Finovate Alums Dominate The FinTech50’s Inaugural Hall of Fame

Finovate Alums Dominate The FinTech50’s Inaugural Hall of Fame

Fintech50_homepage_April2016

FinTechCity unveiled its new FinTech50 Hall of Fame this week at the Money 20/20 event in Copenhagen, Denmark. Finovate alums took six out of the ten spots.

The “founding ten members” of TheFinTech50 Hall of Fame are companies that “have featured on our radar since the days when they could reasonably be called startups,” say FinTech50 founders Julie Lake and Nicky Cotter, writing in The FinTech50 2016 Yearbook. “In recognition of their pioneering spirit and competitive staying power, we felt they deserved their own special place within a list of remarkable game-changers,” the founders wrote.

FinTechCity also presented The FinTech50 2016, its roster of the fifty hottest FinTech businesses in Europe. Of the 50 companies selected by the panel of more than 30 industry experts who poured over more than 1,200 candidates, a full baker’s dozen were Finovate—or FinDEVr—alums.

Read the full list.

Lake and Cotter called this year’s competition “the most hotly contested FinTech50 in its four-year history.” The founders also highlighted differences from the 2015 list, with this year’s roster featuring more companies innovating in “security, compliance, and risk.”

Also noteworthy was the number of European fintech companies from the United Kingdom (more than 30 out of the 50). The founders credited this to the U.K.’s broader access to funding, as well as the region’s local talent, and “favorable regulatory environment.” Lake and Cotter also praised other emerging European fintech communities in Amsterdam, Berlin, and Stockholm.

In addition to The FinTech50 2016 and its new Hall of Fame, FinTechCity also announced its FinTech20 India and FinTech20 Hong Kong. Finovate alums were represented here with Demystdata (FinovateAsia 2012) earning a spot in the Hong Kong 20, and Bank Bazaar (FinovateAsia 2012) getting recognition in the India 20. Lastly, The FinTech50 shared “The Hot Ten,” a roster of companies on their watch list for 2016. Here, Finovate alum, Ormsby Street (FinovateFall 2015), was recognized on that list.

Finovate Alums Make Tech Tour’s 50 High Growth European Companies

Finovate Alums Make Tech Tour’s 50 High Growth European Companies

TechTourGrowth50_2016Tech Tour recognized seven Finovate alums in its 2016 Tech Tour Growth 50 (TTG50), a roster of the fastest-growing technology companies in Europe. Making this year’s cut were:

Managing Director of The Tech Tour William Stevens said that recognizing these companies was important in a world otherwise focused on “the billion-dollar unicorn successes.” He pointed out that the Tech Tour Growth 50 companies had “created more than 8,000 high-tech jobs, attracted $3.5 billion of investment, and have an estimated combined valuation of $14.2 billion.”

“This is a clear demonstration of Europe’s strength, potential and competitiveness in scaling-up tech businesses,” Stevens said.

A few additional metrics on the companies of the 2016 Tech Tour Growth 50:

  • 90%: percent founded in the last 10 years.
  • 22 months: the average time from formation to first funding
  • 66%: percent with at least one U.S. investor

This year’s list was chosen by a selection committee chaired by Jean-Michel Deligny, managing director of Silverpeak Investment Bank. Serving on the committee were representatives of:

  • Accel Partners
  • Amadeus Capital Partners
  • Bank of America Merrill Lynch
  • DN Capital
  • Earlybird
  • Highland Capital Partners Europe
  • Idinvest Partners
  • The World Economic Forum.

Companies for the TTTG50 were chosen based on “innovation potential, management team, and pedigree,” as well as factors such as sales growth. Candidates were required to have a minimum of €10 million in revenue, €20 million in total funding, and a valuation of at least €100 million but less than €1 billion.

