Fintech Rundown: A Rapid Review of Weekly News

Fintech Rundown: A Rapid Review of Weekly News

As part of the Eastern U.S. prepares to enjoy the total solar eclipse today, fintech enthusiasts can also eclipse the competition with the latest news and updates in the fintech world. Check back for real-time updates on how the fintech landscape evolves this week.

Payments

Business payments and financial platform Airwallex launches its Borderless Visa card in Canada.

Mexican BNPL provider Kueski introduces in-store mobile payment solution.

Urguayan fintech dLocal partners with payroll and payments platform Papaya Global.

International money movement company TerraPay secures Major Payment Institution (MPI) license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

ClearBank achieves first full year of profitability.

TransferGo raises $10 million, doubling its valuation.

Kyriba and Onyx by J.P. Morgan (Onyx) leverage the blockchain to streamline cross-border payments.

Arizona Financial Credit Union (AZFCU) selects NCR Atleos’ ATM as a Service (ATMaaS) to increase operational efficiencies within the self-service banking channel.

The Clearing House’s RTP experienced a record 76 million transactions valued at $42 billion in the first quarter of this year.

Fraud and security

NICE Actimize introduces new integrated, AI-driven fraud management platform.

Passwordless authentication specialist 1Kosmos appoints Christine Owen as Field CTO.

Enterprise AI solution provider SymphonyAI unveils its SensaAI for Sanctions offering.

Oracle introduces new AI-powered cloud service to enhance AML compliance for banks.

Canadian Coast Guard awards contract to Zighra.

Sprinto raises $20 million for compliance management.

Data management

Gen II Fund Services launches Sensr DataBridge to help private equity sponsors access crucial fund data.

Lending

Florida’s Space Coast Credit Union (SCCU) expands its partnership with MeridianLink.

Worth AI taps Equifax to help improve underwriting and risk management for small businesses.

Banking

Navy Federal Credit Union forms 7-year strategic partnership with Backbase.

Insurtech

Insurtech company bolt introduces its new North American CFO Matt More.

American Family Life Insurance Company partners with Munich Re Automation Solutions for its automated underwriting and analytics solution.

Lemonade launches homeowners insurance in France.

Regtech and compliance

Corlytics receives investment from Verdane for its compliance technology.

Wealthtech

Investment research platform Tegus launches its AI chat tool, AskTegus.

Open banking

Open banking powered account-to-account payment infrastructure provider Token.io introduces new Chief Commercial Officer Ronnie d’Arienzo, new Chief Financial Officer Tatiana Okhotina, and new Chief Operations Officer Tim Corke.

Atto, a credit risk solutions provider based in the U.K., teams up with analytics software firm FICO to bring open banking data into U.K. credit scoring.


Photo by melissa mayes

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • KeyBank Acquires Small Business Lending Platform Bolstr.

Around the web

  • Threat detection specialist Zighra announces support for FIDO authentication.
  • BBVA and energy company Repsol collaborate to develop blockchain-based financial products.
  • Etsy partners with Klarna, bringing new payment options to its German website and app.
  • IdentityMind Global inks licensing agreement with KYC2020.
  • Insuritas to launch member-owned insurance agency for Financial Resources FCU.
  • Streamdata.io unveils its API Gallery featuring more than 360 different entities with 14,400+ API paths spanning 420 topics.
  • Interactions wins Customer Contact Week ‘Omnichannel Provider of the Year’ award.
  • Dashlane reaches 10 million users around the globe.
  • WorkFusion wins Awards for Best Application of AI in Financial Services.
  • Lendio’s employee contribution program has funded 2,800 loans in 78 countries through Kiva.
  • Gusto’s Flexible Pay lets employees choose their own payday.

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

  • Finicity Announces Full Integration with BeSmartee.
  • $500 Million Secondary Investment Boosts Credit Karma’s Valuation to $4 Billion.

