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Finovate Global Brazil: Debt Management, BNPL, and Building a Bigger Bitcoin Reserve

Finovate Global Brazil: Debt Management, BNPL, and Building a Bigger Bitcoin Reserve
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Finovate Global, Nubank

This week’s edition of Finovate Global features the latest fintech news and headlines from Brazil.

Nubank unveils Recomeço to help borrowers renegotiate debt

Brazilian fintech Nubank unveiled its latest and largest campaign to help customers with outstanding payments renegotiate their debts. The program, Recomeço, enables eligible customers to receive discounts of up to 99.9% for a limited time. These customers will be notified via the Nubank app, where they will be provided personalized details about their renegotiation options and next steps.

“At Nubank, our customers and their financial well-being are our priority,” CEO of Nubank in Brazil, Livia Chanes, said. “This was the main reason for creating Nubank: to combat complexity and empower people. We are committed to providing personalized solutions with the best possible conditions, contributing to long-term financial health. We want to support our customers, who have trusted Nubank, to start over.”

Eligible customers will need to have a “generally good credit history” and engagement with Nubank. The fintech hopes that the program will benefit those customers who do not tend to have recurring debts, but may have recently experienced financial difficulties. Recomeço also features resources and tools to support credit recovery and smart financial decision-making. These resources include a blog with tips on financial wellness and education.

Nubank’s Recomeço news comes less than a week after the fintech unveiled NuScore, a credit rating tool for its customers. NuScore provides customers with a score from 0 to 1,000, a classification—very high, high, average, low, and very low—and access to the behavioral and historical factors that guided the scoring. These factors include credit card usage, savings patterns in Nubank’s personalized digital savings accounts called Caixas, the amount of debt in the market, and the customer’s score analysis from credit bureaus. Customers will also benefit from recommendations on how they can improve their credit profile and overall financial health.

“Our goal is to establish a solid partnership with our customers to build a robust credit profile, promoting satisfaction, increasing eligibility and engagement with credit products that meet their needs in a responsible manner,” said Arthur Valadão, general director for Nubank’s Roxinho (credit card) segment.

Founded in 2013, Nubank is headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil. The company is an alum of Finovate’s developer conference, FinDEVr, having participated in the event in New York in 2016. Today, Nubank offers one of the region’s and the world’s biggest digital banking platforms, with more than 100 million customers in Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia.

Brazilian BNPL provider raises $26.7 million in series A funding

Capim, a startup that offers a Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) payment option for Brazilians paying for dental services, has secured $25.7 million in Series A funding. The round, which consisted of two parts, featured Valor Capital and QED Investors as co-leads. Existing investors ONEVC, Canary, and NXTP also participated, along with new investors Endeavor, Saison, and Actyus. The Series A takes Capim’s total capital raised to $29 million. Valuation information was not disclosed.

A vertical SaaS company specializing in the dental sector, Capim helps dentists leverage digital technology to better manage their offices. In addition to providing payment options like BNPL, Capim helps dental patients schedule their appointments digitally at connected clinics. The funding will help Capim expand its offerings to include a point-of-sale (POS) terminal that will offer dentists lower merchant discount rates. Terminals will accept credit and debit cards, and payments from Brazil’s real-time payment system, PIX. The terminals will be fully integrated with Capim’s SaaS financial management module.

“At Capim, we know that being a dentist is much more than taking care of smiles—it is transforming lives every day,” the company noted on LinkedIn when the investment was announced. “With our verticalized software, we develop, with our customers, incredible products, ensuring resources and all the support that really make a difference.”

Founded in 2021, Capim is headquartered in São Paulo.

Méliuz proposes expanding bitcoin reserves

Brazilian fintech Méliuz is considering an expansion of its Bitcoin holdings and making the digital asset a strategic asset on the company’s ledger. The company initiated its bitcoin strategy earlier this year, devoting 10% of the company’s cash to purchase 45.7 Bitcoin worth $4.1 million. According to the Brazil Crypto Report, this marks the first time a Brazilian, publicly listed company used cash funds from its treasury to buy Bitcoin for investment purposes.

Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Belo Horizonte, Méliuz provides digital solutions via a platform that integrates marketplaces and financial services. With more than 800 partner stores, Méliuz promotes discounts, services, and coupons through its website, app, and browser extension. The company also builds special cashback programs for its marketplace and financial services partners.

The final decision on expanding Méliuz’s Bitcoin holdings will be based on a shareholder meeting and vote on May 6, the company noted in a securities filing.

Earlier this year, Méliuz reaffirmed its strategic alliance with Banco Votorantim (banco BV), initially forged in 2022. Also that year, Méliuz announced a partnership with Liqi, a blockchain-based asset tokenization startup.

Here is our look at fintech innovation around the world.

Middle East and Northern Africa

  • Emirates NBD teamed up with Visa to enhance international money transfers.
  • Egyptian fintechs Basata Holding for Financial Payments and Connect Money launched a new card to boost payment security.
  • CTech interviewed Israeli fintech entrepreneur-turned-investor Alon Huri.

Central and Southern Asia

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Brazilian fintech Nubank launched its credit rating tool, NuScore, for Nu customers.
  • Latin American Open Finance platform Belvo raised $15 million in funding.
  • Chilean acquiring network Klap went live with Visa and Mastercard acquiring services in partnership with BPC.

Asia-Pacific

  • Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) launched phase two of their cross-border QR payment scheme.
  • Australia-based lender Bizcap brought its same-day funding solution to Singapore.
  • The Bank of Thailand (BOT) approved three new digital banks led by Krungthai Bank, SCBX, and Ascend Money.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Central and Eastern Europe

Photo by F Cary Snyder on Unsplash

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Streamly Snapshot: Digital Transformation Challenges Facing Banks

Streamly Snapshot: Digital Transformation Challenges Facing Banks
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Streamly

Legacy systems, fragmented data, and operational silos have long challenged financial institutions trying to modernize. In this Streamly interview, R34DY CEO Mark Hetényi shares his perspective on how banks and fintechs can overcome these barriers by building smarter, more connected digital ecosystems. Drawing from his deep experience in financial services and digital transformation, Hetényi unpacks how to drive real change– not just cosmetic upgrades– across the industry.

In the conversation, Hetényi explains how meaningful transformation requires both cultural and technological shifts. He stresses the need for integration, collaboration, and customer-first thinking in order to eliminate inefficiencies and unlock new growth opportunities. It’s a timely and practical look at what it really takes to move from outdated infrastructure to agile, future-ready operations.

“You have to focus on the customer. I know that’s an overused phrase, so I’m not saying anything new with that. But a lot of the banks they envision what is the best fit product for themselves to build the next best product, and the customer is already three stations ahead with their own fintech solution and you’re not going to grab attention that way. So you first focus on the customer, but then you need an internal champion. I’ve worked with a lot of banks, worked internally as a deputy CEO as well, and if you don’t have an internal champion—a real, internal reason to change—usually, the transformation process goes amuck there.”

Mark Hetényi brings decades of experience at the intersection of banking, innovation, and strategy. As the CEO of R34DY, he is focused on equipping financial institutions with the tools and guidance they need to not just digitize, but to evolve. His leadership bridges traditional finance with digital capabilities, helping banks take a data-driven, customer-focused, approach.

R34DY is a digital transformation partner for financial institutions, helping them move beyond legacy systems and fragmented workflows. The company offers a platform that enables banks to orchestrate and optimize customer journeys, data flows, and product delivery through seamless integration. By bridging the gap between siloed systems and modern customer expectations, R34DY empowers institutions to unlock new value and thrive in a fast-changing financial landscape.

Photo by luis gomes

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Streamly Snapshot: Navigating Reputation Management in the Financial Sector

Streamly Snapshot: Navigating Reputation Management in the Financial Sector
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Streamly

Reputation is both an asset and a liability across every sector. This is especially true for financial institutions, as they rely heavily on consumer trust. However, in an era when the speed of information is accelerating, so is the risk of misinformation, public missteps, or brand erosion. In this Streamly interview, Valentina Kristensen, Corporate Affairs Director at OakNorth, joins us to share how banks and fintechs can strategically manage their reputations amid growing scrutiny from customers, media, and regulators.

