FinovateFall 2023 Sneak Peek: CD Valet

FinovateFall 2023 Sneak Peek: CD Valet

A look at the companies demoing at FinovateFall in New York on September 11 and 12. Register today and save your spot.

CD Valet offers a new channel for financial institutions to easily raise retail deposits from a nationwide CD marketplace where they can market their rates, acquire leads, and open new accounts.

Features

  • Low-cost, end-to-end account opening solution with major core platform integration
  • Origination platform with smooth, intuitive user experience
  • Customizable to FI size

Why it’s great

Given that new account application abandonment rates are as high as 50% for many traditional banks and credit unions, CD Valet solves this problem with a smooth digital account opening solution.

Presenters

Josh Williams, Head of Partnerships
Williams collaborates with fintechs, marketplaces, and brands to integrate financial services into their customer experience.
LinkedIn

Howie Wu, Head of Product
With over 15 years of experience providing leadership and strategic planning in digital banking, Wu drives innovation of digital banking solutions to enhance client experience.
LinkedIn

Tales from the Crypto: Coinbase on Futures, Etoro on Trends, Brazil and Canada on CBDCs

Tales from the Crypto: Coinbase on Futures, Etoro on Trends, Brazil and Canada on CBDCs

Coinbase’s Crypto Futures

Courtesy of a just-secured regulatory approval from the National Futures Association, Coinbase’s U.S. customers will soon get the opportunity to trade futures contracts on cryptocurrencies. Coinbase’s Coinbase Financial Markets has been granted authority to operate as a Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) and offer eligible customers in the U.S. access to crypto futures trading on the Coinbase platform.

In a blog post at the Coinbase website, company Head of Institutional Product, Greg Tusar called the approval a “watershed moment” in the project to bring regulated cryptocurrency products to U.S. customers. The ruling comes as Coinbase is at odds with other regulatory bodies – such as the SEC – over its operating practices.

The ruling also comes at a time when the crypto derivatives market around the world has climbed to 75% of all crypto trading volume. Tusar called this market “a critical trader access point.” This is because crypto derivatives enable traders to participate with more leverage and less upfront capital, as well as give cryptocurrency holders the ability to express long and short positions, and hedge risk.

“Where regulations are clear and sensible, we will work with regulators to receive the authorizations needed to offer products that align with our purpose of using crypto to update the financial system to advance economic freedom and opportunity,” Tusar wrote.

Coinbase made its Finovate debut in 2014. The San Francisco, California-based fintech was founded in 2012.


eToro’s Crypto Trends

Social trading and investment platform eToro announced a new partnership to help its customers stay on top of the latest information about cryptocurrencies. The firm has teamed up with analysis company Reflexivity Research in a content partnership called “BTC etc.” that will provide a weekly overview of the cryptocurrency market as well as a monthly podcast. The weekly overview will focus on key trends. The podcast will feature experts from eToro, Reflexivity Research, and the broader cryptocurrency industry.

“As a crypto pioneer, we see it as our responsibility to provide accessible, timely, and relevant content for our users,” eToro Editor in Chief Mati Alon said. “As the market matures, cryptoassets deserve the same level of attention and coverage as other financial assets. We are excited to collaborate with Reflexivity to increase understanding of crypto.”

A Finovate alum since 2011, eToro has won Best of Show at each of its six Finovate appearances. The company offers trading and investing in stocks, options, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), as well as cryptocurrencies. eToro offers 0% commissions, the ability to trade fractional shares, and a social network to enable traders and investors to benefit from the wisdom of the platform’s top performers.

EToro has become increasingly bullish on the prospects for cryptocurrencies. The company’s Global Markets Strategist Ben Laidler was quoted earlier this week highlighting three key developments that could put cryptocurrencies back on track by making it easier for institutions to participate in the market.


CBDCs Gain Ground in Brazil, Raise Doubts in Canada

The arguments for and against central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) got an international airing of sorts in recent days.

