Top fintech stories this week – 13 January 2017
Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place!
Start-up
CSI Kick Start incubator calls for start-up applications
CSI Kick Start, a start-up incubator founded by Florida-based payments firm CSI GlobalVCard, has opened up its second annual application process for funding. The incubator is offering portfolio companies investments starting at $500,000, mentorship from an advisory board of industry experts, cross-selling opportunities and additional resources. It says its key areas of interest in B2B […]
New name in the UK challenger bank space – ClearBank
The bustling UK challenger bank scene has grown by another addition, ClearBank. It is a brainchild of Nick Ogden, founder and former CEO of WorldPay.
Japanese start-ups head abroad for innovation programme
The Japanese government is sending 55 SMEs and start-ups abroad as part of its new innovation programme. Called the Hiyaku Next Enterprise programme, it is part of the Silicon Valley-Japan Bridge Project, set up by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). That project was announced by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in April 2015 […]
Can you marry an app Monzo?
Mobile-only challenger bank Monzo has revealed some witty conversations between its banking customer support team and customers. In an amusing blog post, the bank says its customer support team of around 17 people manage hundreds of queries on a daily basis in as “close to real-time as possible”. Some of these conversations struck a chord […]
Dubai gets first fintech accelerator
FinTech Hive, to be housed at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) in Dubai’s Central Business District (CBD), is set to launch this quarter. Accenture runs fintech innovation labs in New York, London, and Hong Kong; and has been tasked with setting up and operating the accelerator. Aimed at providing better financial services technology to […]
Commerzbank unveils first digital platform for German SMEs
Commerzbank has developed the first digitalisation platform for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Called “#openspace”, and located in Berlin-Schöneberg, it offers long-term co-operation between SMEs, “innovation partners”, and start-ups with the objective of “tackling the challenges posed by the digital future together”. Holger Werner, CEO and founder of #openspace, says “digitalisation dominates the media, sciences, […]
Microsoft and Qualcomm invest in Israeli cybersecurity firm Team8
Microsoft and Qualcomm have invested in Team8, an Israel-based cybersecurity company. Team8 also revealed a strategic partnership with Citi to assist with developing its products, and says this latest investment brings the total raised to more than $92 million. Team8 was founded by Nadav Zafrir, Israel Grimberg and Liran Grinberg, all former members of the […]
Virgin Money to launch digital bank, looks for customer experience leadership
Virgin Money plans to launch a digital bank – VMDB – and is now recruiting for a head of customer experience. As Banking Technology reported in November, 10x Future Technologies, the start-up founded by former Barclays CEO Antony Jenkins, is building a digital core banking platform for Virgin Money. The latter also signed a long-term […]
Country spotlight: Lithuania – the young ones
Banking Technology explores a less known – but a noteworthy – destination for fintech in Europe, Lithuania, and its capital Vilnius. Whilst it is realistic that it cannot compete with the European Goliaths such as London or Paris, it wants to carve its own niche in the fintech space, and has quite a lot to offer.
Top ten fintech features in 2016
Look back at some of the top-read feature articles on all matters fintech published by Banking Technology in 2016.
Digital bank for migrants and expats, Monese, raises $10m
Monese, a mobile-only bank founded by Norris Koppel, an Estonian expat in London, has raised $10 million in Series A funding round as it looks to go pan-European.
New digital bank coming to Middle East, Bank Clearly
Bank Clearly, a new digital banking service, is being set up in the UAE. Clearly will offer account opening “in seconds, completely online”.
Alpari Bank and Attic Lab embark on blockchain-based e-money project
A Ukrainian fintech start-up, Attic Lab, has signed a deal with a local bank, Alpari Bank, to implement blockchain-based banking system SmartMoney.
Top ten payments projects in 2016
Look back at some of the major payments projects in 2016, with Banking Technology’s top ten.
Top ten digital bank initiatives in 2016
Look back at some of the major digital bank initiatives across the globe in 2016, with Banking Technology’s top ten.
UK retailer House of Fraser to invest up to £35m in challenger bank Tandem
A UK-based challenger bank, Tandem, will start offering financial solutions to customers of retailer House of Fraser in 2017. As part of the collaboration agreement between the two companies, House of Fraser will invest up to £35 million in Tandem.
Top fintech stories this week – 23 December 2016
Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place! The last weekly news round-up of 2016. Happy holidays from everyone at Banking Technology!
Top five banking tech case studies in 2016
Our pick of banking tech and fintech case studies – published by Banking Technology in 2016.
Varo Money to launch bot and money coach, Val
Mobile banking app Varo Money is brining to market a chatbot and “money coach”, Val. Val is powered by Kasisto’s KAI Banking bot and “delivers insights into spending, savings, borrowing and helps people set goals as well as offer updates and encouragement about their progress”.
