Nutmeg Closes $14.6 Million Series D Round

Nutmeg Closes $14.6 Million Series D Round

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U.K.-based wealth management company Nutmeg brought its total funding to $90 million today after closing its Series D round, which was led by Taipei Fubon Bank.

The news comes hot on the heels of Nutmeg’s most recent funding when it scored $37 million in Series C funding last month from Convoy, Hong Kong’s largest firm of independent financial advisers. Adding two Asian investors in the past two months comes as a hint as to what’s next for the roboadvisor. Nutmeg CEO Martin Stead told TechCrunch,

There is a very significant market opportunity before us, in the U.K. and beyond, and we are going to capture it. With these new funds, we will continue to invest in product innovations which disrupt the industry and deliver a better deal–and a better experience–for customers. And, we are going to expand into new categories and new territories.

Expansion into the Asia Pacific region is a logical move, since it’s currently experiencing a fintech boom, while the U.S. market is saturated (see our wealth tech coverage for more on this).

Nutmeg, which manages $735 million for its 25,000 clients, debuted its digital wealth management technology at FinovateEurope 2012 in London. In early 2016 the company was recognized on the European Top 100 List at the European Fintech Awards, and the company’s former CEO and founder Nick Hungerford was named one of the U.K.’s coolest people in fintech. In May of 2016, Martin Stead, Nutmeg’s former chief revenue officer, assumed the role of CEO.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • Nutmeg Closes $14.6 Million Series D Round”

Around the web

  • Taulia reaches supply chain finance into aerospace sector.
  • The New York Times highlights Credit Karma and Mint.

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.

Top Direct-to-Consumer Wealthtech Plays

Top Direct-to-Consumer Wealthtech Plays

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Our wealthtech industry coverage continues this week. We looked at the industry last week and reviewed the top trends earlier this month. Today we’re taking a look at industry players with B2C offerings—in other words, companies that market directly to consumers and not through businesses.

Since wealthtech is broader than just roboadvisers, we’ve divided B2C wealthtech players into seven categories and laid out our top picks for each group. Since category sizes vary, the number of our selections also vary.

Top in-house builds from traditional players
These are offerings from traditional wealth management firms that have been built in-house (or purchased and then white-labeled) and marketed under the firm’s brand.

Fully automated roboadvisers
These are online platforms that provide automated, algorithm-based portfolio management without intervention from human advisers and without personalized, one-on-one conversations with a human adviser.

screen-shot-2016-12-22-at-4-06-40-pmAcorns takes a unique approach by linking a user’s debit card and investing their “spare change”

Hybrid roboadvisers
These are traditional advisory services, including personalized conversations and actively managed portfolios blended with computerized portfolio recommendations. Business Insider reports hybrid roboadvisers will manage 10% of all investable assets by 2025.

screen-shot-2016-12-22-at-4-11-08-pmSigFig has partnered with multiple banks, including Wells Fargo, Pershing, and Citizens Bank

Non-U.S. roboadvisers

Alternative investing platforms
These are platforms that link participants to unconventional investment types, such as private equity, hedge funds, futures, real estate, etc.

screen-shot-2016-12-22-at-4-18-08-pmWith Motif, uses invest in grouped stocks and ETFs that revolve around a common theme

Non-U.S. alternative investing platforms

News and information companies
These are online platforms that help users discover news and market trends before they go mainstream. Some include social networking aspects.

screen-shot-2016-12-22-at-4-23-47-pmTickerTags helps users discover trends even before they become news

Nutmeg Spices Things Up with New $37 Million Investment

Nutmeg Spices Things Up with New $37 Million Investment

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U.K.-based robo-advisory pioneer Nutmeg scored $37 million (£30 million) in a Series C funding round this week. Convoy, Hong Kong’s largest firm of independent financial advisers, led the round, while existing investors Schroders, Balderton Capital, Pentech, Armada Investment Group, and Nigel Wray also participated.

The new investment brings the company’s total funding to $75 million and makes it the largest raise for an E.U.-based digital wealth advisor. Also, as Nutmeg said in its press release, “This is also the largest fintech fundraise since the U.K. voted to leave the European Union.”

Nutmeg will use the funds to offer more products and services and to accelerate growth. The company is currently managing $625 million (£500 million) for more than 20,000 clients. Since launching in 2011, Nutmeg has delivered returns between 6.5% and 47% for specific savings goals, ISAs, and pensions.

screen-shot-2016-11-14-at-2-51-18-pmNutmeg’s Nick Hungerford, former CEO, and Jono Hey, head of UX, demoed at FinovateEurope 2012 in London.