During our conversation, which was recorded at FinovateEurope, Kristensen offers insight into how financial institutions can proactively build trust, respond to reputational threats, and create a culture of transparency, even in times of crisis. Her experience working across corporate affairs, media, and policy gives her a well-rounded perspective on the importance of reputation in shaping long-term business value.

“The first rule in a crisis is ‘don’t have a crisis,’ so effective planning is always crucial and as a regulated bank we have to do a lot of planning… So I think a lot of it is preparation and if you can avoid a crisis, then great. Obviously a lot of that comes from doing the right thing or making sure that your team are doing the right thing.”

Valentina Kristensen has been a leading voice in fintech communications and policy for nearly a decade. At OakNorth, she helps shape the bank’s narrative, build strategic relationships, and ensure that the company’s messaging reflects its values and mission. She frequently speaks on topics such as financial innovation, regulation, and the importance of building resilient, people-centric financial institutions.

OakNorth is a UK-based digital bank that serves growth-minded small and medium-sized businesses. Known for its tech-forward approach to credit decisioning, OakNorth combines machine learning with deep sector insights to deliver faster, more flexible lending. With a strong emphasis on responsible innovation and long-term partnerships, the company has become a standout in the challenger banking space, both for its performance and its reputation.

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

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Currency Risk Management Firm Argentex Partners with French Paytech Numeral

Currency Risk Management Firm Argentex Partners with French Paytech Numeral
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Alumni News, Numeral
  • Currency risk management and alternative banking specialist Argentex announced French fintech Numeral as its strategic payment technology partner.
  • The partnership will help Argentex optimize payment execution and give the firm advanced reconciliation capabilities.
  • Headquartered in Paris, France, Numeral made its Finovate debut at FinovateEurope 2023 in London.

Currency risk management and alternative banking specialist Argentex has chosen Numeral as its strategic payment technology provider. The designation means that Argentex will leverage technology from the French fintech to transform its payments and FX infrastructure. Argentex will be able to streamline its connectivity with banks via a single integration point, supporting operations across 140 currencies in the UK, EU, UAE, and Australia.

Implementing Numeral’s technology will give Argentex three chief benefits. First, the deployment supports comprehensive banking integration coverage through a single platform. This optimizes payment execution efficiency across multiple banking partners for Swift, SEPA, and UK Faster Payments. Second, Argentex will leverage advanced reconciliation capabilities to ensure accurate financial record-keeping and operational accuracy of both cross-border payments and associated FX trades. Third, Numeral’s platform provides a flexible architecture that supports parallel instances for different geographical regions and business units. This helps maintain strict control and compliance standards.

“By selecting Numeral’s payment technology, we are reinforcing Argentex’s position at the forefront of multi-currency payment processing,” Argentex Chief Operating Officer Tim Rudman said. “The platform’s ability to centralize banking access through a single integration significantly reduces operational complexity while enabling us to uphold the highest standards of security, control, and compliance across our global payment operations.”

Headquartered in London, Argentex is a currency risk management and alternative banking specialist for businesses and financial institutions. The firm provides FCA-registered relationship managers and access to wholesale exchange rates from Tier 1 banks. Argentex clients further benefit from the ability to pay in and out of ring-fenced accounts and hedge their exposure using a wide variety of financial products. With more than 5,500 corporate and institutional clients, Argentex has transacted more than $200 billion for its clients since 2012.

“Argentex’s sophisticated requirements leverage the full potential of the Numeral platform and expertise—from managed multi-bank connectivity to the management of dozens of settlement accounts across multiple currencies and automating FX trade reconciliations,” Numeral Co-Founder and CEO Édouard Mandon said. “We are proud to support a global currency expert like Argentex in their ongoing pursuit of efficiency and innovation.”

Headquartered in Paris, France, Numeral made its Finovate debut at FinovateEurope 2023. At the conference, the company showed how financial institutions use its platform to automatically send, receive, and reconcile SEPA payments. Numeral also demonstrated how they can manage payment errors via SEPA R transactions using the platform.

Earlier this year, Numeral announced that Societe Generale went live with Numeral’s SEPA instant credit transfer integration for its indirect participants. In less than four months, three banks have launched SEPA instant payments by connecting their core banking systems to Societe Generale’s infrastructure and deploying Numeral’s instant payment capabilities.

