Innovation That Matters

Top 10 Fin Tech Startups From The Last 12 Months

Financial Services

From tweeting money to the proliferation of Bitcoin, we look at the best innovative business ideas that are making finance more seamless in the New Economy.

10 Adblock alternative could fund online publishers through micropayments

For online publishers, one of the biggest financial threats would have to be the emergence of ad-blocking browser extensions. That’s why WordPress plugin AdBlock-to-Bitcoin is enabling an easy-to-integrate way for publishers to request donations from readers who are using adblockers.

Read more about AdBlock-to-Bitcoin »

9 Credit card automatically offsets consumer’s carbon footprint

We’re also seeing businesses offer auto-donation services for charitable consumers. Sustain:Green is an eco-friendly credit card which automatically offsets the CO2 emissions associated with the users’ spending, and Givesurance is a brokerage which converts five percent of clients’ insurance payments into charity donation credits.

Read more about Sustain:Green »

10 Adblock alternative could fund online publishers through micropayments

For online publishers, one of the biggest financial threats would have to be the emergence of ad-blocking browser extensions. That’s why WordPress plugin AdBlock-to-Bitcoin is enabling an easy-to-integrate way for publishers to request donations from readers who are using adblockers.

Read more about AdBlock-to-Bitcoin »

8 App turns freelancers’ irregular income into a steady salary

Linguist Geoff Nunberg of the University of California recently coined “Gig” as his word of the year for 2015 on NPR, denoting New Economy freelancers who’s working week consists of a variety of different jobs. Catering to this expanding ‘gig economy’ are startups like Even, who offers no-interest loans to help freelancers balance out their finances from one month to the next.

Read more about Even »

9 Credit card automatically offsets consumer’s carbon footprint

We’re also seeing businesses offer auto-donation services for charitable consumers. Sustain:Green is an eco-friendly credit card which automatically offsets the CO2 emissions associated with the users’ spending, and Givesurance is a brokerage which converts five percent of clients’ insurance payments into charity donation credits.

Read more about Sustain:Green »

10 Adblock alternative could fund online publishers through micropayments

For online publishers, one of the biggest financial threats would have to be the emergence of ad-blocking browser extensions. That’s why WordPress plugin AdBlock-to-Bitcoin is enabling an easy-to-integrate way for publishers to request donations from readers who are using adblockers.

Read more about AdBlock-to-Bitcoin »

7 Pay-what-you-like investment banking

As the model of Pay-what-you-like proliferates, Aspiration is an investment banking firm that lets customers choose how much to pay for their services, in an effort to add transparency and democratize investment banking.

Read more about Aspiration »

8 App turns freelancers’ irregular income into a steady salary

Linguist Geoff Nunberg of the University of California recently coined “Gig” as his word of the year for 2015 on NPR, denoting New Economy freelancers who’s working week consists of a variety of different jobs. Catering to this expanding ‘gig economy’ are startups like Even, who offers no-interest loans to help freelancers balance out their finances from one month to the next.

Read more about Even »

9 Credit card automatically offsets consumer’s carbon footprint

We’re also seeing businesses offer auto-donation services for charitable consumers. Sustain:Green is an eco-friendly credit card which automatically offsets the CO2 emissions associated with the users’ spending, and Givesurance is a brokerage which converts five percent of clients’ insurance payments into charity donation credits.

Read more about Sustain:Green »

10 Adblock alternative could fund online publishers through micropayments

For online publishers, one of the biggest financial threats would have to be the emergence of ad-blocking browser extensions. That’s why WordPress plugin AdBlock-to-Bitcoin is enabling an easy-to-integrate way for publishers to request donations from readers who are using adblockers.

Read more about AdBlock-to-Bitcoin »

6 Investors host startups in their unused homes in return for equity

The diversifying definition of equity is exemplified with Cribb, where investors host startups in their unused homes in exchange for five percent of their business.

Read more about Cribb »

7 Pay-what-you-like investment banking

As the model of Pay-what-you-like proliferates, Aspiration is an investment banking firm that lets customers choose how much to pay for their services, in an effort to add transparency and democratize investment banking.

Read more about Aspiration »

8 App turns freelancers’ irregular income into a steady salary

Linguist Geoff Nunberg of the University of California recently coined “Gig” as his word of the year for 2015 on NPR, denoting New Economy freelancers who’s working week consists of a variety of different jobs. Catering to this expanding ‘gig economy’ are startups like Even, who offers no-interest loans to help freelancers balance out their finances from one month to the next.

