Back in the summer of 2007 we had a simple vision for the first Finovate event. We knew we wanted it to be all demos, short format, and delivered by founders that would be immediately available for private conversations.

Having the audience rate the demos was a last-minute decision that necessitated buying a bunch of number 2 pencils and renting a machine to read the handwritten scorecards. It was a hassle, but I’m so glad we started the “Best of Show” tradition because it became a signature part of the Finovate experience, in no small part because of the $5 Starbucks card attendees received each day for voting.

Fast-forward 17 years, and there have been 320 Best of Show trophies handed out. And many of those winners have gone on to become successful fintech companies or be acquired by one. Only 17 have gone out of business, mostly in the 2014 to 2017 vintage, which makes sense as well-funded startups usually last at least 5 years. And prior to 2014, the line-up was smaller and highly curated.

Note: You can watch all the 320 award-winning demos (as well as 2,000+ others) on the Finovate website. Finovate is currently an advertiser on this site.

Number Closed Companies vs. Year of their First Finovate Best of Show Award

2008 >>> 1
2010 >>> 1
2011 >>> 1
2014 >>> 3
2015 >>> 3
2016 >>> 1
2017 >>> 5
2018 >>> 2

 

Here are all 320 winners along with a short summary of their status as of Q2 2024 (research conducted primarily in April & May 2024):

Spring 2024 (San Francisco):

  1. BloomCredit: Raised $25M, team of 25
  2. Cascading AI: Team of 6 with $4M+ in funding by top VCs (including Y Combinator and its first customer, Bankwell Bank)
  3. Kobalt Labs: Raised $1.6M seed round in Oct 2023 from 8 investors including YC and a16z (scout fund).
  4. QuickFi: Reported a 45% increase in loan volume.
  5. Remynt: Won a $100k grant from Visa in Oct 2023.
  6. SAVVI AI: Raised $5.6M for its AI analytics solutions; making significant inroads in healthcare and finance sectors.

Europe 2024 (London):

  1. Corsound AI: AI company advancing in sound recognition technologies, expanding market reach, receiving favorable industry reviews and increasing investment interest.
  2. Tuum: Raised $48M for its modular banking technology, gaining traction with banks and financial institutions across Europe.
  3. Zeed: Raised $250k for its investing app.

Fall 2023 (New York):

  1. Chimney: Niche digital media firm, growing steadily with increased client engagement and successful marketing campaigns.
  2. Debbie: Raised $2.7M for its consumer savings & rewards solution; expanding product line, increasing market share.
  3. eSelf.ai: Startup specializing in AI-powered self-help tools, gaining popularity, but facing challenges scaling operations.
  4. Mahalo Banking: Raised $21M for its banking software; successfully launched new features, experiencing strong growth in client base.
  5. Trust & Will: Raised $48M for its online estate planning service, showing robust growth and high customer satisfaction rates.
  6. Wysh: Emerging player in the wish-list market, innovative features attracting young demographics, growth driven by effective social media use.

Spring 2023 (San Francisco):

  1. 1Kosmos: Raised $15M for its biometric cybersecurity solutions; gaining contracts with large enterprises.
  2. 9Spokes: Raised $17M for its comprehensive business management platform; increasing partnerships with major banks.
  3. Flybits: Raised $44M for its personalized marketing solutions; attracting major retail partners.
  4. QuickFi: Continues to disrupt equipment financing with mobile-first technology, expanding customer base.
  5. SAVVI AI: Raised $5.6M for its AI analytics solutions; making significant inroads in healthcare and finance sectors.
  6. Wink: Social media startup, innovative interaction features, struggling with user acquisition despite good initial reception.

Europe 2023 (London):

  1. 10x Banking: Raised $300M for its cloud banking solutions; expanding globally.
  2. FinTech Insights by Scientia: Providing fintech market data, seen increased subscriptions from enterprise clients.
  3. NayaOne: Raised $6.2M for its digital banking simulation products: notable client acquisitions.
  4. TAZI AI: Raised $6.1M for its AI adaptive machine learning models, especially real-time data solutions; gaining traction.
  5. Your Juno: Raised $2.5M for its financial education platform targeting women, growing steadily with high user engagement.

Fall 2022 (New York):

  1. Debbie: Raised $2.7M, continued expansion in automated financial services for personal finance management.
  2. Horizn: Technology training platform seeing wide adoption in banks for digital transformation.
  3. LemonadeLXP: Innovative learning experience platform for financial institutions, receiving positive industry feedback.
  4. Quilo: Raised $6M, offers flexible credit solutions, growing steadily with good market acceptance.
  5. Stratyfy: Raised $12M, decision intelligence technology gaining traction, particularly in risk management.
  6. Themis: Raised $9M, compliance and governance tech gaining steady traction, particularly with larger corporate clients.