Around the web

  • Jack Henry’s banking division announces that seven banks will implement its Core Director core processing platform.
  • FlexTrade to integrate Kensho into its FlexTRADER EMS real-time event feed.
  • Finastra hires new Chief Product and Technology Officer, Eli Rosner.
  • iSignthis subsidiary, iSignthis eMoney, forges payment aggregation agreement with American Express Australia.
  • Best of Show winner Trusona joins ForgeRock’s identity management platform.
  • Gartner recognizes BRIDGEi2i with an Honorable Mention in the Magic Quadrant for Data and Analytics Service Providers, Worldwide.
  • Kabbage shows loan growth via the mobile channel, with 17% of all SMB loans and 15% of total dollars accessed via its platform coming through mobile.
  • Find Biometrics interviews Deepak Dutt, president and CEO of Zighra.
  • Payfone on track to authenticate 19 billion transactions for Fortune 100 clients in 2018.
  • Fort Dodge Family Credit Union to implement Larky Engagement Platform.

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

  • Vera for Mail Delivers Enterprise-Grade Encryption for Email.
  • Clinc Goes Global with Deployments in Six Countries, Signs Deal with Turkey’s Biggest Private Bank.

Around the web

  • IBERIABANK selects nCino to Support Growth and Enhance Client Experience
  • BlueVine wins Best Business Finance Provider, North America (Winner) in trade finance global awards.
  • Zighra receives second U.S. patent for passive authentication system.
  • Q2 announces financial services and technology veteran Christine Petersen as Chief Revenue Officer.

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.

Stronger Together: Fintechs, Techs, and FIs Collaborating on CyberSecurity

Stronger Together: Fintechs, Techs, and FIs Collaborating on CyberSecurity

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Ready for some good news on the cybersecurity front?

Most of the time cybersecurity appears in the headlines, it is a report of a breach that just occurred or a new threat to guard against in the future. Caught between the hack that caught us unaware and the certainty that it won’t be the last, we can lose sight of the fact that there are hundreds of cybersecurity firms with thousands of security professionals that are working around the clock to make our lives online a lot safer. And many of these companies are Finovate alums specializing in service to the financial industry and its customers.

Ted Ross, founder and CEO of SpyCloud, demonstrating the company’s Best of Show-winning platform at FinovateFall 2017.

Importantly, not only are these companies working 24/7/365 to fight cybercrime, but also many of them are teaming up and partnering with financial institutions, retailers, and each other to test their technologies, make key improvements and enhancements, and ultimately get their fraud-fighting solutions to market.

With that in mind – and in line with our October focus on cybersecurity – here’s a look at the partnerships, agreements, and collaborations forged by our cybersecurity-related alums so far in 2017.

October

Fintech-to-Tech

  • Mitek partners with handwriting-based biometric authentication service Asignio to deliver IDaaS solution.
  • Avoka extends strategic partnership with Mitek for digital identity verification solutions.
  • ThreatMetrix and ID.me partner to deliver ID verification for government and commercial digital services.
  • Ledger partners with Intel to boost blockchain app security.
  • BioCatch to power behavioral biometrics for Samsung SDS America. 
  • SecureKey collaborates with Intel to enable consumers to access its blockchain-based digital identity technology via traditional web browsers.
  • Zighra launches flagship continuous authentication product.
  • Kony to launch digital banking solution leveraging Daon biometrics. 
  • iSignthis to integrate its Paydentity UBO Service with Web Shield’s InvestiGate platform.
  • TASCET teams with Secured2 to launch Algo5 data security offering.

Fintech-to-FI

  • Latvian Bank Citadele secures mobile and online banking with VASCO’s DIGIPASS for Apps and CRONTO.
  • National Bank of Canada joins SecureKey’s digital identity network.

Fintech-to-ECommerce

  • HooYu to provide ID confirmation for U.K.’s Cars-as-a-Service easyCar Club.

Multiple Best of Show winner EyeVerify demonstrating its Eyeprint ID technology at FinovateEurope 2017 with partner YapiKredi Bank.

September

Fintech-to-Tech

  • Vera to provide data security services for GE.
  • BioCatch to power fraud prevention solutions for HoneyTek Systems.

Fintech-to-FI

  • DefenseStorm to bolster cybersecurity operations for Genesee Regional Bank ($551 million in assets).
  • Open Banking selects Ping Identity to provide the identity and access management to underpin the U.K.’s open banking framework.

