Santander Launches Tool to Help Users Measure and Reduce their Carbon Footprint

Santander Launches Tool to Help Users Measure and Reduce their Carbon Footprint
  • Banco Santander is launching a new tool to help retail customers track the carbon footprints of their transactions.
  • The bank is partnering with ClimateTrade and the Mastercard donation platform to enable users to offset their impact.
  • The app is currently available to customers in Spain and will soon go live in Poland, Portugal, and the U.K.

Banco Santander is out with a new ESG initiative today. The Spain-based bank unveiled a new feature that enables its retail banking customers in Spain and Chile to track and offset their carbon footprints.

Developed in-house and available on Santander’s website and app, the tool will help customers measure the carbon footprint of the purchases they make with their Santander accounts and payment cards. Customers can see their monthly carbon footprint reported in kg CO2-eq in a range of categories, including supermarkets, transport, health, and education.

To help users take action against their carbon output, Santander’s tool will show eco-friendly tips for each category, as well as facts on how users can reduce their footprint and transition to a more sustainable economy.

Santander is partnering with ClimateTrade to enable customers to voluntarily use the tracker to offset their carbon footprint. ClimateTrade connects sustainable project developers with users looking to offset their carbon footprint. Because the company’s marketplace leverages the blockchain, all transactions, which are processed through the Mastercard donation platform, are traceable.

Santander has been fighting climate change since 2011 by measuring and reporting on its own carbon footprint. The bank became carbon neutral in 2020 and pledges to reach net zero emissions by 2025 in its financing, advisory, and investment services, as well as across all operations.

The app will go live in Poland, Portugal, and the U.K. in the coming months. 


Photo by Kit Ishimatsu on Unsplash

From Investment to Innovation: What Can We Learn from a World of Unicorns?

From Investment to Innovation: What Can We Learn from a World of Unicorns?

Earlier this year, PwC’s Vicki Huff Eckert published a report that looked at the impact of VC investment on the technology industry. Eckert is Vice Chair for Technology, Media, and Communications – and the global leader of New Ventures and Innovation – for PwC. She will be featured at FinovateSpring next week in San Francisco as part of our Fireside Chat series.

Eckert’s report, Living in a World of Unicorns, examines the role that venture capital has played in not just funding, but in actually helping transform a variety of industries – including fintech and financial services. Some of her key takeaways as they relate to fintech specifically include:

“Tech is now influencing so many verticals that the investments and business processes in those verticals are evolving and beginning to blur industry lines.”

“In the U.S., companies are mostly using AI to improve performance, gain greater insights from their data, or automate business operations. In China, AI companies are primarily focused on facial recognition and computer vision. Alarmingly, investment in cybersecurity hasn’t kept pace …”

“The growth of the platform economy and e-commerce created an unprecedented need for seamless, cross-border, highly scalable digital payments.”

“The digitization of the economy is also establishing the foundation and infrastructure for digital currencies to eventually go mainstream.”

“Today’s unicorns aren’t just shaping capital markets and investment strategies, they are shaping and redefining the industries in which they operate – by developing new products and services, expanding rapidly into new geographic markets, and using their cash (and valuable stock) to attract talent.”

Check out the report from PwC’s Vicki Huff Eckert, and then be sure to join us next week for our Fireside Chat at FinovateSpring in San Francisco, Friday morning, May 20th at 9:30am.


Photo by Kaboompics .com

CNote Facilitates $25 Million Investment from Apple

CNote Facilitates $25 Million Investment from Apple
  • Apple is using CNote’s platform to invest $25 million in underserved communities.
  • Oakland-based CNote facilitates investments in economic equality, racial justice, gender equity and climate change initiatives.
  • Apple joins other companies using CNote to invest, including Mastercard, Patagonia, PayPal, and Netflix.

CNote, a company that facilitates investments in fixed income and time deposit products that advance the social good, revealed its newest investor today. Apple is using the California-based company’s platform to invest $25 million in underserved communities.

“We’re committed to helping ensure that everyone has access to the opportunity to pursue their dreams and create our shared future,” said Apple VP of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives Lisa Jackson. “By working with CNote to get funds directly to historically under-resourced communities through their local financial institutions, we can support equity, entrepreneurship and access.”

