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Axyon AI gains €4.3m to boost AI innovation in investment management
Axyon AI, a prominent player in the FinTech sector, has successfully secured a €4.3 million investment round.
The funding was led by CDP Venture Capital, with notable contributions from US-based venture capital firms Green Sands Equity and Montage Ventures, the Italian holding firm Investment Opportunity 1, and SIMEST, acting on behalf of the Fund F.394 managed in agreement with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI).
Established in 2016, Axyon AI specialises in leveraging predictive AI technology to enhance investment management practices. The company’s innovative solutions focus on improving the accuracy and efficiency of investment strategies through advanced data analytics and AI explainability.
The new funding will be instrumental in broadening Axyon AI’s reach in the financial markets and further developing cutting-edge solutions. This capital boost aims to enhance the company’s commercial presence and improve the coverage of its AI-powered solutions, positioning Axyon AI at the forefront of AI explainability in the investment management industry.
In addition to funding details, the company plans to use the investment to expand its product offerings and strengthen its market presence. Axyon AI has introduced AI-powered factors and its AI-Compass, an alert system that provides insights into market trends and potential risks, enhancing quantitative analysis for investment managers.
Daniele Grassi, CEO and co-founder of Axyon AI, commented, “This funding round, backed once again by our existing shareholders, reaffirms the confidence in our vision and accelerates our expansion beyond current markets. Artificial Intelligence has proven a powerful ally for traditional and quantitative investment managers seeking to enhance their investment strategies with precise, data-driven insights. With this latest investment, we will be able to expand our commercial presence, enhance the coverage of our solutions, and build on our leadership position for AI explainability in financial markets.”
WeeFin secures €25m to lead sustainable FinTech expansion in Europe
WeeFin, the innovative FinTech company, announced today that it has secured a new funding round of €25 million.
This financial injection comes 15 months after WeeFin’s Series A and is led by BlackFin Capital Partners, a prominent European FinTech fund. The round also saw participation from existing investors IRIS, Asterion Ventures, and Ring Capital.
WeeFin, founded in 2021 by former R&D product manager at BNP Paribas, Grégoire Hug, along with Marion Aubert and Guillaume Klech, has quickly become a pivotal player in the FinTech sector. The company provides a comprehensive SaaS platform that centralises data essential for deploying and managing sophisticated sustainability strategies. These include aspects ranging from ESG to impact and climate initiatives, highlighting the firm’s commitment to advancing sustainable finance.
The fresh capital will be employed to further refine WeeFin’s offerings. This includes the enhancement of existing product functionalities, such as data management, the launch of new modules like a solution dedicated to ESG performance attribution, and the integration of new data sources. These enhancements are designed to bolster regulatory compliance and augment client support for more informed investment decisions.
WeeFin has shown remarkable growth, with international sales jumping from 0% to 30% and Annual Recurring Revenues (ARRs) increasing fivefold in the last two years. With plans to continue expanding across Europe, WeeFin aims to penetrate new markets, including Luxembourg and Italy, and has recently inaugurated an office in the UK. Moreover, the company has doubled its workforce in the past two years and anticipates hiring over 100 new employees within the next three years.
Julien Creuzé, Partner at BlackFin, and Chloé Novène, Investment Manager at BlackFin, praised WeeFin’s leadership and vision, expressing enthusiasm for the company’s future prospects, particularly in the UK. Grégoire Hug, CEO and co-founder of WeeFin, reiterated the importance of sustainability in today’s financial landscape, stating, “With BlackFin Capital Partners as one of our investors, WeeFin has the support it needs to make a definitive impact in Europe. This Series B not only confirms this vision but also validates our clients’ trust and the relevance of our platform, which enables them to address their challenges at scale.”
In terms of previous investments, WeeFin’s Series A had successfully set the stage for this subsequent funding round, demonstrating strong investor confidence and a solid track record of growth and innovation.