The Tech Tour was founded in 1998 and is based in Geneva, Switzerland.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • “Best of Show Winner DriveWealth Inks New Partnership with Stoxs”
  • CopSonic and Natixis Team Up to Launch UltraSound Payment Solution, SwipeSonic”
  • PayPal Unveils Carrier Partnerships, NFC Payment Capability”

Around the web

  • LockByMobile is working with Visa APIs to enhance consumer transaction controls.
  • Kasasa launches new auto loan direct marketing program, Kasasa Fuel.
  • GMC Software teams up with SundaySky to improve customer experiences via video.
  • Fiserv announces that 25 credit unions have committed to CUnify, its account processing platform.
  • Corezoid is among the first Ukranian startups to participate at Startup Grind (in Ukranian).
  • Xero teams up with Google, bringing gmail and Google Apps for Work to its platform.
  • Dashlane web engineer Thomas Guillory explains why his company is building its next web app using React.js.
  • FirstBank to deploy Transakt, a multi-factor authentication technology from Entersekt.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • IP Commerce Closes Series A Round”
  • Linxo Raises €2 Million from Crédit Agricole”

Around the web

  • MasterCard and TransferWise talk about the “future of money and credit” with TechCruch at Davos 2016.
  • Let’s Talk Payments features Betterment in a roundup of fintech startups focused on reducing fees for retirement savers.
  • OnDeck enters referral agreement with Opus Bank to power SMB lending.
  • BehavioSec to power behavioral biometrics for TeleSign.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

Finovate’s European Alums Raised More Than $350 Million in 2015

Finovate’s European Alums Raised More Than $350 Million in 2015

Euros_purple

Nineteen Finovate alums headquartered in Europe raised $350 million in 2015.

From the $16,000 in seed money raised by U.K. startup, StockViews, to the €82 million investment received by Germany’s Kreditech, we’ve counted every euro, pound, and dollar that investors poured into our European alums. And whether the funding represented an initial infusion of capital or was part of a multi-stage Series E round, it is clear that investors are very interested in the fintech innovations of Europe.

Take a look for yourself at the “European Portfolio” from 2015 below, featuring Finovate alums from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

GermanFlagGermany

 

Ireland_FlagIreland

 

Netherlands_FlagThe Netherlands

 

 

Switzerland_Flag

 

Switzerland

 

 

UK_FlagUnited Kingdom


There’s still time to join us in London for FinovateEurope! Our two-day conference returns to Old Billingsgate Market Hall, February 9 and 10. Get your tickets today and save your spot.

 

 

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • “Finovate Debuts: Sliced Investing Provides Advisers with Access to Alternative Investments”
  • “Narrative Science Introduces Anti-money Laundering Solution, Quill for AML
  • “Yodlee’s Ynext Unveils New Incubator Class”

Around the web

  • Thomson Reuters unveils latest version of its tax technology platform, Thomson Reuters ONESOURCE.
  • Re/code looks at ShopKeep POS’s growth and newly hired COO, Michael DeSimone.
  • Currency Cloud partners with API-driven Fidor Bank to provide new SEPA Direct Debit functionality.
  • Hedgeable to take part in Yodlee’s Ynext Launchpad.
  • Business Insider lists eToro, BehavioSec, Klarna, and Fidor, as “companies we wish were big the U.S.”
  • Silicon Slopes Podcast hosts Ryan Caldwell, MX CEO, as he discusses how to improve online banking.
  • RTN Federal Credit Union re-ups with Fiserv’s XP2 account-processing platform.
  • Meniga to power Santander’s PFM.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

Finovate Alums Earn Top Honors at U.K. Emerging Payments Awards

Finovate Alums Earn Top Honors at U.K. Emerging Payments Awards

Three Finovate/FinDEVr alums won top honors at the Emerging Payments Awards in London, United Kingdom, earlier this month.