Spring 2022 (San Francisco):

  1. Array: Credit and identity management platform, seeing increased adoption due to robust features and user-friendly interface.
  2. FinGoal: Personal finance tools powered by AI, enhancing user financial decision-making, partnerships with major financial institutions growing.
  3. Horizn: Continues to excel in digital adoption platforms for financial services, expanded to additional markets.
  4. Keep Financial Technologies: Raised $9M, offering innovative saving solutions, gaining traction with SMEs, recently raised new funding.
  5. QuickFi: Continues to innovate in mobile-first financing for business equipment, gaining strong foothold in U.S. market.
  6. Spave: Combines spending and saving in one app, experiencing steady user growth, recently integrated with major banking platforms.

Europe 2022 (London):

  1. Dreams: Financial wellbeing platform focusing on behavioral changes, expanding across Europe with significant user engagement.
  2. Finshape: Provides AI-driven financial analysis tools, gaining reputation for accuracy and usability, expanding client base.
  3. mmob: Raised $6.2M, smart integrator platform for fintech services, gaining strategic partnerships, recently launched new features.
  4. SESAMm: Raised $55M, analyzes sentiment from online data for finance, growth driven by strong demand in fintech analytics.
  5. Trulioo: Raised $475M, global identity verification provider, continues to expand, securing contracts with multinational corporations.

Fall 2021 (New York):

  1. Array: Raised $67M, continues expansion in credit monitoring and management solutions, receiving positive industry reviews.
  2. Autobooks: Raised $98M, small-business accounting software, increasingly integrated by banks, showing strong growth.
  3. Bambu (CLOSED): Raised $13M, robo-advisory technology provider
  4. Dreams: Expands U.S. presence, focusing on engaging banking customers through innovative financial tools.
  5. Horizn: Increased adoption by major banks for employee and customer digital education tools.
  6. Infocorp (acquired by Aquila Software): Enhancing banking experiences in emerging markets, recently added new AI features.
  7. Long Game (acquired by Truist Bank): Gamified financial savings app, introduced new features to boost user savings, growth in user base.
  8. Ocrolus: Raised $127M, automation technology for financial document analysis, continues rapid growth with expansion into new financial markets.
  9. PwC: Maintains leadership in consulting, expanding services in digital transformation and cybersecurity.

Spring 2021 (Digital):

  1. Dreams: Raised $28M, continued to innovate in financial engagement and wellness platforms, launched new saving challenges feature.
  2. Glia: Digital customer service platform, significantly expanded its capabilities, adding new AI tools.
  3. Signal Intent (now Brights.io): Financial decision tools provider, experiencing rapid growth with new product offerings.

Europe 2021 (Digital):

  1. Dbilia: Tokenizing digital and physical assets, gaining traction with blockchain enthusiasts.
  2. Proptee: Developing a blockchain-based real estate investment platform, beta launched with promising early results.
  3. Quantum Metric: Raised $251M, continues to excel in digital product design analytics, now serves several Fortune 500 companies.

Fall 2020 (Digital):

  1. Finzly: Banking software innovator, launched new payment solutions, expanded client base in the U.S.
  2. Horizn: Continued to provide essential training tech for banks adapting to digital, new features added.
  3. Lendsmart: AI-driven platform streamlining home lending processes, new partnerships with regional banks.
  4. Monit: Raised $13M, mobile finance platform for SMBs, enhanced predictive features, positive feedback from beta users.
  5. Q2: Provides digital banking solutions, continues strong growth with successful launches of new banking platforms.

Spring/West 2020 (Digital):

  1. Breach Clarity (acquired by TransUnion): Cybersecurity solutions for financial fraud detection, received critical acclaim for its innovation.
  2. Finzly: Raised $10M, launched payment orchestration layer, receiving positive feedback from banking clients.
  3. Glia: Continued its expansion in digital customer service solutions, adding new chat and video capabilities.
  4. Interface.ai: AI-powered digital assistant solutions for banks, significant client acquisition across North America.
  5. Zeta: Raised $340M, digital banking platform for fintechs and banks, launched new joint bank account feature.

