Georgia-Based FinTech Companies Recognized at TAG Summit Technology Awards
By Don Campbell, RightCourse
At the 2020 Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) Summit, one of the largest technology conferences in the Southeast, TAG announced two award groups that recognized Georgia-based technology companies for their innovation, financial impact, and their efforts at spreading awareness of the state’s technology initiatives throughout the U.S. and globally. What’s key here is that about one-third of the award winners are members of the dynamic and growing FinTech community.
Encouraging FinTech Signs Amid the COVID-19 Crisis
By Chip Harden, Ondot Systems
As the United States copes with shrinking GDP numbers and rapidly ballooning unemployment amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, there are decidedly few sectors not suffering considerably from the demand and supply shock this current environment has precipitated.
How Banks and FinTechs are Stepping Up Amid COVID-19
By Glen Sarvady, 154 Advisors
The timing couldn’t be better for TAG FinTech’s Friday panel discussion featuring executives from Alogent, Atlantic Capital Bank, Greenlight and Truist. Too often the business narrative has banks and fintech companies pitted against each other in a pitched battle for supremacy and survival. Thankfully this perception had already begun to recede- there are far more reasons for collaboration than competition among these players- but there’s nothing like a common enemy to help solidify alliances.
The week in review – April 20
Each week TAG FinTech Steering Committee member Ali Raza compiles a list of newsworthy events impacting the payments ecosystem. He has graciously agreed to allow us to report his thoughts going forward. This week’s headlines include:
– Leaked pics reveal Google smart debit card to rival Apple’s
– Facebook’s Libra cryptocurrency gets revamp in response to backlash
– PayPal Approved to Provide Access to Paycheck Protection Program Loans
– Student lender SoFi to acquire Galileo Financial Technologies for $1.2 billion
Minding the (Value) Gap: Big Tech Inches Closer to Consumers with Google’s Smart Debit Card
By Chip Harden, Ondot Systems
A global pandemic has proved insufficient to quell Big Tech’s continued foray into financial services. The end of March brought an announcement from Microsoft that they would partner with Plaid to launch a fintech app, integrating with its Excel spreadsheet software to provide personal finance support. Last week, TechCrunch revealed Google’s intention to unveil a “smart” debit card, apparently to serve as the payment vehicle behind Google’s checking account initiative announced in November.
The week in review – March 30
Each week TAG FinTech Steering Committee member Ali Raza compiles a list of newsworthy events impacting the payments ecosystem. He has graciously agreed to allow us to report his thoughts going forward. This week’s headlines include:
– Revolut launches its neobank in the US
– Startup Funding Dwindles Due to Coronavirus Slowdown
– Regulators Issue Inter-agency Statement on Loan Modifications, Banks Urged to Issue More Small-Dollar Loans in Response to Outbreak
– Cash usage in Britain drops by half
The week in review – March 23
Each week TAG FinTech Steering Committee member Ali Raza compiles a list of newsworthy events impacting the payments ecosystem. He has graciously agreed to allow us to report his thoughts going forward. This week’s headlines include:
– ICE’s Bakkt raises $300 million for consumer market push
– Kabbage launches platform enabling consumers to buy gift certificates supporting small businesses during the COVID crisis
– Fiserv acquires Bypass Mobile to enhance its omni-commerce offering
– Square receives conditional Industrial Loan Company (ILC) charter approval, looks to offer small-business loans to Square merchants by 2021
The week in review – March 16
Each week TAG FinTech Steering Committee member Ali Raza compiles a list of newsworthy events impacting the payments ecosystem. He has graciously agreed to allow us to report his thoughts going forward. This week’s headlines include:
– BBVA’s Open Innovation unit alters its approach to fintech partnerships
– Sequoia Capital stumbles with its Finix investment, backs out over Stripe conflicts
– Credit Sesame launches a digital banking service focused on improving credit scores
Need Another Bracket? Atlanta Inno’s Tech Madness is Underway
By Glen Sarvady, 154 Advisors
One of the keys to innovation is the savvy to ride a powerful marketing wave, and the folks at Atlanta Inno have found a great vehicle. Voting is already underway for its annual Tech Madness bracket challenge, pitting 32 Atlanta startups against one another in a friendly competition decided by reader vote.
Six of this year’s 32 companies are included on TAG FinTech’s ecosystem map (and I see at least two more we should probably add), a testament to the prominence and growth of FinTech in Atlanta’s thriving tech scene.
Georgia-Based FinTech Companies Recognized at TAG Summit Technology Awards
By Don Campbell, RightCourse
At the 2020 Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) Summit, one of the largest technology conferences in the Southeast, TAG announced two award groups that recognized Georgia-based technology companies for their innovation, financial impact, and their efforts at spreading awareness of the state’s technology initiatives throughout the U.S. and globally. What’s key here is that about one-third of the award winners are members of the dynamic and growing FinTech community.
