NEWS
Featured News
Trending News
AI-powered FP&A advisory services may available through Clockwork.ai in partnership with Thomson Reuters
Clockwork.ai, the AI-first financial planning and analysis (FP&A) platform transforming the future of finance, has announced a strategic alliance with Thomson Reuters, a global leader in content, technology, and professional services. Through this collaboration, Clockwork will now be integrated as a premier FP&A solution within Thomson Reuters’ expansive ecosystem, enabling accounting firms across its wide-reaching network to unlock powerful new capabilities.
This partnership directly tackles one of the most pressing challenges in the market: helping accounting firms elevate their advisory practices by converting complex client data into clear, actionable insights. With Clockwork’s intelligent real-time forecasting, automated weekly cash flow projections, and advanced AI-driven scenario modeling, firms gain the ability to deliver precise, high-value insights consistently and at scale. These capabilities empower accountants to strengthen client relationships, enhance decision-making, and accelerate growth in an increasingly competitive financial environment.
According to Fady Hawatmeh, founder and CEO of Clockwork.ai, “this collaboration is a major step forward for our team and the forward-thinking companies we collaborate with.” We believe that innovative tools, when designed with speed, precision, and genuine customer empathy, can redefine how firms operate. By combining Clockwork’s AI-powered platform with Thomson Reuters’ global reach and expertise, we are making advisory services an essential and accessible function for every firm. Today, advisory is not optional—it’s a mandate. Together, we are enabling firms to scale confidently with automation, transparency, and real-time financial clarity.”
Brian Wilson, General Manager of Tax at Thomson Reuters, added, “Our mission is to deliver the tools and intelligence that firms need to succeed in today’s rapidly changing financial landscape. We are continuously innovating internally and forging strong partnerships externally to expand the value we provide. Our commitment to providing businesses with cutting-edge, AI-powered FP&A solutions that extend and enhance our current technology portfolio and produce quantifiable results for our clients is demonstrated by our partnership with Clockwork.
Partnership Between Fortis and Risemint Strengthens Wealth Management Offerings for Families and Businesses
Bryce Johnson founded the independent wealth management firm Risemint, which has teamed up with Fortis Capital Advisors. Since launching in 2019, Risemint has grown impressively from zero assets under management to more than $120 million before joining forces with Fortis. This collaboration marks the next phase of Risemint’s growth, with the support of Fortis Capital Advisors’ seasoned team of specialists, allowing the firm to expand its ability to deliver tailored wealth management strategies for families and businesses.
Risemint founder Bryce Johnson emphasized the common values that made the collaboration a logical choice. “What makes this collaboration so powerful is our mutual dedication to continually investing in and improving our services,” he said. “Both firms share a progressive vision and a steadfast commitment to the highest standards of service and results. Our clients deserve partners who never settle but continue to evolve year after year.”
Rob Hagg, Chief Sales and Growth Officer at Fortis Capital Advisors, expressed a similar sense of enthusiasm. The addition of Risemint and Bryce to the Fortis family makes us very happy. His proven ability to build a thriving practice while keeping client outcomes at the center of his work perfectly aligns with our mission. Together, we can deliver greater value and a broader range of resources to his clients.”
With an MBA in Finance from the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver, Johnson brings a solid track record to the collaboration. Prior to launching Risemint in 2018, he spent a decade as a lead portfolio manager at two Denver-based firms. His investment-driven approach quickly established a loyal client base and fueled the firm’s steady growth. With Fortis Capital Advisors now providing comprehensive back-office support, Johnson will be able to focus more deeply on his dual responsibilities as portfolio manager and primary client advisor, roles for which he has already earned high praise.
“Our clients’ success is our success,” said Johnson. “With Fortis as a partner, I am confident we are entering the most exciting chapter of our journey.”
