Ravi Bijlani

If you're building a fintech startup, you likely know of this investor, but just in case... This week's findfunding.vc spotlight is on Neil Kapur from TTV Capital. He: 🛫 Is based in SF & Atlanta 💲 Has spent time at Google in consumer-facing payments & at two fintech startups  🏔️ Loves alpine mountaineering and has climbed Kilimanjaro, Denali, Rainier, and more!! Amongst founders, Neil and the team at TTV Capital , including Gardiner Garrard, Mark Johnson, Sean Banks, Lizzie Guynn, and Laney Lewis are known for saying “lift, not lean.” They believe that their job as investors is not to create work for founders, but instead ask the right questions and help navigate to the best outcomes. Knowing Neil well personally, he's not only my go-to person for anything related to fintech but I can also highly recommend having him on your cap table - he's the kind of human you want to have in your corner during both good times and bad. Make sure to: ✉️ Pitch him at [email protected] ➡️ Follow TTV Capital on LinkedIn For more, check out our funder spotlight card below along with TTV Capital's profile on findfunding.vc (link in comments).

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Walmart-backed fintech One introduces buy now, pay later as it prepares bigger push into lending. The move puts One in direct competition with Affirm, the exclusive provider of installment loans for Walmart customers since 2019. There are signs that One is making a deeper push into lending beyond installment loans. "Walmart intends to offer its branded credit cards through One in the future,” Capital One said last year in response to Walmart’s suit. “With One, Walmart is positioning itself to compete directly with Capital One to provide credit and payment products to Walmart customers.” One has obtained lending licenses that allow it to operate in nearly every U.S. state, according to filings and its website. The company’s app tells users that credit building and credit score monitoring services are coming soon. https://lnkd.in/eC-iKjeB #digitalbanking #corebanking #bankingsolutions #payments #fintechsolutions #digitaltransformation #fintech #baas #neobanks #challengerbanks #embeddedfintech #creditunions #communitybanks #embeddedfinance #nichebanking #bnpl

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This Fintech Nexus article offers a fascinating look at how Jifiti is shaping the future of embedded finance through strategic partnerships with banks and retailers. I'm proud of our team's work building flexible infrastructure that powers personalized lending solutions across 12 countries. The embedded finance landscape has evolved rapidly in recent years, with forward-thinking FIs embracing fintechs like Jifiti to enhance their digital offerings. While integration is never simple in this industry, our "pipes" are designed to connect banks, retailers, and service providers with minimal disruption. With the embedded finance market projected to grow nearly 150% by 2028, Jifiti is well-positioned to help banks launch embedded POS finance solutions on a global scale. Our partnerships with Ingenico, FIS, and Finastra are key to making this happen. The future of embedded finance is bright – and Jifiti is ready to light the way.

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In Lending, all #channels have costs and risks but thats only one part of the problem. Optimising channel mix for effectiveness and efficiency requires multiple factors to be balanced. Sharing some thoughts on what factors a SME Lender should necessarily evaluate and action. #LendingChannels #Branches #DSA #DigitalLending #CoLending

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Payments companies are increasingly acquiring software and tech firms to enhance their technology capabilities, expand their service offerings, and secure their digital operations. Recent acquisitions include Mastercard's purchases of cybersecurity firm Recorded Future and subscription management company Minna Technologies. This trend of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) has accelerated in 2024, with 62 deals announced by mid-October, likely surpassing 2023's total. The Federal Reserve's recent interest rate cut may further boost M&A activity through 2024 and into 2025, as companies seek to strengthen their technology stacks, combat fraud, and expand into new markets. Key deals include Roper Technologies’ $1.5 billion purchase of Transact Campus, Veritas Capital’s acquisition of NCR Voyix for $2.45 billion, and Global Payments' acquisition of Yazara, a mobile payment solution. Continue Reading Here: https://lnkd.in/gKYgVYuv Payments Dive Shefali Kapadia Branded Hospitality Ventures #Ventures #Hospitality #Technology #Mergers Hospitality Headline Newsletter Ajay Banga Michael Miebach Alfred F. Kelly, Jr. Dan Schulman Hiroki Takeuchi Jason Gardner

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FIS. has reignited its acquisition strategy after spinning off a majority stake in the Worldpay merchant-processing platform last year. The company plans to invest $1 billion in acquisitions this year, focusing on small, strategic deals to enhance its banking and capital markets operations. If not fully spent, the funds will be returned to shareholders. FIS retains a 45% stake in Worldpay, which has shown strong performance under new leadership. Additionally, FIS is pushing its Premium Payback program, which allows customers to use rewards points at checkout, as part of a broader loyalty solutions initiative for banks. For the recent quarter, FIS reported $2.57 billion in revenue, a 3.2% increase, and $490 million in operating income, reflecting strong growth momentum. Read More: https://lnkd.in/e8XyfKZe Branded Hospitality Ventures Hospitality Hangout Podcast Hospitality Headline Newsletter #Hospitality #Solutions #RevenueGrowth #Leadership Stephanie Ferris James Kehoe Charles Drucker Collin Roche