SumUp teams up with FreedomPay to deliver seamless and secure payment solutions
Global FinTech firm SumUp, which provides payment solutions to businesses of all sizes, has partnered with FreedomPay, a leader in Next Level Commerce™ technologies, to enhance payment experiences for retail and hospitality merchants worldwide.
The partnership aims to strengthen the payment infrastructure by offering a robust system with offline capabilities, ensuring seamless transactions even in remote areas, according to FF News.
Additionally, it provides hardware flexibility and enterprise-level functionality to support businesses of all sizes, from small merchants to large-scale enterprises.
SumUp is known for delivering intuitive and accessible payment solutions that help businesses process transactions efficiently.
The company offers a range of financial services, including card readers, invoicing, and business accounts, designed to simplify payments for merchants across various industries. SumUp’s ecosystem integrates seamlessly with business operations, ensuring streamlined financial management.
FreedomPay provides a global commerce platform that merges security, payments, identity management, loyalty, and data-driven insights.
Its technology is designed to support merchants across different sectors, ensuring secure, scalable, and seamless payment processing. The platform’s patented technology enables businesses to integrate payments across different channels, offering a unified commerce experience.
Through this collaboration, SumUp and FreedomPay aim to provide merchants and consumers with an enhanced payment experience that prioritises scalability, simplicity, and security. Businesses will benefit from:
- Scalability and consistency: Merchants can rely on a single provider for all payment needs, ensuring high-quality service across locations and business sizes.
- Simplicity and transparency: With transparent pricing and no hidden fees, businesses can operate without concerns about unexpected costs.
- Security and trust: FreedomPay’s security framework, combined with SumUp’s payment ecosystem, ensures transactions meet the highest industry standards.
SumUp’s commercial lead Joey Oliver said, “At SumUp, we are dedicated to empowering merchants with payment solutions that are as straightforward as they are secure. With FreedomPay as our partner, we’re advancing our commitment to making top-tier payment technology accessible and effective for every business.”
FreedomPay’s SVP of global business development Kevin Carson said, “By working with SumUp, we are now enabling a system that provides best-in-class payments, data, and security functionality to some of the leading brands across the globe. We’re creating a powerful ecosystem that will not only empower merchants with industry leading commerce technology, but also provide a seamless and personalised customer experience.”
The partnership marks a significant step in delivering a unified and innovative commerce solution to merchants worldwide, reinforcing the commitment of both companies to advancing payment technology.
OwlTing Partners with GMO Trust to Expand Multi-Currency Stablecoin Offering
OwlTing Group a global blockchain fintech company, today announced its partnership with GMO-Z.com Trust Company, Inc. (“GMO Trust”) to enhance the accessibility to GYEN[1], the first regulated Japanese Yen (“JPY”) stablecoin. This strategic move aims to provide users with diversified cross-border transaction options in one of the world’s major reserve currencies. By integrating GYEN and ZUSD (USD stablecoin) into the Company’s digital wallet, OwlPay® Wallet Pro, OwlTing will bridge traditional and digital finance, enabling businesses and individuals to leverage stablecoins for fast, low-cost global payments.Morningstar director of market expansion Anastasia Georgiou commented, “Innovation thrives on collaboration and access to the right tools. By providing fintech companies with our Intelligence Engine as part of the Tech Sprint challenge, we aim to empower them to develop reliable and impactful AI solutions that address real challenges within the wealth management sector and enhance user experience.
“We look forward to showcasing the winners at this year’s Morningstar Investment Conference UK, helping to expand access to innovative, tech-driven tools for advisers and fund selectors.”
OwlPay® Wallet Pro will be expanded to support buying, selling, sending, and receiving a robust lineup of regulated stablecoins in the near future, including the widely adopted USDC, EURC (EUR-pegged), GYEN, and ZUSD stablecoins, positioning it as a versatile platform for managing digital assets across multiple currencies. This expansion underscores OwlTing’s commitment to delivering compliant, efficient payment solutions worldwide.