FieldAI Expands Global Robotics Platform Following $405M Investment Rounds
FieldAI, a leader in robotic autonomy and embodied AI, has secured $405 million through two consecutive funding rounds backed by investors including Bezos Expeditions, BHP Ventures, Canaan Partners, Emerson Collective, NVentures, the venture arm of NVIDIA, Temasek, Prysm, Intel Capital, and Khosla Ventures, among others. Previous supporters such as Gates Frontier and Samsung also participated. The rounds were oversubscribed, reflecting rapid adoption of FieldAI’s general-purpose robotics platform, which has already been deployed successfully in hundreds of complex industrial environments worldwide.
The company is pioneering a single “software brain” capable of powering multiple types of robots across diverse settings. From Japan to Europe to the U.S., FieldAI systems are already operating daily in industries such as construction, energy, manufacturing, logistics, and inspection. Its models make decisions in real time at the edge, seamlessly integrating into customer workflows. With significant operational hours and real-world data logged, FieldAI has demonstrated continuous improvement, scalable autonomy, and meaningful cost efficiency. Rising demand for automation to address labor gaps, safety challenges, and productivity goals is accelerating the adoption of its technology.
With ambitions to double the staff by the end of the year, the new funding will be utilized to support strategic hiring, propel improvements in locomotion and manipulation, and broaden FieldAI’s global presence. According to Vinod Khosla of Khosla Ventures, FieldAI’s unique approach to embodied intelligence provides a pragmatic and scalable path to autonomy, unlocking long-term economic and social value.
At the heart of FieldAI’s platform are Field Foundation Models (FFMs), a new generation of “physics-first” foundation models designed specifically for robotics. Unlike vision or language models adapted for physical use, FFMs are built from the ground up to account for risk, uncertainty, and real-world physical constraints. This design allows robots to operate safely in unpredictable conditions, navigating environments without maps, GPS, or predefined paths. FieldAI CEO Ali Agha explained that the company’s years of field research informed the development of intrinsically risk-aware architectures, avoiding the limitations of retrofitted AI approaches.
FFMs enable robots to dynamically adapt to new challenges without reprogramming and have already been validated across quadrupeds, humanoids, wheeled machines, and passenger-scale vehicles. Their hardware-agnostic nature means that a wide variety of robots can run on the same intelligence core, accelerating deployment and scaling.
FieldAI’s team includes veterans from DeepMind, Google Brain, Tesla Autopilot, NASA JPL, SpaceX, Zoox, Cruise, DARPA, TRI, and more—bringing together deep research expertise and proven deployment at scale. Headquartered in Irvine, California, the company is driving a new era of autonomous robotics, equipping industries worldwide to scale automation safely and effectively.
MoneyHero Emerges as Market Leader in Finance Comparison with Smart Insurance Solutions
For anyone seeking a new insurance policy—whether for health, home, or car—the sheer number of options can feel overwhelming. Navigating through various products with different features and pricing often proves confusing. Personal finance comparison platforms like MoneyHero help simplify this journey by consolidating a wide range of insurance options into one accessible, easy-to-use platform, allowing users to compare offerings and choose the right fit with confidence.
According to Rohith Murthy, CEO of Singapore-based MoneyHero, such platforms make it much easier for consumers to understand and secure the coverage they need. Insurance is often a protective purchase, made in the hope it’s never needed. Unfortunately, many individuals underestimate its importance, potentially leaving themselves vulnerable to significant financial setbacks during unexpected events. At the same time, insurance represents a sustainable revenue stream for platforms like MoneyHero through policy renewals. In markets such as Singapore and Hong Kong, MoneyHero has grown its presence in car, travel, and health insurance, delivering more choice to consumers and steady business growth.
Education plays a central role in MoneyHero’s strategy. Many people see insurance as complex or unnecessary. The platform addresses this by offering straightforward educational content to highlight why proper coverage matters for financial security. Once consumers are ready to act, MoneyHero provides transparent side-by-side comparisons of various insurance products, helping users navigate complex terms, fluctuating premiums, and a crowded provider landscape. The platform’s intuitive interface ensures the purchase process is smooth and user-friendly, allowing people to secure insurance quickly and with clarity.