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Traditional bank financing can be a real hurdle for SMB GovCons. Government contractors need faster access to capital to meet urgent cash flow needs and seize new opportunities quickly. Traditional lenders are not equipped to effectively serve GovCons due to: > Strict requirements > Slow approval processes > Limited flexibility. Add the high rejection rates on top of all the negatives. 6 in 10 SMBs are denied access to the funding they need [PYMNTS] This is why alternative financing solutions are becoming increasingly popular because they offer: - Easier Qualification - Faster Approval - Flexible Terms OppZo offers tailored financing solutions to SMB GovCons. Quick access to capital at affordable rates and transparent terms. Helps GovCons maintain operational stability and pursue growth opportunities without delays or complexities. Wondering if you'd be eligible to access financing through OppZo? DM me, and I'll be happy to help! ___ #govcon #SMBGovernmentContractors #Innovation #entrepreneurship 🔔 OppZo - democratizing access to affordable working capital for GovCons. Get in touch if you're looking for working capital: https://lnkd.in/edmdGwUX.

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Celebrating ten years since founding Female Founders Fund, we’re thrilled to announce a major milestone: the full return of Fund I. With notable exits such as Walmart’s acquisition of ELOQUII, Fiserv’s acquisition of BentoBox, and Maven Clinic’s recent $125M growth round, we’re seeing firsthand the power of women-led innovation. Being an early investor in Maven Clinic has shown us the transformative potential of female founders reshaping legacy industries like healthcare. Kate Ryder’s success story in building Maven into a category-defining business has become a beacon of inspiration for other female founders across all sectors. With this milestone, we’re proud to double down on our commitment to the next generation of female founders building tomorrow’s leading companies. As FFF investor Erin Harkless Moore, CFA of Pivotal Ventures put it, 'Female Founders Fund has shown that investing in women isn’t niche—it’s mainstream.' A special thanks to Allie Garfinkle at Fortune for covering our story! https://lnkd.in/ejTw7zWr

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Fintech companies are prioritizing innovation to enhance brand reputation and attract Gen Z consumers, with 42% aiming to bolster their brand image, according to a PYMNTS Intelligence and Velera report. Presently, fintech companies are intensifying their mobile capabilities and user experience enhancements to retain existing customers and entice new ones, with 67% emphasizing mobile growth in the next three years. Looking ahead, regulatory hurdles and technical complexities pose significant challenges to bringing innovations to market, with 34% citing regulatory compliance and integrating different systems as primary obstacles. #Fintech

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Altruist (SaaS Fintech) hasn’t had to take a down or flat round during a fintech dealmaking freeze: In early 2023, it closed its $112 million Series D at a $962 million valuation led by Insight Partners and Adams Street Partners. More evidence that mega rounds of investment are hotting up against a backdrop of early stage startups struggling to get seed and follow up investment - forcing them to sharpen up. It's never been more important to have a solid business plan and proof of Talent Acquisition competency to reach the goals. If only there was a company with a solution for that.. *Ahem* *Cough* Reedmace Talent https://lnkd.in/eEyPSAWN

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Curious about how we spot the most unobvious winners at seed? It’s simple - we invest in those we’d never want to bet against. In 2017 slice was a scrappy fintech financing smartphones for college students. Today, it’s set to become India’s first true digital bank, catering to the needs of India’s Gen Z. With this merger, Slice is poised to simplify digital banking for a billion Indians, establishing a new gold standard of customer-focused banking.

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In today's fast-paced world, businesses need loans quickly. But can banks keep up with this demand? For decades, banks held the upper hand in lending, with limited options available for businesses. The power dynamics meant loan approvals could take anywhere from two weeks to two months. Fast forward 20 years, and the landscape has shifted dramatically. Now, businesses have a plethora of choices, allowing them to select lenders who offer not only the best terms but also the fastest service. Why is speed so critical? For many businesses, waiting can be costly—potentially losing projects, clients, or more. That's why speed is essential for analysts across various sectors, from loans to investments and research. Our solution assists credit analysts by pre-processing client documents, enabling quicker and more informed decisions. While we're starting with loans, our vision is to become an indispensable tool for every analyst. With AQ1, our first model, working around the clock, financial institutions can operate more efficiently, moving away from manual processes like reading financial sheets and analyzing bank statements. Stay tuned for more updates on AQ22. #fintech #ai #startup