Apple’s $25 million contribution is part of the company’s Racial Equity and Justice initiative, an effort to address systemic racism and expand opportunities for people of color.

CNote has already deployed some of the funds to an initial round of financial institutions, including:

  • ANECA Federal Credit Union in Louisiana
  • Bank of Cherokee County in Oklahoma
  • Carver State Bank in Georgia
  • Education Credit Union in Texas
  • First Southwest Bank in Colorado
  • Hope Credit Union, which serves Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee
  • Kaua‘i Federal Credit Union in Hawai‘i
  • Latino Community Credit Union in North Carolina
  • Legacy Bank in Missouri
  • Optus Bank in South Carolina
  • Self-Help Federal Credit Union, with locations in California, Illinois, Washington, and Wisconsin
  • VCC Bank in Virginia

As Bank of Cherokee County EVP Susannah Plumb Scott explained, the funds invested via the CNote platform can make a real difference in underserved communities. “Partnerships like the one we have with CNote and Apple are essential to our efforts to expand access to capital, as well as to financial products and services, in a historically underserved market,” said Scott, whose institution invests 95% of deposits back into Cherokee County.

Echoing those thoughts is Education Credit Union President and CEO Eric Jenkins, who said deposits like Apple’s “allow ECU to serve more consumers and meet a broader range of needs.”

Founded in 2016, CNote’s platform provides insured deposits to a group of vetted, mission-driven financial institutions, including community development financial institutions (CDFIs), low-income designated (LID) credit unions, and minority depository institutions (MDIs). These financial institutions use the deposits to help promote economic equality, racial justice, gender equity, and climate change initiatives.

CNote investors, a list that includes Mastercard, Patagonia, PayPal, Netflix, and now Apple, receive quarterly impact reports with details on which institutions received deposits and the populations that are benefiting.

CNote was a B Lab “Best for the World” honoree in 2019 and was named “Best Women-Owned Business” by the U.N. Women’s Empowerment Principles program in 2020. The company has raised $43 million.


Photo by Pixabay

Minna Technologies Launches Merchant Solution for Fight Subscription Cancellations

Minna Technologies Launches Merchant Solution for Fight Subscription Cancellations
  • Minna Technologies has launched a new solution to help merchants recover revenue and re-engage customers who recently canceled subscriptions.
  • The new offering, Merchant Solutions, helps solve a pain point in which bank cards are often blocked during a subscription cancellation.
  • Merchant Solutions tackles the new reality of subscription management in which customers are more proactive toward both signing up for and cancelling subscription-based services.

Sweden-based subscription management infrastructure company Minna Technologies unveiled its new Merchant Solutions late last week. The solution will enable subscription-based businesses to recover revenue from customers who have recently canceled their service and who manage their subscriptions via their retail bank app.

“We are thrilled to allow the 20% of consumers who cancel with Minna to more easily return to the subscription service when it suits them; and to enable subscription businesses to more personally retarget these consumers with suitable offers,” Minna Technologies Chief Product Officer Tiama Hanson-Drury said. “Not every cancellation is a desire to sever ties with the merchant – often it is a call for increased flexibility or personalization. By keeping the channel open, merchants have the chance to evolve the customer relationship and reacquire the consumer.”

Minna Technologies’ new solution also helps merchants deal with an unintended consequence of consumer protection efforts that require banks to support subscription payment management, especially with regard to unidentified or unintended payments. Sometimes, the subscription cancellation process results in the customer’s bank card being blocked to prevent future wrongful payments. Minna Technologies cited a study by Experian Insights that indicated that almost 80% of those who try to re-establish their subscriptions within three months after canceling have found that their bank cards have been blocked. This friction can be enough to cause the customer to abandon the attempt to resubscribe to the service.

To this end, Minna will offer a new “unblock” feature that facilitates communication between banks and subscription businesses to unblock bank cards in instances when banks have confidence that no wrongful payments will be reattempted by the business. This block removal service will help alleviate operational issues and the potential for poor customer service when payments are automatically blocked during subscription cancellation. Minna noted that the Unblock feature is one example of the kind of assistance the company is developing for subscription-based merchants with other solutions, including a way to prevent cancellations in the first place, to be offered in the near future.