Numeral began this year as a Mambu company, announcing its acquisition by the core banking system provider—and fellow Finovate alum—in December 2024.

Photo by Boris Ulzibat

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FinovateSpring 2025 Sneak Peek Series: Part 4

By Madeline Clines Posted on
Categories: Anonybit, APIMatic, Cratoflow, Crux Analytics, FinovateSpring 2025, FinovateSpring 2025 Sneak Peek, Tavant

A look at the companies demoing at FinovateSpring in San Diego on May 7 – 9. Register today using this link and save 20%.

Anonybit

Anonybit prevents fraud and protects user privacy with decentralized biometrics at login, step up, help desk, and other user touchpoints.

Features

  • Enhances security with passwordless, privacy-preserving biometrics
  • Reduces fraud and support costs
  • Implements with easy pre-integrated, device-agnostic technology

Who’s it for?

Banks, credit unions, and fintechs.

APIMatic

With every bank and fintech heavily invested in API programs, APIMatic helps them generate ROI from these API investments via automation and AI solutions.

Features

APIMatic has developed API Recipes to give developers production-ready code in a guided manner.

  • Accelerates API adoption
  • Reduces integration time
  • Improves time to revenue

Who’s it for?

Banks, payment providers, and fintechs with public APIs.

Cratoflow

Cratoflow is an AI-powered accounting platform that automates 90% of workflows, streamlining invoicing, payments, and customer invoicing, accelerating close cycles, and boosting financial accuracy.

Features

  • Delivers invoice processing in 20 seconds
  • Provides seamless ERP integration
  • Automates approvals and workflows

Who’s it for?

Mid-market businesses with high transactional volume.

Crux Analytics

Crux Analytics is a relationship intelligence platform empowering bankers to drive more valuable outcomes with small business clients.

Features

Crux combines powerful workflow automation with data-driven intelligence to unlock sustainable institutional growth, efficiency gains for bankers, and more retentive relationships for SMBs.

Who’s it for?

Community banks, credit unions, and regional banks.

Tavant

Tavant’s LO.ai boosts loan officer productivity, cuts sales expenses, and empowers borrowers. Powered by Gen AI, it revolutionizes lending with enhanced lead conversion and reduced onboarding time.

Features

  • Provides a complete regulatory compliant solution
  • LO.ai qualifies borrowers and converts them into loyal customers, driving business outcomes
  • Ensures advanced, compliant solutions for lending ecosystems

Who’s it for?

Banks, credit unions, and lenders.

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Meet 5 Companies Demoing at FinovateSpring That Promote Financial Literacy

Meet 5 Companies Demoing at FinovateSpring That Promote Financial Literacy
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: CoHome, Express Wages, FinovateSpring 2025, Kaian, List series, Penny Finance, SuperMoney

April is Financial Literacy Month. While we are all getting an education in trade policy these days, making sure we’re up to speed when it comes to financial wellness is just as important.

With that in mind—and with FinovateSpring less than one month away (May 7 – 9)—we wanted to highlight those demoing companies that have financial literacy and inclusion at the heart of their mission.

CoHome

Based in San Francisco and founded in 2025, CoHome offers a real estate co-ownership marketplace and management app that makes owning property more accessible for college students and their parents, reducing rent to zero.

How they support financial literacy: CoHome introduces parents to the concept of co-investing in student housing for their child.

Express Wages

Founded in 2023 and headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, Express Wages offers Earned Wage Access (EWA) services to enable employees to receive some or all of their wages as they earn them.

How Express Wages supports financial literacy: Express Wages features a Financial Literacy blog on its website with articles and guides on budget-making, saving for a first home, and strategies to pay back student loans.

Kaian

Los Angeles, California-based Kaian provides a billpay support system that ensures that credit union members never have to worry about missing a payment due to temporary cash flow issues. The company was founded in 2022.

How Kaian supports financial literacy: Kaian’s AI-powered assistance provides personalized, on-demand financial guidance, including insights on budgeting, saving, and long-term financial planning.

Penny Finance

Founded in 2020 and based in Boston, Massachusetts, Penny Finance describes its mission as “closing the wealth gap.” The company offers an online financial planning engagement engine for credit unions and small banks.

