Finovate Alumni News– January 20, 2012

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgBusiness Insider looks at how BillGuard and Simple use Big Data.
  • Dough Roller recommends using HelloWallet to keep track of your cash.
  • P2P-Banking looks at Zopa’s online marketing spending.
  • NACS Online explores the Dynamics smarter credit card.
  • American Banker suggests banks should consider working with merchant reward companies like Cardlytics and Cartera Commerce.
  • PayPal’s payments technology to reach all Home Depot locations by March.
  • SecondMarket exceeds $1 billion in deals.
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 12, 2012

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  • Netbanker: Is BancVue’s Kasasa to Checking What “Intel Inside” was to PCs?
  • The Financial Brand reports Segmint’s Lifestyle Indicators target financial institutions’ online ads.
  • Ping Identity exceeds $100 million in total sales. Come see its live demo at FinovateEurope Feb. 7.
  • Actiance partners with EarthIntegrate to enable advisors to personalize content via social media channels.
  • ARS Technica describes how Dynamics technology can hinder on-and-offline fraud.
  • VentureBeat reports PayPal reaches $4 billion in mobile payments in 2011, a jump from $750 million in 2010.
  • ZoneAlarm publishes infographic on security concerns with online banking.
  • The Bancorp Bank to issue Suze Orman’s new prepaid debit card.
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.

2011 Funding for Finovate Alumni– Over $423 Million Raised

Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgTo wrap up 2011, we’ve compiled a list of all of the funding Finovate alumni received over the course of the year. 

The results were impressive:
  • A total of 34 companies received funding, some more than once
  • The companies collectively raised over $423 million dollars
  • The months with the highest number of companies receiving funding were June August, both with 8 companies
  • The highest amount of funding came in the month of June, when the alumni brought in over $124.4 million
Here is a month-by-month breakdown of funding received:
January — $40.8 million raised by 3 companies
February — $10.3+ million raised by 3 companies
March — $20.4 million raised by 4 companies
June — $124.4 million raised by 8 companies
July — $1.1 million raised by 1 company
August — $103.4 million raised by 8 companies
September — $33 million raised by 1 company
October– $22 million raised by 2 companies
November — $16.3+ million raised by 3 companies
December — $52.2 million raised by 5 companies
Note: Funding that companies received before they demonstrated at Finovate was not counted. If you see any funding that is not on this list, please send the name of the company along with a link to the funding information to julie@netbanker.com and I will add it.

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– October 19, 2011

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgMyBankTracker.com covers the FinovateFall Best of Show videos.
  • American Banker discusses the effects that PayPal and BankSimple will have on bank branches.
  • InComm named Leading Prepaid Organization and Best Prepaid Product Distributor at 2011 Prepaid Awards.
  • Dynamics wins Best of Show at 2011 BAI Retail Delivery Conference for its next-gen magnetic stripes.
  • Des Moines Register reports that Ben Milne, Dwolla CEO is to present at the Thinc Iowa event.
  • T8 Webware to provide Call FCU with a custom website.
  • A+FCU launches BillShrink: Statement Reward.
  • Prosper provides even better rate discounts for repeat Prosper borrowers.
  • BillGuard receives $10 Million in Series B funding.
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 14, 2011

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgAlphaClone launches “Alternative Alpha” index.
  • Forbes discusses Cardlytics and Offermatic’s approach & how they rival GroupOn.
  • Smart Money Mag details how FeeFighters can help cut costs in small businesses.
  • Jack Henry ProfitStars announces availability of the Gladiator NetTeller Enterprise Security Monitoring solution.
  • MyCyberTwin launches DIY Intelligent Virtual Agents.
  • Tyfone Introduces iCashe Mobile Wallet That Combines Mobile Banking With Digital Commerce.
  • UseMyServices partners with SafetyPay for mutual network expansion.
  • NYConvergence reports BankSimple prepares for its New York debut.
  • Business Insider recommends using BillGuard and Mint.com.
  • 24/7 Wall St looks at the P2P opportunity that Prosper brings.
  • McGuireWoods consulting is lobbying to Congress for the use of Dynamics smart cards.
  • Business Insider mentions Xero as a “great Web-based accounting 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 at BAI Retail Delivery Conference