Read more about Even »

9 Credit card automatically offsets consumer’s carbon footprint

We’re also seeing businesses offer auto-donation services for charitable consumers. Sustain:Green is an eco-friendly credit card which automatically offsets the CO2 emissions associated with the users’ spending, and Givesurance is a brokerage which converts five percent of clients’ insurance payments into charity donation credits.

Read more about Sustain:Green »

10 Adblock alternative could fund online publishers through micropayments

For online publishers, one of the biggest financial threats would have to be the emergence of ad-blocking browser extensions. That’s why WordPress plugin AdBlock-to-Bitcoin is enabling an easy-to-integrate way for publishers to request donations from readers who are using adblockers.

Read more about AdBlock-to-Bitcoin »

5 In Germany, deposit and withdraw cash at thousands of local stores

Number26 is transforming 6,000 local stores into bank branches where customers can withdraw and deposit money using an app. PayNearMe also enables users to pay for online purchases, rent and more with cash just by visiting a local 7-Eleven.

Read more about Number26 »

6 Investors host startups in their unused homes in return for equity

The diversifying definition of equity is exemplified with Cribb, where investors host startups in their unused homes in exchange for five percent of their business.

Read more about Cribb »

7 Pay-what-you-like investment banking

As the model of Pay-what-you-like proliferates, Aspiration is an investment banking firm that lets customers choose how much to pay for their services, in an effort to add transparency and democratize investment banking.

Read more about Aspiration »

8 App turns freelancers’ irregular income into a steady salary

Linguist Geoff Nunberg of the University of California recently coined “Gig” as his word of the year for 2015 on NPR, denoting New Economy freelancers who’s working week consists of a variety of different jobs. Catering to this expanding ‘gig economy’ are startups like Even, who offers no-interest loans to help freelancers balance out their finances from one month to the next.

Read more about Even »

9 Credit card automatically offsets consumer’s carbon footprint

We’re also seeing businesses offer auto-donation services for charitable consumers. Sustain:Green is an eco-friendly credit card which automatically offsets the CO2 emissions associated with the users’ spending, and Givesurance is a brokerage which converts five percent of clients’ insurance payments into charity donation credits.

Read more about Sustain:Green »

10 Adblock alternative could fund online publishers through micropayments

For online publishers, one of the biggest financial threats would have to be the emergence of ad-blocking browser extensions. That’s why WordPress plugin AdBlock-to-Bitcoin is enabling an easy-to-integrate way for publishers to request donations from readers who are using adblockers.

Read more about AdBlock-to-Bitcoin »

4 User owned carpool platform runs on Bitcoin style digital tokens

Decentralized, user-own financial platforms like Bitcoin are seeing knock-on effects, and La’Zooz is a carpooling service that makes an investor out of every user. Similarly, Reveal is a social networking site that pays its users with cryptocurrency for using it.

Read more about La’Zooz »

5 In Germany, deposit and withdraw cash at thousands of local stores

Number26 is transforming 6,000 local stores into bank branches where customers can withdraw and deposit money using an app. PayNearMe also enables users to pay for online purchases, rent and more with cash just by visiting a local 7-Eleven.

Read more about Number26 »

6 Investors host startups in their unused homes in return for equity

The diversifying definition of equity is exemplified with Cribb, where investors host startups in their unused homes in exchange for five percent of their business.

Read more about Cribb »

7 Pay-what-you-like investment banking

As the model of Pay-what-you-like proliferates, Aspiration is an investment banking firm that lets customers choose how much to pay for their services, in an effort to add transparency and democratize investment banking.

Read more about Aspiration »

8 App turns freelancers’ irregular income into a steady salary

Linguist Geoff Nunberg of the University of California recently coined “Gig” as his word of the year for 2015 on NPR, denoting New Economy freelancers who’s working week consists of a variety of different jobs. Catering to this expanding ‘gig economy’ are startups like Even, who offers no-interest loans to help freelancers balance out their finances from one month to the next.

Read more about Even »

9 Credit card automatically offsets consumer’s carbon footprint

We’re also seeing businesses offer auto-donation services for charitable consumers. Sustain:Green is an eco-friendly credit card which automatically offsets the CO2 emissions associated with the users’ spending, and Givesurance is a brokerage which converts five percent of clients’ insurance payments into charity donation credits.

Read more about Sustain:Green »

10 Adblock alternative could fund online publishers through micropayments

For online publishers, one of the biggest financial threats would have to be the emergence of ad-blocking browser extensions. That’s why WordPress plugin AdBlock-to-Bitcoin is enabling an easy-to-integrate way for publishers to request donations from readers who are using adblockers.