HyperwalletLogoHyperwallet won in the “Best Corporate/Government Payments Programme” division with its Paylution Global Disbursements Program. In a statement, CEO Brent Warrington highlighted the scalability and flexibility of the Hyperwallet platform, and reported that more than five million independent workers are currently using the technology. Hyperwallet demonstrated its RESTful API and embedded payout widget at FinDEVr 2015 in San Francisco in October.

Revolut_logo_high-resIn partnership with Optimal Payments, Revolut won the “Best Emerging Payments Startup” category. Optimal Payments and Revolut teamed up back in July to launch a multi-currency MasterCard and mobile app that helps travelers take advantage of the best exchange rates available. Revolut made its Finovate debut this year at FinovateEurope 2015 in London.

Clover_logoClover Mobile won “Best Payment Technological Innovation” for its Future-Proof mPOS. Clover Mobile was launched in the fall of 2014, a year after Clover was acquired by First Data. Clover made its Finovate appearance at FinovateSpring 2012 in San Francisco.

The other four Finovate/FinDEVr alums that made it to the finals were:

The event’s overall Industry Contributor Award went to IrisGuard for its EyeBank Iris Recognition electronic payment platform. The platform has been deployed to help bring “sustainable financial inclusion” to those in the Syrian refugee program. As of June 2015, the program had enrolled more than 1.6 million refugees.

Now in its eighth year, the Emerging Payments Awards help recognize creative and business talent in the payments industry. The Awards are run by the Emerging Payments Association, which has also provided the Prepaid Awards since 2006. The Association said that this year’s Emerging Payments Awards was its largest event to date.


If you’re in the United Kingdom and love fintech, then make sure FinovateEurope 2016 is on your calendar. Our two-day conference returns to London, February 9 and 10, 2016.

 

 

 

 

FinDEVr APIntelligence

FinDEVr2015LogoV2DateAre you building new financial technology? Be sure to check out coverage from our recent developers conference in San Francisco. We’re taking the fintech developer tool showcase to New York, 29/30 March 2016. Stay tuned for details.

Developer news

The latest from FinDEVr San Francisco 2015 presenters

  • Fidor Bank wins in two categories at BAI Retail Delivery’s Global Banking Innovation Awards.
  • WSJ features BehavioSec and Nymi in its piece, The Next Security Frontier: The Human Body.
  • PYMNTS.com takes a look at Currency Cloud and the latest update to its API, Payment Engine Two.
  • Worldpay’s IPO on London Stock Exchange is the U.K.’s largest IPO of the year, at a market cap of £4.8 billion ($7.3 billion).
  • Self Lender names MX one of three startups “absolutely crushing it” in fintech.
  • “Kabbage’s Fresh $135 Million to Help Grow Karrot Consumer Lending Platform”

Alumni updates

  • PocketSmith launches in Xero Add-On Marketplace.
  • Expensify launches new integration features for Xero.
  • Nymi recruits CEO John Haggard; Karl Martin will now serve as CTO.

Stay up to date on daily developments by following FinDEVr on Twitter.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • “A View From Backstage at FinDEVr San Francisco 2015″
  • “Stockpile Hauls in $15 Million in New Investment”
  • “Emailage, Feedzai Partner to Combine Machine Learning with Email Risk Assessment”
  • “Moven Rounds Up $12 Million in Funding for International Expansion”

Around the web

  • Somerset Trust Company to deploy Retail+ for Small Business Banking solution from Malauzai Software.
  • Trustly expands into 21 new markets, now reaching 29 countries.
  • PYMNTS.com takes a look at Currency Cloud and the latest update to its API, Payment Engine Two.
  • Misys launches its dedicated-payment risk-management solution, FusionBanking Payment Insulator.
  • American Banker names 11 Finovate and FinDEVr alums in its list of 21 companies to watch.
  • Worldpay’s IPO on London Stock Exchange is the U.K.’s largest IPO of the year, at a market cap of £4.8 billion ($7.3 billion).
  • New enhancements to CreditHQ from Ormsby Street feature letter templates, new dashboard metrics.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • “Hip Pocket Introduces its New PFM Solution, Hip Money
  • “FinDEVr Newcomer Praesidio Rakes in $3 Million Investment”