Minna Technologies’ new offering also responds to the challenge of what Minna Technologies’ VP of Sales, Partnerships and Solutions Erica Katsambis referred to as the “rise of new subscription personas”. These personas reflect a growing assertiveness on the part of consumers who are more likely to be proactive in expressing their digital preferences than consumers of even a few years ago.

“From the ‘lost, confused, and angry’ who are disengaged and canceling via their bank, to the ‘savvy’ consumers switching subscriptions regularly or those consumers happy to try out many new subscriptions, they all demand more from their subscriptions,” Katsambis explained. “It is more important than ever to diversify and bolster digital channels and functionality to retain users, grow your customer base, and prevent unwanted churn.”

Minna Technologies made its Finovate debut at FinovateEurope 2019. In the time since then, the company has forged partnerships with ING Belgium, Lloyds Bank, and Danske Bank; earned recognition as an Inclusive Fintech 50 member; and raised more than $23 million in funding. Late last year, Minna launched its “1-click” subscription management solution. Early this year, the company announced the appointment of new board chairwoman, Amanda Mesler.


Photo by Pixabay

Worldline Taps Alogen to Offer Lenders Credit Assessment Tool

Worldline Taps Alogen to Offer Lenders Credit Assessment Tool
  • Payment and transaction services company Worldline and credit decisioning firm Algoan are joining forces.
  • The two are developing a credit assessment tool that will help lenders make better, faster, and more efficient lending decisions.
  • The credit assessment solution will leverage Worldline’s open banking experience as well as Algoan’s credit decisioning expertise.

Payment and transaction services company Worldline announced a partnership with credit decisioning firm Algoan. As part of the agreement, the two firms will work together to develop a credit assessment solution to help lenders and services providers make better credit decisions.

Specifically, the partnership will leverage Worldline’s open banking experience. “At Worldline we look for innovative partners who share our vision and enable us to enrich and expand our open banking services,” said Worldline Managing Director Financial Services Michael Steinbach. “As a lead and one of the largest Open Banking providers in Europe, we are committed to unlocking the full potential of Open Banking. With Algoan, we will be able to offer our customers an end-to-end and cost-efficient white-label solution to assess credit worthiness.”

According to Alogan CEO Michael Diguet, it is an ideal time to launch this solution. “Open Banking credit scoring is experiencing momentum that big players should embrace,” said Diguet.

Another key resource behind the credit assessment solution is Alogen’s four years of credit scoring expertise. Financial institutions can use the new tool to receive more accurate credit scoring and increased processing efficiency. Underwriting use cases include personal finance, consumer lending, auto finance and leasing, retail lending, BNPL, insurance, and utility providers.

The credit assessment solution will also bring benefits to borrowers. The enhanced data means that more borrowers may be approved and will receive their approval faster.

Having won its first contract to facilitate card transactions in 1973, Worldline currently has 20,000 employees in more than 50 countries and counts annual revenue of almost $4 billion. Gilles Grapinet is CEO.


Photo by RODNAE Productions

Fintech Innovation in Mexico: From Cross-Border Payments to Crypto Rewards

Fintech Innovation in Mexico: From Cross-Border Payments to Crypto Rewards

There’s more to fintech innovation in Mexico than remittances. But this week’s fintech headlines from America’s nearest neighbor to the south have reminded of the major role that money transfer services play in the financial services landscape of nations like Mexico.

Late this week, Western Union announced that it was teaming up with Pagaphone SmartPay to offer its customers additional options when it comes to sending and receiving money from the U.S. to Mexico. Courtesy of the new arrangement, U.S. customers will be able to send money via a variety of Western Union channels, from WU.com to the company’s mobile app to any one of Western Union retail locations in Mexico. Recipients receive the funds on their phones by accessing their PagaPhone SmartPay accounts. Funds can then be transferred to bank accounts, withdrawn as cash from an ATM using their PagaPhone debit cards, or used to pay for products and services directly from the app.