As the broader industry embraces insurance technology, MoneyHero remains focused on enhancing its digital marketplace rather than becoming an insurtech itself. Through key partnerships with firms like Bolttech and eBaoTech, MoneyHero has introduced real-time pricing and seamless end-to-end purchasing experiences for car and travel insurance. These collaborations strengthen the platform’s capabilities while delivering exceptional customer experiences.
MoneyHero has also developed a strong partner network, working closely with over 260 institutions across four markets. These partnerships allow the platform to offer exclusive deals and competitive rates while leveraging APIs and integrated systems to optimize the user experience. The company’s Creatory platform further supports its mission by empowering content creators and influencers to connect with audiences through ready-made content and back-end support.
Founded in 2014, MoneyHero has outlasted many regional competitors to become the only publicly listed comparison platform in its space. With AI and conversational technology on the horizon, the company is evolving to become more like a personalized digital financial coach—capable of understanding individual needs and offering tailored, real-time advice.
How African Fintechs Are Redefining Financial Inclusion Worldwide
Africa’s fintech sector is emerging as one of the most influential drivers of global financial innovation, outpacing traditional hubs like Silicon Valley. While Western fintech companies largely enhance existing systems, African startups are creating the very foundations of financial access for millions of unbanked and underbanked people. Despite a 38% decline in worldwide fintech investment, transaction funding for African fintechs increased by 59% in 2024. By contrast, Silicon Valley’s fintech-focused fundraising has sharply declined, with venture funding falling 91% from its 2021 peak, signaling a broader shift in where transformative ideas are being born.
The defining difference is rooted in problem-solving. Startups in Africa are building financial infrastructure from scratch, addressing the needs of communities historically excluded from banking systems. Companies such as Flutterwave and Maplerad are providing traders with affordable digital payment options, instant settlements, and support in local languages. These are not incremental upgrades but radical innovations that expand access and usability.
Africa’s mobile-first approach was born out of necessity rather than choice. Limited banking infrastructure and the widespread use of mobile devices created an environment where fintech had to prioritize resilience, scalability, and accessibility. As a result, solutions such as offline functionality, lightweight synchronization, and user-friendly interfaces for basic smartphones are now influencing product design worldwide.
Collaboration is another hallmark of African fintech. Instead of competing in isolation, companies build interconnected ecosystems of mobile money services, digital banks, and microfinance platforms, creating network effects that reinforce sustainable growth. This cooperative model contrasts sharply with Silicon Valley’s winner-takes-all approach.
The sector is also at the forefront of practical AI applications, from machine learning-powered credit scoring and fraud detection to multilingual customer support in markets lacking formal financial data. These innovations directly address the barriers faced by underserved populations. Regulatory frameworks in countries like Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa further support progress, with sandboxes allowing real-world testing of new ideas in partnership with regulators. This accelerates innovation while aligning it with consumer needs, unlike the slower and more rigid processes typical in Western markets.
African fintechs have also redefined the business model for financial services. They prioritize profitability and customer retention over venture capital-fueled growth, making them more resilient in the face of economic or regulatory shifts. It is expected that the African fintech sector would bring in $65 billion by 2030, primarily from financial inclusion rather than upscale features.
These solutions are already spreading beyond the continent, inspiring fintech development in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe. Far from catching up, Africa is setting the pace for the future of global financial innovation.
For the second season, Ebury will be Southampton Football Club’s official fintech partner
Ebury, a global leader in financial technology, is pleased to announce the renewal of its partnership with Southampton Football Club for the 2025/26 season, continuing as the club’s Official Fintech Partner. This extension builds on the strong relationship first established in October 2024 and will see Ebury maintain its support for Southampton’s growth ambitions by providing expertise in international financial operations.