In Brazil, the country’s central bank has given its CBDC an official name – and logo. Commonly referred to as the “digital real,” the Brazilian Central Bank has decided to call its new digital currency, the Drex. The name refers to both the assets colloquial name, “Real Digital,” with an “e” for “electronic” and an “x” to represent a variety of notions including the concept of “modernity and connection.”

“Drex arrives to make life easier for Brazilians” a press release from the country’s central bank pronounced. “It will provide a secure and regulated environment for developing new businesses and more democratic access to the benefits of the economy’s digitization, both for individuals and entrepreneurs.”

Among the projected use cases for the digital currency are government benefit payouts, which would use a tokenized version of the currency. The bank also believes that the Drex will help accelerate digitalization in the financial sector and ultimately promote financial inclusion.

Meanwhile, some five thousand miles north, the concept of central bank digital currencies is getting a much cooler reception. A new report from the Bank of Canada cast a dim light on the prospect of mass CBDC adoption by Canadians. The blame was placed on the wide number of payment options Canadian consumers and businesses already have.

The staff discussion paper, “Unmet Payment Needs and a Central Bank Digital Currency,” envisions a hypothetical cashless environment, and then considers how a CBDC would solve unmet payment needs in such a society.

The report concludes that for a CBDC to benefit those who have unmet payment needs, the digital currency would first have to secure widespread adoption among the majority of the population. This would be necessary to ensure sufficient digital currency adoption by merchants. The challenge is that insofar as the majority of consumers “already have access to a range of payment options,” it would be unlikely for a significant enough number of these consumers to both widely adopt the digital currency as well as use the CBDC at scale.

The insights from the paper should prove valuable to those who support digital currencies, especially to the degree that digital currencies allegedly support financial inclusion. “The minority of consumers with unmet payment needs will be able to benefit from a CBDC,” the report writers conclude, “if the majority of consumers experience material benefits and therefore drive its use.”


Photo by RDNE Stock project

Splitit Lands $50 Million, Plans to Delist from the Australian Stock Exchange

Splitit Lands $50 Million, Plans to Delist from the Australian Stock Exchange
  • Splitit is set to receive $50 million from Motive Partners.
  • The funding will be issued in two $25 million installments.
  • Motive Partners stipulates that Splitit must delist from the Australian Stock Exchange and meet certain performance milestones in order to receive the funds.

There is something poetic about a BNPL company receiving private equity funding in installments. One of the first BNPL players in the market, Splitit, has landed a $50 million investment from private equity firm Motive Partners. The funds, which will boost Splitit’s total funding to $325 million, will be paid out in two tranches.

For Splitit, which is a publicly traded company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) under the ticker SPT and also trades on the US OTCQX under tickers SPTTY and STTTF, today’s investment isn’t a straightforward transaction.

Splitit will receive the funds in two $25 million installments in exchange for the issuance of new preference shares. According to the release, Splitit will receive the first installment after two conditions have been met– first, when shareholders approve the company delisting from the ASX and second, after the company moves its incorporation site from Israel to the Cayman Islands. Splitit will receive the second $25 million after achieving certain performance milestones.

Splitit’s board opted to agree to Motive Partners’ transaction terms for five reasons:

  1. The funds offer growth capital in the midst of a difficult fundraising environment.
  2. The partnership with Motive Partners was especially attractive, given the firm’s resources, network, and talent.
  3. The ASX undervalues Splitit’s business and doesn’t appreciate the company’s “differentiated value proposition and prospects.”
  4. The move to become a private, Cayman Islands-based company will offer Splitit more flexibility and less administrative costs.
  5. The move from the ASX will offer existing shareholders the option to choose to retain ownership in Splitit as a private company or to decrease their ownership in the run-up to the delisting.

“Attracting a strategic investor of this calibre is a testament to the quality of our team and our unique, innovative offering– especially given difficult market conditions for raising capital,” said Splitit Managing Director and CEO Nandan Sheth. “This level of investment significantly strengthens our balance sheet, allowing the team to focus on our white-label product strategy, innovation, and our Tier One global distribution partners.”