Fintech-to-Ecommerce

  • Signifyd guarantees fraud protection for Magento Commerce Merchants.
  • Infosys Finacle partners with ToneTag to leverage sound wave technology to drive contactless authentications and transactions.

August

Fintech-to-Tech

  • Jumio partners with Plynk to bring instant verification to Europe’s first money messaging app.
  • FIS and Equifax partner to offer new identity verification solution, OnlyID.
  • Biometric Signature ID partners with National Fingerprint to provide virtual ID proofing and verification services.
  • BioCatch partners with LexisNexis to leverage data and analytics for better risk management.

Fintech-to-FI

  • Samsung to power biometric authentication pilot for Bank of America.
  • Mexican payment processor chooses fraud fighting technology from Featurespace.

Fintech-to-ECommerce

  • HooYu brings identity confirmation technology to BCRemit.

July

Fintech-to-Tech

  • ID Analytics partners with Acxiom to strengthen risk assessment and combat fraud.
  • HackerOne Powering bug bounty program for Tor browser.

Fintech-to-FI

  • MoneYou integrates Mitek’s identity solutions for real-time digital onboarding.
  • DefenseStorm to serve as cybersecurity partner for Bank of Jackson Hole to enhance security.

Fintech-to-ECommerce

  • International Air Transport Association chooses fraud prevention technology from Featurespace.
  • Signifyd brings its Guaranteed Fraud Protection solution to Authorize.Net’s U.S.-based e-commerce merchants.

Behavioral biometric innovator BehavioSec, shown here demonstrating BehavioSec on Demand at FinovateFall 2015, has won three Best of Show awards.

June

Fintech-to-Tech

  • Daon adds EyePrint ID to IdentityX platform courtesy of new partnership with EyeVerify.
  • IdentityMind Global to offer Confirm.io’s document authentication technology to its financial services customers.
  • Jumio partners with Monzo for strong identity verification.
  • iovation to integrate its device-based authentication technology with PingFederate from Ping Identity.
  • TSYS partners with Featurespace to deliver real-time decision capabilities.

Fintech-to-FI

  • Leumi Card to use Feedzai’s artificial intelligence platform to fight fraud.
  • Ghana-based Premium Bank selects NetGuardians’ anti-fraud solution – FraudGuardian.

May

Fintech-to-Tech

  • Cisco and IBM team up on security.
  • BehavioSec partners with Kount.
  • Trulioo partners with Mitek to add facial recognition functionality to its ID verification platform.
  • Daon to integrate IdentityX platform with Experian’s fraud and identity platform, CrossCore.

Fintech-to-FI

  • Australia-based forex broker Pepperstone to deploy Paydentity verification services from iSignthis.

April

Fintech-to-Tech

  • Fraud prevention innovator Featurespace partners with U.K. digital family banking solution, goHenry.
  • Payment solutions provider Buckaroo chooses AML solution from Fiserv.

Fintech-to-FI

  • Global financial services firm chooses Mobile Verify and Mobile Fill from Mitek.

Fintech-to-ECommerce

  • Braspag announces integration of e-commerce and anti-fraud technology from ACI Worldwide.

A FinDEVr favorite, HackerOne and its bug bounty and vulnerability disclosure platform leverage white hat hackers to find critical security gaps before criminals do.

March

Fintech-to-Tech

  • Mastercard adds to authentication arsenal with acquisition of NuData Security.
  • Swiss financial sector infrastructure operator SIX partners with IBM Watson to build cyber-security hub.

Fintech-to-FI

  • Daon brings mobile biometric authentication to UnionBank.
  • Co-op Financial Services to leverage machine learning-based fraud fighting technology from Feedzai.
  • Pindrop to mitigate call center fraud for credit union service organization PSCU.

Fintech-to-ECommerce

  • Saltrex to use Jumio’s Netverify Trusted-Identity-as-a-Service.
  • Featurespace to provide machine learning fraud and risk management solution to CashFlows.

February

Fintech-to-Tech

  • BioCatch brings continuous online and mobile authentication to Nuance Communications’ Security Suite solution.
  • Icon Solutions joins forces with Featurespace to bring anti-fraud protection to instant payments.