Fintech funding round-up: 20 December 2016
Because you’ve all been so good this year, here’s a fintech funding round-up to save you time… so you can eat and drink more over Christmas. Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase and a group of other financial institutions including ICAP’s venture arm are finalising an investment in blockchain start-up Axoni, according to Reuters. New York-based […]
“Game changer” Jargon Bank launches in UK
Jargon Bank has launched in the UK offering “compelling and innovative” products that have left journalists diving for cover… usually to the nearest pubs. In a press release, that ideally shouldn’t have been sent, the hipster-friendly bank decided that wishy-washy and generic statements would somehow garner the respect of fintech publications across the world. Serial […]
Challenger bank: Starling – purple reigns
UK challenger bank Starling talks about finding its niche and how it intends to prosper in an increasingly competitive space – all in preparation for its 2017 launch.
Bankia Fintech accelerator opens up for fintech start-ups
Bankia Fintech by Innsomnia, the “first” incubator and accelerator in Spain, is calling for start-ups to submit applications. Spanish bank Bankia and Valencia-based fintech firm Innsomnia have teamed up, and are looking for five ideas, start-ups or spin-offs of consolidated companies to develop their activities in almost every area of the fintech industry. Jose Ignacio […]
Top fintech stories this week – 16 December 2016
Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place!
Lending start-up Taplend launches in UK
Fintech start-up Taplend has launched in the UK offering a combination of peer-to-peer (P2P) and payday lending. Viktor Ihnatiuk, CEO and co-founder of Taplend, says: “This was a very long, hard and interesting year. We made three iterations of the product, tried to enter the US market twice and failed. We didn’t give up, switched […]
Innovate Finance launches new fintech start-up competition, Pitch360
Innovate Finance, a UK-based fintech membership association, has unveiled its first ever start-up competition, Pitch360. Open to applicants from around the world, Pitch360 offers a 360-second (six minute) pitch of a new business and product in front of a live audience of influencers, investors and media professionals as well as access to Innovate Finance’s member […]
Fintech funding round-up: 13 December 2016
Who is investing in what? Our latest fintech funding round-up, mercifully brief as usual. Featuring ApplePie Capital and Firepay.
Fintech funding round-up: 12 December 2016
With so much fintech funding activity going on, we’ve summarised the latest fundraising efforts of start-ups. Featuring Lunar Way, FXCH and Polychain Capital.
Mobile banking tech start-up Bankjoy signs two credit unions
Fintech start-up Bankjoy has secured two clients for its online and mobile banking software, Georgia Heritage Federal Credit Union and Wepawaug-Flagg Federal Credit Union.
Fintech funding round-up: 8 December 2016
Fintech funding stories can be fun if they are brief. Featuring MoneyLion, SETL and Finicity.
Fintech tour Toronto: Ontario calls for venture capital
Ontario in Canada is calling for more venture capital to come to the region as it looks to boost its fintech industry. This is the main message from a tour of Toronto, given to the international media by the Ministry of Economic Development and Growth (MEDG).
Leveris looks to raise €15 million for core banking software business
A new core banking software vendor, Leveris, looks to raise €15 million from international venture capital firms, and is working with stockbroker Davy on the transaction.
Santander InnoVentures invests in Tradeshift
Business commerce and supply chain finance platform Tradeshift has got an investment from Santander InnoVentures.
Top fintech stories this week – 2 December 2016
Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place!
Barclays Accelerator open for applications from fintech start-ups
Barclays Africa and Techstars are inviting start-ups to apply for the Barclays Accelerator programme – “an initiative aimed at uncovering the next M-Pesa or Paypal”.
Sweden to launch fintech hub
Stockholm Fintech Hub – an independent not-for-profit innovation hub – will open its doors in Q1 2017. Its aim is to promote and accelerate the development of fintech, insurtech and regtech start-ups.
Fintech funding round-up: 29 November 2016
We’ve summed up the latest funding efforts and results in the fintech space – so you don’t have to! Featuring Billon Group, Stripe, figo and Finimize.
Avaloq in talks with private equity firms?
Avaloq is rumoured to be talking to private equity (PE) firms. Suitors reportedly include New York-based KKR.
New UK challenger bank Masthaven opens digital doors
New UK retail challenger bank, Masthaven, has launched – offering savings and lending products. As Banking Technology reported in April, Masthaven got its UK banking licence and implemented a new core system. A domestic vendor, DPR Consulting, is providing its front-to-back office retail banking platform. The software itself is a new development, with Masthaven being […]
