Personal finance start-up MoneyBrilliant bought by AMP
AMP has acquired Sydney fintech start-up MoneyBrilliant, after first investing in the company in 2014. The start-up, formerly known as Cha-Ching, is an app-based personal finance platform offering users a “fun and easy” way to get their finances in order. It gives users automatic access to their bills, spending and savings to see if they are tracking in the green or are slipping into the red. The bank (AMP) made the acquisition through its ventures arm, AMP New Ventures, for an undisclosed amount, and will continue to operate the platform under the MoneyBrilliant brand. The takeover follows AMP’s investment of $1.5 million in 2014. Co-founder and CEO Jemma Enright, who […]
Investec buys into H2 Ventures
This is great news for Ben and Toby Heap, the brains behind H2 Ventures, with Investec Australian taking a stake in their businesses. This is also great news for the Australian FinTech industry. Investec Australia has taken a stake in the fintech accelerator H2 Ventures, a move the specialist lender believes will put it in the box seat to win work from entrepreneurs as they scale their businesses. The amount of Investec’s investment in H2 has not been disclosed but is understood to be several million dollars. David Phillips, the head of principal investing at Investec Australia, will join the board of H2, whose only other two shareholders are the […]
MoneyMe gets $30m capital raise
Consumer fintech firm, MoneyMe, has announced a $30 million capital raise from an ultra-high net worth Australian family office, which has branched out into fintech after investing mostly in large scale property on the eastern seaboard. The capital raise includes both debt and equity, and will fund the launch of a series of niche financial products aimed at millennial throughout 2016. MoneyMe chief executive, Clayton Howes, said the millennial market was important for fintech as they were inclined to spend big on lifestyle and convenience, and were willing to pay a premium for it. “Fintechs with the ability to create niche products that are delivered in a tailored way that […]
VC tells fintech start-ups to target superannuation sector
Australian fintech start-ups are being told to focus their efforts on selling services to the $2 trillion superannuation industry in order to attract venture capital funding. Melbourne-based Trimantium Capital is looking to deploy $700 million during the next 12 months into financial services technology, or “fintech”, ventures and its managing director Phillip Kingston said the super industry was in clear need of better technology automation options to lower administration costs and cut fees. “To date most large funds have either shied away from that challenge or tried to undertake large technology projects in house, which typically hasn’t worked out too well,” Mr Kingston said. An attempt by five of Australia’s […]
Macquarie takes stake in fintech minnow
It’s a positive sign to see Macquarie Group investing more in the Australian FinTech sector. They seem to be getting very active very quickly. It will be interesting to see which of the other big banks will follow suit… Macquarie Group has waded deeper into the fintech sector with an equity agreement with listed marketplace lender DirectMoney to assist in the development of what the minnow claimed would be a new securitisation funding market. In a boost after a bumpy listing in July, DirectMoney yesterday said it had sold $5 million of personal loans to Macquarie and secured the investment bank as an adviser to assist access to funding, […]
What are Robo Advisers?
Robo adviser has become the catch-all phrase for any advice service that employs technology to create efficiencies in the delivery of investment advice and/or management. I had dinner with a mate the other night who works at one of the major banks. As an industry participant, he has a keen interest in the development of robo advice, and the impact it will have on the industry. He asked a surprising question: “So, is it a robot that actually creates the advice?” I thought, ‘Well if he doesn’t understand robo advice, how will the rest of the world make sense of it?’ The important thing here is to understand that robo […]
Sydney roboadvice startup ProAdviser is a cheaper way for millennials to get investment advice
When finding good financial advice is outside your budget, important questions about goals and risks can become hard to manage and execute. Buying based on recommendation means that your needs are met through a wider range of more realistic choices, and a realistic assessment of what your money can do gives you more protection and certainty, but like most things it comes at a price. Sydney startup ProAdviser aims to slash the hefty price of financial advice with an online fund manager and investment adviser. The online platform manages all the trades, investment, and administration for the client. “What we’ve essentially brought to the market is a quicker, cheaper and […]
A big US fintech startup just launched in Australia that turns pocket change into investments
US fintech startup Acorns Grow, which turns small change into an investment portfolio, launches in Australia today after a successful trial period with 22,000 people. The service’s aim is to be an inexpensive, easy way to get into the sharemarket and is targeted at people younger than 35, of which 75% made up its trail customer base in Australia. It allows users, whether on through the website or mobile app to add their bank account so that it can see their spendings, round up daily purchases, and automatically invest the change into diversified portfolios of index funds. It can be anything from a $3.50 coffee which gets round up to […]