“By teaming with Western Union, PagaPhone SmartPay users in Mexico have yet another way to receive money from friends and family cross-border, using a brand known and trusted for decades,” PagaPhone Smart Pay and Cloud Transfer Services CEO and founder Ulises Tellez said.

More than $51 billion was sent to Mexico in remittances last year, Head of Western Union Mexico and Central America Pablo Porro said, underscoring the major role of cross-border payments in the region. “With this surge in remittances, customers demand choice and added convenience for how and when money is sent and received,” Porro added.

Headquartered in Mexico City and founded in 2018, PagaPhone offers an e-Wallet that enables users to cash remittances directly from their smartphone – as well as conduct a number of other transactions ranging from payments to cash withdrawals.


Also this week, we learned that Mexican fintech Broxel has announced the availability of free remittances for Mexicans living in the U.S. As part of its commemoration of Cinco de Mayo on Thursday, Broxel will make it both easier and more affordable for more members of the Mexican-American community to send money to relatives in Mexico for free.

“Millions of families in Mexico depend on the hard work of people trying to achieve their dreams, sending money every week as an act of love, memory, and gratitude,” Brozel Client Services Supervisor Mario Lopez said. “So having a financial product that allows the Mexican community to send money for free, is proof that technology can change people’s lives.”

Available from the company’s website, the Broxell Pay App offers free remittances among a number of other features. These include a Mastercard debit card, the ability to have both a peso-denominated account issued in Mexico and a dollar-denominated account issued in the U.S. on the same app, and a travel discount service.

“Technology is erasing borders,” Broxel founder and President Gustavo Gutiérrez said. “The idea of having free remittances is an economical disruption for the North American region, and a game-changer for millions of potential users.”


What’s going in Mexican fintech other than cross-border payments? Why crypto, of course!

YoCripto, a Mexico-based bitcoin rewards credit card, is gearing up for a launch later this year. As reported in Fintech Futures this week, the company calls itself the first Latin American fintech to offer a credit card with bitcoin rewards. YoCripto plans to offer both a virtual and a physical Visa-powered credit card, with Bitcoin rewards of as much as 3% on all transactions. The card will also feature a low interest rate, no annual fees or commissions, and instant credit approvals.

Designed to serve the young and underbanked Latin Americans, Yo Cripto was founded by Julian Arber and Rafael Maya in January of this year. Both Arber and Maya have significant backgrounds in financial services; Arber at Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley, Maya at American Express. The company raised $4 million in seed funding in February in a round led by DILA Capital and, after launch, plans to expand to Colombia, Chile, Peru, and Argentina.

“Our main goal is to promote financial inclusion across Latin America,” the founders said in an interview with LABS (Latin American Business Stories), “allowing users to obtain the benefits of the crypto ecosystem without its complexity.”


ICYMI … Check out our coverage of the $15 million in funding raised by Indian fintech Kaleidofin this week.

India-based financial services provider Kaleidofin announced it has raised an additional $5 million in funding, adding to the $10 million investment the company received in January of this year. The $15 million round brings Kaleidofin’s total funding to just shy of $23 million.


Here is our look at fintech innovation around the world.

Middle East and Northern Africa

Central and Southern Asia

Latin America and the Caribbean

Asia-Pacific

Sub-Saharan Africa

Central and Eastern Europe


Photo by Ricardo Esquivel

Fintech’s Role in Retail Investing’s Knowledge Gap

Fintech’s Role in Retail Investing’s Knowledge Gap

In a world full of inequalities, it is no surprise to see an imbalance when it comes to finances, and investing in particular.

For more insight into this industry conundrum, we spoke with Rukayyat Kolawole, CFA. Kolawole is familiar with inequities in the financial world, given her role as Founder and CEO of PaceUP Invest, a new platform launching on May 15th that offers e-learning, financial coaching, investment strategy, and execution for women and underrepresented groups.

Our conversation below highlights not only tips on bridging the knowledge gap, but also on building diversity and her view on the future of the retail investing industry.

When it comes to retail investing, there is a significant knowledge gap. What are some practical ways the fintech industry can bridge this gap and ultimately increase the number of investors?