Through the agreement, Southampton will continue to benefit from Ebury’s online payments platform, currency exchange capabilities, and money transfer services. Ebury’s presence will also remain visible at St Mary’s Stadium with branding on LED boards and big screen displays during matchdays.
With the extension, Ebury’s expanding sports portfolio-which already includes collaborations with top teams like Aston Villa, Rangers, and PSV Eindhoven-is even more robust. By operating a specialist sports business unit, Ebury delivers tailored solutions designed to help clubs, athletes, and agents manage cross-border payments, FX risk, sponsorship revenue, player trading, merchandising, and major capital investments.
With operations in more than 40 global offices across 29 markets and a team of 1,800 professionals, Ebury supports organizations with international payments, FX risk management, collections, and business lending. These services empower sports businesses to expand globally with greater efficiency and security.
Peter Brooks, Global Head of Sports at Ebury, expressed his enthusiasm about the extended collaboration: “We are delighted to continue as Southampton’s Official Fintech Partner for the upcoming seasons and look forward to supporting their success in the Championship. In today’s football landscape, clubs need fast, secure, and globally connected financial solutions-precisely what Ebury delivers. Our global experience with leading sports organizations allows us to anticipate evolving needs and provide the tools for growth.”
Additionally, Dave Driver, Southampton FC’s financial director, stated: “Ebury has been a great partner, providing outstanding experience that has improved our finance operations. We are excited to continue building on this strong foundation together.”
Soraban Secures Series A to Revolutionize Admin Automation for Accounting Firms
Soraban, the Intelligent Admin Copilot designed specifically for accounting firms, has announced the completion of its Series A funding round, led by Altos Ventures. In an industry grappling not only with a shortage of skilled professionals but also with an overwhelming volume of unbillable tasks, Soraban offers a targeted solution. While most automation tools address tax-related work, Soraban focuses on the 40–60% of the workweek that firms cannot bill, tackling the manual processes that drain both time and resources.
“Our mission is to remove the administrative burden that slows accountants and administrators down and costs firms significant revenue,” said Enoch Ko, CEO and Founder of Soraban. “The industry is facing a capacity crisis. Skilled professionals are in short supply, and while others are still experimenting, Soraban has already supported over 300 firms through five tax seasons. We can scale across more workflows with this increased investment, giving the profession a smarter, faster future.”
Purpose-built for accounting firms, Soraban automates the execution layer between tax software and clients, streamlining everything from client onboarding and document gathering to workflow coordination and final deliverables. As a result, businesses can expand without experiencing operational upheaval. Users have praised its impact; John Hopkins, Partner at Prospect Financial Solutions, noted that Soraban’s ease of use and automated reminders have saved countless hours, allowing his team to maintain productivity even after losing a key administrator.
Beyond replacing manual admin work, Soraban redefines workflows by reducing the need for accounting staff to handle routine tasks. The platform increases capacity without adding headcount and allows admin teams to focus on enhancing client experiences. By cutting turnaround times, boosting client satisfaction, and freeing up professionals to work in their areas of expertise, Soraban transforms firm operations.
According to Cathy Anderson of Altos Ventures, “Accounting firms are drowning in administration, not accounting,” . And also she said that, “From the standpoint of the client, Soraban reconstructs the back office. When the client experience works, everything else falls into place—less chasing, more billing, and happier teams. Enoch’s background as both an engineer and former firm owner gives him unique insight into solving this problem at scale.”
Nium Enhances Verify with iPiD Integration for Safer, Smarter Payments
Nium, a global leader in real-time cross-border payments infrastructure, has announced the European expansion of its account validation service, Verify, through an enhanced strategic partnership with iPiD, the provider of the Know Your Payee (KYP) solution, iPiD Node. In this strengthened collaboration, iPiD is also adopting Nium’s Verify technology to improve its own validation capabilities, creating a mutual exchange of innovation between two of Singapore’s most prominent fintech companies. By leveraging Nium’s established account verification infrastructure, iPiD broadens its global reach, while both organizations work toward a shared goal of building trust, reducing fraud, and meeting evolving regulatory demands in international payments.