Read more about AdBlock-to-Bitcoin »

3 Short-term loans for Kenyan entrepreneurs through mobile banking

Mobile phones are also enabling entrepreneurs in Kenya to receive short-term loans — Saida by Greenshoe uses phone data and history as a proxy for credit suitability. Other startups are also offering alternative loan creditability, including Kreditech which uses Big Data, Happy Mango which analyzes users’ social network testimonials and employment history, and Vouch, which crowdsources small financial guarantees from friends and family.

Read more about Greenshoe »

4 User owned carpool platform runs on Bitcoin style digital tokens

Decentralized, user-own financial platforms like Bitcoin are seeing knock-on effects, and La’Zooz is a carpooling service that makes an investor out of every user. Similarly, Reveal is a social networking site that pays its users with cryptocurrency for using it.

Read more about La’Zooz »

5 In Germany, deposit and withdraw cash at thousands of local stores

Number26 is transforming 6,000 local stores into bank branches where customers can withdraw and deposit money using an app. PayNearMe also enables users to pay for online purchases, rent and more with cash just by visiting a local 7-Eleven.

Read more about Number26 »

6 Investors host startups in their unused homes in return for equity

The diversifying definition of equity is exemplified with Cribb, where investors host startups in their unused homes in exchange for five percent of their business.

Read more about Cribb »

7 Pay-what-you-like investment banking

As the model of Pay-what-you-like proliferates, Aspiration is an investment banking firm that lets customers choose how much to pay for their services, in an effort to add transparency and democratize investment banking.

Read more about Aspiration »

8 App turns freelancers’ irregular income into a steady salary

Linguist Geoff Nunberg of the University of California recently coined “Gig” as his word of the year for 2015 on NPR, denoting New Economy freelancers who’s working week consists of a variety of different jobs. Catering to this expanding ‘gig economy’ are startups like Even, who offers no-interest loans to help freelancers balance out their finances from one month to the next.

Read more about Even »

9 Credit card automatically offsets consumer’s carbon footprint

We’re also seeing businesses offer auto-donation services for charitable consumers. Sustain:Green is an eco-friendly credit card which automatically offsets the CO2 emissions associated with the users’ spending, and Givesurance is a brokerage which converts five percent of clients’ insurance payments into charity donation credits.

Read more about Sustain:Green »

10 Adblock alternative could fund online publishers through micropayments

For online publishers, one of the biggest financial threats would have to be the emergence of ad-blocking browser extensions. That’s why WordPress plugin AdBlock-to-Bitcoin is enabling an easy-to-integrate way for publishers to request donations from readers who are using adblockers.

Read more about AdBlock-to-Bitcoin »

2 In India, users can tweet funds to friends and family

ICICI Bank now lets anyone with a smartphone and Twitter account tweet money transfers. What’s more, they can use their voice as a secure password for mobile banking.

Fastacash, meanwhile, aims to help banks, mobile operators and financial institutions receive payments via social media, and Square Cash introduced $Cashtags — much like hashtags — which are unique identifiers that let companies receive payments from customers online.

Read more about ICICI Bank »

3 Short-term loans for Kenyan entrepreneurs through mobile banking

Mobile phones are also enabling entrepreneurs in Kenya to receive short-term loans — Saida by Greenshoe uses phone data and history as a proxy for credit suitability. Other startups are also offering alternative loan creditability, including Kreditech which uses Big Data, Happy Mango which analyzes users’ social network testimonials and employment history, and Vouch, which crowdsources small financial guarantees from friends and family.

Read more about Greenshoe »

4 User owned carpool platform runs on Bitcoin style digital tokens

Decentralized, user-own financial platforms like Bitcoin are seeing knock-on effects, and La’Zooz is a carpooling service that makes an investor out of every user. Similarly, Reveal is a social networking site that pays its users with cryptocurrency for using it.

Read more about La’Zooz »

5 In Germany, deposit and withdraw cash at thousands of local stores

Number26 is transforming 6,000 local stores into bank branches where customers can withdraw and deposit money using an app. PayNearMe also enables users to pay for online purchases, rent and more with cash just by visiting a local 7-Eleven.

Read more about Number26 »

6 Investors host startups in their unused homes in return for equity

The diversifying definition of equity is exemplified with Cribb, where investors host startups in their unused homes in exchange for five percent of their business.

Read more about Cribb »

7 Pay-what-you-like investment banking

As the model of Pay-what-you-like proliferates, Aspiration is an investment banking firm that lets customers choose how much to pay for their services, in an effort to add transparency and democratize investment banking.