Rukayyat Kolawole: The fintech industry can bridge this gap by incorporating financial literacy into its solution. The main reason people, especially women and those from underrepresented communities, do not invest is because of the lack of knowledge and being underserved by the finance industry. Many robo-advisors stop the process if the client indicates they are a novice to investing. Even though they include information and definitions of financial terms on their platform, this is not provided with the aim of increasing financial literacy overall, irrespective of the product they sell.

This represents a missed opportunity by the current robo-advisors to provide learning products and improve financial knowledge. At PaceUP Invest, we provide a hybrid, jargon-free financial literacy and investment platform to bridge the gap, and we have seen the impact on different communities. Incorporating behavioral science is also key to helping educate and increase the participation of potential retail investors.

How does the industry stand to benefit when the number and diversity of investors increases?

Kolawole: The industry will benefit immensely from a retail investor’s perspective because we will start to see a lot of gaps. For example, we’ll see a pension gap, retirement gap, and racial wealth gap gradually narrowing. Policies are still needed to ensure all these gaps are narrowed. Underrepresented communities and minorities will be greatly impacted by making a financial decision that will increase not only the number but also the average financial assets that they will hold. The economic benefit for society would be even larger.

When we look at capital allocators, it is still very much the old boys’ club of white and male. Very little is going towards women and people of color. The only way that people can get funding to solve real problems affecting their communities is if more women and people of color are writing the cheques. Otherwise, it’s going to be the same boys’ club.

How has the state of retail investing and retirement planning changed from how it was just five years ago?

Kolawole: Across the globe, we saw a spike in retail investing due to easy-to-use investing and trading apps. 2020 was called the year of retail investors, and the pandemic has no doubt contributed to the spike in retail trading. People became more empowered than ever. Retail trading has taken off more in the U.S. than in Europe. Retail investing in Europe makes only around 5% to 7% of total investments in Europe, compared to 25% in the U.S. and 60% in China.

With the large pension gap in Europe still not changing much in the past five years, low-interest rates, and new online brokerages being built could help to propel enough momentum to increase participation in the capital markets to solve these problems. Retail investing is here to stay!

However, we need to make it more inclusive for women and underrepresented communities.

When you think about what the industry will look like 10 years from now, what do you think will be different? What role will decentralized finance play?

Kolawole: People will have more choices and be in more control of their finances. More people will be financially independent and empowered via choices of products that solve their problems. Fintech will revolutionize and help to reduce a lot of gaps we currently have when it comes to money and wealth.

Banks will have their place in the future financial system, requiring more flexibility and a customer-centric approach by partnering with fintech companies to solve real-life solutions.

However, our financial world will probably not become that decentralized due to regulations and governments wanting to retain monetary power.


Photo by meo

Meet the Startups: Investor Meetings at FinovateSpring This Month

New to FinovateSpring this year, we’re connecting startups raising early-stage capital with investors who can make it happen. And there’s still room at the table. If you’re a startup raising pre-seed/seed/series A funding, apply now. Interested investors should reach out to Heather Stowell

To shed a little more light on our Advanced Startup Booster program on May 18, Greg Palmer, VP of Strategy and host of The Finovate Podcast, sat down with one of the investors, Garnet Heraman, who will be meeting these startups.

As Founder and Managing Partner at Aperture Venture Capital, Heraman not only has VC insight into startup funding in the fintech industry, but he also has years of entrepreneur experience, notably as the CEO of three tech companies acquired within years of each other.

“In a general sense, this is such a people business and such a leadership and management business, especially at the early stages of a VC-backed company,” Heraman said. “At the early stages of a startup, I think it’s all about personalities, personal discernment and rapport, leadership, and substance. Saying what you mean and meaning what you say. Tried and true maxims about what it takes to be a good, bankable person.”

Heraman added, “In our fintech world specifically, what Aperture looks for essentially is what we call ‘fintech adjacent’ or ‘fintech plus.’ We’re looking for those undiscovered intersections between traditional fintech and some compelling lucrative enterprise segment. A company that takes a problem-solving perspective and lives at that intersection.”