With Verification of Payee (VoP) set to become a regulatory requirement in the EU by October 2025, payment service providers will need to verify payee details and prove that verification attempts were made and recorded. This collaboration expands the reach of Nium’s Verify product to 41 more SEPA zone nations with the integration of iPiD Node, enhancing Nium’s current instant account verification network in 25 countries globally.
Nium stands out as the only provider with direct access to global real-time payment schemes for both payment execution and account validation, a capability that is now reinforced by iPiD Node’s compliance-ready infrastructure. Nium has helped clients save millions of dollars by reducing errors and preventing fraud since launching Verify. One leading remittance provider reduced its error rate from 1.41% to 0.34% using the service. At the same time, iPiD Node has enabled financial institutions to meet stringent VoP requirements with audit-ready evidence logs, while minimizing false positives and manual checks in high-risk transactions.
According to Damien Dugauquier, Co-founder and CEO of iPiD, the partnership is a testament to the strength of working with trusted allies to tackle the next generation of cross-border compliance and fraud challenges. Unlike traditional name-matching tools, the combined Nium Verify and iPiD Node solution taps directly into domestic real-time payment systems for unmatched accuracy, transparency, and fraud prevention. This collaboration not only strengthens compliance and customer experience but also highlights the growing synergy between Singapore’s fintech leaders in creating secure, scalable, and regulation-ready financial infrastructure for the global stage.
Amsterdam-based SMB banking platform Finom lands $105m from General Catalyst
Amsterdam-based Finom, a digital banking platform tailored for small and medium-sized businesses, has reportedly raised $105m in growth funding.
The capital injection, equivalent to €92.7m, comes from General Catalyst’s Customer Value Fund, according to a report from TechCrunch. In a notable move, the round did not involve any equity exchange, making it an unconventional investment structure.
Finom said the funds will be used solely to support growth activities, rather than operational or product development costs.
Founded with a mission to streamline financial services for entrepreneurs, Finom offers an integrated suite that combines banking, accounting, invoicing and financial management in a single mobile-first platform. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the company currently operates in over 10 European countries, including key markets like Germany and France.
Finom intends to deploy the new capital to expand its customer base and geographical footprint across Europe.
The firm currently serves more than 100,000 businesses in Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Italy. Finom reports positive unit economics in all markets and has adopted a subscription-based revenue model, alongside income from transaction fees and interest on credit lines from its new lending arm.
Turris and Loro Insurtech join forces to simplify insurance compliance
Turris, a provider of compliance and payment automation solutions for the insurance sector, has partnered with Loro Insurtech to deliver a unified solution aimed at modernising how insurers and MGAs handle compliance and broker onboarding.
The partnership accelerates broker and agent onboarding, streamlines quoting and binding, and automates compliance checks and filings—boosting efficiency and reducing risk.
Turris automates back-office tasks like license verification and regulatory reporting. Loro offers a digital platform for MGAs, carriers, and agents to manage quote-to-bind workflows.
The joint solution is live for both customer bases, with rollout support available. Key benefits include faster market access and real-time compliance automation.
Together, Turris and Loro aim to let insurance pros focus on growth while back-end operations run automatically.
Loro CEO and co-founder Peter Tilbrook said, “The Loro partnership with Turris showcases two key things modern MGAs and insurers should be aspiring to achieve: speed to market and real-time, painless compliance. By integrating with Turris’s operations automation platform, we’re adding a critical layer of verification that protects our clients while streamlining back-office operations.”
Turris CEO and co-founder Douglas Ver Mulm said, “Our partnership with Loro represents a significant leap forward in partner onboarding and compliance automation. Real-time license verification for every policy sold is eliminating compliance risks and driving down operational costs.”
