Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • German Challenger Bank N26 Deploys Banking Technology from Mambu.
  • Realty Mogul Launches Second REIT, REIT II.

Around the web

  • Baker Hill NextGen Statement Spreading to bolster commercial lending underwriting for People’s Bank and Trust.
  • Fenergo adds Michele Shepard as Chief Revenue Officer and Greg Watson as Managing Director of Sales and Strategy.
  • LendingTree partners with Benzinga for its Fintech Innovation Challenge.
  • eToro Platform Adds Trading Support for Five Cryptocurrencies.
  • BioCatch to power Fraud Prevention Solutions for HoneyTek Systems
  • SmartX (formerly HedgeCoVest) Announces the Addition of BlackRock, Morningstar Investment Management, and Nasdaq Dorsey Wright.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • Fidor Solutions Brings on former ABN Amro Exec as CIO.
  • European Alums Shine in FinTechCity’s FinTech50 2017 Roster.
  • Klarna Receives Investment from Brightfolk
  • Newchip Helps New Investors Own a Piece of the Startup Economy.

Around the web

  • PSCU partners with Ethoca to improve CNP fraud loss recoveries for CUs.
  • Zopa opens development centre in Barcelona, Spain ahead of bank launch.
  • HedgeCoVest launches DEPLOY to handle day-to-day operations of separately managed accounts
  • StrategyCorps BaZing rewards-based mobile app has deployed nearly 400k geofences in conjunction with local deals
  • Western Union reveals pilot Coinbase integration.
  • DefenseStorm experiences 100% customer renewal rate for second consecutive year.
  • Moven fintech partnership wins CANSTAR Award for innovation excellence.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

Finovate Alumni News

Around the web

  • Estonia’s e-Residency program partners with Holvi to launch borderless digital banking for its borderless digital nation.
  • Prosper Closes $495 Million Securitization Transaction.
  • EFL is a finalist in the WSJ’s Financial Inclusion Challenge.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • Finovate Debuts: InSpirAVE’s Internet of SavingsHelps You Save for What Matters.

Around the web

  • ACI Worldwide teams up with Chargebacks911 to help merchants handle fraudulent chargebacks.
  • Wipro joins Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC).
  • SS&C Technologies Holdings announces partnership with HedgeCoVest.
  • MoneyGram using Mobile Verify from Mitek to meet AML requirements.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

Top Business-to-Business Wealth Tech Players

Top Business-to-Business Wealth Tech Players

wealthtech4

If you’ve been following our series on wealth tech, you’ve seen our analysis of the industry as a whole, a review of the top trends, and an examination of B2C wealth tech players.

Our wealth tech coverage continues this week with a review of business-to-business (B2B) players in the wealth tech space. These are companies that cater directly to banks, advisors, or brokerages, instead of offering products or services directly to consumers. B2B wealth tech is a large category, so I’ve sub-divided it into four digestible groups and listed my top picks for each category. Since category sizes vary, the number of selections also varies.

Alternative investment services
These are platforms that help advisors connect clients with unconventional investment types, such as private equity, hedge funds, futures, real estate, etc.

Screen Shot 2017-01-19 at 11.44.57 AMEquityZen’s EZ Institutional lets advisors give clients access to a diverse asset class

Technology for advisors and brokerages
These are tools available via API, SDK, or web interface to help advisors compete with robo advisors by allowing them to invest with less bias, increase client communication, scale operations, find new clients, and more.

Screen Shot 2017-01-19 at 11.40.41 AMTrizic offers advisors their own digital tools to compete with robo advisors

Non-U.S. B2B investment and advisor technology
Similar to the above category, these companies offer tools for advisors outside of the U.S.

Screen Shot 2017-01-19 at 11.30.52 AMmeetInvest helps advisors invest like world-renowned market experts

News and Information Companies
These are online platforms, APIs, or SaaS offerings that provide advisors market information, show them trending news, or connect businesses with market data to power their own products.