Below are some further insights from Heraman from his recent conversation with Finovate VP Greg Palmer.


On building networks and ecosystems

(The) Startup Booster Program looks like an awesome way to get the right companies in front of the right people at the right time. I (think) about where I was when I was a first- and second-time entrepreneur. (We) could have done a much better job of essentially getting out and about into the conferences and building networks and building ecosystems.

On delivering value to pre-seed fintech startups

We feel like there is an immense opportunity to deliver value to these pre-seed companies if you can make that alignment happen proactively. Beyond any kind of capital, things like product and technology support, sales and distribution support, logistics and supply chain guidance and resources (are critical). To the extent that those things can be more readily available to more pre-seed companies, what you’re going to see is . .  . the overall ecosystem for pre-seed companies develop better and rise to the top. 

On the importance of a healthy startup ecosystem

Without young startups being in channels that have them coming into contact with seed and later-stage VCs and/or corporations, a couple of things happen. They don’t get the funding they need and the smart money they need, like access to mission critical operational resources, at a critical time when they are still developing. Without the opportunity to refine, if not pivot, make mistakes and fix them, the overall market is going to be bereft of companies that could otherwise do well for themselves.

On the importance of diversity

If only a tiny portion of all of these billions of dollars in VC capital is going to people of color, you have to ask yourself what is the opportunity cost to the gross national product of this country? By not having more money go into the hands of innovators and entrepreneurs who are people of color and, maybe more importantly, female, what is the opportunity cost?


Advanced Startup Booster meetings take place on May 18 between 5pm to 6pm. For more information on how to get involved, visit our Startup Booster program hub today!

Cryptocurrency Accounting Company Tactic Secures $2.6 Million in Seed Funding

Cryptocurrency Accounting Company Tactic Secures $2.6 Million in Seed Funding
  • Cryptocurrency accounting firm Tactic raised $2.6 million in funding.
  • Leading the investment round were Founders Fund and finance automation company Ramp.
  • The new capital will help the company add talent and continue to build out its platform.

With more and more companies seeking to diversify their finances with cryptocurrencies, a new U.S.-based startup has arrived to help these businesses better manage their cryptocurrency holdings.

The company, Tactic, announced today that it has raised $2.3 million in seed funding. The investment was co-led by Founders Fund and Ramp, a finance automation company. Also participating in the funding were individual investors Elad Gil and Dylan Field, co-founder of Figma. Tactic said that, among other needs, the new capital will help the company hire additional talent.

Tactic helps businesses account for their cryptocurrency holdings by aggregating data across disparate sources – often multiple wallets across multiple blockchains – to provide a full treasury view of all balances and account activity. Tactic enables companies to automatically categorize their transactions and apply basic accounting logic and rules to calculate gain/loss and identify taxable events. Accounting teams can also use the platform to reconcile the cryptocurrency subledger to traditional accounting systems such as QuickBooks.

“Tactic solves a real pain point for businesses managing cryptocurrency finances and the product is already saving crypto accounting teams days each month,” Founders Fund Principal Leigh Marie Braswell said. “We believe Tactic has the potential to become a massive player as more companies move into web3.”

Founded by CEO Ann Jaskiw and launched in 2021, Tactic has since reeled in “dozens” of customers, from early stage startup companies to billion-dollar businesses. Jaskiw started Tactic after learning that many companies involved in web3 were using spreadsheets for their accounting because there were no other solutions available for them. By contrast, Tactic has developed its solution in part by teaming up with leading accounting firms to help them apply accounting guidelines to activities common in the DeFi world such as staking, NFT, minting, and airdrops.

Tactic VP of Strategy and Ops John Dempsey put Tactic’s platform in the context of other fintech solutions that leverage automation and other enabling technologies to make operations more efficient. “Businesses have come to expect back-office solutions that help them get started quickly and automate their manual tasks,” Dempsey said. “Tactic makes it easy for businesses to transact in cryptocurrency, knowing they can manage their financial activity in a clean, compliant way.”


