Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • MoneyHub: From Award-winning Startup to Enterprise-based Solution

Around the Web

  • Lending Club highlighted in FT Journal feature on “trickle-down innovation” in fintech.
  • Columbus Business First talks about Klarna CEO Brian Billingsley’s appearance on Jim Cramer’s Mad Money TV program.
  • Inman features Silanis Technology in a column on the growing use of e-signatures in mortgage lending.
  • Fort Community CU upgrades its Malauzai Software mobile SmartApp to support local rewards program.
  • Cinfed Federal CU hires Insuritas to launch its turnkey insurance agency solution.
  • FundAmerica launches its Invest Now button to provide compliant, friction-free capital-raising for crowdfunding platforms.
  • QuantConnect to offer its algorithmic trading platform via Tradier’s API.
  • Zooz and PayItSimple participate in Visa Europe Collab’s “100-Day Innovation Sprint.”
  • RealEstateTechNews takes a look at Realty Mogul and the launch of its new commercial real estate lending division.
  • Bank of the West redesigns, launches online banking service but on the Corillian Online platform from Fiserv.

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

  • Dealstruck Raises $8 Million in Funding, $50 Million for New Credit Facility
  • BBVA Taps Dwolla for Real-time Money Transfers

Around the web

  • Vouch launches its social network for credit. See Vouch at FinovateSpring 2015 in San Jose.
  • Retail Week features Zooz as its Start-up of the Week.
  • Vermont Federal Credit Union partners with Insuritas to open and manage turnkey insurance agency.
  • Optimal Payments integrates Jumio’s Netverify into its NETELLER stored-value service.
  • BillGuard launches custom categories capability.
  • Taulia Launches Research Arm, Taulia Labs.
  • Norway Registers Development agrees to take 80% stake in Etronika.
  • PayNearMe partners with online rent payment network RentMoola to enable landlords to take rent in cash online.

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

  • Finovate Debuts: OnlinePay.com’s Mobile Wallet Review.

Around the Web:

  • Estonian Inventor profiles TransferWise.
  • Wipro names Rajan Kohli to head the company’s year-old digital business unit.
  • Nomis Solutions partners with Tangerine to develop new customer engagement models.
  • Arxan Technologies wins finalist spot in SC Awards 2015 Europe for Best Mobile Security Solution.
  • Malay Mail Online feature on rob-advisors looks at Betterment, FutureAdvisor, LearnVest, Motif Investing, Personal Capital, and Wealthfront.
  • Milano Finanza reviews SecureSafe.
  • Kalixa leveraging recent acquisition of PXP to transition from DTC to B2B offering.
  • Zooz opens new office in London.
  • Globe Street interviews Realty Mogul’s SVP of residential lending, Shea Palette.
  • Xignite customers gain access to OTC Market Group’s 15-Minute Delayed Level 1 data courtesy of new agreement.
  • Business Insider UK lists Blockchain as one of the 25 most exciting Bitcoin startups.
  • American Banker: BBVA Compass chooses Kony for Mobile App Development.
  • Top Image Systems to provide processing solutions and account automation technology to German utility.

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– March 12, 2015

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  • Finovate Debuts: AlphaPoint Powers Digital Currency Exchanges Around the World
  • Temenos partners with Microsoft to launch T24 country model bank for Mexico.
  • Coinbase adds support for FIX protocol for trade-order management.
  • Q2 Holdings Completes $116 Million Follow-On Stock Offering
  • CardNotPresent.com reports: Zooz to Expand Globally, Opens London Office
  • MasterCard and Kabbage partner to make Kabbage’s data and platform available through its network of acquirers.

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 Alums Populate the FinTech50

Looking for the most innovative startups in fintech? The FinTech50 is a great place to start.

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It also turns out to be a great place to find Finovate alums. Of the 50 companies recognized by FinTechCity’s panels of judges as being “game-changers transforming the future of finance,” nearly half are alumni of Finovate conferences – including our upcoming event in London.
Here is the list of alums in alphabetical order:
According to Chris Skinner, who was one of the panelists, more than 700 companies competed for spots in the FinTech50. The selection panel included veterans of finance and technology from companies ranging from American Express and Google to Silicon Valley Bank and UBS. The FinTech50 winners were announced at an invitation-only event in London.
Speaking of London, Five Degrees, InvoiceSharing, Ixaris, mBank, and Trunomi will be in town next month, demonstrating their latest solutions at FinovateEurope 2015, February 10 and 11. More information on the event available here.