Europe 2020 (Berlin):

  1. Dorsum: Investment software solutions, continues to grow client base in Central Europe.
  2. Glia: Expanded European operations, launched multilingual support for digital customer service.
  3. Horizn: Enhanced training platform with new languages, focusing on European banks.
  4. iProov: Raised $70M, leading the way in online biometric authentication, securing important European governmental contracts.
  5. Sonect: Raised $22M, virtual ATM network growing through partnerships with European retailers and banks.
  6. W.UP (acquired by Finshape): Digital banking solutions provider, launched new personal finance tools, gaining traction in Europe.

MiddleEast 2019 (Dubai):

  1. Amber: Developing AI-driven tools for energy management, pilot projects show promising energy savings.
  2. efigence: Digital banking interface design, expanding presence in Middle Eastern markets, focusing on user experience.

Asia 2019 (Singapore):

  1. Bereev: End-of-life planning app, slow growth but increasing awareness about importance of planning.
  2. The WAAY: Travel app integrating personal preferences with local travel recommendations, moderate user adoption.

Fall 2019 (New York):

  1. BlytzPay: Raised $1.1M, mobile payment solutions for utilities and services, increased adoption due to ease of use.
  2. Cinchy: Raised $24M, data integration platform, gaining traction in financial services for data autonomy solutions.
  3. College Aid Pro: Making college financial planning accessible, partnered with multiple universities.
  4. ebankIT: Digital banking platform, continues to expand in the U.S., adding credit unions.
  5. Glia: Expanded customer service technology offerings with AI enhancements.
  6. MX: Financial data aggregation, continued to lead with innovation in financial management tools.
  7. owl.co: Raised $39M, automated background checks and compliance tools, gaining rapid adoption in finance sector.
  8. Pinkaloo (acquired by Ren): Modernizing charitable giving through easy-to-use platforms, expanded to new nonprofit partners.
  9. Zogo Finance: Financial education for younger audiences, widely adopted by schools and financial institutions.

Spring 2019 (San Francisco):

  1. Arkose Labs: Raised $107M, specializes in online fraud prevention, gained significant clients in ecommerce.
  2. BlueRush: Interactive personalized video marketing, expanded services to health and financial sectors.
  3. BlytzPay: Continued to enhance mobile payment solutions, focusing on accessibility and security.
  4. Everplans (acquired by Guardian Life Insurance): : End-of-life planning platform, added new features for estate planning.
  5. Glia: Strengthened market presence with new AI-driven customer support solutions.
  6. Invest Sou Sou (now Wellthi): Savings platform rebranded as Wellthi, focusing on community-based savings.
  7. Neener Analytics: Social media analytics for risk assessment, expanded into new financial markets.
  8. Voca.ai (acquired by Snap): AI technology for call centers, enhanced features for better customer engagement.

Europe 2019 (London):

  1. CREALOGIX: Digital banking solutions provider, continues innovation in mobile and online banking.
  2. Dorsum: Focused on investment software enhancements, incorporating AI for better client engagement.
  3. Glia: Expanded European operations with new data centers, enhancing digital customer interactions.
  4. iProov: Raised $70M, biometric authentication tech gaining wider acceptance in security-sensitive industries.
  5. Launchfire (now part of LemonadeLXP): Gamification for employee training, seeing strong adoption in retail and banking.
  6. PayKey: Raised $26M, integrates banking services into social media platforms, expanded features for seamless transactions.
  7. Voca.ai (acquired by Snap) Advanced AI voice assistants gaining traction in European call centers.
  8. W.UP (acquired by Finshape): Launched personalized digital banking experiences, strong uptake by European banks.

Africa 2018 (Cape Town):

  1. Bambu (CLOSED): Raised $13M, for its robo-advisory services
  2. OUTvest (acquired by Alexforbes): Online investment advisor, strong growth through user-friendly platform and competitive fees.

Asia 2018 (Hong Kong):

  1. Arival: Raised $10.8M, digital bank for freelancers and SMEs, receiving strong initial user feedback.
  2. Avaloq (acquired by NEC): Core banking software, solidified presence in Asia with new client acquisitions.
  3. Voca.ai (acquired by Snap): Introduced voice AI to Asian markets, improving call center efficiency.

Fall 2018 (New York):

  1. Banzai: Financial education platform for all ages, expanded into more schools nationwide.
  2. BOND.AI: Raised $5.6M, AI-driven financial insights platform, helping users achieve financial wellness.
  3. Bumped (CLOSED Dec 2022): Raised $35M, loyalty rewards through stock ownership
  4. Golden: Financial care for elderly, added new tools for caregivers.
  5. Meniga: Raised $72M, personal finance management, enhanced features drive growth in user engagement.