Splitit was founded in 2012 under the name PayItSimple. The company’s Installments-as-a-Service offering allows merchants to add a white-labeled BNPL option embedded into their checkout flow. Splitit also offers a BNPL tool that works at the physical point-of-sale by pre-qualifying consumers with available credit on their credit card for the value of that available credit.

Earlier this year, Splitit partnered with Atlantic-Pacific Processing Systems to offer BNPL services to their merchants. The company also partnered with Visa to embed a BNPL solution within merchants’ existing credit card processes. Splitit also holds partnerships with Stripe, Shopify, and Alipay to act as an Installments-as-a-Service option for their merchant clients.


Photo by Karolina Grabowska

Credit Sesame Unveils Credit Builder Mastercard

Credit Sesame Unveils Credit Builder Mastercard
  • Credit Sesame launched a new solution to help individuals improve their credit.
  • The new offering, Sesame Credit Builder, is a Mastercard debit card designed to make it easier to build positive payment histories.
  • Today’s launch comes two years after the company first unveiled its credit builder banking technology.

Financial wellness platform Credit Sesame has introduced a new tool to help individuals improve their credit. The new offering, Sesame Credit Builder, is a Mastercard debit card that leverages everyday spending and recurring services to build positive payment histories.

“The new Sesame Credit Builder Mastercard brings inclusion and breaks down the barriers for everyone and (e)specially people with low or limited credit history to build better credit history,” Credit Sesame founder and CEO Adrian Nazari said. “We are making it easy for more Americans to get credit for the money they spend and the payments they make.”

Sesame Credit Builder arrives nearly two years after Credit Sesame first announced general availability of its credit builder banking technology. Today’s offering works like this: individuals must open a virtual secured account with Community Federal Savings Bank (CFSB), which issues the prepaid debit card. Cardholders then begin building credit by depositing money into their Sesame Cash account and making transactions with their debit card. Card purchases create a balance on the cardholder’s virtual secured account. An equal amount of funds is set aside in the cardholder’s Sesame Cash account, which serves as a security deposit to pay off the balance at the end of the month. This approach ensures that cardholders will always have sufficient funds to pay off their balance, thus helping build a positive payment history.

Credit Sesame does not guarantee that any individual’s credit score will improve. The company notes that other factors, including timely bill payments and low credit card balances, also contribute significantly to credit scores.

Nevertheless, according to Tim Montgomery, SVP, Digital Partnerships, North America, Mastercard, technologies like Credit Sesame’s Credit Builder have a significant role to play. “Credit Sesame aims to democratize financial wellness and empower consumers to take charge of their own financial health,” Montgomery said. “Sesame Credit Builder can do just that and help even more consumers improve their credit.”

Founded in 2010, Credit Sesame made its Finovate debut that same year. In the years since, Credit Sesame has grown into a major, financial wellness platform that has helped millions of consumers improve their credit scores and save money on the cost of credit.

Last fall, the company announced a series of major executive hires. Joining the Mountain View, California-based fintech were Bronwyn Syiek as President, Marcus Beisel as Chief Product Officer, Tim Kamienski as Chief Marketing Officer, and David Bagatelle as Chief Banking Officer.

Credit Sesame has raised more than $171 million in funding. The company includes Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) and Menlo Ventures among its investors.


Photo by Tamil Vanan

Say Hello to Finovate Newcomers

Say Hello to Finovate Newcomers

We are less than one month out from FinovateFall. In true Finovate fashion, we are hosting 52 companies to demo their technology live on stage. Most impressively, this year, 27 of the demoing companies are new to Finovate.

Because more than half of the FinovateFall demo companies are new to us, we figured they might be new to you, as well so we decided to make a formal introduction. You can check out all 27 companies below.

Agtools
Agtools offers supply chain market data and analytics for farmers and agriculture workers.

Alto Solutions
Alto Solutions provides an alternative asset investment platform.

Bits of Stock
Bits of Stock is a consumer rewards platform that drives loyalty through Stock Rewards.

Cashy
Cashy provides gamified consumer engagement for credit unions.