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The BAI Retail Delivery conference begins tomorrow with 29 Finovate alumni participating in sessions and/or exhibiting on the trade show floor.
Session Speakers
  • Tuesday, Global Game-Changer Session
    Speaker: Jim Taschetta from FreeMonee
  • Wednesday, Technology for Business Summit 
    Speaker: Mitch Jacobs from On Deck Capital
  • Wednesday, Technology for Business Summit Session 
    Speaker: David Eads from Kony Solutions
  • Thursday, Technology for Business Summit Session
    Speaker: Eric Connors from Yodlee
  • Thursday, Marketing & Product Management Summit Session 
    Speaker: Rod Witmond from Cardlytics
Exhibitors 
BAI Mobile Link
Mobile Link Panel Discussions
Solutions Theatre
Jim Bruene and I (julie@netbanker.com) will be in attendance and will update the blog and Twitter with new developments throughout the event. 

Dynamics Announces Multiple Agreements with Card Issuers

Thumbnail image for DynamicsLogo9.11.jpgYesterday, Dynamics announced multiple volume agreements with undisclosed card issuers to implement its next generation payment-cards technology such as: 

    • MultiAccount
    • Hidden
    • Redemption
    • Dynamic Credit Card 
Dynamics CEO Jeff Mullen states:
“This step is an important milestone for Dynamics. Card issuers have acknowledged the importance of our technology to empower customers with choice at the point of sale. Dynamics is very pleased with the growing roster of leading issuers that have endorsed and adopted our next-generation magnetic stripe technology.”

Initial orders have already exceeded 1 million units. To meet this demand, production will begin immediately and scale through 2012.

To learn more about Dynamics, watch its FinovateFall 2010 demo.

Finovate Alumni News– October 3, 2011

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  • FreeCreditScore.net profiles PayNearMe.
  • Pittsburgh’s Smart Business looks at how Dynamics CEO Jeff Mullen has founded and grown the company.
  • James Varga from miiCard reflects on FinovateFall.
  • BlueRidgeNow.com recommends using findabetterbank.com to avoid banking fees.
  • New Zealand Herald discusses Rod Drury’s success with taking Xero public.
  • Entrepreneur looks at how Dwolla’s services compare to big bank’s small business services.
  • Bobber Interactive and Bundle are making finance interesting with social engagement.
  • The San Francisco Chronicle reports LearnVest is 1 of 30 most valuable startups in New York.
  • Bank Technology News cites that Citi is the first bank to publicly launch a site designed using Yodlee’s FinApp platform.
  • Mint.com discusses the value of CreditSesame’s Credit Badge.
  • The Spokesman-Review discusses the popularity of P2P lending sites Prosper and Lending Club.
  • The Paypers features Samurai from FeeFighters, an online payment gateway.
  • Loren’s World blog lists Expensify as 1 of 5 best apps for business women.
  • USA Today lists BillFloat as a good alternative to a payday loan.
  • DeadlineNews.com names FamZoo as a “site to see.”
  • Balance Financial launches version 1.2 of its mobile app in the Apple app store.

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.

Dynamics Demonstrates Chip & Choice Card for EMV Applications

DynamicsLogo9.11.jpg

Wrapping up the first day here at FinovateFall, Dynamics demonstrated the Chip & Choice card that enables advance EMV applications:

“Chip & Choice is intended for the EU and other markets that utilize EMV (~85% penetration in EU). The battery-powered card has multiple “chips” including a central processing chip and a secondary “EMV” chip. The applications are loaded in a central “chip.” Based on what button a user pressed on the card, the appropriate application is provided to the secondary “chip.” Thus, the POS reader believes the card is a single-application card when, in fact, the card is a multiple application card. 