Spring 2018 (Santa Clara):

  1. Alpharank: Raised $2M, provides customer journey mapping based on transaction data, strong adoption in marketing analysis.
  2. Conversation.one (CLOSED): Build-once-deploy-anywhere platform for voice and chatbots
  3. Dynamics: Continued innovation in payment cards with embedded circuits, expanding market reach.
  4. Kasasa: Banking services and products provider, launched new loan products.
  5. Trusona: Raised $38M for its no-password login solutions, seeing increased adoption in secure environments.

Europe 2018 (London):

  1. Backbase: Raised $130M for its digital banking platforms, continues expansion with more European banks.
  2. Be-IQ: Behavioral finance insights helping firms understand customer risk preferences.
  3. CREALOGIX: Strengthened its position in Europe with new digital banking tools.
  4. iProov: Enhanced security features for online face verification, adopted by more governments.
  5. Meniga: Strengthened its finance management apps with AI-driven insights.
  6. Microblink: Advanced OCR for real-time identity verification, expanding into new sectors.
  7. W.UP (acquired by Finshape): Digital banking engagement solutions, successfully launched personalization AI.

MiddleEast 2018 (Dubai):

  1. APPICS: Social media platform rewarding users with cryptocurrency, increased adoption in Middle East.
  2. Electronic IDentification (acquired by Signicat): Video identification services gaining traction for KYC processes.
  3. Ondot Systems (acquired by Fiserv): Raised $59M, mobile payment services expanding in Middle Eastern markets.

Asia 2017 (Hong Kong):

  1. Aapay (CLOSED): Mobile payment solutions, experiencing slow growth amid strong competition.
  2. Bambu (CLOSED): Raised $13M, robo-advisor technology provider
  3. OCR Labs (now IDVerse): Raised $45M, advanced optical character recognition for identity documents, gaining government contracts.
  4. YUKKA Lab: Financial news analytics platform, enhancing investment decisions with AI.

Fall 2017 (New York):

  1. Envestnet | Yodlee: Financial data aggregation and analytics leader, expanded services to wealth management.
  2. FINN AI (acquired by GILA): AI-powered financial assistant, continues to gain traction with major banks.
  3. Jiffee (by Neontri): Contactless payments via mobile, increased adoption in retail environments.
  4. Sensibill (acquired by Q2): Raised $57M, receipt management and spending insights, expanded into new banking partnerships.
  5. Spycloud: Raised $169M, cybersecurity firm focusing on preventing account takeovers, broadened offerings.
  6. Sustainably (CLOSED): Round-up app for charitable giving
  7. Voleo (CLOSED): Social trading platform

Spring 2017 (San Jose):

  1. Alpharank: Continues to refine customer behavioral analytics, expanded integration with marketing platforms.
  2. Capitalise: Raised $10M, automated trading tools for active investors, enhanced features with machine learning.
  3. Hedgeable (CLOSED July 2018): Robo-advisor with customizable portfolios
  4. Microblink: Mobile vision technology, enhanced product lineup for faster scanning.
  5. Neener Analytics: Social risk scoring based on user behavior, gaining traction with lenders.
  6. Salemove (now Glia): Merged to form Glia, focusing on enhancing digital customer service.
  7. SpeechPro (not Speech Technology Center): Voice biometrics technology, broadened applications in security and banking.
  8. Unison: Raised $693M, home co-investing platform, expanded services to more states.

Europe 2017 (London):

  1. Backbase: Raised $130M for its digital banking solutions, new mobile-first initiatives launched.
  2. CREALOGIX: Digital banking software provider, launched new wealth management tools.
  3. Dorsum: Investment software solutions provider, expanded product range with AI capabilities.
  4. eToro: Social trading platform, increased user base significantly with new crypto options.
  5. Memento: Raised $2M, digital gift and loyalty card solutions, expanded retail partnerships.
  6. Salemove (now Glia): Enhanced customer interaction platform with new AI features.
  7. Tink (acquired by VISA): Raised $308M, open banking platform, expanded across Europe with new API services.

Asia 2016 (Hong Kong):

  1. Alpha Payments Cloud (now Alpha Fintech): Payment orchestration provider, rebranded as Alpha Fintech, expanded services globally.
  2. Dynamics: Continued to innovate with interactive payment cards, increased market presence.
  3. EyeVerify (now Zoloz, acquired by Ant Group): Biometric identity verification
  4. FINN AI (acquired by GILA): AI chatbot for banks, expanded into Asian markets, adding new languages.