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Force Ventures LLP is delighted to participate in TransBnk - Transaction Banking Platform's USD4M equity financing round, led by 8i Ventures and Accion Venture Lab, along with co investors such as GMO Venture Partners, Ratio Ventures and others. Transbnk, a fast growing fintech SaaS platform, operates at the intersection of lendingtech, regtech and paymenttech, with a strong focus on building transaction banking solutions in the USD 200B unsecured lending market. Wishing the best to team Transbnk as they continue their high quality buildout across India, Middle East and South East Asia markets. Vaibhav Tambe Sachin Gupta - Couldn’t think of a better team to build for this segment, given their very strong domain expertise and founder market fit, which is also reflected in the speed of their product adoption, while maintaining fantastic unit economics all throughout. Read more at: https://lnkd.in/gD9SP73A We at Force Ventures LLP are strong believers in the “fintech infra layer” story for the next decade, as many Indian Startups, build the critical API / infra layer for their Indian and global clients across verticals. While the sales cycles in fin SaaS are undoubtedly elongated, the corollary is that once they are deeply embedded in customer workflows, switching costs tend to be very high for customers, resulting in high stickiness and growing net revenue retention. We consider ourselves very fortunate to be first cheque backers or early backers of high quality fintech SaaS / Infra / BFSI focused start-ups such as bluecopa, Credgenics, Inkle, IGNOSIS, Finverv, OneAssure, SatSure, PYOR and others. If you are a founder building in fintech infra / fintech SaaS we would love to chat and learn more!  #fintechinfra #SaaS #startups

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State Licensing vs Bank Sponsorship Which is better? There is no right answer. At Onbo by Stilt Inc., we were state licensed, and after our acquisition, we led integrations with bank sponsors for lending and banking products. Here's how the 2 approaches compare: 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 State Licensing: It’s easy to launch. Some states have a simple application process and almost no costs. Depending on your product, you can even launch without a license. Bank Sponsorship: Have high setup costs + takes time and resources. Requires significant work at launch. 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 State Licensing: There are no material operating costs, no monthly minimums, and a lower cost structure. Bank Sponsorship: Has higher setup costs, monthly minimums, oversight costs, frequent audits, etc. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘀 State Licensing: States have different usury limits and requirements. e.g. no origination fees, max X% APR resulting in a non-standardized product. No option to offer products like credit cards. Bank Sponsorship: Standardized product across all 50 states. Product parameters could be limited by the bank's charter location. e.g. NJ has max 30% APR. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 State Licensing: Depending on the state, limited compliance requirements are specific to your product. A few federal regulators like the CFPB also have oversight. Bank Sponsorship: Higher compliance requirements including oversight from OCC, FDIC, etc. 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱-𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘀 State Licensing: Multiple states haven’t contemplated revolving credit products. Sometimes, the rates and usury limits could be different for these products. Bank Sponsorship: Revolving products operate within the same framework as the closed-end products. Simpler to expand the product suite. 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 State Licensing: No servicing licenses are needed because the lender is the servicer. Bank Sponsorship: Require additional servicing licenses in 40+ states unless the bank is the master servicer. 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 State Licensing: States have clear annual reporting requirements either through NMLS or through their own portal. Bank Sponsorship: Bank sponsors require monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting as a part of their monitoring and oversight program. 𝗗𝗲𝗯𝘁 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 State Licensing: No limitations on raising debt facilities. No reporting is required unless it's a part of annual audits. Bank Sponsorship: Bank sponsors will want a say in approving the documents and participation in the loan facilities. 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 State Licensing: Most states audit annually or at a predefined schedule. Generally, the costs are either zero or not onerous. Bank Sponsorship: Bank sponsors have significant auditing requirements across multiple areas including but not limited to fair lending, compliance auditing, and financial audits. Read more stuff like this: https://lnkd.in/gzM_4Ye5

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Better real-time data = better fraud models Spade = best real-time data This is why Spade was selected to be part of FIS accelerator program. No brainer for FIS banks to leverage Spade data to mitigate fraud. Even fraud mitigation specialists use Spade enrichment. Congrats again Oban MacTavish Tess Bloch Cooper Hart

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Edith Wiseman talks about how banks team up with each other and why it's important. It's not just about meeting requirements, but also about how banks see your credit. Some banks are following the SBA's rules more closely now, which could be a big deal. At a conference in Texas, Wiseman introduced a term she made up - "Costly and Chaotic". This term fits well because right now, different lenders treat partnerships differently, costing a lot for franchise owners, the companies they work with, and the lenders. To tackle this issue, Wiseman and her team at FRANdata created a certification for franchises that want SBA loans. This certification lets franchises say they meet the standards without having to go through a long process. They're already talking with several banks about making this certification a must for future franchise loans. This move is a big step in making the loan process simpler, aiming to fix the complicated and messy parts, like Wiseman pointed out. Banks determine affiliation issues based on a variety of factors, including ownership, management, previous relationships with or among owners, and contractual relationships. If a bank determines that there is an affiliation between two entities, it can become an issue if it affects the entities' ability to independently operate, make decisions, or if it creates a conflict of interest. The term "Costly and Chaotic" refers to the potential complications and expenses that can arise when lenders handle affiliation issues inconsistently or without clear guidelines. This can be particularly problematic for franchises, which often involve complex relationships between franchisors, franchisees, and lenders. To address this issue, FRANdata has developed a certification of franchise eligibility for SBA lending. This certification allows franchisors to self-certify that they comply with all eligibility rules, which are listed in the document. This can simplify the process for lenders and reduce the potential for costly and chaotic situations. Currently, FRANdata is working with a number of lenders who are considering requiring this certification for lending to franchises in the future. This could help standardize the process and reduce the potential for affiliation issues to arise. With Edith Wiseman and FRANdata #BankAffiliation #SBALending #FranchiseEligibility

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