“Our alliance with GMO Trust accelerates our mission to redefine global financial connectivity,” said Darren Wang, Founder and CEO at OwlTing Group. “By amplifying the reach of GYEN and enhancing our stablecoin suite, we’re unlocking Japan’s digital payment potential and building a scalable platform for a borderless economy.”
“Partnering with OwlTing furthers our strategy to lead the stablecoin revolution,” said Ken Nakamura, CEO at GMO-Z.com Trust Company, Inc. “Delivering GYEN and ZUSD via OwlPay® Wallet Pro will expand our global footprint, creating new opportunities in the intersection of traditional and digital markets.”
Edenred launches virtual card solution to accelerate insurance claims payouts
Edenred Payment Solutions, a UK-based e-money institution, has launched a new Virtual Card Number product designed to help insurance companies speed up claims payments.
Insurance claim processing has traditionally been slow, with claimants often waiting weeks for reimbursements, according to Insurtech Digital.
Research from Sollers Consulting and Ipsos reveals that 63% of UK insurance customers prioritise fast claims handling, highlighting a strong market need for improved payout solutions. Edenred’s new product aims to meet this demand by offering instant virtual card payments.
Edenred’s role in financial technology Edenred Payment Solutions provides embedded finance services to major clients such as Tide, Thinkmoney, Oney, PayByPhone, and Sainsbury’s. The company enables businesses to access e-money accounts and digital payment infrastructure without navigating complex regulatory requirements independently.
Edenred’s Virtual Card Number product allows insurance providers to issue digital payment cards immediately upon claim approval. The virtual cards can be integrated with mobile wallets like Google Pay and Apple Pay, enabling policyholders to pay service providers directly without relying on personal funds.
The system ensures security by allowing insurers to pre-set spending limits and restrict transactions to approved merchants, reducing the risk of fraud. The technology also automates invoice reconciliation, simplifying administrative processes for insurers and improving the claimant experience.
Edenred has already deployed this solution for a multinational French insurance company and states that new implementations can be completed within two months. The development aligns with the broader trend of embedded finance, which is transforming industries like insurance, retail, and transport by integrating financial services into non-financial platforms.
Edenred Payment Solutions managing director Rehana Mitha said, “Virtual cards and embedded finance are transforming the insurance industry by streamlining the claim payout process. These technologies enable instant access to funds; eliminating delays and reducing paperwork for policyholders, while also offering insurers better transparency and fraud prevention tools.
“By simplifying reconciliation, improving security, and tailoring card usage to specific claims, virtual cards deliver significant benefits for both insurers and their customers.
“As one of the most widely used financial products, insurance is ripe for innovation, and we’re excited to help drive this change.”
Edenred Payment Solutions product director Rich Logan added, “Our new Virtual Card System represents a major leap forward in how insurers can handle claims payouts. The ability to integrate seamlessly with existing systems means that insurers can adopt this solution quickly, minimising disruption while maximising impact. We’re proud to be leading this shift towards smarter, faster, and more secure claims processes.”
InsurTech leader Peak3 secures $35m to drive European expansion
Peak3, a global InsurTech company specialising in cloud-based insurance solutions, has raised $35m in a Series A funding round to accelerate its expansion across the UK and European markets.
The funding round, which will support Peak3’s ambitious growth plans, was backed by investors keen to drive digital transformation in the insurance sector.
The company has already established its European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with a focus on key markets including the UK, DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), France, Spain, Italy, Benelux, Scandinavia, and Turkey.
Peak3 provides an API-driven, cloud-native Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform, Graphene, designed to help insurers modernise their operations.
The company’s technology enables insurance firms to update legacy systems without expensive overhauls, improving speed-to-market, scalability, and customer engagement across multiple regions. It also supports greater financial inclusivity by addressing protection gaps for SMEs, freelancers, gig economy workers, and younger demographics.
It to use the newly secured funding to enhance its presence in Europe through local talent acquisition and the further development of its digital-first, embedded insurance solutions.
With a workforce of over 500 professionals across R&D, delivery, sales, and operations in Japan, Southeast Asia, Greater China, and now Europe, Peak3 is well-positioned to drive innovation in the sector.