CD Valet
CD Valet is a nationwide marketplace connecting consumers with financial institutions to shop, compare, and open certificates of deposits.

Chimney
Chimney helps banks and credit unions launch modern financial tools that provide personalized answers to customers while generating more loans and deposits.

ClimateTrade
ClimateTrade is a climate-tech company that leverages blockchain technology to facilitate large-scale decarbonization efforts.

DataVisor
DataVisor delivers the world’s most sophisticated AI-powered solutions to keep companies and their customers safe from fraud and abuse.

Effectiv
Effectiv offers a fraud and compliance automation risk management platform for fintechs and community financial institutions.

EQUE
EQUE’s digital security helps banks and card issuers eliminate e-commerce fraud.

eself.ai
eSelf is creating the next generation of client-financial institution interaction, enabling human-like conversations and efficient personalization.

HappyNest
HappyNest is a mobile application for real estate investment.

Inscribe
Inscribe helps clients leverage automated manual document reviews to reduce fraud rates and credit losses while increasing customer win rates.

Jaid
Jaid is an AI-powered platform built to enable the intelligent automation of business communications getting to the right answer faster.

Kard
Kard offers rewards infrastructure for card issuers.

MacroMicro
MacroMicro offers macroeconomic investment information to help investors understand economic trends.

Mahalo Banking
Mahalo Banking provides secure, user-driven, digital banking and analytical solutions.

Regulo
Regulo offers face screening for effective compliance and fraud prevention.

SRM Key Moments
SRM Key Moments help financial institutions who are motivated to build more loyal customers and own the payment moment.

SupraFin
SupraFin is a pioneer in crypto investment and risk intelligence products, which help organizations assess risk and invest confidently in crypto.

Telesign
Telesign provides continuous trust to leading global enterprises by connecting, protecting, and defending their digital identities.

True Digital Group
True Digital Group offers products that serve as conduits in strengthening the relationships FIs have with technology, vendors, and each other.

Trustworthy
Trustworthy is an operating system that secures and organizes all family tasks in one place.

Union Credit
Union Credit’s marketplace for credit unions delivers firm credit approval and one-click loan activation to new members, embedded within their daily lives.

Uprise
Uprise provides AI-powered financial advisory for third party platforms.

Viffy
Viffy ties creator influence through to physical brick-and-mortar sales.

Zerobank Design Factory
Zerobank Design Factory develops and operates digital banking systems.

Be sure to keep an eye out for demo updates leading up to the event, which takes place September 11 through 13 in New York. Don’t miss your chance to register!


Photo by Omar López

Roger Launches to Help New Military Recruits Enlist in a Modern Banking Experience

Roger Launches to Help New Military Recruits Enlist in a Modern Banking Experience
  • Citizens Bank of Edmond is launching Roger, a new digital bank.
  • Roger is geared to serve military service members and their families.
  • Nymbus is powering the new digital bank.

Citizens Bank of Edmond is launching its new digital bank today. Roger, the new digital-first bank, aims to offer tailored banking services to meet the needs of military service members, their families, and their supporters.

“Our vision is crystal clear,” the bank announced on LinkedIn, “to mobilize financial resources that lay the foundation for unshakeable financial strength and future prosperity for every newly enlisted service member.”

Citizens Bank of Edmond CEO Jill Castilla launched Roger because, as a new military recruit 30 years ago, she couldn’t find a bank designed to meet her needs. “When I enlisted at 19, I had little access to my bank accounts and financial tools,” she explained. Castilla went on to lead Citizens Bank of Edmond, a bank founded in 1901 that now boasts $375 million in assets.

To suit its niche set of users, Roger offers a military-friendly direct deposit form and enables recruits to access their earned funds up to two days faster. Additionally, the Visa debit card is accepted at Armed Forces Financial Network terminals located at U.S. military bases worldwide. Users can also set up savings plans and round-up their transactions to contribute to accounts.

In a unique twist on the round-up savings feature, Roger will match users’ savings. For the first 90 days after opening their account, Roger will match 100% of round-ups, up to $100. After that period, Roger will match 15% of round-ups, up to $20 per month. The round up matching feature restarts every 30 days.

