What the Hack to do With All those APIs?

What the Hack to do With All those APIs?
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We’re in Vegas this week, catching up with several Finovate and FinDEVr alums. Before the week even started, however, we took a gamble and spent the weekend at the Money20/20 Hackathon.

Many Finovate and FinDEVr alums have powerful APIs to enable the creation of solutions to solve all types of problems. At the hackathon, the crowd of 450 developers, engineers, and entrepreneurs developed a myriad of solutions over the course of 25 hours.

Here are the winners for each company:

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Bionym winners

  • OffBank, which uses Bionym’s Nymi band to authenticate bank customers before initiating a wire transfer
  • I Heart Pay, which uses Bionym’s Nymi band, combined with an app, to enable merchants to verify a customer’s identity to charge them for a transaction

Check out Bionym’s demo from FinDEVr 2014, San Francisco

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Blockchain winner:

Samaritus, which uses barcode scanners inside of recycling bins that read bar codes on recyclable materials to reward people for recycling. The app pays them in bitcoin, while simultaneously collecting data on what and where users recycle.

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Feedzai winner:
Bacon, which places a multi-layer authentication platform that layers more security data on top of Feedzai’s algorithm to authenticate customers before a transaction. 

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Intuit winner:
In Reach, which uses the QuickBooks Online API to determine the availability of a retailer’s inventory, then enables customers to purchase goods via a native app, and pick up the item in the store.
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MasterCard winner:

Enterchange, which uses MasterCard’s API to enable customers to order food and pay at sit-down restaurants.
Modo Payments winners:
    • ShopperPal (for FIS), an app that incents consumers to enter a physical retail store by giving them points for entering a 
      ModoLogo_FinDEVr

      store, liking the company on Facebook, and making purchases in the store. The points are added to the consumer’s Modo Payments app.

    • KidFit (for Alliance Data), an app that syncs with wearable devices, such as a smartwatch, to enable parents to reward their children for elevating their heart rate for a set amount of time. The rewards are given in the form of points in the Modo Payments app. 
    • Nike Modo, a system that uses the Nike Fuel band to track a consumer’s geolocation and add reward points to their Modo Wallet when they enter a store and make a purchase.
Swift, a solution for retail stores that uses an RFID sensor to track each product that is placed into shopping carts. The data syncs to the consumer’s PayPal app to enable a quick and mobile checkout experience.

Alumni News– November 5, 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 Finovate-F-Logo.jpgBraintree announces new service that makes it easier for merchants to sign up for the platform.
  • MasterCard launches MasterPass in Czech Republic.
  • CAN Capital to offer loans via Yodlee’s Small Business solution.
  • PayPal’s Venmo to power payments for web and mobile chat app, Dasher.
  • Wall Street Sector Selector highlights Financial Guard and lists Betterment, FutureAdvisor, Jemstep, Nutmeg, SigFig, and Wealthfront in a column on using roboadvisors with retirement accounts.
  • SumUp partners with BitPay to integrate bitcoin into its mPOS solution.
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– October 24, 2014

  • Smarty Pig featured in Washington Post column on ways to save on holiday gift shopping.
  • Wealth Management.com talks with Motif Investing CEO Hardeep Walia on tech trends in the financial services industry.
  • TransferWise and CurrencyFair are highlighted in Forbes review of ways to save on foreign currency exchange.
  • Bob’s Guide profiles cloud-based market data provider, Xignite.
  • Technology Tools for Today interviews Tom Nally, president of TD Ameritrade Institutional.
  • Pymnts interviews EVO Snap* CEO Peter Osberg about Apple Pay.
  • Fitsmallbusiness.com highlights OnDeck, PayPal, & other Finovate alums as small business lending innovators.
  • D3 Banking brings in $7 million, with $3 million more on the way.
  • ABA Banking Journal looks at Karrot, the automated online lending service demoed by Kabbage last month at FinovateFall 2014.
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– October 23, 2014

  • Finovate-F-Logo.jpgJingit’s Head of Product, Chris Ohlsen, weighs in on loyalty and rewards.
  • Intuit launches developer experience and global app store for QuickBooks Online, including payments API.
  • Anovia Payments partners with CardFlight to offer mobile point of sale solutions to merchants and developers.
  • Richwood Bank hires Insuritas for its insurance agency solution.
  • Bionym forges own path to biometric harmony with the Nymi band.
  • Forte CEO Jeff Thorness comments on why omnichannel  is not just a buzzword.
  • MECU to provide members with digital banking services from Digital Insight.
  • PayPal’s Venmo earns a spot on VentureBeat’s list of 13 must-own apps for your smartphone.
  • Flint announces Verizon-led $9 million investment round.
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– October 3, 2014

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgFinDEVr award winner Yodlee launches IPO; raises $75 million in Thursday debut.
  • It’s a wrap – FIS announces completed acquisition of Clear2Pay.
  • Boku partners with O2, EE, and Vodafone in bid to boost non-digital e-commerce.
  • Congratulations to the first FinDEVr award winners: Avoka, BehavioSec, PayPal, and Yodlee.
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.