“Insurers across the UK and Europe face increasing pressure to modernise, reduce operational costs, meet ever-increasing compliance requirements, and improve customer engagement,” Peak3 CEO of EMEA Adrien Lebègue said. “Our Graphene platform provides a flexible, scalable foundation for them to deliver digital-first insurance, harmonising operations across multiple countries and regions while ensuring seamless hybrid human-digital interactions.”
Esben Seyffart Sørensen, chief sales officer for Europe at Peak3, added: “There is a huge opportunity to bring Peak3’s expertise to Europe, where we are seeing a shift in the insurance landscape. While we are building on our significant success in APAC, we recognise that localisation is key. We are not simply replicating an APAC model but leveraging our insights and adapting them to meet local market needs.”
Peak3 has already made strides in the European market, with project wins underway and a vision for a more seamless and integrated insurance ecosystem. The company’s core capabilities include omni-channel engagement, digital and embedded insurance, core modernisation, and AI-driven decision-making to enhance customer retention and engagement.
Novidea upgrades insurance management platform to boost efficiency
Novidea, a provider of cloud-based, data-driven enterprise insurance management solutions, has announced a raft of updates to its insurance management platform designed to boost its effectiveness in policy management, claims administration, billing, accounting, document and file management, and other key areas.
The move will enable the offering to achieve greater efficiency and innovation across all markets it serves.
The latest update reinforces Novidea’s commitment to innovation, ensuring it maintains a competitive edge while continuously improving its offerings for its global customer base.
Among the key updates is an enhanced policy management system that supports vertical placement, allowing policies with different premiums per carrier to be recorded without splitting them into separate policies.
Additionally, the platform now supports automated bordereau file ingestion for policy creation and binder/lineslip management.
Claims management has also been upgraded, enabling brokers to link claims related to the same incident or catastrophe seamlessly.
The system now supports CLASS (Claims Loss Advice and Settlement System) messaging, allowing brokers to upload claim data and supporting documentation for insurers to review, agree upon, or reject claims online.
Enhancements to the Insurance Business Accounting (IBA) module introduce a new ledger view, which enables users to adjust parameters dynamically and perform advanced actions. Additionally, brokerage movement types are now more transparent, allowing better tracking between booked, earned, and realised brokerage.
For line-of-business (LOB) management, the update integrates state-specific sections in line with ACORD standards and improves the submission workflow. This provides better visibility into open quotes, related lines of business, and advanced editing capabilities.
Document and file management improvements now include advanced auto-filing capabilities, along with the ability to associate filed content with a specific Legal Entity (LE) as defined by the user.
“Our recent release demonstrates our commitment to continuously innovate and provide improved customer experience,” Novidea CTO Erez Nissim said. “We are confident that our data-driven insurance management platform will continue to provide organisations the technology and tools they need to manage complex transactions, drive efficiencies and fuel business growth.”
Tomo secures $20m in funding as it scales AI-powered mortgage solutions
Tomo, a digital mortgage lender leveraging AI-driven technology, has secured $20m in a Series B funding round.
The latest investment was led by Progressive Insurance, with additional participation from existing investors Ribbit Capital, NFX, and DST Global Partners. This brings Tomo’s total funding to $130m.
Founded by former Zillow executives, Tomo is focused on modernising the mortgage process by reducing interest rates and eliminating hidden fees. The company’s AI-powered platform streamlines underwriting and sales, helping homebuyers secure loans faster and more affordably. Tomo’s technology enables average mortgage rate reductions of 0.50%, which can save buyers approximately $4,000 at closing.
The new funding will support Tomo’s expansion across the United States, including hiring loan officers and mortgage professionals for its offices in Detroit, Seattle, and New York. The company is also preparing to relocate its headquarters from Stamford, Connecticut, to New York City to accommodate its growing team and operations.
Despite challenges in the mortgage industry in 2024, Tomo recorded 3.5x growth and is now operating in 31 states, including Washington, D.C. In December 2024, its purchase unit volume ranked in the top 10% of mortgage lenders nationwide.