Photo by Pixabay

Neo Financial Lands $145 Million to Build its Canadian Challenger Bank

Neo Financial Lands $145 Million to Build its Canadian Challenger Bank
  • Canada’s Neo Financial closed $145 million ($185 million CAD) in funding.
  • The round brings the three-year-old company’s total funding to almost $240 million ($299 CAD) and boosts its valuation past $785 million ($1 billion CAD).
  • Neo is now one of only a few Alberta-based tech companies to become a unicorn.

Canada-based Neo Financial’s newest funding round has boosted the company up to unicorn status in Canadian dollars. The $145 million ($185 million CAD) investment was led by Valar Ventures and saw participation from Tribe Capital, Altos Ventures, Blank Ventures, Gaingels, Maple VC, and Knollwood Advisory.

Today’s investment boosts Alberta-based Neo Financial’s total funding to almost $240 million ($299 CAD). It also marks the company as one of just a few tech companies in the region to become a unicorn.

Founded in 2019, Neo Financial differentiates itself with its user-friendly banking technology. The company boasts one million users of its four main products, which include a credit card, high-interest savings account, and investment tools. Additionally, Neo Financial is slated to launch a mortgage offering by the end of this year.

“We’re constantly challenging the status quo,” the company said in a blog post, “and asking the questions that should be asked: What if you only needed one loyalty card instead of 20? What if your financial services experience was as seamless as Netflix or Spotify? What if getting a mortgage could be a fully digital experience? What if the future of banking wasn’t a bank?”

With 650 employees under its roof, a number that has doubled in the past year, Neo Financial is growing. The company has added more than 11 products and features in the past year alone. To fuel this growth, the company adding 100 people to its workforce in Calgary and Winnipeg.

“The pace at which this team releases new products and grows its customer base is among the fastest we have seen in our careers,” said Valar Ventures Founding Partner Andrew McCormack.

Maple VC’s Andre Charoo echoed those thoughts. In an interview with TechCrunch, he said, “Neo is the fastest growing company I have seen in Canada… I believe Neo has a shot at owning at least 10% of the aggregated $550 billion banking sector in Canada (ie. $50 billion) due to the network effects it has created with its unique merchant loyalty program.”


Photo by Andre Furtado

FinovateSpring 2022 Sneak Peek: Lendisoft

FinovateSpring 2022 Sneak Peek: Lendisoft

A look at the companies demoing at FinovateSpring in San Francisco on May 18 and 19. Register today and save your spot.

Lendisoft transforms the end-to-end loan management process with a SaaS suite integrating risk management and compliance IQ. Machine learning and AI automation result in workflow and performance differentiation.

Features

  • Workflow and process design with integrated risk management and compliance
  • Machine learning and AI automation
  • SaaS scalability, scoring models and easy UI

Why it’s great

Lendisoft transforms the loan portfolio management business with integrated risk management, compliance, machine learning, AI automation, and a process driven design resulting in ~30% lift in monthly performance.

Presenters

Rick Haskell, COO & Founder
Haskell has over 30 years in lending excellence and leadership driving operational performance with repeatable and scalable processes. His workflow design and risk management strategies are key advantages.
LinkedIn

Bill Gerber, CRO and Founder’s Circle
Gerber has been on the bleeding edge of consumer engagement technology his entire career. He has driven, contributed and experienced 11 acquisitions. He is an agent of change and performance.
LinkedIn

FinovateSpring 2022 Sneak Peek: tuo

FinovateSpring 2022 Sneak Peek: tuo

A look at the companies demoing at FinovateSpring in San Francisco on May 18 and 19. Register today and save your spot.

Tuo is a leading alternative data credit services company that creates industry-leading credit underwriting and servicing solutions to truly support the underbanked.

Features

Increase credit application conversions with the white-label Tuo Credit Builder that allows users to build credit on autopilot.

Why it’s great

A true “SET IT and FORGET IT” credit building solution. Tuo does the work. Their customers get the credit.

Presenters

Adam Finke, CEO
Finke is a consumer finance expert and purveyor of financial inclusivity for all.
LinkedIn

George Ulmer, CTO
Ulmer is a premier full-stack developer with dynamic coding and successful founder experience.
LinkedIn