The week in review – March 9
Each week TAG FinTech Steering Committee member Ali Raza compiles a list of newsworthy events impacting the payments ecosystem. He has graciously agreed to allow us to report his thoughts going forward. This week’s headlines include:
– Kabbage Launches Kabbage Insights™, A Small Businesses Cash Flow Management Tool
– Facebook Weighs Libra Revamp to Address Regulatory Concerns
– Robinhood Trading Site Seizes Up, Customers Miss Stock Rally
– Ant Financial buys a stake in Swedish fintech leader Klarna
The week in review – March 2
Each week TAG FinTech Steering Committee member Ali Raza compiles a list of newsworthy events impacting the payments ecosystem. He has graciously agreed to allow us to report his thoughts going forward. This week’s headlines include:
– Platform Banking Provider Agora Services is Securing $2 Million in Funding and Opens Headquarters in Atlanta
– Venmo prototypes a debit card for teenagers
– Intuit to Acquire Credit Karma
– Fast-growing digital bank Revolut triples valuation to $5.5 billion
The week in review – February 24
Each week TAG FinTech Steering Committee member Ali Raza compiles a list of newsworthy events impacting the payments ecosystem. He has graciously agreed to allow us to report his thoughts going forward. This week’s headlines include:
– Atlanta-Based OneTrust Raises $210 Million, More Than Doubles Valuation To $2.7B
– LendingClub to acquire Radius Bank, the first example of a FinTech buying a bank
– CB Insights declares 2019 the year of the fintech inflection
The week in review – February 17
Each week TAG FinTech Steering Committee member Ali Raza compiles a list of newsworthy events impacting the payments ecosystem. He has graciously agreed to allow us to report his thoughts going forward. This week’s headlines include:
– InComm Launches Go Studio™, an Emerging Technologies Incubator
– Varo Moves Closer to Becoming a Bank
– Fintech startup Ramp aims to disrupt the corporate credit market
– Payments Tech Provider Toast Raises $400 Million at $4.9 Billion Valuation
Always a Busy Season for Atlanta FinTech – Introducing Our Events Calendar!
By Glen Sarvady, 154 Advisors
The spring and fall months tend to be the most active for industry conferences, and 2020 is no exception. Players in a FinTech scene as vibrant as Atlanta’s shouldn’t have to get on a plane- or wait out the seasons- to network or engage in thought leadership, though. A quick scan of the local calendar proves that’s indeed the case.
Organizations like the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) have provided plenty of such opportunities for some time, with more events being added constantly as awareness and interest in FinTech continues to expand. There’s so much activity it can be …
The week in review – February 10
Each week TAG FinTech Steering Committee member Ali Raza compiles a list of newsworthy events impacting the payments ecosystem. He has graciously agreed to allow us to report his thoughts going forward. This week’s headlines include:
– Intercontinental Exchange Announces Agreement to Acquire Atlanta Loyalty Program Provider Bridge2 Solutions, Combine with Bakkt
– Payments giant Worldline to buy Ingenico (whose US headquarters are in Metro Atlanta) in $8.6 billion deal as fintech competition heats up
– Visa Plans the Biggest Changes to Its Merchant Fees in a Decade
The week in review – February 3
Each week TAG FinTech Steering Committee member Ali Raza compiles a list of newsworthy events impacting the payments ecosystem. He has graciously agreed to allow us to report his thoughts going forward. This week’s headlines include:
– Atlanta-based Trust Stamp Earns Strategic Investment from Mastercard
– UPS And Square Collaborate To Offer Integrated SMB Shipping Solution
– Goldman Sachs Touts Digital Banking Plans at Investor Day
– Subway Inks Payments Deal With Adyen for North America
The week in review – January 27
Each week TAG FinTech Steering Committee member Ali Raza compiles a list of newsworthy events impacting the payments ecosystem. He has graciously agreed to allow us to report his thoughts going forward. This week’s headlines include:
– Cash, Plastic or Hand? Amazon Envisions Paying With a Wave
– Global central banks partner up to explore digital currencies
– Canapi Ventures Launches Inaugural $545 Million Fintech Venture Fund
– New York City Stores Must Accept Cash, Council Says
The week in review – January 20
Each week TAG FinTech Steering Committee member Ali Raza compiles a list of newsworthy events impacting the payments ecosystem. He has graciously agreed to allow us to report his thoughts going forward. This week’s headlines include:
– Visa to Buy Plaid for $5.3 Billion in Bid to Reach Startups
– Approval of Sezzle’s California Lending License
– SunTrust successor Truist rolls out new purple brand design and logo
The week in review – January 13
Each week TAG FinTech Steering Committee member Ali Raza compiles a list of newsworthy events impacting the payments ecosystem. He has graciously agreed to allow us to report his thoughts going forward. This week’s headlines include:
– California governor to unveil plan for state CFPB
– Mastercard launches augmented reality app that brings card benefits to life
– BBVA explores product sales via Amazon
– Goldman’s consumer unit Marcus still accounts for only a small sliver of profits
The week in review – January 6
Each week TAG FinTech Steering Committee member Ali Raza compiles a list of newsworthy events impacting the payments ecosystem. He has graciously agreed to allow us to report his thoughts going forward. This week’s headlines include:
– The California Consumer Privacy Act officially takes effect
– JPMorgan to ban fintech apps from using customer passwords
– Australia delays Open Banking roll out over security concerns
The week in review – December 27
Each week TAG FinTech Steering Committee member Ali Raza compiles a list of newsworthy events impacting the payments ecosystem. He has graciously agreed to allow us to report his thoughts going forward. This week’s headlines include:
– NCR has acquired UK-based Zynstra, a provider of edge virtualization technology
– The Fed released the 2019 Federal Reserve Payments Study, the seventh in a series of triennial studies
– Mastercard announced that it is acquiring RiskRecon, a provider of artificial intelligence and data analytics
– TD Bank is working with Visa to offer its US customers the ability to send money to their bank account at TD Canada