Screen-Shot-2016-10-31-at-3.22.22-PMForwardLane’s dashboard acts like a private research analyst for advisors advisors, helping them stay current on new trends and funds

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • “BlackRock Acquires Online Investment Adviser, FutureAdvisor.
  • “Finovate debuts: WealthForge is a Private Placement Compliance Engine Wrapped in Technology”
  • “Finovate debuts: INETCO Analytics Helps FIs Leverage Transaction Data to Boost Customer Engagement”

Around the web

  • HedgeCoVest adds two models to its platform.
  • Zumigo launches Assure Radius in India to protect consumers and merchants in the credit, debit and mobile payments market.
  • bobsguide ranks the $9-billion acquisition of SunGard by FIS as the #1 fintech M&A deal of 2015.
  • PayPal’s One Touch Instant Checkout platform now available in 13 new markets.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • Bright Funds Closes Seed Round with $1.8 Million Investment
  • Zooz Launches Insights to Give Merchants Actionable Intelligence on Customer Behavior

Around the web

  • APCI Federal Credit Union to deploy core processing technology from Jack Henry & Associates’ Symitar division.
  • EU Startups interviews Sebastian Diemer, Kreditech CEO.
  • New COO David Obrand leads team of new executive hires at Radius.
  • Shell Geismar Federal Credit Union chooses account processing platform from Fiserv.
  • Mambu enhances platform to help smaller FIs manage the requirements of lending to SMEs.
  • Techli St. Louis features Hip Pocket as 1 of 3 finalists for its most promising startups award.
  • Glassdoor ranks Lending Club CEO Renaud Laplanche as one of the highest-rated CEOs for 2015.
  • Hedge funds can run but not hide from disruptors like HedgeCoVest and DarcMatter, according to Daily Fintech.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

HedgeCoVest Adds Two New Models to its Platform

HedgeCoVest Adds Two New Models to its Platform

Hedgecovest_homepage_June2015

HedgeCoVest, the startup that makes it possible for average investors to take advantage of the same market-beating and -hedging strategies used by hedge funds, has added two new investing models to its platform.

The models, HedgeCoVestTechnology Short-Only and Ashbury Behavioral Long Short, are examples of the way HedgeCoVest gives average investors access to strategies historically available only to the wealthiest or most well-connected investors. HedgeCoVest Technology Short-Only gives investors the opportunity to hedge or take a position against technology stocks. Ashbury Behavioral Long Short looks to take advantage of “long-term behavioral biases in forecasting, fundamental valuation, and trend following.” The model is managed by Ashbury Heights Capital.

HedgeCoVest_TechShort_new

While the Ashbury Behavioral Long Short model is a single-strategy model, the HedgeCoVest Technology Short-Only model is a composite model. Here, the model takes the “highest-conviction” short positions in technology stocks from the platform’s single-strategy models and combines them into a single model.

HedgeCoVest’s platform works by plugging directly into the hedge fund’s trading operation. As soon as the fund executes a trade for a given strategy, the platform’s “Replicazor” technology picks up the execution report and makes a “best effort” to duplicate that trade in real-time in the client’s account pursuant to that strategy. There are more than 30 different models on the platform for investors to choose from, both single-strategy and composite, and both accredited and nonaccredited investors can use the technology. The minimum investment is $30,000, and HedgeCoVest charges a flat, annual fee of 2.5% of the assets in the client’s account.

HedgeCoVestLongShort_new

The platform went live at the beginning of the month, with more than 1,500 beta users and 45 alternative investment firms participating. Investors appreciate the access to a diverse range of investment strategies typically not available to them. Fund managers and participating firms benefit from access to a cohort of investors who are typically—and in the case of Regulation D, legally—unavailable through the usual channels.

Founded in April 2013 and headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida, HedgeCoVest made its Finovate debut at FinovateFall 2014 in New York. Evan Rapoport is CEO.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • “Finovate Debuts: LoanNow Helps Borrowers ‘Outperform their FICO Score'”

Around the web

  • HedgeCoVest launches its real-time, hedge fund replication platform.
  • First Republic Bank to deploy virtual banking solutions from Q2 Holdings.
  • The Independent takes a look at Klarna and the power of micropayment.
  • oneID featured in MacWorld as a two-factor authentication app for the Apple Watch.
  • Allied Wallet now a supported online payment provider of Spreedly.
  • emX Select from eMoney Advisor now integrated with Dropbox.
  • Süddeutsche Zeitung features Trustly and Klarna (in German).
  • Bank Innovation profile on alternative fintech capitals looks at Iceland and highlights Meniga.
  • Ripple Labs adds former Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) CEO Donald Donahue as advisor.
  • A review of local fintech startups in the Boston Globe features Kensho and Quantopian.
  • Temenos wins “Best Core Banking System” honors from Banker Africa East Africa Awards 2015.
  • American Banker considers how Namu covers the emotional side of banking.
  • Entrepreneur lists Patch of Land as 1 of 100 brilliant companies to watch in 2015.
  • Pendo Systems wins awards from international financial technology publications, the New Jersey Technology Council, and SWIFT.
  • Asian Wealth Times: “Singapore’s MoneySmart to Launch PFM tools with Ewise”
  • Finaeos teams up with TATA Consulting Services to help SMBs take advantage of Regulation A+ of the JOBS Act.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • HedgeCoVest Wins Top Honors at 2015 Benzinga Fintech Awards

