This $55 million ASX fintech fund is Australia’s first listed venture company
Seed funding venture capital specialists Ben and Tony Heap today launched H2Ocean, an ASX-listed vehicle to raise up to $55 million for the fintech startup market. The prospectus, offering $1.10 shares to raise between $27.5 million and $55 million, is now live and is being led by Ord Minnett and Shaw and Partners. The float, due to list around October 19, was launched by treasurer Scott Morrison. Joining the brothers on the board are financial journalist David Koch, former federal MP Wyatt Roy and Anne O’Donnell, a former CEO of Australian Ethical Investment. Ben, the chairman, told Business Insider the company is a first to list on the ASX. “This is […]
Macquarie and broking firms unite to launch fintech platform
Macquarie Business Banking and four commercial broking firms have joined together to launch a “first-to-market” technology platform that could “revolutionise commercial broking in Australia”. Allfin Financial Services, BKK Finance, Heritage Property Finance and Stamford Capital have joined Macquarie Business Banking to form Kubio, a group that provides a cloud-based business origination platform “built from the ground up by brokers, for brokers”. The mobile-optimised platform aims to provide brokers with “flexible and fast solutions” to drive back-office efficiencies, such as the ability to monitor and track deal flow and boost comprehensive reporting. It is available to all commercial lenders irrespective of whether loans are placed with Macquarie. The fintech platform provides […]
Property crowdfunder CoAssets lists on the ASX
The alternative lending space continues to gain momentum as Singapore-based real estate crowdfunding specialist CoAssets lists on the Australian Securities Exchange on Monday morning. The company with an $85 million market capitalisation has raised $6.55 million at 40¢ a share ahead of the listing. The peer-to-peer crowdfund facilitator specialises in funding of up to $5 million and has raised $S45 million ($43.7 million) in residential and small business projects since it started in 2013 in Singapore, mainly in south-east Asia. It was looking to replicate its business in Australia where demand for residential development funding was burgeoning after local banks clamped down on lending to smaller and lesser known developers. […]
The growing popularity of peer-to-peer lending
Years ago, the financial services offered to people who wanted to profit from their savings was very cut and dry. You would either invest your money in the stock exchange, property, or in a term deposit account, to gain interest on your principal investment. Now, investors have the opportunity to expand their portfolio and commit their funds to newer, and arguably more exciting, investment options. Peer-to-peer lending (P2P) This disruption to traditional financial services is due to the growing popularity of peer-to-peer lending (P2P) in the market. This lending process is a method of debt financing that allows individuals to borrow and lend money without the use of an official […]
Wyatt Roy joins Sunrise’s David Koch in fintech fund H2Ocean
Former assistant minister for innovation Wyatt Roy has taken his first jobpost-politics, joining Sunrise host David Koch as an independent director of a proposed $55 million publicly listed fintech fund. Mr Roy, who was dumped from his seat of Longman in the last election, settled on a role with H2Ocean where he’ll be paid $60,000 per year, and will hold 10,000 shares at the offer’s completion. According to H2Ocean’s prospectus Mr Roy will join David Koch and Beyond Bank Australia chair Anne O’Donnell at the fund co-founded by Ben and Toby Heap, which will be offering a “diversified global portfolio of early and growth stage financial technology companies”. The fund […]
Australia gets its first listed fintech investment fund – H2Ocean
H2Ocean is seeking to raise at least $22,500,000 to focus on developing an early and growth stage venture capital portfolio. H2 Ventures, a dedicated accelerator and fintech investment firm, has launched H2Ocean, Australia’s first listed venture company. H2 Ventures, which also happens to be Australia’s first dedicated fintech accelerator, is already very active in the fintech space but aims to expand this with its latest venture. Co-founders Ben and Tony Heap aim to raise between $22,500,000 and $55,000,000 to deliver capital growth to investors and provide an investment alternative to traditional equities through a diversified portfolio. “H2Ocean Shareholders will gain investment exposure to early and growth stage Fintech Ventures that […]
ASIC lays out robo-advice rules for financial services
The corporate watchdog has published its guidelines for financial services companies offering so-called robo-advice in the burgeoning automated advice sector. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has laid out what constitutes personal advice as opposed to general advice to clarify when an Australian financial services (AFS) licence is required by companies providing automated advice using algorithms. Five months after issuing its draft guidelines, ASIC also highlighted the need for rigorous testing of the algorithms used to provide recommendations through a website or app where users seek tailored financial advice. ASIC said that, with only about 20 per cent of adult Australians seeking personal advice, digital advice has the potential to […]
InvestSMART records profit surge as investors flock to robo advice
InvestSMART Group Ltd (ASX: INV), Australia’s largest provider of automated investment advice to retail clients and self-managed super funds, today announced its profit had surged in the year to June 30, 2016 as the group expanded its range of robo advice tools and content services. In a year that was focused on business consolidation, cost restructure and systems development to improve scalability, InvestSMART’s operating profit before tax and amortisation jumped from $131,204 to $2.41 million. The result, and the focus on improving services to members, set the scene for organic growth in member engagement and revenue in FY2017 as the numbers of investors turning to the group’s sophisticated robo advice […]