Alumni News– January 19, 2015

  • Thumbnail image for 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.jpgWordline extends partnership with Kalixa.
  • Misys signs deal with fixed income data and cash flow model specialist, Intex.
  • defiSolutions unveils ESSENTIAL LOS automated application processing solution.
  • Benzinga looks at how LikeFolio helps investors spot trends in stocks.
  • Engineering and Technology Magazine features biometric authenticators EyeVerify, Bionym, and BioCatch.
  • Wipit Named Winner in Ninth Annual Paybefore Awards.
  • Banking Tech features how RBS subsidiary, Ulster Bank, is holding a hackathon with Open Bank Project.
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– September 17, 2014

  • Finovate-F-Logo.jpgCorrection: FreeAgent surpasses 2,000 customers in a single partnership deal.
  • Insuritas customer Denali Alaskan FCU increases revenue by 22% over the past 2 years from Insuritas solutions.
  • Cortera announces Cortera Score, a predictive risk measurement that extends the Cortera Pulse service.
  • App Annie expands mobile app analytics platform with analytics for Facebook Ads.
  • InComm partners with the Virginia Department of Transportation to launch the Virginia E-ZPass Reload Card.
  • Zooz and Alipay partner to give merchants access to Chinese customers.
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– July 25, 2014

  • Finovate-F-Logo.jpgFox Business News features Kabbage’s small business lending process.
  • Huffington Post describes how DemystData’s big data analytics help evaluate creditworthiness.
  • Cartera Commerce’s CFO Karen Cambray named a finalist in Boston Business Journal’s 2014 CFO of the Year Awards.
  • Bloomberg: BillGuard programmers code in bomb shelters.
  • Coinbase launches Coinbase Vault to Better Secure Your Bitcoins.
  • MoneyDesktop appoints Brandon Dewitt as its first ever CTO.
  • SecondMarket CEO Barry Silbert stepping down in order to refocus his attention solely on bitcoin.
  • InvestmentNews features roboadvisors Jemstep, FutureAdvisor, Wealthfront, and Personal Capital.
  • The Irish Times looks at Holvi’s move into Ireland.
  • CMS Wire: Actiance wants to help companies curb social media mistakes.
  • Karen Webster of Market Platform Dynamics interviews Zooz CEO Oren Levy.
  • eToro announces new version of OpenBook for iOS.
  • Mobile Entertainment talks with Adam Levene, SVP of Strategy at Monitise Create.
  • LendingTree launches personalization platform.
  • Pymnts takes a look at the partnership between Malauzai Software and Trusteer. See Malauzai at FinovateFall in September.
  • Fortune.com interviews Bill Siegel, interim CEO of SecondMarket.
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.

Zooz Raises $12 Million in Round Led by Blumberg Capital

Zooz Raises $12 Million in Round Led by Blumberg Capital
zooz_logo_new

Almost a year ago to the day, we featured Zooz CEO Oren Levy as part of our CEO interview series.

Today, we learn that the e-commerce payments innovator has announced a new $12 million investment, courtesy of a funding round led by Blumberg Capital. Zooz’s total capital now stands at more than $30 million.

Existing investors participating in the round were lool ventures, Rhodium, and XSeed Capital. New investors included Access Industries and Camp One Ventures. Zooz plans to use the new capital to further develop its technology, as well as to support the company’s growth as it looks to add new offices and scale up operations.
Zooz_homepage_new
Speaking of the funding, Zooz CEO Oren Levy pointed to the challenges of “globalization, omni-channel retail, and coordination between multiple financial institutions” to help explain his company’s mission – and its attractiveness to investors. By providing retailers with greater payment flexibility, Zooz helps businesses grow revenues, gain new customers, and participate in new markets. 
Blumberg Capital’s Alon Lifshitz added:
“There is clearly a need for an advanced payment technology that can help businesses stay ahead of their competition through optimization and technology differentiation, and that is where Zooz excels.”
Zooz enables enterprise-class retailers to optimize their payment process through a broad network of acquirers and payment methods. Zooz helps companies access these acquirers and methods, as well as making it easy for new acquirers and methods to be added and integrated into the network. The company’s Smart Routing solution allows retailers to achieve and provide a consistent, cross-channel payment experience for both sides of the transaction.
Zooz was founded in 2010. The company made its Finovate debut at FinovateFall 2013, showing its Global Payments Platform.