Tomo CEO and co-founder Greg Schwartz said, “Outdated business practices, excessive fees, and over-inflated interest rates cost U.S. homebuyers billions of dollars every year. Tomo is on a mission to change that.
“We use AI to deliver low rates without the gotchas. No mystery fees. No missed closing dates. No ‘rate-keeping,’ where you have to talk to a salesperson before getting a price. People love our honest, upfront pricing and seamless customer experience. We’re thrilled our investors recognize our unique vision and value.”
NFX general partner Pete Flint added, “While other mortgage lenders tout ‘automation,’ facilitated by way of call centers or outsourced service providers, Tomo is the real deal. They’re taking a radically different approach, using proprietary technology to cut out origination fees and processing delays in a way that we’ve not seen in the industry so far. We’re thrilled to back Tomo as they enter the next phase of their growth.”
FinScan enhances payment screening for faster, safer transactions
FinScan, an anti-money laundering (AML) compliance solution from Innovative Systems, has enhanced its payment screening solution, FinScan Payments, to accelerate transaction workflows while strengthening financial crime prevention.
According to recent research from Datos Insights, 91% of surveyed financial institutions (FIs) are investing significantly in payment modernisation. Despite this, many firms still operate with legacy AML compliance systems that were not designed for today’s real-time payment rails, making them ill-equipped to handle instant settlement workflows.
With digital payments surging and financial crime risks rising, FinScan Payments enables FIs, FinTech firms, and other organisations to navigate evolving payment infrastructures efficiently. The latest enhancements introduce an improved system architecture capable of high-volume transaction screening, expanded integration support for new payment messages, and a redesigned user interface.
Becki LaPorte, strategic advisor in the fraud and AML practice at Datos Insights, said: “Today’s payment arena requires real-time AML compliance as evolving regulations demand deeper scrutiny of transactions. In a fast-changing geopolitical and tech landscape, compliance teams must screen payments against the latest sanctions, PEP, and dual-use goods lists to stay ahead of illicit activity. FinScan Payments is well equipped to support faster payments while effectively controlling risk across domestic and cross-border ecosystems.”
Deborah Overdeput, chief marketing officer of Innovative Systems, said: “To keep pace with evolving payments, organizations must streamline workflows, update their screening solutions, customize watchlists, and execute compliance checks in milliseconds with accurate results for instant payments.
“FinScan Payments empowers FIs, neobanks, PayFacs, FinTechs, and other organizations to block high-risk transactions in real time, facilitating compliance without delays. With configurable alerts and seamless integration into payment workflows, it keeps transactions secure while meeting time-sensitive review thresholds.”
FinTech startup SparkReceipt secures investment from Trind Ventures for global expansion
SparkReceipt, a pre-accounting software provider based in Finland, has secured investment from Trind Ventures.
The funding round, which remains undisclosed, also received support from the European Union under the InvestEU Fund and Business Finland.
The company provides AI-powered pre-accounting software designed to simplify bookkeeping for micro-businesses, with operations spanning nearly 100 countries. The platform automates receipt and invoice processing, eliminating the need for manual data entry.
The new funding will be used to accelerate SparkReceipt’s international expansion.
Trind Ventures partner Reima Linnanvirta highlighted the significance of the investment, stating, “With my own background in the most boring industries like accounting, legal, and tax, I am always excited to see BoringTech startups transforming these industries. Knowing the team from the past and what they can deliver and seeing the strong early customer traction, I trust SparkReceipt will change the way millions of entrepreneurs handle their accounting, freeing their time for building their businesses.”
SparkReceipt co-founder Joel Ojala said, “It was crazy to see the appetite toward SparkReceipt from VCs. So many reached out, begging to invest. But it makes sense there is momentum in AI accounting for micro-businesses, or maybe it was the rockstar team.”
InsureVision raises $2.7m to transform insurance risk pricing with contextual driving data
InsureVision, an InsurTech company specialising in AI-powered contextual driving risk assessment technology, has successfully raised $2.7m in a seed funding round.