FinDEVr San Francisco 2014: Award Winners

FinDEVr San Francisco 2014: Award Winners
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Q. What’s better than being one of the more than 400 industry professionals attending the very first FinDEVr conference this week?

A. Being one of the four companies to walk away with one of the very first FinDEVr awards, that’s what!

Four companies were selected as favorites by attendees here on Day 1 of FinDEVr San Francisco 2014. Attendees were challenged to choose between entertaining and informative presentations, exciting new technologies, and fascinating innovations that push the envelope of what is possible when commerce and science, technology and finance come together.

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Remember that FinDEVr continues tomorrow on Wednesday with a full, multi-track day of workshops, presentations, and networking. We’ll build on the momentum from Day One to bring you the latest in SDKs and APIs, tools and platforms, that are already paving the way to the fintech innovations of tomorrow. Visit our registration page today to grab a spot.
So without further ado, here are the favorite first-day presentations in alphabetical order:

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Avoka for its engagement platform that enables omni-channel account opening in 60 seconds.

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BehavioSec for its mature identification system that uses behaviour analytics to provide real-time security.
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PayPal & Braintree for its construction of new breeds of payment platforms, API standards, and identity systems.

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Yodlee for its Interactive APIs that provide authorized access to real-time data for customer accounts.


Notes on methodology:  

1. Only audience members NOT associated with demoing companies were eligible to vote. Finovate employees did not vote.     
2. Attendees were encouraged to note their favorites. At the end of the last demo, they chose their three favorites.    
3. The exact written instructions given to attendees: “Please rate (the companies) on the basis of demo quality and potential impact of the innovation demoed.”  
4. The four companies appearing on the highest percentage of submitted ballots were awarded trophies.  

FinDEVr 2014: PayPal Looks at How Wearables are Changing the Payments Landscape

FinDEVr 2014: PayPal Looks at How Wearables are Changing the Payments Landscape
This post is a part of FinDEVr’s live coverage of FinDEVr San Francisco 2014.
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Next, PayPal’s presentation focused on how wearables are changing the mobile payment space: 

The Future of Payment Identity

PayPal explored how new identification techniques around wearables, biometrics, and mobile are vastly changing the payment space.

Presenter: Justin Woo, Developer Evangelist

PayPalBraintreeHomepage
About: The PayPal / Braintree Developer program is the face of technology innovation for the companies. Using an open source technology stack foundation, we are constructing new breeds of payment platforms, API standards, and identity systems to support the next generation of disruptive technology.

Twitter: @PayPalDev

Alumni News– September 19, 2014

  • Finovate-F-Logo.jpgGreen Dot Agrees to Buy TPG for Tax Refund Processing.
  • PayPal Here now on Android tablets.
  • Klarna Announces U.S. Team As It Plans For 2015 Launch In The U.S.
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.

FinDEVr Preview: PayPal / Braintree and Forte Payment Systems

FinDEVr Preview: PayPal / Braintree and Forte Payment Systems
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Our preview of the upcoming FinDEVr conference continues with a look at two companies whose technologies have become synonymous with payment innovation: PayPal / Braintree and  Forte Payment Systems.

If you’ve missed our earlier previews, check out our previous features on: Yodlee Interactive, TD Ameritrade Institutional, Visa Developers, and MasterCard Developer Zone.
Remember, FinDEVr is less than two weeks away. Get your tickets today and save your spot.

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The PayPal / Braintree Developer program is the face of technology innovation for the companies. Using an open source technology stack foundation, we are constructing new breeds of payment platforms, API standards, and identity systems to support the next generation of disruptive technologies.