Around the web

  • Cachet Financial Solutions to deploy its Select Mobile Money platform with a global payment solutions provider seeking U.S. expansion.
  • Currency Cloud launches its Payment Engine Two API to enable faster payments and greater scalability.
  • D+H Global PayPlus teams up with Ripple, integrating its payment-services hub with Ripple’s distributed-ledger technology.
  • Thomson Reuters announces content update to its Checkpoint Catalyst FASB reporting solution.
  • Ahead of its impending IPO, Worldpay firms up IPO price range.
  • Self Lender names MX as one of three startups “absolutely crushing it” in fintech.
  • Wealthfront lists App Annie, Avalara, Credit Karma, and Twilio on its list of career-launching companies.
  • Expensify launches new integration features for Xero.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

FinDEVr Live: Currency Cloud Takes a Look into the Creation of its API

FinDEVr Live: Currency Cloud Takes a Look into the Creation of its API

CurrencyCloudHomepage
currencycloud.com | currencycloud.com/blog | @currency_cloud

Currency cloud_logo_RGB_leftDevelop and automate your product with the Currency Cloud Payment Engine. Benefit from real-time wholesale rates and a fast, secure payment network that can be tailored to your business using our next generation API.

Currency Cloud API Rebuild by the Currency Cloud tech team is giving the audience an insider’s perspective on how they rebuilt the company’s market-leading API. They will cover the trade-offs between conventions, customer feedback and usability that take the creation of an API from textbook to real life. They are also talking through the innovative processes that they employed to ensure that the new API was exceptionally easy-to-use from the outset.

Key takeaways:

  • Trade-offs between reality and theory when building an API
  • Real world ‘drinking your own champagne’
  • Exposing your APIs in an open-source environment

currencyCloud_findevr

Presenters:

Rachel Nienaber, VP Engineering
LinkedIn | rachel.nienaber@currencycloud.com | +44 20 3597 4884
Nienaber is responsible for the ongoing development of Currency Cloud technology and support for client needs. Fluent in Ruby and Java, her knowledge of ever-evolving standards, passion for technology, and experience in scaling products makes her a critical asset for Currency Cloud in today’s global economy.

Liam McAndrew, Development Manager
LinkedIn | @liam_mcandrew | liam.mcandrew@currencycloud.com | +44 77 1912 9392
McAndrew is development manager at Currency Cloud. Having been with the company since its inception, he has played a key role in building the technology that is currently transacting over $10 billion a year. He is fascinated by the emergence of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology.

FinDEVr APIntelligence

FinDEVr2015LogoV2DateAre you building new financial technology? Be sure to register soon for the only event exclusively for fintech developers, FinDEVr 2015, to be held on 6/7 Oct in San Francisco.

Developer news

  • Fusion, Switzerland’s first fintech accelerator, selects 10 startups for its 12-month acceleration program that starts on 5 October.

The latest from upcoming FinDEVr 2015 presenters

  • PayPal explains its recently launched API Transactions Dashboard.
  • BehavioSec joins PwC’s Accelerator Programme.
  • Personal Capital appoints Mark Goines as CMO.
  • Business Insider ranks Currency Cloud among top fintech companies in Britain.
  • Let’s Talk Payments lists 25 top alternative lending startups including OnDeck.
  • Kanto X hits $2+ billion in currency exchange transactions.
  • 7-Eleven and PayNearMe launch PayNearMe Bill Pay app, a full-service bill payment center.
  • OnDeck and Intuit join forces to launch $100 million lending fund for small businesses.

Alumni updates

  • Dynamic Trend integrates with Tradier Brokerage API.
  • Xero previews two new features—billable expenses and invoice reminders—for small-business users of its platform.

Stay up to date on daily developments by following FinDEVr on Twitter.