The investment round was led by Rethink Ventures, with participation from Twin Path Ventures and State Farm Ventures, the venture arm of State Farm, the largest vehicle insurer in the world.
InsureVision focuses on enhancing vehicle risk assessment by leveraging its proprietary “enviromatics” technology. This platform uses advanced vision transformer technology to analyse video footage from standard forward-facing vehicle cameras. Unlike conventional telematics systems or basic AI dashcams, which often rely solely on mechanical data or object detection, InsureVision’s solution takes a more holistic approach. It considers the full driving environment, including the behaviour and intent of other road users, to generate more accurate risk assessments.
With the fresh capital, InsureVision plans to accelerate product development and broaden its presence across international markets. The company is already conducting trials with major insurance providers in the US, with further pilots scheduled for Japan. Proof of value data from these trials is expected by mid-2025.
InsureVision was founded by serial entrepreneur Mark Miller, whose previous company, Dictate IT, was the largest supplier of medical speech recognition technology to the NHS before being acquired by Clanwilliam Group in a multi-million-pound deal in 2018.
The platform offers insurance companies a more accurate way to underwrite policies, enabling more precise pricing and fewer claims. Fleet operators benefit from real-time risk monitoring and enhanced driver safety insights, while automotive manufacturers can integrate the technology into software-defined vehicles to comply with upcoming Automatic Emergency Braking regulations.
Rethink Ventures general partner Matthias Schanze said, “We have followed Mark and his team for some time, and they have continuously shown exceptional entrepreneurial vigour and deep tech expertise paired with an unconventional approach. Their vision for transforming road safety through AI-powered contextual understanding sets a new standard for the industry.”
Twin Path Ventures partner Nick Slater added, “InsureTech is an exciting space because the numbers are huge and even a micro improvement can make a macro impact. InsureVision has one of the most unconventional but potentially groundbreaking ways of disrupting the sector for the better of insurance companies, fleet operators and drivers alike”.
UK AI FinTech Quantexa secures $175m Series F, hitting $2.6bn valuation
Quantexa, a global provider of AI-driven decision intelligence solutions, has successfully closed a $175m Series F funding round.
The funding round was led by Teachers’ Venture Growth (TVG), part of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, with ongoing support from existing investors such as British Patient Capital.
Other backers in Quantexa include Warburg Pincus, Dawn Capital, BNY, Evolution Equity Partners, AlbionVC, and HSBC.
The fresh investment values the London-based company at $2.6bn.
Founded in 2016, Quantexa specialises in decision intelligence technology, which helps both public and private sector organisations make data-driven operational decisions with greater confidence. Its platform applies advanced AI to connect, unify, and analyse vast amounts of siloed data, providing insights into customer intelligence, risk management, financial crime, and fraud detection. The company’s solutions are used across financial services, insurance, telecoms, media, technology, and the public sector.
The newly raised capital will support Quantexa’s platform innovation, accelerating the development of new AI-powered products, expanding strategic partnerships, and boosting its footprint in North America.
The company also plans to pursue selected mergers and acquisitions to strengthen its capabilities.
Following the funding, Ara Yeromian, managing director at TVG, is expected to join Quantexa’s board, subject to regulatory approval.
The Series F funding arrives shortly after Quantexa achieved ‘Centaur’ status, a milestone reserved for SaaS firms surpassing $100m in annual recurring revenue.
The company’s strong performance in 2024 saw nearly 40% growth in licence revenue and the addition of 23 new clients, helping to expand its footprint into new sectors, including insurance and telecoms.
Quantexa founder and CEO Vishal Marria said, “AI is a once-in-a-generation technology transforming industries, redefining operations, and creating entirely new processes. From day one, Quantexa has been at the forefront of this revolution, helping enterprises create trusted, curated data to unlock AI’s full potential.