Fintech-to-FI

  • Affinity CU becomes “trusted sign-in” partner in SecureKey Concierge.
  • First national private bank of Turkey, Yapi Kredi to deploy Eyeprint ID from EyeVerify for mobile logins.

Fintech-to-ECommerce

  • Feedzai and Merchant Risk Council (MRC) team up to leverage AI and machine learning to fight fraud.
  • MoneyGram using Mobile Verify from Mitek to meet AML requirements.

January

Fintech-to-Tech

  • Arxan Technologies partners with Cisco as to protect connected medical devices.
  • WISeKey and Stratumn partner to provide enterprise-grade process security software based on blockchain technologies.
  • FICO and Ethoca partner to improve card acceptance rates, fight CNP fraud, and reduce disputes.

Fintech-to-FI

  • ACI Worldwide to provide fraud protection for Kuwait’s Shared Electronic Banking Services Company (KNET).
  • NetGuardians brings real-time fraud protection to Nigeria’s Keystone Bank.

 

Zighra Launches Flagship Continuous Authentication Product

Zighra Launches Flagship Continuous Authentication Product

User authentication company Zighra  launched its flagship product today. Dubbed SensifyID, the new offering provides continuous authentication and threat detection. SensifyID guards against account takeover, remote malware, social engineering, and bot attacks.

By running machine learning and behavioral authentication algorithms, SensifyID is able to monitor user activity within an app combined with data such as device information and environmental factors to offer continuous proof of the user’s identity. The Canada-based company built SensifyID based on its algorithms that learn user behavior within 15 user interactions. The technology works in both online and offline modes.

“The rise of mobile transactions and on-demand services have opened the door for well-organized, ill-intentioned actors to compromise accounts and commit fraudulent transactions across apps in banking, commerce and other industries,” said Deepak Dutt, CEO of Zighra. “By adding SensifyID to our suite of AI-powered analytics, we are taking behavioral authentication to the next level by creating a unique, personalized cognitive profile that cannot be stolen or altered by humans or bots. Businesses that use Zighra’s SensifyID will know exactly when they are interacting with a human customer and when they are not, down to the very second.”

Founded in 2009, Zighra debuted KineticID at FinovateFall 2013. KineticID protects users with more than 700 device types in more than 70 countries. The company’s technology tracks more than over 900 human and environmental traits such as device, network, social, location, behavioral and biometric intelligence, as well as human-machine and machine-machine interactions. In August, Zighra appointed Hari Koduvely as Chief Data Scientist and in December of 2016, the company closed a $1 million round of funding.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • Klarna Celebrates Year-Over-Year Sales, Profit Gains.

Around the web

  • Fox Business highlights BILLSHARK in feature on “low-effort” savings strategies. See BILLSHARK at FinovateFall in New York next month.
  • Cardlytics to enable the new mobile rewards strategy from SunTrust.
  • Asseco signs four-year agreement to provide support for the electronic bookkeeping system for Poland’s Ministry of Justice. Join Asseco next month in New York for FinovateFall.
  • Zighra Receives Patent for Proprietary AI-Powered Continuous Authentication Platform.

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

  • Eight Finovate Alums Join Plug and Play Accelerator’s 2017 Class
  • True Potential Exceeds $7.8 Billion Assets Under Management.

Around the web

  • Zighra Appoints Hari Koduvely As Chief Data Scientist
  • Small businesses name Xero the most-loved accounting software for the third year in a row.
  • Pindrop research scientist Dr. Elie Khoury quoted in Speech Text on the rise of voice biometrics.
  • M1 Finance founder and CEO Brian Barnes talks with U.S. News about getting started as a beginning investor.
  • Chain partners with SIX Swiss Exchange and Nasdaq to build blockchain solutions for OTC structured products.
  • ThreatMetrix adds data discovery and visualization features to its fraud prevention solution, Dynamic Decision Platform.

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.

Behavioral Biometrics Startup Zighra Lands $1 Million in Seed Funding

Behavioral Biometrics Startup Zighra Lands $1 Million in Seed Funding

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Behavioral biometrics and fraud prevention company Zighra closed $1 million in seed funding recently. The round was led by the Investment Accelerator Fund, Export Development Canada, and the Business Development Bank of Canada.

