When foreign exchange transactions executed for mutual funds, pension plans, and endowments don’t occur at the interbank rate, investors and beneficiaries lose out. A lack of oversight and a lack of transparency mean the costs of surprisingly wide FX spreads … READ MORE
COMMENTS [ 0 ]The Best and Worst of Times
2020 was a wretched year by every measure except this one: 46 Boston-based fintech firms raised more than $1.12 billion in private equity and venture capital — significantly more than any previous year except 2018 (the year SoftBank dropped $500 million on … READ MORE
COMMENTS [ 0 ]How Descartes Underwriting Helps Companies Weather Climate Change
Parametric insurance pays out when a pre-defined event occurs as measured by a specified figure, figures, or index. It has traditionally been used in agriculture and by insurance companies to cover natural catastrophes, including hurricanes, cyclones, and earthquakes (think CAT … READ MORE
COMMENTS [ ]CMO Interview with Jennifer Marino
Jen Marino was most recently the Chief Marketing and Customer Officer at Rockland Trust Company, where she led the company’s branding, communications, strategic planning, and customer experience efforts. Rockland Trust is a $11.5 billion community-oriented commercial bank serving eastern and … READ MORE
COMMENTS [ 0 ]Doconomy: Banking Service With an Environmental Conscience
Founded in September of 2018 by Helena Mueller, Johan Pihl, Mathias Wikström, Fredrik Lagertrad, and Nathalie Green, Doconomy is a mobile banking service developed to inspire changes in consumer behavior to reduce unsustainable consumption and carbon emissions. Doconomy bills itself as a … READ MORE
COMMENTS [ ]Introducing Brewer Lane Ventures
Brewer Lane Venture is a new, Boston-based VC firm focused on early-stage InsurTech and FinTech startups. Former New York Life President and Chief Investment Officer John Kim is the founder, and veteran investor Martha Notaras joined the firm in January as … READ MORE
COMMENTS [ 0 ]17 Questions with Scarlett Sieber
Scarlett Sieber is Managing Director, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Catalyst Consulting Group (“CCG”), a management consulting firm that advises clients on the direction of banking and helps them develop strategies that deliver profitable growth and competitive advantage. Scarlett is … READ MORE
COMMENTS [ 0 ]The NadiFin FinTech Acceleration Program
I’m a booster of accelerator participation for FinTech startups, particularly participation in vertically focused accelerators. B2B FinTech startups generally mature a little later than other types of tech startups and I believe they also benefit from a focus on industry-specific … READ MORE
COMMENTS [ 0 ]Another Strong Year of Fundraising for Boston FinTechs
There were at least 35 financing events resulting in more than $540 million in capital raised by Boston-area FinTech startups in 2019 — significantly more than any previous year except 2018 when Cambridge Mobile Telematics raised $500 million (all from Softbank) on … READ MORE
COMMENTS [ ]The Future of Benefits? (part two)
This is the second half of our interview with Kristen Tyrell, co-founder and CEO of Catch, which is building a portable benefits platform for workers who don’t receive their benefits from an employer. (Find the first half here.) Q. Can you measure … READ MORE
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