“This latest investment reflects investors’ embracing our vision and committing to join our journey as we accelerate innovation, platform deployments, and amplify the value we deliver to clients and the broader ecosystem. With the continued support of our investors,
BriteCore unveils new vendor integrations to transform P&C insurance operations
BriteCore, a provider of cloud-native core insurance platforms for property and casualty insurers, has expanded its Solution Partner Marketplace.
This enhancement introduces five new vendor integrations, marking a significant stride in BriteCore’s ongoing effort to equip insurers with cutting-edge technology solutions and increased flexibility in underwriting accuracy, claims processing, and overall operational efficiency.
BriteCore’s core function is to offer property and casualty insurers advanced technology solutions that streamline and enhance their insurance processes. The BriteCore Solution Partner Marketplace is crafted to provide seamless access to innovative tools and services that augment insurers’ core operational capabilities.
The reason behind this new product initiative is to further BriteCore’s mission to deliver a flexible and comprehensive ecosystem that supports insurers in optimizing key business processes such as underwriting, claims handling, and risk assessment.
The newly integrated vendors in the BriteCore Solution Partner Marketplace include Acrisure AcrisureIQ, which provides real-time risk scores and tools for catastrophe risk modeling, and Bees360, which offers drone-enabled claims and underwriting inspection services. Also included are DataCrest AppEase, enhancing submission workflows and commercial insurers’ efficiency; Howden Re TigerCQ, which supplies advanced analytics for risk management; and Verisk XactAnalysis, improving the claims process with precise, professional estimates.
These integrations reflect BriteCore’s commitment to innovation and excellence in the InsurTech sector, offering solutions that enhance insurers’ operational efficiency and elevate policyholder experiences.
BriteCore’s CEO, Ray Villeneuve, emphasized the benefits of the expansion, stating, “These new solution integrations reinforce BriteCore’s mission to deliver a flexible and comprehensive ecosystem that empowers insurers with best-in-class solutions. By teaming with these industry leaders and innovators, we continue to provide our customers with the solutions they need to optimize underwriting, claims handling, and risk assessment.”
Tom Young, CEO of DataCrest, also shared his enthusiasm about the collaboration: “Collaborating with BriteCore allows us to bring AppEase’s efficiency-driven submission management capabilities to more insurers, helping them navigate complex and time-intensive workflows with ease and accuracy. We are excited to join BriteCore’s growing ecosystem of innovative solutions.”
Unique AI secures $30m in Series A to transform FinTech with agentic AI
Unique AI, a vertical AI company, announced that it has successfully closed a $30m Series A funding round.
Since its inception in 2021, the company has now amassed a total of $53m in investment. The latest funding round was spearheaded by CommerzVentures and DN Capital, with continued backing from early seed investors, including VI Partners and Pictet Group.
Unique AI operates in the FinTech sector, developing an advanced agentic AI platform tailored for financial firms. The platform offers 25 specialized ‘off the shelf’ use cases, along with customisable agents, to enhance back and middle-office operations. This integration allows for improved data processing and accuracy, making significant impacts on efficiency and regulatory compliance.
The company plans to use this new influx of capital to fuel its global expansion and refine its ability to deploy cutting-edge solutions. With a solid base of deployment among blue-chip companies managing over $2.3 trillion in assets, including names like Pictet Group and LGT Private Banking, Unique AI is setting a new standard in financial services technology.
One of Unique AI’s prominent clients, Pictet Group, utilizes the platform extensively, providing it to 6,000 employees and reporting efficiency gains of approximately two hours per week per person. Despite the platform’s ability to streamline investment product filtering and related tasks, human relationship managers remain central to client interactions.
In addition to funding news, Unique AI announced the appointment of Dana Ritter as Chief Product Officer, effective April 2025. Ritter, a former Group Product Manager at Google Deepmind, brings a wealth of experience from his time leading projects like Gemini on Android and Google’s agentic web capability, Duplex on the Web.
Several quotes from the investing partners highlight the enthusiasm for Unique AI’s potential. “We are excited to announce this Series A investment,” Unique CEO Manuel Grenacher said. “This funding will significantly boost our global expansion efforts and enhance our ability to deploy agentic solutions for our clients.”
