Seven Australian fintechs to watch in 2016
It’s set to be a flagship year for Australian fintechs, as the local ecosystem strives to become the “top dog” in Asia. It’s a “pivotal” year that could prove to be “make or break” for many local fintechs, MoneyPlace co-founder Stuart Stoyan says, and many startups are already “punching above their weight” worldwide. While the last few years have seen the various stakes being placed in the ground, Prospa co-founder Beau Bertoli says 2016 is all about growth for fintech. “A lot of the groundwork has been done this year and 2016 is going to really be when the industry starts to get some serious momentum,” Bertoli says. As Stone […]
Australia’s top 32 start-up tech successes and why they matter
Want to start the next billion-dollar tech company? You need to be male, in your mid-30s and only two or three years into running a start-up. Not-for-profit organisation StartupAus has compiled a list of Australia’s tech successes over the past 13 years, featuring businesses with valuations in excess of $100 million. The list of 32 companies, which forms part of a report compiled with the University of Technology, Sydney which is due to be released early next year, features known successes Atlassian, Campaign Monitor and Catch Group, but also a number of lesser-known companies which are on track to become the next success stories, or “unicorns”. Lesser-known businesses such as […]
Four steps to make Australia a fintech powerhouse
There are four policy mechanisms every Australian state and federal government should be “majoring in” in order to build a globally competitive fin tech industry, according to the CEO of fintech hub Stone and Chalk, Alex Scandurra. He says Australia has all the basic ingredients, but lacks critical mass and the cultural focus that has built a successful fintech industry in England. 1. Tax incentives “Unlike parts of the United States, we’re very similar to the United Kingdom in the we have a really big base of high net worths in Australia, but tech is foreign to them, and fintech is even more foreign to them,” he says. “They don’t […]
Helping Kids Become Financially Savvy
It’s rare to meet a person who has never experienced anxiety about money, at least once in their lifetime. For many of us, it all comes down to a lack of knowledge. But imagine if you were well-educated in the basics of money, from childhood? That’s the intention behind fintech start-up Piggy – a digital piggybank (pre-paid debit card) for 8-18 year olds. Piggy is the brainchild of former investment banker Mario Hasanakos, and Alex Badran, a recent PhD USyd graduate in mathematics. Piggy is a financial education product for families, built around a pre-paid debit card for kids, aged 8-18. They get a card which is useable for wherever […]
Optus Business behind fintech startup hub Stone & Chalk – ARN
Great to see other big Australian businesses getting behind Australian FinTech Hubs and Companies to help in their growth. Optus Business is the founding communications partner for new fintech startup hub Stone & Chalk, a Sydney-based, not-for-profit Innovation Centre that houses 41 fintech start-ups. The telco will supply ICT services to a 2300 square metre collaborative facility in Bridge Street, Sydney delivering Internet, managed security and managed Wi-Fi technology and services. Optus Business managing director, John Paitaridis, said he was delighted to partner with Stone & Chalk to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship in the Australian fintech sector and support local start-ups. “Innovation and responding to change is a critical challenge […]