He added, “The solution is already solving additional challenges for joint clients, including E&S policy stamping by automatically sharing state-specific agent licensing data.”
Canadian mortgage tech firm Pineapple Financial raises $1.5m in public offering
Pineapple Financial, a Canadian mortgage technology and brokerage company, has announced the pricing of a $1.5m public offering.
The Toronto-based firm provides digital solutions aimed at transforming the mortgage experience for brokers, lenders, and clients.
The company’s public offering includes 10 million units, with each unit comprising one common share and one warrant to purchase an additional common share. The units were priced at $0.15 each.
- Boral Capital is acting as the exclusive placement agent for the transaction. Legal counsel for the offering was provided by Sichenzia Ross Ference Carmel LLP for the company, and Lucosky Brookman LLP for D. Boral Capital.
Pineapple Financial is known for offering a suite of technology solutions that streamline the mortgage process. Its tools cover marketing automation, analytics, and client engagement, helping professionals in the mortgage ecosystem deliver enhanced experiences.
FinTech unicorns Qonto and Mollie team up to tackle Europe’s £275bn late payment crisis
Two FinTech unicorns, Qonto, a leading European business finance platform for SMEs and freelancers, and Mollie, a financial service provider, have entered into a strategic partnership to deliver integrated financial services and tackle the region’s £275bn late payment challenge.
The partnership aims to simplify fragmented financial infrastructure by bringing together banking and payments into a single platform.
By doing so, Qonto and Mollie seek to alleviate cash flow issues and reduce the time businesses wait to get paid an issue that affects nearly half of European businesses, according to the European Commission’s 2024 Annual Report.
Qonto is a business finance solution designed for SMEs and freelancers across Europe. It offers a full suite of digital banking services including invoicing, cards, team expense management, and local IBANs all accessible through a streamlined, user-friendly platform.
Mollie is a FinTech provider specialising in payments, enabling merchants to accept a variety of payment methods with speed and transparency.
Its infrastructure is built for scalability and ease of use, supporting fast settlements and a wide array of payment options without hidden fees.
The collaboration launches in two parts. Firstly, Qonto customers in France, Germany, and the Netherlands now have access to ‘Payment Links’ powered by Mollie Connect.
This feature allows businesses to generate secure payment links, send them to clients, monitor payment status, and receive funds directly into their Qonto accounts. Benefits include seamless integration with invoicing, real-time tracking, automatic reconciliation, transparent pricing, and support for multiple payment methods.
Secondly, Mollie is integrating Qonto Embed, a white-label banking product, to offer banking services directly from its platform.
Mollie customers in France and soon in Germany will be able to open business accounts with features such as 24-hour terminal settlements, real-time financial insights, and support for cards, SEPA, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and more.
Qonto Embed enables sub-account creation, spending controls, and starts at competitive pricing from €9 per month.
The partnership allows both firms to strengthen their positions in Europe’s FinTech ecosystem by offering SMEs a consolidated, efficient, and scalable financial experience.
“This partnership with Mollie marks a milestone in our mission to simplify finance management for European businesses,” says Qonto CEO and Co-Founder Alexandre Prot. “By combining our expertise in business banking and finance management with Mollie’s advanced payment capabilities, we’re addressing the unique needs of European businesses, from accepting card payments to managing their finances seamlessly in one single place. Our collaboration is more than just a strategic partnership. Together, we’re uniting our strengths to build fintech champions that can compete on a global level.”
“This partnership is a game-changer for SMEs seeking fast, seamless, and fully integrated financial services. By combining banking and payments in a single platform, we empower businesses to streamline financial management, boost efficiency, and free up capacity for strategic growth,” says Mollie CEO Koen Köppen.
PayPoint partners with Uber and Deliveroo to expand digital voucher services
PayPoint, a UK-based payments and commerce specialist, has partnered with Uber and Deliveroo to expand its digital voucher service for retail partners.