Around the web

  • oneID launches its simple, free solution to secure personal information online across all devices.
  • Born2Invest talks about “thematic investing” in its review of Motif Investing.
  • Currency Cloud opens offices in New York, kicking off its U.S. expansion.
  • Select Mobile Money from Cachet Financial Solutions now supports Apple Watch.
  • Sberbank launches new digital platform based on technology from Backbase.
  • Five Degrees named winner of Dutch FinTech Awards in Banking & IT category.
  • PYMNTS looks at Ezbob’s role in SMB lending in the United Kingdom.
  • PayNearMe enables customers of LA Covered to pay their monthly premiums in cash.
  • Critical Mass radio show interviews Sekur.me CEO Jack Bicer.
  • Trulioo wins Europe’s 2015 Digital Identity Innovation Award. Watch Trulioo demo live at FinovateSpring.
  • NAB links core API technology to Xero’s accounting cloud ecosystems, connecting client’s online bank to their Xero account.
  • Authentify enables E-Transfer Technologies to protect currency trading accounts with mobile multifactor authentication.
  • Forbes: Kony and Soasta partner to close the mobile development and monitoring loop.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • Multi-Factor Authentication Specialist Toopher Acquired by Salesforce

Around the web:

  • Moven updates iOS and Android apps for easier views of balance and spending.
  • Concur surpasses 30-million-user milestone.
  • Multi-factor authentication now available for Venmo users on both iOS and Android.
  • Mobile World Live interviews VP of Telenor Financial Services and CEO of Valyou, Viktoria Erngard.
  • FT.com Business & Economy feature on P2P foreign exchange highlights TransferWise, CurrencyFair, Currency Cloud, and Kantox.
  • Misys wins honors in three categories at FStech Awards 2015.
  • HedgeCoVest adds 14 new models to its platform.
  • Business Insider Australia features Xero.
  • Yodlee announces 100% revenue growth in Australia and New Zealand.
  • Check Point to acquire Lacoon Mobile Security for a reported $100 million.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

Benzinga Unveils Fintech Award Finalists; 12 Finovate Alums Featured

Benzinga_Logo.jpg

On April 8th, the Finovate blog might be the second best place to find Finovate alumni.

The best place could actually be in New York at the Benzinga Fintech Awards where a dozen Finovate alums have been named as finalists to compete for Benzinga’s first, second, and third prizes, as well as honors for best in category. More than 115 companies competed to reach the finals in pursuit of the title of “Most Innovative Fintech Company.”

benzinga_fintech_finalists_collage_2015.jpg
The first, second, and third place winners will earn ad impressions:
5 million for first, 1.5 milion for second, and 1 million for third.
The top three companies will also win licenses to the Benzinga Pro Real-Time News & Data Feed:
1-year for first place, 6-months for second, and 1-month for third.
The initial 115 companies were chosen by Benzinga readers. Making the final vote for top three will be event judges Steve Ehrlich, CEO of Honos Financial; Ron Insana, senior analyst, CNBC; Andrew Ackerman, managing director, Dreamit; Charlie Kroll, former CEO and founder of Andera; and Josh Brown, CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management.
Below are the finalist categories, as well as the Finovate alums in each.
Idea Generation
Data
Trade Recommendation
Research
Strategy
Investment Vehicle
Alternative Investment
Special Categories
Best Enterprise Solutions
Best Use of the Crowd
Founder of the Year
  • Hardeep Walia, Motif Investing
  • Jon Stein, Betterment
Most Promising Startup
  • Thinknum
A Penny Saved, A Penny Earned
  • Motif Investing
  • Betterment
  • Personal Capital
  • iQuantifi
Most Disruptive
  • Motif Investing
  • HedgeCoVest