In addition to Citizens Bank of Edmond, which is behind the launch of Roger, the bank is leveraging banking technology provider Nymbus to power the digital banking experience. “We’re extremely proud to partner with Citizens Bank of Edmond on this essential niche bank for the military community,” said Nymbus Chairman and CEO Jeffery Kendall. “With Jill’s leadership and vision, we aim to deliver special-purpose products to help military service members succeed.”


Photo by Pixabay

Currency Risk Management Startup Finofo Launches with Cross-Border Payments Solution

Currency Risk Management Startup Finofo Launches with Cross-Border Payments Solution
  • Currency risk management company Finofo launched today.
  • The Calgary-based startup announced that the first phase of its launch is the release of its cross-border payments tools.
  • Finofo raised $1.25 million ($1.6 million CAD) in pre-seed funding in January.

Canadian currency risk management startup Finofo launched publicly today. The company, headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, calls its platform an “all-in-one” solution for businesses’ financial needs and has unveiled tools for cross-border payments as its first offering.

In an extended blog post Finofo co-founder Prateek Sodhi announced the company’s launch and its mission to help businesses manage currency risk. Sodhi underscored the challenge of managing currency risk, calling it a “multifaceted task that requires specialized talent in finance.” He noted that larger companies can often afford to hire the specialized talent required to effectively manage currency risk. However, Sodhi said, “most regular businesses are left grappling with these complexities with a team consisting mainly of trained accountants and corporate finance specialists.”

To this end, Finofo has built a digital platform that leverages advanced algorithms to examine the intricacies of currency fluctuations for individual businesses. If currency fluctuations become an issue, the platform quantifies the value of the risk. This enables the platform to develop tools and strategies, specific to individual businesses and their financial condition, to manage this risk.

The launch of Finofo, according to Sodhi, will take place in three stages. The first stage, announced today, includes the platform’s cross-border payments tools. These tools enable businesses to send or receive money in more than 40 currencies across 180 countries. Businesses will also be able to use Finofo to convert money into different currencies and automate accounts payable.

The second stage of the launch will involve development of the company’s smart hedge engine. This solution will help streamline currency hedging trade execution to reduce the price risk of currencies during the trading process. Future initiatives include financial planning and analysis solutions to help businesses conduct real-time foreign-exchange risk analytics.

“We’re not interested in merely selling financial instruments,” Sodhi wrote this week. “Instead, we leverage our unique technology to help businesses understand if, when, and how much they need them.”

In addition to its launch announcement, Finofo also disclosed that it raised $1.25 million ($1.6 million CAD) in pre-seed funding back in January. The round was led by Motivate Venture Capital. SaaS Venture Capital, Desjardins Financial Holding, and Sweet Spot Capital also participated.


Photo by Juman Salem

CB Insights on 2023 Fintech Funding Woes; Strength in Early Stage Investment, ex-U.S. IPOs

CB Insights on 2023 Fintech Funding Woes; Strength in Early Stage Investment, ex-U.S. IPOs

CB Insights shared its State of Fintech Q2 2023 report last month. The top takeaways? Fintech funding continues to take a hit, with the report noting that both funding and deals globally have retreated to “levels not seen since 2017.”

But wait, there’s more. Mega-round funding, deals valued at $100 million or more, fell to a six-year low. And payments – which were memorably referred to by the VCs on our Smart Money Power Panel at FinovateFall last year as “the gift that keeps on giving” – stopped giving. CB Insights reports that funding for payments-related companies fell 75% quarter over quarter. It was the largest decrease for any fintech sector.

What about upsides? The report noted increases in fintech funding in Latin America and the Caribbean, the only region to see significant gains. CB Insights also highlighted the fact that the five exits in the quarter all came from fintechs based outside of the U.S.

