Efma and Capgemini launched the FinTechVisor platform as a digital solution to connecting banks and fintech startups. The primary objective of FinTechVisor is to enable faster and better collaboration between these two groups. SizeUp, Token, and cbot were invited to speak about the challenges and opportunities of fintech companies working with banks at the launch of the FinTechVisor service. Elias Ghanem, VP of Capgemini, presented findings of the landscape of relationships between banks and startups. He discussed paradigm shifts, buying experience vs. products, ownership vs. access, big tech vs. traditional banks, financial services being forced to reinvent themselves, and findings of the World Fintech Report (customer centricity, complimentary strengths, selecting correct partners). He further explained how Capgemini has a process by which fintechs can be certified on the FinTechVisor platform through Capgemini’s evaluation process. Lubomir Olach, Director of International Development at Efma, explained the process for Fintech startups to join the FinTechVisor platform. A discussion with senior members of SizeUp, Token, and bot addressed the specific difficulties and benefits of working with banks from the direct experience and perspective of Fintechs. The fintech panel included Anatalio Ubalde of SizeUp, Eylem Basturk of bot, and Michael O’Loughlin of Token.
FinXTech’s article, SizeUp: Friend or Foe, concludes that “SizeUp is a friend to banks and legacy financial institutions of all sizes. Bringing this level of sophisticated big data and business intelligence to their small business clients is only serving to help them grow and succeed, which should ultimately result in increased small business account retention. And as these companies grow, banks can be ready to upsell and cross-sell additional products and services that focus on specific stages of development along the way.”
SizeUp participated in the Temenos Innovation Jam 2017. SizeUp presented to the audience of Temenos customers to demonstrate its small business banking solution. The Innovation Jam is now in its second year of existence and was designed as a way for Temenos’ customers to meet innovative Fintech companies.
The Startup Magazine recommends SizeUp as the first tool to find your big idea in it’s article Your Guide to Starting a New Business in 2017. According to the article, “…every business begins with a spark of imagination. Once you have thought of the idea, it is time to start answering some critical questions. Which market are you appealing to? Is that market already saturated? If so, how can you find your unique edge to stand out? If you seek professional
The BAI Beacon conference for financial service executives presented a session on opportunities for small business Fintech including a panel of small business Fintech experts and pioneers including Kathryn Petralia, Co-Founder of Kabbage, Ruth Polachek, former Head of Citi Accelerator and FinCheck, Anatalio Ubalde, Founder of SizeUp, Zack Chestnut of RevolutionCredit, and moderator Matt Gamser, CEO of SME Finance Forum. The FintechStage session covered the significant opportunities that exist for serving small businesses and how Fintech companies have identified ways to serve this historically underserved market segment.
[vimeo https://vimeo.com/187035715]SizeUp spoke at MaRS Discovery District “Toronto meets Silicon Valley Fintech” conference to join other Silicon Valley-based Fintech companies to speak about the work it is creating and how it can be brought to Canadian markets. The event was hosted at the MaRS headquarters in Toronto in partnership with Plug and Play. It also included a session with Tim Clark, CIO, TD Wealth; Aayaz Pira, SVP, CIBC Digital; Michael Tang, Partner & Head of Global Digital Transformation, Deloitte; Steve Kirsch, CEO of Token; and RJ Carver, Manager PnP FinTech.
[vimeo https://vimeo.com/188562128]Canadian banks and financial service organizations attending included TD, BMO, CIBC, RBC, Scotiabank, Desjardins, Tangerine, Bank of Canada, Sun Life, Canadian Western Bank, ATB Financial, and Toronto Stock Exchange.
Watch how SizeUp helps small businesses overcome the challenges they face.
[vimeo https://vimeo.com/182473279]Plug and Play Fintech sourced over 800 Fintech startups worldwide to select twenty-four startups, including SizeUp, for the Plug and Play Fintech accelerator. The program is designed for financial technology startups. The startups will gain access to Plug and Play’s extensive network of top banks and financial institutions that have been specifically curated to work with them. Partners of the program include Deloitte, Bank of the West, BanRegio, BNP Paribas, Capital One Growth Ventures, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Finstar Labs, Intuit, JCB, MUFG, Santander, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, TD Bank, USAA, and U.S. Bank.
Plug and Play’s venture team, VC Partners, and corporate partners select the startups that are accepted into the program, resulting in less than a 3% acceptance rate. “We are thrilled to be working with some of the best fintech startups in the world, before the world knows them,” says George Damouny, Principal of Plug and Play Ventures.
The Fintech startups selected include CCOBOX, Dobot, Eximchain, Flowcast, Instrument Capital, Lenny, Netki, Neurensic, NUCO, Omniscience, Redrock Biometrics, ShoCard, ShopInbox, SizeUp, Stellar Development Foundation, The Sun Exchange, Tierion, Tradle, Trunomi, Vault, and xPressTap.
Read the Plug and Play Fintech news release and learn more about the PnP Fintech program.
SizeUp presented a live demo of its new European service at Finovate Europe to a standing-room-only-crowd of financial services professionals in London’s Old Billingsgate Market. The company announced that has implemented its service in Italy and Germany with the ability to enter into other European countries.
CBS affiliate KPIX Channel 5 in the San Francisco Bay Area’s news segment discussed the top cities for startups in the USA and how Fremont, California is ranked #1 on a per-capital ranking based on SizeUp data.
The story also discusses how startups entrepreneurs can find the perfect co-founder using the service Founder Dating.