The partnerships have been formed in response to the rising popularity of digital vouchers. PayPoint has observed that more consumers are seeking local, convenient stores to act as one-stop-shops for errands, parcel services and gifting solutions, according to FF News.
Particularly during difficult economic times, digital vouchers have become a preferred option for money management and gifting. In 2024 alone, 93% of PayPoint’s retailers processed digital voucher transactions in-store, underlining their increasing importance.
PayPoint enables retail partners to maximise spontaneous purchases and attract new customers by offering a wider range of digital gift card services. Its platform allows secure, seamless transactions for digital vouchers, further supporting retailers’ ability to serve evolving consumer needs.
Uber provides digital vouchers for customers to top-up their Uber wallets, enabling them to book rides or order meals through Uber Eats. Deliveroo offers digital vouchers allowing consumers to top up their Deliveroo accounts, providing convenient access to quick and reliable meal deliveries from local restaurants and grocers.
The new partnerships allow customers to purchase digital vouchers for Uber, Uber Eats and Deliveroo through the PayPoint retail network, choosing any amount between £15 and £150. These vouchers can be used either for personal use or as gifts for family and friends, offering a flexible and accessible way to manage payments and gifting needs.
Additional information highlights that these new digital voucher services not only increase the product range for PayPoint retailers but also offer customers more ways to interact with trusted brands locally. Customers benefit from fast and easy credit top-ups, while retailers enjoy increased footfall and transaction volumes, strengthening their role within the community.
PayPoint retail proposition and partnerships director Antony Sappor said, “We are delighted to be announcing the partnerships with such major brands and welcome Uber and Deliveroo to our PayPoint network. With growing demand for digital vouchers, as both a money management and secure payment method, as well as a thoughtful gift, we’re excited to provide customers with access to these services through our extensive network of retailers.”
“The expansion enhances our voucher offering, adding value for our retailers. Partnering with such well-known names on expanding our voucher services will ultimately draw more customers into their stores.”
Philippine FinTech LenderLink lands $1.25m to revolutionise real-time credit data
LenderLink, a pioneering FinTech based in the Philippines focused on improving credit data infrastructure, has successfully closed its first external funding round.
The company secured $1.25m in an oversubscribed pre-seed round, with investments from Kaya Founders, Iterative, Founders Launchpad, and local business angels including Manila Business Angels.
LenderLink is developing the first high-tech, real-time credit bureau in the Philippines. Its mission is to modernise the country’s consumer lending market by enabling lenders to access and report credit risk data instantly. Through its API-first platform, the firm aims to lower borrowing costs by tackling high default rates and advancing financial inclusion.
The newly raised funds will be used to enhance LenderLink’s technology, expand its market presence, and establish partnerships with key lenders and financial institutions. These efforts are intended to help reshape the Philippine lending landscape, offering better credit risk assessment tools for lenders and fairer access to credit for consumers.
Already integrating over 25 million records across five ecosystems, LenderLink is building an exclusive network where early adopters benefit from improved lending terms and access to high-quality real-time credit data.
LenderLink CEO Christo Georgiev said, “We’ve spent years in fintech and observed that one of the biggest barriers to affordable lending in emerging markets is the lack of real-time credit data infrastructure.
“With this funding, we are addressing this foundational problem by bringing credit into the tech age, leveraging AI, data science, and automation to empower lenders while enabling consumers to rehabilitate their credit profiles faster and more safely.”
Kaya Founders general partner Ray Alimurung said, “What sets LenderLink apart isn’t just the technology it’s the caliber of the founding team and the clarity of their vision. Founders Christo Georgiev, Dimitar Manolov, Dimo Hristov, and Petya Dimitrova bring to the table deep domain expertise in fintech, credit assessment, and data science. Their years of industry experience has helped to inform their insight that lenders can only make optimal lending decisions through real-time credit intelligence.”