Nutmeg debuted its digital wealth-investment technology—before the term robo-advisor had even been coined—at FinovateEurope 2012 in London. In early 2016 the company was recognized on the European Top 100 List at the European Fintech Awards, and the company’s former CEO and founder Nick Hungerford was named one of the U.K.’s coolest people in fintech. In May of 2016, Martin Stead, Nutmeg’s former chief revenue officer, assumed the role of CEO.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • “Andreessen Horowitz Leads $25 Million Investment in Quantopian
  • “Finovate Debuts: GoodData Helps Banks Put Their Data to Work”
  • “Nutmeg Spices Things Up with New $37 Million Investment”

Around the web

  • FinDEVr alum Smart Token Chain completes first smart token transfer via Ripple network.
  • From apps to APIs: Dwolla rebrands as platform.
  • PwC unveils Vulcan Digital Asset Services, a suite of digital currency solutions including digital wallets and international payment processing.
  • Entersekt to power mobile app security for FirstBank.
  • CoverHound partners with Metromile to offer more coverage options for auto and property insurance.
  • WealthForge exceeds $250M in transactions completed on platform.
  • Kabbage hires chief technology officer and chief data officer.
  • AutoGravity to power digital car sales and finance app for Fletcher Jones Motorcars.
  • Visa Developer Challenge winner Corezoid earns recognition at Money 20/20 Hackathon.

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.

7 Alum Leaders Named U.K.’s Coolest People in Fintech

7 Alum Leaders Named U.K.’s Coolest People in Fintech

BritishFlagBusiness Insider rounded up the 40 most exciting people in fintech in the United Kingdom. As it turns out, Brexit isn’t enough to shake the fintech scene in the U.K. In fact, according to KPMG, British fintech startups raised $962 million in 2015. Of that amount, London companies raised $743 million.

The list includes these seven leaders from Finovate and FinDEVr alumni:

Taavet Hinrikus, CEO and cofounder of TransferWise

Marta Krupinska, General Manager and cofounder of Azimo

Nikolay Storonsky, CEO and cofounder of Revolut

Giles Andrews, Executive Chairman and cofounder of Zopa

Peter Smith, CEO and cofounder of Blockchain

Usman Khan, CTO and cofounder of Algomi

Nick Hungerford, CEO and founder of Nutmeg

Check out all 40 leaders who made the list. Wonder how Business Insider made its selections? Here’s how the publication described its process:

We looked at who’s done cool and interesting things in the past year, including companies that have raised money or grown rapidly. We’ve also tried to include some of the less obvious names—the people doing great things behind the scenes—as well the faces out front.

FT Partners New Research Report on Digital Wealth Management Features a Dozen Finovate Alums

FT Partners New Research Report on Digital Wealth Management Features a Dozen Finovate Alums

FTPartners_logo_2The new research report on digital wealth management from Financial Technology Partners is a timely reminder of just how deep the firm’s dedication to, and insight into, the fintech world goes (that the report features a dozen Finovate and FinDEVr alums is pretty neat, too).

FT Partners’ report “Are the Robots Taking Over? The Emergence of Automated Digital Wealth Management Solutions” looks at the different platforms and business models used by digital wealth management companies, as well as the response by industry incumbents. The 140+ page report also features interviews with CEOs from leading major digital wealth-management companies such as Betterment, Nutmeg, and SigFig.

Writing about this FT Partners’ report on digital wealth management for Bloomberg View, columnist and money manager Barry Ritholtz noted:

“For those of you who may not have thought much about how technology might affect Wall Street, the work you do each day, and how you do it—not to mention what it means for your careers—this report is invaluable.”

Ritholtz outlined how his own experience as a money manager had been shaped by the rapidly changing technology landscape (“My office is small, but thanks to technology, and fintech in particular, we are able to be very productive with just 14 people,” he wrote). He also admits this productivity comes at a cost for some. “Those people who don’t adapt will find themselves with limited career options,” Ritholtz writes.

So who are the disruptors in the digital wealth management space of whom both FT Partners and Ritholtz speak?