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Why it’s great for developers:
  • Global Payment Platform (25 currencies, 200+ markets)
  • Simple Mobile & Web SDKs, in a multitude of languages
  • Industry leaders wearable payments, identity & biometrics
Keynote: The Future of Payment Identity
In this session we are exploring how new identification techniques around wearables, biometrics, and mobile are vastly changing the payment space.
Workshop
Making Payments Fun
Whoever said payments were complicated/boring? This is a quick introduction into the world of online payments and how to make it fun and enjoyable for your customer. Whether it be on your smartphone or website, we’ll show you how you can get set up and accept payments quickly.
Presenter:
Justin Woo, Developer Evangelist
Justin Woo is a Developer Evangelist at PayPal and has been programming ever since he got his first IBM XT running DOS. He loves writing mobile applications (especially hybrid-HTML5 applications) and wishes everything could be done in LISP.

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Forte Payment Systems empowers developers to build secure and innovative electronic payment solutions for all platforms whether online, at a physical POS or on the road. Able to provide the modern, robust and powerful options that large companies demand, along with the ease of use, simplicity and affordability for the smallest of operations, Forte redefines the notion of flexibility and scalability.

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Why it’s great for developers:
  • Single API to enable Credit, Debit and Electronic Check (ACH)
  • Unlimited free support and sandbox access
  • Tokenization and PCI Compliance
Keynote: Professional Payments Made Easy: Developer to Developer
Enable payments into your application with Forte’s full range of enterprise-class services. Our modern and professional RESTful APIs have been implemented to simplify integrations, yet keep power and flexibility for developers to build massively scalable and distributed payment-enabled solutions.
Workshop
Forte Payment APIs – Deep Dive
This hands-on workshop is focusing on integration using Forte.js, Forte Checkout and Forte’s REST-based APIs. We’ll also discuss our SDKs, which make integration using today’s most popular development languages and mobile OS a snap.
Presenter:
Jeff Thorness, CEO, Founder and Coder
Originally a coder, Thorness wrote the very first line of code to launch the company. With his inspired vision and thoughtful management, Forte has evolved into one of the largest privately-held payment processors in the nation.


Join us Friday for more of our FinDEVr Preview featuring Silver sponsors, Financial Apps, Avoka, Xero, Incomm, EVO Snap, Xignite, Eshtapay, and the Intuit Partner Program.

Alumni News– September 4, 2014

  • Finovate-F-Logo.jpgThreatMetrix to provide location-detecting solution help institutions meet the Treasury Office’s international business regulations.
  • LifeHacker: ReadyForZero tracks your debt and helps manage your credit score.
  • Graphic Packaging Holding selects Taulia to provide its Business Exchange program to optimize the organization’s payables process.
  • BiometricUpdate.com features BehavioSec. Come see its presentation at FinDEVr.
  • Jane J. Thompson joins OnDeck Board of Directors.
  • Wallaby Financial launches Android Wear app.
  • PayPal extends fingerprint authentication to Samsung Note 4 and Gear S.
  • EverBank partners with FIS to bring PeoplePay to its banking customers.
  • Forbes.com features Check among three nightmare-reducing money disruptors.
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– August 29, 2014

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgHeckyl to provide real-time news and data analytics courtesy of new partnership with Marketware International.
  • Diebold brings deposit automation and cash recycling services to consumers and FIs in Brazil. See Diebold at FinovateFall in September.
  • Dwolla makes MassPay official, offers a simpler experience with increased stability, improved reporting, and increased transactions per batch.
  • PYMNTS talks with SumUp CEO Daniel Klein, to understand how it views innovation in the mPOS space.
  • PayPal launches tool, PayPal Demo, to help developers show merchants the difference between different PayPal payment options.
  • CNBC’s National Business Report interviews Scott Goldman, CEO of TextPower.
  • American Banker profiles FinovateSpring 2014 Best of Show winner, Stockpile.
  • CNET takes a look at Lending Club in the wake of the company’s IPO filing.
    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– August 28, 2014

    • Finovate-F-Logo.jpgPymnts features PayPal’s OneTouch mobile payments app.
    • American Banker considers how banks are looking closely at how BillGuard uses geolocation to prevent fraud.
    • Taulia launches SupplierPay.org to help corporations support the White House’s SupplierPay initiative.
    • IBM and Monitise expand partnership to combine IBM’s sales and specialist resources with Monitise’s Mobile Money services.
    • Pymnts.com feature on lending shares observations on consumer credit from Lending Club.
    • Forbes column on natural language processing features Narrative Science and Yseop.
    • Wired.co.uk profiles BehavioSec in its Stockholm category of “Europe’s hottest startups” in 2014. See BehavioSec at FinDEVr this fall.
    • CopSonic joins the FIDO Alliance.
    • Markets Media features interview with Avoka CEO Phil Copeland.
    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.