Read more about Aspiration »

8 App turns freelancers’ irregular income into a steady salary

Linguist Geoff Nunberg of the University of California recently coined “Gig” as his word of the year for 2015 on NPR, denoting New Economy freelancers who’s working week consists of a variety of different jobs. Catering to this expanding ‘gig economy’ are startups like Even, who offers no-interest loans to help freelancers balance out their finances from one month to the next.

Read more about Even »

9 Credit card automatically offsets consumer’s carbon footprint

We’re also seeing businesses offer auto-donation services for charitable consumers. Sustain:Green is an eco-friendly credit card which automatically offsets the CO2 emissions associated with the users’ spending, and Givesurance is a brokerage which converts five percent of clients’ insurance payments into charity donation credits.

Read more about Sustain:Green »

10 Adblock alternative could fund online publishers through micropayments

For online publishers, one of the biggest financial threats would have to be the emergence of ad-blocking browser extensions. That’s why WordPress plugin AdBlock-to-Bitcoin is enabling an easy-to-integrate way for publishers to request donations from readers who are using adblockers.

Read more about AdBlock-to-Bitcoin »

1 Bitcoin debit card makes cryptocurrency more accessible

As commerce increasingly moves online, businesses are opening up new channels to facilitate the use of digital currencies, especially in areas deeply integrated in everyday life. We saw the Bitcoin debit card by Coinbase, which enabled users to spend Bitcoins anywhere Visa is accepted, and also Bitwage, a startup that helps individuals and employers integrate Bitcoin payrolls.

Read more about Coinbase »

2 In India, users can tweet funds to friends and family

ICICI Bank now lets anyone with a smartphone and Twitter account tweet money transfers. What’s more, they can use their voice as a secure password for mobile banking.

Fastacash, meanwhile, aims to help banks, mobile operators and financial institutions receive payments via social media, and Square Cash introduced $Cashtags — much like hashtags — which are unique identifiers that let companies receive payments from customers online.

Read more about ICICI Bank »

3 Short-term loans for Kenyan entrepreneurs through mobile banking

Mobile phones are also enabling entrepreneurs in Kenya to receive short-term loans — Saida by Greenshoe uses phone data and history as a proxy for credit suitability. Other startups are also offering alternative loan creditability, including Kreditech which uses Big Data, Happy Mango which analyzes users’ social network testimonials and employment history, and Vouch, which crowdsources small financial guarantees from friends and family.

Read more about Greenshoe »

4 User owned carpool platform runs on Bitcoin style digital tokens

Decentralized, user-own financial platforms like Bitcoin are seeing knock-on effects, and La’Zooz is a carpooling service that makes an investor out of every user. Similarly, Reveal is a social networking site that pays its users with cryptocurrency for using it.

Read more about La’Zooz »

5 In Germany, deposit and withdraw cash at thousands of local stores

Number26 is transforming 6,000 local stores into bank branches where customers can withdraw and deposit money using an app. PayNearMe also enables users to pay for online purchases, rent and more with cash just by visiting a local 7-Eleven.

Read more about Number26 »

6 Investors host startups in their unused homes in return for equity

The diversifying definition of equity is exemplified with Cribb, where investors host startups in their unused homes in exchange for five percent of their business.

Read more about Cribb »

7 Pay-what-you-like investment banking

As the model of Pay-what-you-like proliferates, Aspiration is an investment banking firm that lets customers choose how much to pay for their services, in an effort to add transparency and democratize investment banking.

Read more about Aspiration »

8 App turns freelancers’ irregular income into a steady salary

Linguist Geoff Nunberg of the University of California recently coined “Gig” as his word of the year for 2015 on NPR, denoting New Economy freelancers who’s working week consists of a variety of different jobs. Catering to this expanding ‘gig economy’ are startups like Even, who offers no-interest loans to help freelancers balance out their finances from one month to the next.

Read more about Even »

9 Credit card automatically offsets consumer’s carbon footprint

We’re also seeing businesses offer auto-donation services for charitable consumers. Sustain:Green is an eco-friendly credit card which automatically offsets the CO2 emissions associated with the users’ spending, and Givesurance is a brokerage which converts five percent of clients’ insurance payments into charity donation credits.

Read more about Sustain:Green »

10 Adblock alternative could fund online publishers through micropayments

For online publishers, one of the biggest financial threats would have to be the emergence of ad-blocking browser extensions. That’s why WordPress plugin AdBlock-to-Bitcoin is enabling an easy-to-integrate way for publishers to request donations from readers who are using adblockers.

Read more about AdBlock-to-Bitcoin »