Read the whole report. There are a number of interesting observations, some of which give some reason for optimism in the second half of the year. For one, early-stage companies dominated deal volume in Q2 2023. The strength of fintech funding in Latin America, mentioned above, was also a promising sign. Some of this deal-making involved cryptocurrency and DeFi related firms – and geographies like the Cayman Islands that are outside traditional Latin American fintech powerhouses Mexico and Brazil. But much of the investment in Latin America was driven by strong trends like digitization and financial inclusion. Investors have also been encouraged by the success of fintechs like Brazil’s Nubank. The report also saw positives in the market for companies going public in Asia last quarter.

For more on CB Insights’ examination of fintech funding so far in 2023, also check out the firm’s Fintech Midyear Review: The Data Behind the 6 Year Low webinar released last week. Lead Fintech Analyst Anisha Kothapa puts the current fintech landscape into context, and highlights where investors see opportunity around the world – and why.

“I think some of the biggest drivers of capital being invested in (Latin America) is due to, one, financial inclusion,” Kothapa explained. “There are many unbanked and underbanked people in Latin America that need innovative financial solutions. The second is that the region has seen rapid digital adoption, especially with the use of smart phones, and growing internet connectivity. The third thing is around a more favorable regulatory environment.”

By the way, Finovate’s weekly Finovate Global column is a great source of news on fintech developments around the world. With regard to Latin America in particular, recent columns have focused on fintech innovation in Brazil and Colombia.


Photo by RDNE Stock project

PayPal Gets a New CEO

PayPal Gets a New CEO
  • PayPal has appointed Alex Chriss as its new CEO.
  • Chriss, who will replace current CEO Dan Schulman, will begin his role on September 27.
  • Chriss comes to PayPal after a 19-year tenure at Intuit.

Fintech pioneer PayPal is back in the headlines today. After unveiling the launch of its stablecoin last week, the California-based company announced it has appointed Alex Chriss as new CEO.

Chriss will replace Dan Schulman on September 27 of this year. This comes after, earlier this year, Schulman declared his intention to retire. “I’m at a point in my life where I want to devote more time to my passions outside the workplace,” Schulman said in February. He will remain on the company’s Board until May 2024.

After Schulman’s statement, PayPal’s Board of Directors began a six-month long search for a new CEO who could not only drive growth, but also had extensive global payments, product, and technology experience. After an “extensive engagement and evaluation,” PayPal’s Board unanimously agreed on Chriss to lead the company.

“With his depth of experience in product development, his passion for serving customers and his longstanding commitment to empowering and enabling small businesses, and his proven track record of developing and inspiring his team, Alex is the perfect leader to take PayPal forward and accelerate the company’s growth opportunities,” said Chair of the PayPal Board of Directors John Donahoe. “The Board search committee worked diligently and thoroughly to find the right candidate to take PayPal into its next stage of growth and expansion, and we are confident Alex is that person.”

Chriss will join PayPal and its Board from Intuit, where he served as Executive Vice President and General Manager of the company’s Small Business and Self-Employed Group. He has been with Intuit for more than 19 years after starting out as a Group Manager of Business Development and Channel Sales of the Quickbase business unit.

During his tenure at Intuit, Chriss grew the Small Business segment’s customers at a 20% CAGR and its revenues at a 23% CAGR. In 2021, he led Intuit’s successful $12 billion acquisition of Mailchimp.

“PayPal is an extraordinary company that plays a critical role in the lives of consumers and merchants all over the world,” said Chriss. “Throughout my career, I have championed small and medium businesses and entrepreneurs, who are the backbone of every economy in the world. I am proud to take the baton from Dan and thrilled to have the opportunity to work with PayPal’s talented and committed team to build on PayPal’s remarkable history and draw on its unique capabilities to deliver outstanding products and services to businesses and consumers.”

The SPAC is Back: Digital Lender Better.com Announces Latest Plan to Go Public

The SPAC is Back: Digital Lender Better.com Announces Latest Plan to Go Public
  • New York-based digital mortgage lender Better.com is going public.
  • The company will combine with Auora Acquisition Corporation via SPAC “on or about August 22.”
  • The transaction between Better and Aurora has been more than two years in the making. The companies first announced the deal in May 2021.