How Penny Finance supports financial literacy: Penny Finance provides tailored education, resources, and perks to credit union members and customers of small banks.

Supermoney

Headquartered in Santa Ana, California and founded in 2013, SuperMoney offers a comprehensive financial services comparison website providing recommendations on products from personal loans and savings accounts to tax preparation firms and brokerages.

How SuperMoney supports financial literacy: SuperMoney offers financial tools and resources—as well as industry studies—to help individuals make better financial decisions.

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CCBank Turns to Tyfone as its Digital Transformation Partner

CCBank Turns to Tyfone as its Digital Transformation Partner
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Alumni News, Tyfone
  • CCBank has chosen Portland, Oregon-based digital banking provider Tyfone.
  • As part of the partnership, CCBank will deploy Tyfone’s nFinia Digital Banking Platform in order to offer new digital banking solutions to its business and retail customers.
  • Tyfone made its Finovate debut at FinovateSpring 2008.

Utah-based CCBank has partnered with digital banking provider Tyfone. The financial institution will deploy the fintech’s nFinia Digital Banking Platform to bring innovative digital solutions to both its small- and medium-sized businesses and retail account holders.

An open, API-driven platform, Tyfone’s nFinia empowers financial institutions to select their preferred third-party providers and integrate them into their digital experience. This provides a single access point and log-in for consumer and business loan originations, credit cards, wealth management, and more. This seamless, single-sign-on experience will be available to all CCBank customers via mobile app, online banking, and in-branch services.

“We wanted to take a leap forward in terms of user experience to better compete with larger institutions and tech-forward providers,” CCBank Chief Operating Officer Eric Wright said. “We were looking for a partner with the resources that give us the ability to offer robust technology and third-party integrations while also enabling us to configure our platform to meet our specific needs. Tyfone fits these criteria perfectly, and we cannot wait to present our new platform to our customers.”

A community-focused financial institution with assets of more than $1 billion, Utah-based CCBank serves businesses and retail customers via branches in Salem, Provo, Orem, Pleasant Grove, Sandy, and St. George, as well as through its mobile app and online channels. Founded in 1993, CCBank partnered with Federal Home Loan Bank Des Moines earlier this month to invest in Utah communities by providing financial support to local organizations involved in affordable housing, community development, and other social needs.

“Community banks are the lifeblood of local businesses and jobs, and CCBank’s culture of service and collaboration with the customers is also reflected in their interactions with vendor partners,” Tyfone CEO Siva Narendra said. “We are honored to work alongside CCBank and its visionary team to continue to advance our commercial digital banking capabilities and empower the bank to provide differentiating digital services to its customers.”

One of Finovate’s earliest alums, Tyfone demoed its technology at FinovateSpring 2008. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, the company provides digital banking services for both consumers and businesses via partnerships with community financial institutions across the US. Tyfone’s partnership news with CCBank comes just a few weeks after the company announced that Partners 1st Federal Credit Union has selected its nFinia Digital Banking Platform. Partners 1st FCU is headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and maintains 20 branches across five states.

Photo by Zack Spear on Unsplash

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Klarna Inks Deal with Clover for In-Store BNPL

Klarna Inks Deal with Clover for In-Store BNPL
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Clover Network, Klarna
  • Klarna and Clover are teaming up to bring Klarna’s BNPL options to over 100,000 in-store merchant locations across the US.
  • Shoppers will be able to pay in installments directly at the POS, expanding BNPL from online-only into brick-and-mortar retail.
  • The move signals Klarna’s continued momentum in the US market amid a pause in its IPO plans.

Payments innovator Klarna has teamed up with point-of-sale (POS) platform Clover this week. The two have signed an agreement to auto-enable Klarna’s flexible buy now, pay later (BNPL) payment options in brick-and-mortar stores in the US.

By integrating Klarna into its devices, Clover will offer shoppers the option to use Klarna for in-store purchases. The Klarna logo will appear on the pre-screen of payment terminals, allowing customers to select from a range of flexible payment options, including the ability to pay in four installments or choose interest-free financing plans.