In doing so, Dynamics solves the POS software fragmentation issue that has crippled innovation in the EU for decades, thus finally enabling customer driven choice at the point-of-sale. A card-programmable magnetic stripe is also included, as 100% of EU readers read magnetic stripes and 15% of EU readers only read magnetic stripes”

Product Launch: Currently in Trials 

HQ Location: Pittsburgh, PA 
Company Founded: 2007 
Metrics: Dynamics has raised over $40M in funding and currently employs approximately 35 people.
Presenting Jeff Mullen (CEO)

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Alumni News — Week of July 25, 2011

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Clairmail
Clairmail chose Jigsaw’s Data Cloud to help its mobile banking client improve marketing and receive more leads. During vendor trials it saw an increase in productivity, response rates, sales, and marketing effectiveness. Link

Clovr Media 
Boston Business Journal reported that Clovr Media is preparing for the launch of its credit 

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card-linked offers at the end of the fourth quarter by hiring 12 new staff members. Link
Confident Technologies
Confident Technologies released a two-factor mobile phone authentication platform that requires the user to memorize images. Because this second factor security is not stored on the user’s device, it mitigates the opportunity for Zeus-in-the-middle attacks. Link
Currensee
The Forbes blog looks at Currensee for social foreign exchange investing, paying special attention to its rapid growth rate. Link
doxo 
The Entrepreneur blog compared doxo’s document storage and online payment system to PayPal, citing that the cost to collect payment is less than half of a typical PayPal transaction. Link
Dynamics
The Pittsburgh Business Times interviewed Jeff Mullen, CEO of Dynamics, Inc on the naming of the company. Link
eToro 
  • The Forbes blog looked at eToro for social foreign exchange investing, paying special attention to its rapid growth rate. Linketoro.jpg
  • The World Finance Awards selected eToro as Best Social Trading Network, Best Mobile Trading Platform, and Best Trading Software Provider. Link
Geezeo
Geezeo was selected by The Coca-Cola Family Credit Union to provide a PFM solution and integrated marketing platform. Link
Ideon Financial Solutions
Ideon Financial Solutions was granted a patent for its Choice Savings technology, a system that allows financial institutions to provide their clients with a variety of customizable savings products. Link
Identity Theft 911
Identity Theft 911 partnered with Arabella Protection Insurance Company to offer commercial data breach services like preparedness and response. Link
Intuit 
TechCrunch reported that Intuit launched a QuickBooks mobile app for the Android that 

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allows small businesses to access their data from QuickBooks Pro, Online, and Premier. Link
Lending Club 
  • American Consumer News provided a comparison guide for borrowers and lenders to Prosper’s and Lending Club’s services. The benefits included high rates of return and flexibility. Link
  • Brian Wong’s Database blog looked at what its like to invest in Lending Club. He presented his opinion on the usability of the service. Link
Metavante 
EverBank, a $7 billion Internet bank, announced that it is seeking to be an early adopter of Metavante’s customer information management product, a product that was built from the Temenos Core Banking Platform, a result of the partnership formed in 2007. Link
mFoundry 
NEFCU added a mobile app for the Android, using mFoundry’s technology to offer account balances, check history, transfers, and bill pay. This is in addition to its existing apps for Blackberry and the iPhone. Link
Micronotes 
1st Advantage Federal Credit Union, a major Virginia credit union, announced that it will use

micronotes.jpg

 Micronotes’ cross-sell engine, KulaX, to improve lead generation. Link
Prosper 
American Consumer News provided a comparison guide for borrowers and lenders to Prosper’s and Lending Club’s services. The benefits included high rates of return and flexibility. Link
Syphr 
Syphr was among 6 out of 90 fintech companies selected by the Fintech Innovation Lab who will present their innovations to Wall Street venture capitalists. Link

Alumni News — Week of July 11, 2011

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Last week, AlwaysOn released its 2011 AlwaysOn Global 250 Top Private Companies List that represents the top emerging companies Worldwide. Twelve Finovate Alumni were selected:
  • BillFloat
  • Bling Nation
  • Boku
  • Cardlytics
  • ClairMail
  • Expensify
  • IDAnalytics
  • Lending Club
  • SecondMarket
  • Wikinvest
  • Wonga
  • Yodlee
_________________________________________________________________________
In other Alumni News:
Aptys Solutions

