their Coinbase wallets.
  • Time names Braintree’s Venmo as 1 of the top 10 apps of 2014.
  • Blockchain issued a .SSL certification.
  • TechVibes features Trulioo’s new design.
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.

Alumni News– December 2, 2014

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgCompass Plus TranzAxis now supports Futurex hardware security modules.
  • Coinbase introduces USD Wallets, enabling users to store U.S. dollar balances.
  • TradeKing unveils new features for its new LIVE platform.
  • Forbes column on disruption in traditional money exchange features Azimo, TransferWise, and CurrencyFair.
  • CrowdFlower announces support for eight new languages and enhanced support for another four.
  • CEO and co-founder of Trustev Pat Phelan wins MSL Cork Business Person of the Year award.
  • Linqto, Crowd Curity, Xignite, and CUneXus win Future of Money & Technology Summit Startup Showcase.
  • TickSmith adds Amazon Web Services version of its financial big data platforms.
  • The New Daily features SocietyOne as a premium P2P lending option.
  • The Chicago Tribune considers Lending Club’s impending IPO.
  • Google Cloud Platform now PCI compliant, enabling developers to hold, process, and exchange credit card information.
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.

Alumni News– November 18, 2014

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgCoinbase to introduce bitcoin tip button to enable micropayment acceptance online.
  • Venmo users can now log in using both bank ID and Touch ID.
  • TechWeek Europe takes a look at Arxan Technologies’ State of Mobile App Security report.
  • Malaysian Digest features Azimo in a discussion on the revolution in the money transfer industry.
  • Dough Roller interviews iQuantifi CEO and Co-Founder, Tom White.
  • Business News Daily quotes Igor Gonta, CEO of Market Prophit on the importance of having a social media strategy.
  • PostFinance AG’s Monexio selects Mobino platform to help develop its own digital payment solutions.
  • SK Planet wins first prize at KPRA Awards 2014 for its filter program, Flitter.
  • Hiscox launches new digital insurance platform powered by Backbase CXP.
  • PayPal challenges Apple Pay with an app for the Pebble smartwatch.
  • The European Commission approves Tradeshift data format for government purchasing.
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.