Fall 2016 (New York):

  1. AutoGravity (CLOSED): Raised $110M, auto-financing platform
  2. Backbase: Raised $130M for its digital banking platform, added new functionalities.
  3. Clinc: Raised $61M for its conversational-AI platform, broadened use cases beyond finance to healthcare.
  4. MX: Financial data aggregation platform, launched new tools for personal finance management.
  5. Swych (acquired by Finablr): Digital gifting platform, expanded offerings with more retailers onboard.
  6. Trusona: Raised $38M for its identity verification platform, and secured new clients in financial and government sectors.

Spring 2016 (San Jose): ckd

  1. BanQu: Blockchain-based identity platform, expanded to support refugees and the unbanked.
  2. LendingRobot (acquired by Lime Financial): Raised $3M for its peer-to-peer lending automation, introduced new investment algorithms.
  3. PayActiv: Raised $134M for its earned wage access services, expanded services to include financial wellness features.
  4. Quid (acquired by Netbase Quid): Raised $108M for its market intelligence software.
  5. Salemove (rebranded to Glia): Continued to enhance online customer interactions with new technology.
  6. Silver6: Video personalization for finance, expanded into real estate and insurance markets.

Europe 2016 (London):

  1. Capitalise: Raised $10M for its automated investment platform, expanded to include tax optimization features.
  2. DriveWealth: Raised $551M for its brokerage services to fintechs and banks, expanded into micro-investing solutions.
  3. EyeVerify (rebranded to Zoloz): Eye biometrics for secure mobile authentication, expanded to banking clients.
  4. IDscan Biometrics: Leading provider of biometric identification solutions, increased adoption in security sectors.
  5. SwipeStox (rebranded to NAGA): Social trading platform, rebranded as NAGA, enhanced cryptocurrency trading options.
  6. Valuto (rebranded to Walutomat): Online currency exchange platform, rebranded, expanded services with new features.

Fall 2015 (New York):

  1. Blockstack.io (acquired by BluLive): Blockchain platform for decentralized apps, rebranded to emphasize its broad ecosystem.
  2. Dyme: Raised $3M for its SMS-based savings tool, introduced new features for budget management.
  3. Dynamics: Continued to develop advanced payment cards with embedded technology.
  4. FINANTEQ: Mobile banking solutions, added new clients across Europe.
  5. Hedgeable (CLOSED July 2018): Personal investment management
  6. HelloWallet (acquired by Morningstar): Financial wellness platform, acquired by Morningstar, integrated into broader financial planning tools.
  7. Salemove (rebranded as Glia): Continued to improve online customer interaction platforms, integrated AI capabilities.
  8. Soundpays: Raised $2.8M for its mobile payment solutions using sound waves, expanded into new markets.

Spring 2015 (San Jose):

  1. Alpha Payments Cloud (now Alpha Fintech): Continued expansion as a leading payment orchestration layer, added more global partners.
  2. Avoka (acquired by Temenos): Digital customer acquisition for banks, acquired by Temenos, integrated into broader banking solutions.
  3. MoneyAmigo (apparently CLOSED): Innovative financial services for underbanked.
  4. Moven: Raised $47M for its mobile banking startup, expanded features for budget tracking and savings.
  5. NAMU Systems (apparently CLOSED): Providing AI-powered customer engagement solutions for banks, expanded into European markets.
  6. Shoeboxed (acquired by Earth Class Mail which was acquired by Legal Zoom): Receipt management for small businesses, continued to enhance digitization features.
  7. Stratos (acquired by Ciright): Raised $8.1M for its connected card technology, expanded distribution through partnerships.

Europe 2015 (London):

  1. Avoka (acquired by Temenos): Raised $28M to focus on improving digital sales experiences, expanded client base in Europe before acquisition.
  2. CoinJar: Raised $1.1M for its cryptocurrency exchange and wallet, introduced new features for easier trading and security.
  3. ebankIT: Omnichannel banking solutions, gaining traction with mid-size banks in Europe.
  4. eToro: Continued to lead in social trading, especially strong growth in cryptocurrency markets.
  5. Jumio (acquired by Centana Growth Partners): Raised $205M for its identity verification solutions, increased adoption due to strong demand for secure transactions.
  6. mBank & i3D (acquired by Ubisoft): Collaborated on enhancing virtual banking experiences, introduced new digital banking services.
  7. Meniga: Financial management and customer engagement solutions, expanded into new European markets.