“We are thrilled to support Unique in this next phase of growth,” CommerzVentures Managing Partner Patrick Meisberger commented. Similarly, DN Capital Partner Guy Ward Thomas added, “Unique’s offering is serving a pressing need for banks and asset managers to deploy compliant and accurate agentic AI solutions.”
Lastly, VI Partners Managing Partner Olivier Laplace noted, “Our partnership with Manuel and his team goes back a decade when we backed his previous venture. Seeing once again their bold vision and outstanding execution, we are excited to support them in this next stage.”
Bourn raises £1.5m seed funding to revolutionise SME cash flow management
Bourn, a UK-based FinTech startup focused on SME finance, has secured £1.5m in seed funding to support the expansion of its AI-powered Flexible Trade Account (FTA).
The funding round was led by Haatch, with participation from fintech investors Love Ventures, Portfolio Ventures, and Aperture, alongside private backers.
Founded by Roger Vincent, Nick Tracey, and Paul Gambrell, the company has also appointed former banker and FinTech executive Leda Glyptis as a non-executive board member.
Bourn aims to address the cash flow challenges faced by SMEs by offering a modern alternative to traditional business overdrafts. Its flagship solution, the Flexible Trade Account, integrates AI-driven risk assessment, Open Banking, and accounting software connectivity to provide an automated revolving credit facility.
By partnering with banks and lenders, Bourn offers a white-label solution that enables financial institutions to expand their SME portfolios while minimising risk and maximising returns.
The newly raised funds will be used to further develop Bourn’s product, enhance its technology, and accelerate market entry.
Bourn’s CEO, Nick Tracey, highlighted the company’s mission, stating: “At Bourn, we understand the vital role SMEs play in the UK economy. Our mission is to simplify cash flow management through innovative financial solutions, giving businesses the confidence to grow. This funding propels us closer to our vision of transforming SME finance across the UK.”
Marcus Love, general partner at Love Ventures, reinforced the importance of Bourn’s solution, saying: “Access to working capital remains one of the biggest barriers to SME growth. Bourn’s solution offers a scalable, efficient funding option for UK businesses, and we’re thrilled to support their journey.”
Newly appointed non-executive board member Leda Glyptis added: “Bourn brings together a group of industry-leading seasoned professionals solving a very real problem that they understand deeply. I am honoured and excited to be joining this team bringing tangible value to businesses and driving financial accessibility.”
FinTech firm ClearScore secures £30m from HSBC Innovation Banking UK to drive global expansion
ClearScore, a global FinTech and data-driven financial marketplace, has secured £30m in debt financing from HSBC Innovation Banking UK to support its expansion across domestic and international markets.
The funding continues a long-standing partnership between ClearScore and HSBC Innovation Banking UK, which began in 2017. Over the past eight years, HSBC has played a key role in financing ClearScore’s global growth, enabling the company to scale and enhance its offerings. Today, ClearScore helps over 24 million users across the UK, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada improve their financial wellbeing.
ClearScore provides a financial marketplace that allows consumers to access their credit scores and compare financial products.
The newly secured funding will support ClearScore’s next phase of growth, expanding the range of financial products it offers and increasing the channels through which users can access them.
ClearScore CFO Brian Cole said, “As a profitable FinTech operating at global scale, we have options when it comes to choosing how to invest for the next ten years of growth. This funding allows us to expand the range products we can offer our users and the channels through which we can reach them. HSBC Innovation Banking has been a key strategic partner to enable us to scale at pace and become one of the UK’s leading fintech brands.”
Nick Conway, director of FinTech coverage at HSBC Innovation Banking UK, said, “ClearScore has been a valued long-term partner, and we’re thrilled to have been able to support their growth with this financing. We look forward to continuing our collaboration as they continue to transform the way people manage their financial health. This is a great example of how HSBC Innovation Banking helps our UK FinTech clients achieve their ambitions, scale and build world class, innovation driven businesses.”