Super will help fund the next wave of unicorns
The country’s leading venture capitalists are tipping more direct investment will flow from superannuation firms such as Hostplus into start-up deals, as more $100 million-plus raises test the funding capacity of the VC firms. Last week cross-border payments start-up Airwallex became the latest Australian company to achieve the lauded $US1 billion valuation milestone, making it the quickest local start-up to achieve unicorn status. The valuation came on the back of a $US100 million raise ($141.3 million) for the fintech, which is less than four years old. The raising was led by US investor DST Global, with participation from Sequoia Capital China, Tencent, Hillhouse Capital, Gobi Partners, Horizons Ventures and Square Peg […]
Five ways to better manage cashflow for your business
Did you know, according to the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), 46% of all company failures occurred due to inadequate cash flow in 2015/16? Cash flow is vital to a business, and management should be priority number 1. So how can you better manage cash flow in a business, whether you sell products, provide services, or do a bit of both? Here are five ways to better manage cash flow in your business 1. Look at your balance sheets and make a projection In business, like in sport, you need to keep score. Keeping score tells you whether you’re winning or losing. Balance sheets and profit and loss statements […]
Fintech unveils mortgage under 3.5%
Fintech and online lender loans.com.au has unveiled its newest home-loan offering for owner-occupiers with a low interest rate of 3.48%. Dubbed the Smart Home Loan, the mortgage product is a principal-and-interest loan that has no ongoing fees and has a comparison rate of 3.5%. The product has a maximum loan amount of $1m and has several features such as redraw facilities and the ability to split and make additional repayments. Homebuyers can borrow as much as 80% of the value of their targeted property. Loans.com.au managing director Marie Mortimer said the new home-loan product aims to drive competition in the mortgage space and provide other options for borrowers who are […]
Fintech reveals $250m funding boost
In a bid to compete head on with the traditional banks, a fintech lender has secured an additional $250m to fund Australia’s small businesses. In addition to the new funding, Moula has extended its loan terms from 24 to 36 months and doubled its maximum loan value from $250,000 to $500,000. Pricing starts from 15.95% APR and is said to be “unprecedented” in the online unsecured business lending space. CEO Aris Allegos said, “Until now, online business lenders have competed with banks on speed, ease of application and customer service. However, competition based on pricing has been largely absent. “Injecting a quarter-of-a billion dollars into Australia’s businesses and making our […]
Crowdfunding success for Australian brewers
Gold Coast brewery Black Hops has hit its fundraising target of $400,000 just six days after opening its offer to the public. Matt Vitale from equity crowdfunding platform Birchal said he was delighted with the result. “Black Hops offer was fully subscribed last night, reaching its maximum target in just six days,” Vitale said. “We are thrilled with the result, as is the Black Hops team.” The $400,000 is earmarked for finishing Black Hops’ second brewery and taproom located 30 minutes north of its current site in Burleigh Heads. Investors could invest for as little as $50 to receive ordinary shares in the company. Depending on the value of their […]
The Royal Commission and beyond – a Q&A with Avoka
In advance of the Financial Services Royal Commission’s final report due to be submitted to the Governor-General on 1 February 2019, Avoka’s Sales Director Australia & New Zealand, Nick Edwards and Head of Client Advisory, Chris Wooldridge, sat down to provide their view on all things Royal Commission and more. The Financial Services Royal Commission has uncovered poor behaviour that endangers trust and confidence in our banks and super funds. How can that trust and confidence be restored? Wooldridge – “The Royal Commission’s investigation into misconduct in the financial services sector has uncovered pockets of poor decision-making based on – in the words of Commissioner Hayne – ‘dishonesty’ […]
The Royal Commission and beyond – a Q&A with Avoka
In advance of the Financial Services Royal Commission’s final report due to be submitted to the Governor-General on 1 February 2019, Avoka’s Sales Director Australia & New Zealand, Nick Edwards and Head of Client Advisory, Chris Wooldridge, sat down to provide their view on all things Royal Commission and more. The Financial Services Royal Commission has uncovered poor behaviour that endangers trust and confidence in our banks and super funds. How can that trust and confidence be restored? Wooldridge – “The Royal Commission’s investigation into misconduct in the financial services sector has uncovered pockets of poor decision-making based on – in the words of Commissioner Hayne – ‘dishonesty’ […]
Temenos acquires Australian banking fintech Avoka for US$245m
Temenos, the banking software company, today announces it has agreed to acquire Avoka, a leader in digital customer acquisition and onboarding, subject to regulatory approvals. The acquisition further strengthens the Temenos Digital Front Office product, which has over 300 banking clients and has been recognized as a leader by top analyst houses such as Forrester and Ovum. The Avoka platform will be integrated with the Temenos Digital Front Office product, providing banks with a comprehensive single solution for their omni-channel digital banking needs. Temenos has agreed to purchase Avoka for USD 245 million. Through this acquisition, Temenos continues to bring innovative capabilities to its Digital Front Office product that includes […]