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Aptys Solutions announced that the ACH functionality in its PayLogics payment platform provides same-day settlement. Link 
Balance Financial
  • Balance Financial launched Balance Certified Pro, a new software that is geared toward professionals. Link
  • Balance Financial released an iPhone App. Link
BillGuard
TechCrunch reported that BillGuard’s “Anti-virus for Bills” is now completely free for users. Link
BrightScope
CNNMoney’s article, Simplify Your Retirement Savings, pointed to BrightScope to provide a clear understanding of retirement savings. Link
ChargeSmart
ChargeSmart announced that its Bill Payments customers can now pay many of their utility bills with an American Express card. Link
Continuity Control
Continuity Control raised $1.1 million in financing from convertible promissory notes and warrants. Link
Cortera

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The Miami Herald reported that Cortera’s Risk Data and Reporting is now an SAP-endorsed business solution. Link
Cortal Consors
Institutional Investor ranked Oliver Le Grand, CEO of Cortal Consors, number 13 of 50 in its Tech 50 ranking of financial tech leaders and innovators. Link
Credit Karma
Credit Karma’s new feature, Credit Alerts is available for free to the first 200 people to click the link. Link
Credit Sesame
The Hands On Home Buyer blog recommended Credit Sesame for its interactive property taxes tool. Link
Currensee
The Business Insider reported that Currensee plans to launch its Trade Leaders program in China. Link
Dwolla
  • The E-News publication, Business Record, commented on Dwolla’s positive impact on Iowa’s startup culture. Link
  • Financial Plus Credit Union adopted Dwolla’s FiSync integration. Link
Dynamics
Dynamics revealed its angel investors in Series A and Series B funding rounds. Link
Guardian Analytics
  • American Banker reported that Guardian Analytics is planning to launch an outsourced fraud prevention service that will help financial institutions meet new FFIEC guidelines. Link
  • Guardian Analytics introduced its FraudDESK service to provide fraud analytics support to financial institutions. Link
  • Guardian Analytics is hosting a free webinar on Tuesday that will explore FFIEC guidance. Link
iPay Technologies
iPay Technologies helped Generations Community Federal Credit Union increase bill pay adoption and its number of transactions. Link
Lending Club
  • San Francisco ABC News Channel 7 explained the benefits of P2P loans from Lending Club. Link
  • Finextra news blog discussed Lending Club’s success. Link
  • American Banker reported that, in June, Lending Club saw an increase of 7% in loans originated that totaled a record $20 million. Link
Lodo Software
The Silicon Prairie News reported that Lodo Software is seeking to raise $5 million in a round of Series D funding. Link

mFoundry
Columbia Credit Union announced that it deployed mFoundry’s mBanking, a mobile banking platform. Link
Mitek

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MSN Money reported that Mitek Systems began a NASDAQ market listing on July 14th, and is trading under the symbol MITK. Link
Monitise 
  • CNBC reported that Monitise’s ReliaCard will be offered to U.S. Bank’s Visa cardholders in some states. Link
  • Monitise, US Bank, and FIS announced that they are planning to offer a mobile app for Visa’s ReliaCard users. Link
Prosper
  • San Francisco’s ABC News Channel 7 explained the benefits of P2P loans from Prosper. Link
  • Finextra news blog discussed Prosper’s success with its P2P lending service. Link
Q2ebanking
Q2ebanking’s director of security solutions, Ward Howell, published an article detailing a Credit Union’s perspective of the FFIEC guidelines in The Credit Union Ti
mes. Link
Receivables Exchange
Institutional Investor ranked Justin Brownhill and Nicolas Perkin, Co-Founders of The Receivables Exchange, as number 42 of 50 in its Tech 50 ranking of financial tech leaders and innovators. Link
Standard Chartered
Institutional Investor ranked Jan Verplancke, CIO of Standard Chartered, as number 37 of 50 in its Tech 50 ranking of financial tech leaders and innovators. Link
TILE Financial

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Daily Finance interviewed Amy Butte, CEO of TILE Financial. Link
TradeKing
TradeKing announced the public availability of its API. Link
Tyfone 
CoVantage Credit Union chose to implement Tyfone’s mobile wallet solution. Link
Zopa 
  • Zopa founder Giles Andrews was interviewed on BBC’s The Bottom Line. Link
  • Finextra news blog discussed Zopa’s success as a P2P lending service. Link