“We’re bringing Klarna to Main Street,” said Klarna Chief Commercial Officer David Sykes. “Klarna started by changing how people pay online—now we’re changing how they pay everywhere. With Clover, we’re meeting shoppers where they are and giving small businesses a powerful new way to grow.”

Clover was founded in 2010 to help small businesses accept payments. Today, the company serves as a one-stop shop for multiple payment needs. In addition to offering a range of payment acceptance terminals, Clover also has software to help businesses with online orders, accounting, loyalty programs, staff management, inventory, and more. Clover was acquired in 2012 by First Data, which was acquired by Fiserv in 2019.

“Clover is excited to join forces with Klarna to leverage our strong presence across US services and retail, to power and engage consumers at key moments—before, during, and after checkout,” said Fiserv Head of Merchant Solutions Jennifer LaClair.

Klarna’s flexible payment options will initially be available at over 100,000 merchant locations through Clover’s point-of-sale devices. A larger rollout is set to begin in early 2026 and will extend to both new and existing Clover merchants across the US. Following the in-store launch, Klarna and Clover plan to expand their partnership into the e-commerce space, offering online merchants the same seamless, flexible payment experiences.

BNPL has historically thrived online, but this move reflects Klarna’s ambition to make BNPL a standard option at the physical point of sale. As major POS providers like Clover embed BNPL directly into in-store checkout experiences, the line between fintech and legacy payments continues to blur. This collaboration not only brings Klarna into more physical retail spaces but also signals a broader shift in consumer expectations, where flexibility, transparency, and choice at checkout are becoming table stakes.

Interestingly, this announcement also comes at a time when Klarna is strategically ramping up its public presence in preparation for going public. While the company postponed its IPO plans just last week, its partnership with Clover signals a continued effort to showcase global momentum and product innovation in the US. Teaming up with a major POS player like Clover allows Klarna to emphasize its omnichannel capabilities and demonstrate strong institutional relationships, both of which are key narratives for attracting investor confidence when it eventually heads back to the public markets.

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Tuition.io Lands Debt Funding from ORIX Corporation

Tuition.io Lands Debt Funding from ORIX Corporation
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Alumni News, Alumni profile, Funding, Tuition.io

Student loan benefits platform Tuition.io has received an undisclosed amount of debt financing from ORIX Corporation USA’s Growth Capital business. This marks Tuition.io’s sixth investment, adding to its five equity rounds that total $15.2 million.

Tuition.io was founded in 2011 to help graduates pay off their student loans while giving businesses a strategic differentiator to improve hiring and employee retention. The company debuted as a direct-to-consumer offering to help student loan borrowers view, understand, and compare their debt and get customized restructuring plans. Today, Tuition.io enables businesses to provide student loan repayment assistance, 529 plan contributions, and tuition reimbursement through a single, customizable interface.

“Partnering with ORIX USA marks a significant milestone for Tuition.io as we expand our mission to make education benefits more accessible and impactful for employers and their workforces,” said Tuition.io COO and CFO Scott Simmons. “This investment enables us to accelerate innovation, reach more organizations, and empower employees with the resources they need to thrive in their careers. We’re excited about the opportunities ahead and the support of ORIX USA to help drive our vision forward.”

ORIX USA’s Growth Capital business was founded in 2001 and has since provided $2.7 billion in funding to 200 companies in a range of sectors from biotech to energy.

“We are excited to partner with Tuition.io as they continue to transform the way employers support their workforce through education benefits,” said ORIX USA’s Growth Capital Business Director Austin Szafranski. “With student debt remaining a critical issue for employees nationwide, Tuition.io’s platform provides a meaningful solution that helps companies attract and retain top talent. We look forward to supporting their growth and impact in the marketplace.”

Not only does ORIX USA Growth Capital’s investment signal a vote of confidence in student loan repayment technologies, but it also shows strong interest in workforce benefits. As traditional compensation packages evolve to meet modern employee needs, debt financing deals such as this one point to increasing investor confidence in HR tech solutions with long-term impact.

Photo by Pixabay

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Embedded Finance Solutions Provider Pipe Acquires Glean.ai

Embedded Finance Solutions Provider Pipe Acquires Glean.ai
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Alumni News, Glean AI, Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Embeddeed finance solutions company Pipe has acquired spend management innovator Glean.ai.
  • The acquisition will enable the combined entity to respond to two main pain points for small- and medium-sized businesses: access to capital and effective spend management.
  • New York-based Glean.ai made its Finovate debut at FinovateFall 2022.

