Stockspot launches AI for financial advice
Local automated investment adviser and fund manager Stockspot has announced a move into artificial intelligence and machine learning, launching what it says is Australia’s first digital financial assistant. Stockspot founder and CEO Chris Brycki said the AI functionality analysed the data of thousands of clients and made targeted recommendations, helping investors optimise their portfolio as it learns. He said the robo-adviser was launching as part of a new investment dashboard, designed to make tax reporting easier and give users more control over investments. “Stockspot introduced robo-advice to Australia 2014 which automated and lowered the cost of investing. We see AI and machine learning as robo-advice 2.0, it is the future […]
Acorns app hits 100,000 users
In a sign more Australians are looking to invest in their financial futures, over 100,000 users have signed up for micro-investing app Acorns since its launch in Australia in February. Hitting that milestone not only proved the app’s rapid rise in popularity, but it showed a trend among Australians “to look beyond the big four banks for investment and savings opportunities”, Acorns said yesterday. Acorns Australia managing director George Lucas said the app’s success was driven by young Australians who had discovered the benefit of making modest but regular investments, displaying an appetite for fintech innovation that quickly exceeded the growth rate of that experienced comparatively by users in the […]
Quantifeed Raises US$4.5 Million in Series A Funding
Quantifeed, a leader in digital wealth management solutions in Asia, has reached a significant milestone by closing US$4.5 million in a Series A financing round. Shanghai-based PGA Venture Partners led the investment. The funds will enable Quantifeed to accelerate expansion in key markets in the Asia Pacific region, including China. “The battle in digital wealth management will be won by the institutions with the strongest distribution and the richest customer experience. We are working with some of the top institutions in Asia to build them a customer investment journey,” said Alex Ypsilanti, CEO and Co-founder of Quantifeed. “PGA Venture Partners has an incredible track record of building successful companies and […]
SocietyOne, Australia’s leading marketplace lender, appoints new board director
SocietyOne, Australia’s leading marketplace lender, today announced the appointment of Brett Clegg to its board as a non-executive director. Mr Clegg is Managing Director of News Corp Australia’s Community Publishing division. Among his responsibilities are its community titles in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, SMB digital marketing services provider newsXtend, and the company’s investments in a range of disruptive technology companies including hipages and Sports Technology Group. Prior to spells with News Corp’s The Australian newspaper where he was deputy chief executive and later Fairfax Media’s CEO and Publisher of the Financial Review Group, Mr Clegg was a journalist, columnist and senior editor on the Australian Financial Review. He […]
New online platform ESIC Hub to accelerate benefits for early-stage companies and investors
A new online platform – ESIC Hub – is the first in Australia for high net worth investors and early-stage companies seeking to secure hundreds of thousands of dollars in new tax relief and funding. From this month, high net worth and sophisticated investors, including SMSFs, are eligible for new tax incentives of up to $200,000 a year when they invest in an early-stage investment. However, under new legislation, the company seeking the funding must qualify as an “ESIC” or “Early Stage Innovation Company”, or the investor will miss out. ESIC Hub founder Stephen Crowe, who has advised multi-national and Australian firms for more than 30 years, […]
H2 Ventures Fintech Expo 2016
H2 Ventures Fintech Expo 2016 H2 Ventures are hosting its third annual Fintech Expo, an opportunity to hear from some of the most talked about and exciting Fintech companies in Australia. Tuesday 19th of July 2016 Get your tickets here: http://h2vfintechexpo.eventbrite.com.au/ Save Save
Crowdfunding start-up DomaCom eyes $100m ASX float
DomaCom, the company that shot to prominence with a crowdfunding campaign to acquire the property assets of the iconic Kidman Station empire, is looking to float as a near $100 million company on the Australian Securities Exchange. The ambitious group is hoping to ride the worldwide popularity of crowdfunding which it has used to set up real estate funds and it plans to extend its reach into the corporate bond market and equity release products. Company founder, Arthur Naoumidis, who also set up the now listed portfolio technology provider Praemium, had previously flagged plans to raise $100m through a float last year but the timing of the IPO was pushed […]
nura breaks Aussie Kickstarter record with world-first headphones
Melbourne startup nura has officially broken a record to become the most funded Australian Kickstarter campaign ever, reaching a current total of AU$1.2 million in pledges, with 12 days to go, for its world-first invention — headphones that learn and adapt to your unique hearing. Globally, less than 1 per cent of Kickstarter projects reach funding of more than US$1 million, and nura is well on track to join this group. The average Kickstarter attracts approximately 3 per cent of backers from Australia, but almost 20 per cent of nura’s backers are Australian. There are currently more than 5,500 Australian projects on Kickstarter, across creative categories including film, music, art, theatre, games, […]