Latest Innovation News: Finextra Research

Google UK MD to run new fintech investment fund

Google UK managing director Dan Cobley is quitting his job with the search giant to set up a fintech incubator and investment fund in partnership with Blenheim Chalcot and QED Investors.

06 August 2014

News/Innovation

Boosting customer experience is top IT priority for UK and Ireland FS firms

Improving customer experience has overtaken cost-cutting as the main priority for IT decision makers at British and Irish financial services firms, according to a survey commissioned by Fujitsu.

06 August 2014

News/Innovation

Westpac NZ preps augmented reality mobile app

Westpac New Zealand is preparing to launch an app that uses augmented reality to let customers get account information on their screens simply by viewing their cards through their phones' cameras.

05 August 2014

News/Innovation

Stripe backs Ripple founder's latest digital currency project

Mt. Gox and Ripple founder Jed McCaleb has unveiled Stellar, his latest stab at a decentralised payment network and digital currency. Payments firm Stripe has backed the project to the tune of $3 million.

01 August 2014

News/Innovation

Finextra Leadership: Life in the fast lane

Finextra talks to David Watson, global head of client access products for Deutsche Bank's global transaction banking business, about how the giant German bank is remodelling its technology platform to address the needs of a younger generation of digitally-savvy corporate treasury managers.

01 August 2014

News/Innovation

TD Bank scores viral hit with Automated Thanking Machine campaign

A marketing campaign in which Canada's TD Bank turned its ATMs into 'Automated Thanking Machines' that distributed gifts to customers has proved a viral hit, racking up more than two million YouTube views in less than a week.

30 July 2014

News/Innovation

Why Google Bank won't happen

Google won't launch a traditional bank because of the associated costs and regulation, but these hurdles won't stop the firm from redefining the future of financial services, according to a new Forrester report.

30 July 2014

News/Innovation

Nintendo brings NFC payments to Wii U in Japan

Japanese gamers can now buy the latest titles on Nintendo's eShop by tapping their contactless payment cards against their Wii U controllers.

29 July 2014

News/Innovation

PayPal brings Start Tank programme to London

PayPal is bringing its Start Tank programme to the UK, inviting the country's tech startups to apply for one of five chances to win a six month stint at its London offices.

29 July 2014

News/Innovation

New fintech fund targets emerging markets

Anthemis Group's Udayan Goyal has teamed up with private equity veteran Matteo Stefanel in a bid to raise $250 million for a growth fund targeting fintech startups in the developing world. Finextra spoke to Goyal about the fund.

28 July 2014

News/Innovation

Doom on an ATM

A team of Australian geeks have rigged up an ATM to play popular shoot-'em-up action game Doom.

28 July 2014

News/Innovation

Dancing with Unicorns: Top VCs ramp up fintech investment activity

Fintech deal activity by the world's biggest venture capital firms has grown 61% from 2010 to 2013, according to data from CB Insights.

28 July 2014

News/Innovation

Digital bank Holvi preps Irish launch

Holvi, the Finnish digital banking startup targeting small businesses, has hired former SumUp exec Thomas O'Reilly as it prepares to enter the Irish market next month.

25 July 2014

News/Innovation

USAA enlists IBM's Watson to help military personnel transition to civilian life

Online army bank USAA has begun using IBM's Watson cognitive computing platform to help military personnel ease back into civilian life.

25 July 2014

News/Innovation

Online lender AvantCredit raises $75m

AvantCredit, a Chicago-based online consumer lender, has raised $75 million in a series c funding round led by Tiger Global Management and secured a $200 million credit facility.

24 July 2014

News/Innovation

University incubator companies pitch to Barclays

A business incubation programme run by a consortium of UK universities has been pitching promising startup companies to Barclays Bank.

23 July 2014

News/Innovation

Startupbootcamp names fintech accelerator startup finalists

A collection of 10 fintech startups from around the world have battled their way onto an accelerator programme run by Startupbootcamp.

21 July 2014

News/Innovation

Funding running dry for payments startups as new entrants struggle to gain ground

Venture capital interest in payment industry startups appears to be on the wane as investors wise up to the difficulties of achieving scale in a complex, competitive market.

18 July 2014

News/Innovation

Facebook tests 'buy' button; Twitter buys CardSpring

Facebook has begun testing a 'buy' button which lets users purchase products advertised on the social network. Meanwhile, Twitter is also stepping up its commerce game, acquiring payments outfit CardSpring.

18 July 2014

News/Innovation

BBVA startup contest attracts 850 projects

A startup competition organised by Spanish bank BBVA has attracted entrepreneurs from 56 countries, showcasing 850 technology projects.

18 July 2014