Embedded finance solutions provider Pipe announced its strategic acquisition of AI-powered spend management innovator Glean.ai. Founded in 2020, Glean.ai offers a spend management solution for small- and medium-sized businesses that provides one-click access to spending trends, billing mistakes, and opportunities to uncover savings. Glean.ai’s solution also features real-time, cross-functional budgeting and billpay tools, and leverages AI to examine spending patterns over time to help business owners and managers make better decisions.

“Today, I’m thrilled to share that Glean.ai is joining forces with Pipe, a fintech company that offers embedded financial solutions within the software platforms business owners use every day to manage their operations,” Glean.ai CEO Howard Katzenberg said in a statement. “This is a huge milestone—not just for us, but for every finance team we’ve had the privilege to support. Pipe shares our vision for intelligent finance infrastructure and their commitment to innovation makes this partnership even more exciting.”

The acquisition comes at a time when many small businesses (nearly half according to the U.S. Small Business Administration) are relying on personal credit cards to help fund their businesses. Moreover, in many instances, these business owners are not separating their personal from their business expenses. With this acquisition, Pipe is seeking to serve small- and medium-sized businesses with the kind of spend management tools they typically have not been able to access. The acquisition will complement Pipe’s embedded capital and business charge fraud solutions, which are made available via the company’s payments and vertical software partners. Pipe noted that Glean.ai will continue to be available to current and new customers directly from Glean.ai.

Pipe CEO Luke Voiles called the acquisition a strategic move that “empowers us to address the two biggest pain points faced by small businesses today—access to capital and effective spend management.” Voiles added, “by combining Pipe’s innovative technology, resources, and expertise with Glean, we’re giving business owners the precise tools they need to thrive.”

Founded in 2019, Pipe builds embedded finance solutions for growing businesses that reside inside the software those firms are already using. With partners ranging from vertical SaaS companies to payments platforms, Pipe’s technology integrates seamlessly into existing platforms, enabling companies to easily launch customer-friendly solutions, go to market in weeks rather than months, and drive growth. The company’s flagship offerings include an embedded working capital solution, Capital, and a branded business card to optimize spend management.

New York-based Glean AI made its Finovate debut at FinovateFall 2022. At the conference, the company demonstrated its strategic Accounts Payable (AP) platform that leverages automation and deep insights to help firms pay the right vendors the right amounts at the right times.

Photo by Rock Staar on Unsplash

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FinovateSpring 2025 Sneak Peek Series: Part 3

By Madeline Clines Posted on
Categories: BankShift, FinovateSpring 2025, FinovateSpring 2025 Sneak Peek, Hive Technologies, Illuma Labs, Layerup, ReSight

A look at the companies demoing at FinovateSpring in San Diego on May 7 – 9. Register today using this link and save 20%.

BankShift

BankShift’s new innovation is a low-code, patent-pending embedded banking platform that integrates financial services into non-financial apps, enhancing engagement, loyalty, and revenue opportunities.

Features

  • Seamless Integration: Embeds banking into apps with SDKs
  • Enhanced Security: Biometric authentication, KYC, and transfer lock
  • Uninterrupted Service: Break-glass failover ensures continuous banking

Who’s it for?

Credit unions, community banks, and regional banks.

Hive Technologies

Hive Technologies is a fintech solution that helps financial institutions serve low and moderate income consumers profitably in auto.

Features

  • Increases membership and customers by offering a differentiated auto finance product
  • Reduces net charge offs via improved payment performance from members
  • Improves the membership/customer experience

Who’s it for?

Financial institutions such as credit unions, banks, and OEM captives interested in serving more low and moderate income (LMI) consumers in auto.

Illuma

IllumaShield™ by Illuma streamlines caller verification with a frictionless voice biometrics authentication solution that protects against account takeovers.

Features

  • Improves account security and customer satisfaction
  • Reduces caller verification time by 85% or more
  • Deploys quickly with low lift from internal IT resources

Who’s it for?