This is the Ottawa-based company’s third round of funding. The amounts of the first two rounds were undisclosed, but Zighra’s funding total is now greater than $1 million. Zighra CEO Deepak Dutt said he plans to use the funds “to go into acceleration mode.” Specifically, he plans to bolster sales and marketing efforts to reach more mobile banking and mobile commerce clients.

Zighra, an Invest Ottawa portfolio company, offers security software that analyzes users’ behavioral patterns to validate their identify and prevent fraud. At FinovateFall 2013, Zighra debuted KineticID, a mobile authentication solution that evaluates the user’s unique, kinetic interaction with their mobile device. Earlier this year, the company graduated from Barclays Techstars Accelerator, which led to Zighra taking on a pilot project for the banking giant. The accelerator program also offered Zighra exposure to the U.K. market, a new geography for the company, which has previously focused on North America, the Middle East, and India.

Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Canada, Zighra has six employees and anticipates it will double its workforce by the end of 2017. Earlier this month, the company won Best Tech at the C100 48Hrs in the Valley program and last year was featured in the Wall Street Journal for its behavioral authentication efforts.

Behavioral biometrics has been a hot topic in 2016, and we expect it to be a star topic of 2017, as well. Finovate alums such as BehavioSec, BioCatch, NuData Security, and Trusteer (acquired by IBM in 2013) each offer unique solutions to combat fraud using behavioral biometrics.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • Behavioral Biometrics Startup Zighra Lands $1 Million in Seed Funding
  • Tuition.io Appoints Former Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson as New CEO

Around the web

  • Commerce Bank chooses Temenos to upgrade core deposit banking system.
  • ThetaRay earns recognition from CIO Review as a top 20 financial services provider for 2016.
  • Financeit reports a doubling of its business since acquiring the home improvement financing assets of TD Bank.
  • Green Dot teams with WalMart to encourage Americans to build savings.
  • Bizfi expands its business lending capabilities through a new partnership with InterNex Capital.
  • OnWallStreet recommends advisers keep their eyes on Wealthfront’s Andy Rachleff; SigFig’s Mike Sha; and Betterment’s Jon Stein.
  • Passport acquires Arizona-based mobile parking payment startup ParkX.
  • P2P lender SocietyOne facilitates $126 million in loans in 2016, finishing a record-breaking year.
  • InComm expands partnership with Target Australia to offer gift cards in stores and online.

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

  • “Make Mine Meniga: Santander Selects a PFM Partner”

Around the web

  • First Tennessee Bank licenses digital banking platform from D3 Banking.
  • Nutmeg goes live with new back office courtesy of Babel Systems.
  • Canadian Innovation Exchange names TIO Networks as one of Canada’s 20 hottest and most innovative public tech companies.
  • Actiance releases expanded supervisory review capabilities for Alcatraz, its cloud-based archive for a broad range of communication channels.
  • Coinbase launches bitcoin price charts, international translations, and consolidated accounts.
  • Dealflow to launch Dealflow 2.0 in webinar next week.
  • Aberdeen Asset Management selects Markit to value hard-to-price assets for positions with limited market-data.
  • Developer reviews Authy’s two-factor authentication.
  • Motif teams up with U.S. Bank’s Ascent Private Capital Management to offer new digital tools to Ascent’s advisers.
  • Kantox partners with NoviCap to offer customers a stronger financial service.
  • Central Bank of Kansas City to issue Cachet’s prepaid cards.

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.

 

Celebrate Canada Day with Our Alums from the Great White North

Celebrate Canada Day with Our Alums from the Great White North

CanadaDay_cupcakes

July 1st is Canada Day, the day Canadians from Nova Scotia to British Columbia and all the provinces in between celebrate the day the country we know as “Canada” was officially formed as a single nation within the British Empire.

So if you’ve got room in your schedule for one more Canada Day Celebration, then please join us in spending a little time celebrating with a score of Finovate alums that are driving fintech innovation in and out of “the Great White North.”

And a special Canada Day shout-out to Finovate partner, the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service, which supports Canadian startups through mentorship and access to U.S. partners and investors.