Fall 2014 (New York):

  1. Anchor ID (CLOSED March 2020): Raised $1.9M for its universal digital ID platform
  2. blooom (acquired by Morgan Stanly in 2022): Automated retirement savings management, expanded services to include more account types.
  3. Crowdflower (rebranded to Figure Eight, acquired by Appen in 2019): Crowdsourced AI training data platform, rebranded as Figure Eight, acquired by Appen.
  4. Loyal3 (CLOSED 2017): Raised $51M for its platform for investing in IPOs with as little as $100
  5. MoneyDesktop (rebranded to MX): Continued to enhance personal financial management software, rebranded as MX.
  6. NICE: Advanced analytics for customer interactions, expanded offerings to include real-time speech analytics.
  7. Toopher (acquired by Salesforce): Raised $3M for its mobile security using location-based authentication, acquired by Salesforce.

Spring 2014 (San Jose):

  1. EyeVerify (rebranded as Zoloz, 2017): Pioneered eye vein biometrics for mobile security, gained significant banking clients before acquisition.
  2. Interactions: Raised $163M for its nhanced customer service automation with AI, expanded to serve major retail and telecom clients.
  3. Loop: Raised $65M for its mobile wallet technology, faced competitive market but gained some traction in niche markets.
  4. Motif Investing (CLOSED): Niche themes and direct indexing investment platform, expanded offerings to include sustainable investing.
  5. Ondot Systems (acquired by Fiserv, 2020): Raised $59M for mobile card services platform, enhanced security features, expanded globally.
  6. PrivatBank: Innovated in digital banking, particularly in contactless and mobile payments.
  7. SaveUp (CLOSED 2017): Raised $7M to encourage saving through games and rewards
  8. Stockpile: Raised $45M for gift cards for stock investment, expanded offerings to include ETFs and minors accounts.

Europe 2014 (London):

  1. Backbase: Continued to lead with its omnichannel banking platform, launching new digital banking solutions.
  2. BehavioSec (acquired by LexisNexis):  Behavioral biometrics for identity verification, expanded client base in banking and government.
  3. Dynamics: Continued innovation in payment technology with multi-account cards.
  4. ETRONIKA (acquired by NRD Companies): Digital banking solutions, focusing on user experience and secure banking technology.
  5. Luxoft (acquired by DXC Technology): IT service management focusing on financial services, expanded offerings to include blockchain solutions.
  6. Misys (acquired by Finastra): Large scale financial software provider, continued to grow through strategic mergers and acquisitions.
  7. Momentum (FKA YourWealth): Financial planning tools, rebranded and expanded services for wealth management.
  8. Tink (acquired by VISA): Open banking platform, secured major partnerships across Europe.
  9. Toshl Finance: Personal finance manager, added new features for budgeting and bill tracking.

Asia 2013 (Singapore):

  1. BehavioSec (acquired by LexisNexis): Introduced behavioral biometrics in Asian markets, enhancing security for online transactions.
  2. Kofax (now part of Lexmark): Document and data capture software, expanded Asian operations, focusing on automation solutions.
  3. Yodlee (now Envestnet Yodlee): Financial data aggregation, continued expansion in Asia through partnerships with major financial institutions.

Fall 2013 (New York):

  1. Interactions: Raised $163M, customer interaction solutions using AI, expanded client base in the financial services sector.
  2. LearnVest (acquired by Northwestern Mutual): Financial planning platform, continued growth before acquisition by Northwestern Mutual.
  3. mBank & Accenture: Collaborative digital transformation projects, focusing on enhancing digital banking user experience.
  4. Mitek Systems: Mobile capture and identity verification solutions, continued to expand product offerings.
  5. MoneyDesktop (now MX): Enhanced financial data aggregation and insights, continued growth in client base.
  6. Motif Investing (acquired by Schwab): Continued to provide niche investment themes, expanded into socially responsible investing.
  7. TipRanks: Financial analytics platform providing transparency to individual investors, expanded database and features.
  8. Yodlee (now Envestnet Yodlee): Enhanced data aggregation for financial services, expanded insights capabilities.

Spring 2013 (San Francisco):

  1. FamZoo: Family banking platform teaching kids financial literacy, expanded with more educational tools.
  2. LendUp: Raised  $362M, offers credit building and short-term loan products, expanded into credit cards.
  3. MoneyDesktop (now MX): Continued to provide financial management tools, increased focus on user experience.
  4. PayNearMe: Digital cash transaction network, expanded services to include bill payments.
  5. TipRanks: Raised $80M, enhanced stock analysis tools, broadened user base with new investment insights features.

