Fintech gold rush tipped as KPMG finds Australian investment hit $842m in 2018
Big four professional services firm KPMG has tipped even more funding will come for Australian fintech players in the wake of new open banking rules and the banking royal commission, despite a huge rise in deals taking spending to $US600 million ($842 million) in 2018. In new local figures derived from its biannual global Pulse of Fintech study, KPMG said deals in the local sector picked up last year, following a drop-off in 2017, when capital raisings, acquisitions and IPOs had fallen to $US200 million. The report found that globally a record $US111.8 billion was invested in fintech firms in 2018, with Asian funding reached a new high of $US22.7 […]
IRESS CEO Andrew Walsh tips widespread automation of financial advice
Financial services software company IRESS is tipping a burgeoning role for the automation of financial advice in the aftermath of the Hayne royal commission as the sector looks to rebuild trust. The business, which is valued at $2.2 billion, provides a full suite of software services ranging from client relationship management to portfolio tracking for financial advisory and superannuation firms and dominates about 60 per cent of the market in Australia. IRESS chief executive Andrew Walsh said the business was investing in AI and the company had already launched its first automated advice solution with WA Super last October. It lets members set their retirement goals and provides them with […]
Tech puts value of advice in question
Addressing a room of financial advisers at the Portfolio Construction Forum’s 2019 Finology Summit yesterday, US-based financial planner, Michael Kitces, says advisers should turn their attention away from the regulators and towards technology if they want to stay relevant. Kitces said technology has slowly (and silently) been disrupting the financial advice industry since Wall Street brokers traded stocks for non-negotiable fixed prices in the 50s, and, while advisers may think it’s the regulators that are forcing change, Kitces makes the point that regulators are simply reacting to it. “There’s a tendency to solve the last crisis rather than the next one,” he said. But, five industry trends he sees reshaping […]
Five tips for getting the most out of your equity crowdfunding campaign, from founders who have been there
Since equity crowdfunding launched in Australia in 2017, startups in their droves have looked to the public to help take their venture to the next level — albeit some more successfully than others. But from the modest to the multimillion, what is it that made the successful raises successful? These founders have all been there, and they’ve got some advice. Make the most of your community Sonya Stephen, founder of cinema ticket startup Choovie saw equity crowdfunding as a way to turn her “fabulous customers” into investors, giving the community of users a chance to be more involved in the business When business-to-consumer interaction is important to a startup, “crowdfunding […]
ICO Submission to the Australian Treasury – Why ICO should stand for “Illegal Coin Offering”
By Aleksandar Svetski, CEO of Amber Labs Preface This article is an extension to a submission the authors have made to the Australian Treasury during their information-gathering process. We believe it’s critical for people to better understand what really happened during this mania, the skewed incentives that resulted and the ramifications of this blind excess. The ultimate aim is to help ensure something this deranged does not happen in a space with so much promise. Please also note: Rory and myself are both 100% for free markets, choice and people’s right to do what they want — so this is not some request for socialist compensation. This is an exposé. The goal […]
Raiz Invest partners with UNSW to power rewards with machine learning
Raiz Invest Limited, the mobile-first micro-investing platform, has partnered with UNSW and with support from the NSW Government to develop a machine-learning recommendation engine for its Raiz Rewards. The new technology will recommend to Raiz customers more relevant offers and brands. It’s designed to provide a more seamless, personalised experience for customers when navigating more than 165 brands on Raiz Rewards. With a customer base of more than 179,000, skewing towards the under-35 demographic, the intuitive experience provided by machine-learning will better address the demands of this millennial audience. “Millennials have grown up with technology at their fingertips. They expect all their interactions to be easy to navigate and, above […]
Techboard data shows the startling growth of the Australian fintech sector
US-based data company CB Insights recently reported that VC investment in Australian Fintech had grown from $67m in 2017 to $343 million in 2018. While this does show massive growth in funding for Australia’s fintech sector, data from Australian Startup Data Company Techboard indicates that this represents a significant understatement of the sector’s growth. Techboard has recently released its Report for the December quarter 2018 which revealed another $1.066B in funding for Australian Startups and young tech companies. This was the second consecutive quarter of over $1b funding across all sectors and took the total amount of funding for the 2018 Calendar year to over $4b, up around $1/2b revealed […]
Google-backed fintech GoCardless eyes Aussie ‘subscription economy’
Australia’s fast-growing “subscription economy” is among the key markets being targeted by fintech firm GoCardless, which has secured more than $100 million to fund its global expansion plans. GoCardless, based in London, on Monday said it had raised $US75 million ($106 million) from investors including Google’s venture capital arm, to roll out a global direct debit payment collection system, which it offers to business clients. The company on Monday announced a series of new backers, including GV (previously known as Google Ventures, and owned by Google’s parent, Alphabet), Adams Street Partners, and Salesforce Ventures. Director of international expansion Pranav Sood, who is visiting Australia, said the funding round meant the […]