Credit unions, community banks, regional banks, and insurance companies that need a state-of-the-art solution to prevent fraud in the contact center.

Layerup

Layerup builds Voice AI agents for financial institutions.

Features

Layerup’s Voice AI agents help automate inbound and outbound calls for financial institutions.

Who’s it for?

Banks and credit unions.

ReSight

ReSight takes raw data and generates periodic reports instantly – no manual work, just seamless automation with a click of a button.

Features

  • Delivers pixel perfect reporting from existing data
  • Removes the need for internal resources to manually create reports
  • Available on the cloud or self-hosted

Who’s it for?

Asset management firms, banks, credit unions, and financial software providers.

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FinovateSpring 2025: From AI and Crypto to Deregulation and the Customer Experience

FinovateSpring 2025: From AI and Crypto to Deregulation and the Customer Experience
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: FinovateSpring 2025

When it comes to fintech conference content, our keynotes are king.

From the growing role of AI in financial services to the deregulation trends in the US, this year’s FinovateSpring will offer a variety of insightful keynotes and special addresses on the most pressing issues in banking and fintech.

Below we’re highlighting some of the presentations that will be delivered from the main stage over the three days of FinovateSpring, May 7 – 9, in San Diego. Visit our FinovateSpring hub to learn more, check out the full agenda, and reserve your seat!

Keynote Addresses: Deregulation, Crypto, AI, and More

What will the Trump Administration Mean for Banking, Fintech, and Innovation? What are the Risks and Opportunities of Deregulation? How Will Consumer Protection be Affected? Will We See More Bank M&A Activity as a Result of Deregulation? Featuring James McCarthy, Founder and Chairman, McCarthy Hatch. Wednesday / 10:15am

The Crypto Craze: Does it Matter? Rather than the Crypto Lottery, Should We Focus on Stablecoins as the Real Game Changer as They Become a Major Cross Border Payment Type? Featuring Michael Rihani, Director of Product, Coinbase. Wednesday / 4:05pm

The Inexorable Move from AI to GenAI to Agentic AI: What Challenges and Opportunities will Agentic AI create for FIs? What Does Agentic AI Promise and What Are the Risks? Featuring Nick Fok, Venture Partner, Erez Capital. Wednesday / 4:20pm

The Global Economic and Geopolitical Outlook and the Direction of Travel for the US Economy. Featuring Manas Chawla, Founder and Chief Executive, London Politica. Friday / 2:20pm

Additional scheduled keynotes include:

  • The intersection of Quantum and AI and What it Means for Financial Services. Friday / 3:25pm
  • Global Fintech Trends: Where are the Most Exciting Innovations and What Can US Banks Learn from Asia, Africa, and Latin America: How Collaboration between Traditional Banks and Fintechs in Emerging Markets is Fostering Innovation Enhancing CX and Driving Financial Inclusion. Friday / 9:05am
  • Where Next for Banking-as-a-Service Following the Collapse of Synapse? Thursday / 3:50pm

Special Addresses: Agentic AI, Credit Management, and Modernization

How Banks and Fintechs Are Using AI to Modernize, Automate, and Drive Profitability Now. Featuring Javier Pérez García – Global Director, VASS FSI (A Digital Transformation Company specializing in Financial Services). Wednesday / 10:00am

How AI-Enhanced Credit Management Elevates Creditworthiness, Trust, and New Revenue. Featuring Adrian Nazari, Founder & CEO, Credit Sesame. Wednesday / 1:50pm

The Age of Agentic AI: Financial CX at the Edge of Autonomy. Featuring Alan Ranger, VP of Marketing, Cognigy. Wednesday / 3:05pm

Out of the Box Keynotes: Cybersecurity, Culture Fluidity, and CX

Cybersecurity and Your Business—How to Protect Your Customers’ Money and Data, Plus Your Brand. Featuring John Iannarelli, The Voice of Cyber & Security, FBI John. Wednesday / 10:30am

Culture Fluid: A New Mindset in an AI-Driven Age. Featuring Sharon Gai, Author, Culture Fluid. Thursday / 10:35am

Creating Trust and Loyalty Through AI-Enhanced CX. Featuring Jon Lakefish, Founder, Lakefish Group. Friday / 9:50am

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