Europe 2013 (London):

  1. Crédit Agricole: Continued to innovate in retail banking, launched new digital banking services.
  2. ETRONIKA (acquired by NRD Companies): Focused on digital banking solutions, expanded into mobile and online platforms.
  3. mBank: Innovated in online and mobile banking, launched new financial products.
  4. Meniga: Raised $72M, financial management tools provider, expanded features for enhanced user engagement.
  5. Moven: Raised $47M, mobile-based financial services, expanded into European markets with new banking partnerships.
  6. CLOSED Pockets United: Social payment app, experienced moderate growth with group payment features.
  7. SumUp: Raised $2.4B, mobile payment services provider, expanded hardware offerings and entered new markets.
  8. Virtual Piggy (now REGO Payments): Rebranded as REGO Payments, focusing on family-friendly payment solutions.

Asia 2012 (Singapore):

  1. CurrencyFair: Raised $25M, peer-to-peer currency exchange platform, expanded services with better rates and faster transactions.
  2. Finantix (acquired by Motive Partners): Wealth management software, continued to expand in Asian markets with new AI features.
  3. SocietyOne (acquired by MoneyMe): Raised $70M, peer-to-peer lending platform, gained traction with competitive interest rates.
  4. UBank (by National Australia Bank): Continued innovation in digital banking services.

Fall 2012 (New York):

  1. Credit Sesame: Raised $172M, personal credit management services, expanded into home loan products.
  2. Dashlane: Raised $211M, password management and digital security, enhanced features with VPN and dark web monitoring.
  3. Dynamics: Continued to innovate with programmable payment cards, expanded into new markets.
  4. eToro: Social trading and investment platform, introduced copy trading and cryptocurrency trading.
  5. LearnVest (acquired by The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company): Personal financial planning services, expanded educational content and tools.
  6. MoneyDesktop (now MX): Continued growth with enhanced personal financial management tools.
  7. PayTap: Social bill pay solutions, expanded features to include shared expense management.
  8. ShopKeep POS (acquired by Lightspeed Commerce): Raised $177M, point-of-sale system for SMBs, enhanced features with e-commerce integration.

Spring 2012 (San Francisco):

  1. BehavioSec (acquired by LexisNexis): Enhanced security solutions with behavioral biometrics, expanded into more verticals.
  2. BillGuard (acquired by Prosper): Credit card fraud protection service, acquired by Prosper Marketplace.
  3. Dwolla: Payment network, continued to enhance platform with faster transaction capabilities.
  4. CLOSED iQuantifi: Financial planning and advice platform, expanded algorithmic recommendations for investments.
  5. MoneyDesktop (now MX): Continued to enhance digital banking experience with better data analytics.
  6. Personal Capital (acquired by Empower Retirement): Wealth management platform, introduced new financial planning tools.

Europe 2012 (London):

  1. Cardlytics: Transaction-driven marketing solutions, expanded into new banking partnerships.
  2. Dynamics: Innovated with multi-currency and programmable credit cards.
  3. eToro: Pioneered social trading with cryptocurrencies, expanded user base significantly.
  4. Nutmeg (acquired by JP Morgan): Raised $154M, online investment management service, continued to grow with focus on transparency and low fees.

Fall 2011 (New York):

  1. Dynamics: Continued to innovate in payment technologies, expanded with new security features.
  2. eToro: Expanded into new markets with social trading features, increased user engagement.
  3. FamZoo: Family-oriented financial education platform, enhanced features for teaching kids money management.
  4. FeeFighters (now part of Groupon): Payment gateway comparison platform, acquired by Groupon, integrated into broader marketplace services.
  5. LearnVest (acquired by The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company): Personal financial planning platform, enhanced features for budgeting and financial education.
  6. Offermatic (CLOSED): Raised $4.5M, automated rebate and offer platform for credit card users, expanded merchant partnerships.
  7. oFlows (acquired by Andera, now part of Bottomline): Paperless banking solutions, acquired by Andera, integrated into broader banking applications.
  8. Personal Capital (acquired by Empower Retirement): Raised $265M, enhanced wealth management and financial advisory services, expanded with new investment tracking features.

Spring 2011 (San Francisco):

  1. BancVue (now Kasasa): Rebranded as Kasasa, expanded community banking services with innovative banking products.
  2. BankOns: Mobile offers and rewards platform, integrated with banking apps for real-time savings.
  3. Dwolla: Continued to grow as a payment network, focusing on low-cost transactions.
  4. Mitek Systems: Mobile deposit technology, expanded into identity verification.
  5. oFlows (acquired by Andera, now part of Bottomline): Continued innovation in paperless loan processing before acquisition.
  6. PayNearMe: Expanded cash payment network, added more retail locations.
  7. Wikinvest (now SigFig): Transitioned to SigFig, focusing on robo-advisory and investment tracking.