Time to party like its 2021? The week begins with news that digital mortgage lender Better.com’s proposal to combine with Aurora Acquisition Corporation via SPAC has secured shareholder approval. The new Better.com will go public “on or about August 22, 2023.”

When finalized, the transaction will provide the combined entity with a minimum of $550 million and as much as $750 million in new capital. The company will trade on the NASDAQ under the tickers “BETR” and “BETRW.”

Founded in 2014 by CEO Vishal Garg, Better has been trying to close its SPAC deal for years. The transaction had been extended three times since 2021, amid concerns over market conditions, financial losses, and regulatory controversies. Among the bad press Better.com dealt with during this stretch was the infamous Zoom meeting in December 2021 during which Garg announced a layoff of approximately 900 employees. The CEO and founder also allegedly admitted that the company has “probably pissed away $200 million.”

With regard to finances, Better.com reported a net loss of $888.8 million in 2022. In the first quarter of this year, the company acknowledged losses of $89.9 million. Better.com also reported a decline in the number of loans funded year-over-year. The firm funded 18,559 loans in Q1 of 2022. Better.com funded 2,347 loans in the first quarter of this year.

In one response to these challenges, the company has made significant changes to its real estate strategy. Better.com announced in June that it would begin partnering with outside agents as referral partners in its Better Real Estate subsidiary. This pivot away from in-house licensed real estate teams to this new model is designed to help the subsidiary lower costs. The company also indicated that the change will help it deal with the challenge of lower mortgage volumes. Better Real Estate, which receives a significant number of its leads from its parent company’s mortgage operation, provided Better.com with $23.1 million in revenue in 2022.

Better has also introduced new solutions along its main line of business. The company began the year with the launch of One Day Mortgage. The new offering f gives borrowers a mortgage commitment letter within 24 hours of applying for a loan.


Photo by Suzy Hazelwood

FinovateFall 2023 Sneak Peek: SAVVI AI

FinovateFall 2023 Sneak Peek: SAVVI AI

A look at the companies demoing at FinovateFall in New York on September 11 and 12. Register today and save your spot.

SAVVI AI is the fastest way for product and data teams to build and deploy AI apps in minutes with their patented Agile AI platform – no data scientists, pre-existing data, or custom infrastructure required.

Features

  • Easy-to-use: No need for data science, or AI expertise
  • Fast to Value: Complete end-to-end solution – launch in days
  • Cold Start AI: Start AI use cases without any historical pre-existing data

Why it’s great

SAVVI’s Agile AI platform is the fastest and easiest way to add the power of machine learning automation to a company’s decision trees, products and workflows – teams can start with just a spreadsheet.

Presenters

Maya Mikhailov, CEO & Co-Founder
Mikhailov’s previous company was acquired by Synchrony, where she led a division building AI products and services. She’s a speaker on AI and former NYU professor.
LinkedIn

Alex Muller, CPO & Co-Founder
Muller is the former CEO at GPShopper (acquired by Synchrony) and was CPO at Synchrony in AI and EIR. He holds dual masters from CMU in Engineering and a MBA and 5 patents.
LinkedIn

FinovateFall 2023 Sneak Peek: Merlin Investor

FinovateFall 2023 Sneak Peek: Merlin Investor

A look at the companies demoing at FinovateFall in New York on September 11 and 12. Register today and save your spot.

Merlin Investor offers a multi-asset educational, strategizing and tracking tool complementary to any trading platform and designed for any kind of retail investor.

Features

  • Access a variety of market data from different sources all in one place
  • Create, analyze, compare and backtest an infinite set of investment strategies
  • Track portfolio performance

Why it’s great

The Merlin Investor platform is a white-label solution helping financial institutions supercharge their trading platforms by going beyond the sole execution of trades and offering a full investment experience all in one place.

Presenter

Guido Petrelli, CEO
Before starting Merlin Investor, Petrelli was the CFO and COO of a multinational company operating in the automotive sector for more than a decade.
LinkedIn