Alumni News– July 16, 2014

  • Finovate-F-Logo.jpgpeerTransfer and Nelnet expand partnership, enhancing international payment options for educational institutions.
  • Xero MD Chris Ridd featured on Qantas radio. Check out Xero at FinDEVr, the first event for fintech developers.
  • Micronotes releases Mobile-SMS to automate the referral process through the mobile SMS channel to drive more sales.
  • Lendio launches program for brokers that helps more SMBs find financing by giving brokers and ISOs access to Lendio’s lending options.
  • New app from The Members Group alerts Google Glass wearers if a Dwolla-accepting merchant is nearby.
  • mBank deploys authentication technology from HID Global.
  • Jack Henry launches jhaEnterprise Workflow solution.
  • Coinbase integration brings bitcoin payments to Shopify merchants.
  • Zooz raises $12 million in round led by Blumberg Capital.
  • MasterCard’s MasterPass to enable in-app payments by August.
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– June 17, 2014

  • Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Finovate-F-Logo.jpgTop Image Systems launches eFLOW Signature Verification.
  • Cisco blog takes a look at the company’s partnership with Ignite Sales.
  • Device Fidelity announces first combined module of wireless charging and NFC on iOS.
  • D3 Banking partners with Blackstone Technology to help banks convert to the D3 Banking omnichannel platform.
  • Currency Transfer covers top Israel-based fintech startups: eToro, Seeking Alpha, Zooz, BillGuard, TipRanks, and Payoneer.
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.

Where the Alums Are: A Remembrance of FinovateSpring Past

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It is hard to believe that it is almost time for FinovateSpring 2014.

There’s still plenty of time for you to get your tickets to our upcoming event in San Jose, California on April 29 and 30. Our final Sneak Peek preview post is up, all the companies who were prepping under the radar are now out of stealth, and we can’t wait for you to see what this year’s spring crop of fintech entrepreneurs and innovators has in store.

Before we do, however, let’s take a moment to take a look back at last year’s FinovateSpring alums. As we scrolled through blog archives, several themes jumped out: the appetite for startups remains as passionate as ever, with three of our Spring 2013 alums being acquired by such financial sector potentates as Intuit and PayPal. And venture capitalists continue to see innovation in this space as a more than worthwhile investment, with 20 separate fundings for Spring 2013 alums

We’ve grouped the achievements into four categories: Exits, Fundings, Awards, and Acquisitions. Enjoy!

EXITS
  • Jack Henry buys Banno for undisclosed sum
  • The rumors are true: eBay’s PayPal acquires Braintree for $800 million in cash
  • Intuit buys tax planning/preparation specialist GoodApril
  • TaxAct acquires Balance Financial
FUNDINGS
  • CardFlight secures $1.6 million in seed funding from ff Venture Capital
  • Encap earns seven-figure investment from ProVenture Seed
  • EyeVerify earns $2.3 million in Series A funding
  • Jemstep raises $4.5 million in Series A round
  • Kabbage brings in $270 million in debt financing to provide small businesses with funding of their own
  • Kabbage brings in $75 MIllion in debt financing
  • Leaf raises $20 million from Heartland Payment Systems
  • Alternative lender LendUp raises $14 million in new funding
  • D3 Banking creator Lodo Software Brings in $3 million
  • Narrative Science secures $11.5 million in Series C funding
  • OpenCoin wins investment from Google Ventures, IDG Capital Partners
  • P2BInvestor raises $1.2 million in Series A round
  • PayNearMe leverages Family Dollar Partnership; raises $20 million
  • PayNearMe raises $10 million in Series D funding, launches Express Merchant Onboarding Option
  • Prestadero raises 5 million pesos ($400,000 USD) in first round of funding
  • Quantopian raises $6.7 million in Series A round
  • Realty Mogul raises $9 million in round led by Canaan Partners
  • SeedInvest raises $2 million in crowdfunded investment campaign
  • SeedInvest Raises $1 million in round Led by Jumpstart New Jersey Angel Network
  • Zooz Closes $2 million Series A round Led by XSeed Capital
AWARDS
ACQUISITONS
  • OpenCoin acquires SimpleHoney
  • Kofax acquires data integration software provider Kapow Technologies
  • NICE to acquire Causata to enhance customer experience management