Betterment_logo

 

dyme

 

 

 

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HedgeableLogo

 

 

iQuantifiLogo_FF2014

 

 

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  • Founded in 2008
  • Headquartered in Los Altos, California
  • Kevin Cimring and Michael Blumenthal are joint CEOs
  • Acquired by Invesco, January 2016
  • FinovateSpring 2013

LearnVest_logo

 

 

  • Founded in 2009
  • Headquartered in New York, New York
  • Alexa von Tobel is CEO and founder
  • Acquired by Northwestern Mutual, March 2015
  • FinovateFall 2013

MotifInvesting_logo_150x

 

 

NutmegLogo-thumb-200x56-5002-thumb-150x42-5003

 

 

Personal-Capital-Logo

 

SigFig_logo

 

 

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  • Founded in 2005
  • Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida
  • Donato Montanaro is CEO
  • Acquired by Ally Financial, April 2016
  • FinovateSpring 2008

 

Check Out Who Took Home Top Honors at Last Night’s European Fintech Awards

Check Out Who Took Home Top Honors at Last Night’s European Fintech Awards
GroupPhoto(Photo credit: http://www.fintech.nl/)

Last night in Amsterdam the 2016 European Fintech Awards celebrated innovators shaping the future of finance. A total of nine awards were presented to companies selected by a panel of judges for the quality of their pitch.

Four of the winners are Finovate and FinDEVr alums, including BehavioSec, who won the overall award of Best European Fintech Company of 2016:

BehavioSec
Category: Risk, Intelligence, and Security
HQ: Stockholm, Sweden
Founded: 2009
FinovateFall 2015 demo
FinDEVr San Francisco 2015 presentation

Backbase
Category: Innovative Banking Software
HQ: The Netherlands
Founded: 2003
FinovateEurope 2016 demo

Kreditech
Category: Financial Inclusion
HQ: Hamburg, Germany
Founded: 2012
FinovateSpring 2014 demo

Xpenditure
Category: Best of Show, selected for the best pitch
HQ: Mechelen, Belgium
Founded: 2011
FinovateEurope 2016 demo

A total of 29 Finovate and FinDEVr alums were recognized in the European Fintech Top 100 list. Companies awarded on this list were selected by a combination of online public votes (weighted 25%) and a panel of judges (weighted 75%).

  • AdviceGames
  • Kantox
  • Aire.io
  • Klarna
  • AMP Credit Technologies
  • Kontomatik
  • Azimo
  • Kreditech
  • Backbase
  • Mambu
  • BehavioSec
  • mBank
  • Cloud Lending Solutions
  • Meniga
  • ebankIT
  • Nutmeg
  • eToro
  • Qumram
  • ETRONIKA
  • Scalable Capital
  • eWise
  • SmartEngine
  • Fenergo
  • TransferWise
  • Holvi
  • Trustly
  • IdeaBank
  • Zopa
  • InvoiceSharing

The European Fintech Awards are organized by Amsterdam-based publishing company Alex van Groningen BV. The company offers a great explanation of the awards: “The purpose of the FinTech awards is not to scientifically prove who are the best FinTech companies. The judging is primarily based on the judges’ individual ideas and views on the nominating companies using their expertise, knowledge and ideas.”

Finovate Alums Dominate The FinTech50’s Inaugural Hall of Fame

Finovate Alums Dominate The FinTech50’s Inaugural Hall of Fame

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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 Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • “EZBOB raises 20 million in Series C round led by Bank Leumi, Oaktree”

Around the web

  • Quartz asks, “Should Venmo Buy a Bank?”
  • HuffPost Business features Simply Tapp and Kontomatik in its list of the five most useful APIs in the financial world.
  • Algomi adds Glocer as strategic adviser, appoints Edelstein to board.
  • CityWire U.K. looks at Nutmeg and Scalable Capital in a discussion on the robo-adviser phenomenon.
  • NAB Asset Servicing selects Thomson Reuters as its preferred data partner.

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

On Finovate.com:

  • Welcome to FinovateEurope 2016, Day Two.
  • FinovateEurope 2016 Best of Show Winners Announced.

Around the web:

  • Betterment and Wealthfront featured in Bloomberg column on the disruptive power of roboadvisors.
  • Reduced costs for Nutmeg yield lower fees for investors using the platform.
  • Markit acquires systems-integration technology from JP Morgan.
  • VISA launches Consumer Transaction Controls for card-issuing FIs.
  • PYMNTS.com takes a look at Expensify and its expansion into Europe.

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

Around the web:

  • ACI Worldwide helps deliver Domino’s secure, seamless payment experience during SuperBowl Sunday.
  • Britain’s One Financial Markets announces partnership with Swipestox to enable mobile trading. See Swipestox at FinovateEurope 2016.
  • Let’s Talk Payments features Sureify and BankBazaar in a look at insurancetech startups.
  • Wipro wins five-year, IT infrastructure transformation contract with Sweden’s ASSA ABLOY Group.
  • Trade Bank of Iraq forges strategic partnership with Misys.
  • CR2 unveils new logo, new corporate identity.
  • The Telegraph highlights Yoyo, Nutmeg, and True Potential in a column on calculating risk with facial scans.

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.