Europe 2011 (London):

  1. eToro: Continued to expand social trading platform, particularly in forex and commodities.
  2. Finantix (acquired by Motive Partners): Enhanced wealth management solutions with AI-driven tools.
  3. Liqpay (part of Privatbank): Digital payment system, expanded features for mobile and e-commerce transactions.
  4. Meniga: Raised $72M, enhanced personal finance software with more automated insights and budgeting tools.

Fall 2010 (New York):

  1. Betterment: Online investment advisor, continued rapid growth with automated investment strategies.
  2. Billshrink (acquired by Truaxis, now part of Mastercard): Price comparison service, acquired by MasterCard, integrated into broader personal finance services.
  3. Bundle (acquired by Capital One): Personal finance management tools, expanded data-driven insights for spending behavior.
  4. Dynamics: Raised $111M, continues to innovate in programmable payment cards with security features.
  5. oFlows (acquired by Andera, not part of Bottomline): Continued to innovate in paperless banking processes before acquisition.
  6. PayNearMe: Raised $118M, expanded cash transaction services to include broader bill payment options.
  7. SecureKey (acquired by Avast): Raised $92M, enhanced identity verification services, expanded into new sectors including government and healthcare.

Spring 2010 (San Francisco): 

  1. Bobber Interactive (CLOSED): Financial education and savings tools for young adults, expanded with gamification features.
  2. Expensify: Automated expense management solutions, continued growth with new integrations and features; went public (EXFY) in Nov 2021 and currently has a market cap of $200M (21 Aug 24).
  3. oFlows (acquired by Andera, now part of Bottomline): Innovated in paperless banking solutions, leading to acquisition.
  4. Wikinvest (now SigFig): Transitioned focus to providing automated investment advice under SigFig brand.

Fall 2009 (New York):

  1. BancVue (now Kasasa): Continued to support community banks with innovative banking products and marketing services.
  2. Credit.com (acquired by Progrexion): Personal credit management and financial education, expanded tools and services; 40 employees according to Pitchbook (Aug 2024)
  3. Intuit continues to dominate financial and tax preparation software.
  4. Silver Tail Systems (acquired by RSA): Fraud prevention and web session intelligence, acquired by EMC’s RSA for enhanced security solutions.
  5. Yodlee (now Envestnet Yodlee): Continued to lead in financial data aggregation, expanded analytics and insights capabilities.

Spring 2009 (San Francisco):

  1. Billshrink (acquired by Truaxis, now part of Mastercard): Continued to provide cost-saving recommendations before acquisition by MasterCard.
  2. Prosper: Pioneered peer-to-peer lending in the U.S., expanded with more diversified loan products, currently has almost 500 employees (Pitchbook, Aug 2024)
  3. Silver Tail Systems (acquired by RSA): Continued innovation in web fraud detection before acquisition.
  4. SimpliFi: Personal financial coaching platform, expanded services with more personalized advice.

Fall 2008 (New York):

  1. CheckFree (acquired by Fiserv): Continued to lead in electronic bill payment services, integrated into Fiserv’s broader financial services.
  2. Credit Karma (acquired by Intuit): Free credit scoring and monitoring, expanded to include tax filing services.
  3. Mint (acquired by Intuit): Continued to grow as a leading personal finance management tool, acquired by Intuit.
  4. moneyaisle by Neosaej (CLOSED): Auto and CD rate auction platform, faced challenges in competitive market.

Spring 2008 (San Francisco):

  1. First ROI (now BancVue): Continued to support community banks before rebranding as Kasasa.
  2. Jwaala (acquired by Alogent): Provided banking software solutions, expanded mobile and online banking offerings.
  3. Zecco (acquired by TradeKing): Online stock trading platform, merged with TradeKing to form Ally Invest.
  4. Zopa: Pioneered peer-to-peer lending in the U.K., expanded into broader financial services, currently has 740 employees (Pitchbook, Aug 2024)

Fall 2007 (New York):

  1. Mint (acquired by Intuit): Revolutionary personal finance tool, saw rapid adoption leading to Intuit acquisition.
  2. Mortgagebot (now part of Finastra) Online mortgage processing solutions, continued expansion in U.S. market.
  3. Prosper: Expanded services in peer-to-peer lending, introduced secondary market for loan trading.