Clean energy FinTech Crux raises $50m to expand capital markets platform
Crux, a capital markets technology company focused on clean energy and manufacturing, has raised $50m in a Series B funding round.
The investment was led by Lowercarbon Capital, with participation from new investors Liberty Mutual Strategic Ventures, MassMutual Ventures, and OMERS Ventures. The round also saw continued backing from existing investors including Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Ardent Venture Partners, CIV, New System Ventures, and The Three Cairns Group, alongside Acrew Capital and Giant Ventures.
Having launched in 2023, Crux operates a platform that facilitates financing solutions for the clean economy. It enables developers, manufacturers, investors, and lenders to navigate capital formation through features such as tax credit transfers and debt product marketplaces. The platform has attracted more than 630 participants and helped close over 70 tax credit transactions across sectors including battery storage, geothermal, and solar energy.
The newly secured funding will help Crux scale its software platform, expand its team, and deepen the functionality of its financial ecosystem.
Crux also plans to explore growth through both new technologies and potential acquisitions.
Crux CEO and co-founder Alfred Johnson said, “Last year, we announced that investors with over 100 GW of pipeline had invested in Crux. We’ve been proud to partner with these strategic investors to execute deals and improve our offering. Today, we are adding insurance and pension investors with hundreds of billions of assets under management. We look forward to partnering with our new investors Liberty Mutual Strategic Ventures, OMERS Ventures, and MassMutual Ventures as we grow the platform and deploy billions into energy and manufacturing infrastructure.”
1Fort Raises $7.5M to Automate Business Insurance with AI
1Fort, the AI platform for business insurance, today announced it has raised $7.5 million in an oversubscribed funding round led by Bonfire Ventures. The round also included Draper Associates (Tim Draper); Karim Atiyeh, the founder of Ramp; and participation from all existing VCs: Village Global, Operator Partners, 8-Bit Capital, Character VC and Company Ventures. This latest round brings the 1Fort total funding to $10 million.
Insurance brokers and agents face manual, time-consuming processes when serving businesses. Yet 70% of businesses still rely on them for coverage, according to the Hiscox. Despite this reliance, 75% remain underinsured—leaving nearly 24 million businesses exposed as risks grow in severity and frequency with advancing technologies, such as cyber attacks and supply chain disruptions.
1Fort solves these challenges by empowering brokers to bind more top-tier insurance policies for businesses faster using AI. The platform leverages AI to automate various broker workflows, including autofilling insurance applications, retrieving quotes from carriers; comparing coverages; and integrating payment and financing options. Brokers who use 1Fort save on average up to two hours per submission and increase their bind rate by up to 20 percent. Brokers also better retain clients with 1Fort’s complementary risk management software, which businesses manage their policies and proactively prevent claims or losses.
1Fort grew revenue nearly 200% month-over-month in 2024, and has already partnered with over a dozen leading brokerages and A-rated carriers, including Arch, Tokio Marine HCC and Markel. The funding will allow 1Fort to continue to improve the broker experience through AI innovations and talent acquisition and further expand partnerships with carriers and brokers.
“Our mission is to help every business obtain the financial protection they need to keep up with today’s fast-moving risks, and empowering insurance brokers with AI to automate their antiquated workflows is the way to achieving it,” said Anthony Marshi, 1Fort Co-Founder and CEO. “This investment will allow us to grow even faster by doubling down on our AI features and strengthening our broker and carrier partnerships. We’re grateful for our investors who share our vision in transforming business insurance.”
“1Fort has been a great resource for our team, allowing us to move even faster and deliver great products for our clients,” said Travis Hedge, Co-Founder of Vouch, a leading VC-backed broker for startups from idea to IPO.
“Building AI-powered, service-as-software solutions to modernize legacy workflows in the insurance vertical is one of today’s most exciting opportunities,” said Jim Andelman, Bonfire Ventures Co-Founder and Managing Director. “1Fort has already built impressive momentum and is poised to revolutionize this trillion-dollar market.”