Meet the Innovators: The First Wave of Fintech Fast Pass Trailblazers

In an exciting development for the sector, IBM Cloud for Financial Services and Machinelab Ventures have welcomed a new set of startups and scaleups into their Fintech Fast Pass (FFP) program. This innovative initiative, known for its unique blend of resources, technology, and partnerships, is designed to elevate fintech and AI brands into new realms of growth and opportunity.

The Fintech Fast Pass program distinguishes itself by offering an unparalleled, equity-free experience, eliminating financial barriers for its members and focusing solely on fostering innovation. The latest onboarded startups, selected for their potential and ingenuity, now have the chance to engage directly with industry leaders, bypassing traditional networking hurdles and gaining immediate access to pivotal resources and decision-makers.

FFP's approach to intimate engagement through exclusive events and roundtables offers these startups a platform to be heard and to stand out in the competitive fintech landscape. This focus on visibility is complemented by the program's commitment to providing extensive brand presence opportunities, including co-marketing and PR initiatives.

One of the most significant benefits for the onboarded fintech startups is the personalized technical support they receive. Access to IBM's expertise in cloud computing, AI, and automation is a game-changer, providing these emerging companies with the tools and knowledge to refine and advance their technological offerings.

Moreover, the program facilitates the formation of powerful partnerships and alliances, opening up new avenues for innovation and collaboration within the financial industry. This is coupled with invaluable guidance on navigating the complex world of compliance and security, ensuring these startups are well-equipped to handle the regulatory demands of the fintech sector.

In their own words, the newly onboarded companies express their excitement and gratitude for being part of the Fintech Fast Pass program. Their statements reflect a shared enthusiasm for the opportunities and growth potential that FFP offers, underscoring the program's role in their journey towards innovation and success in the fintech sector. Read about each company and their own words below.

Ionburst

Ionburst is redefining how confidential data is protected across various environments like the cloud, on-premises, and at the Edge. Their defense-in-depth platform ensures data security throughout its lifecycle, offering a unique solution for organizations to control data privacy and resilience, while reducing costs and carbon footprint.

Ionburst says:

“We’re delighted to join IBM and Machinelab Ventures as one of the top 40 Fintechs globally for Fintech Fast Pass. We look forward to helping Financial Services organisations worldwide protect their sensitive regulated data. Many organisations claim they’ll secure your data in the Cloud. Others claim they’ll protect its privacy. Others claim they’ll help recover it from loss. None guarantee sovereignty. Ionburst gives you control to do all of this across any Cloud, on premises or at the Edge. What’s more, you’ll know where all your data is…we’ll reduce your costs and your carbon footprint in doing so. Once you start using Ionburst, you’ll wonder how you ever got by without it. Secure, resilient, compliant data anywhere… assured.”

Predictiva

Predictiva stands at the forefront of making advanced AI accessible to all. They specialize in building AI models for financial analysis and autonomous trading, leveraging advanced ML algorithms in a SaaS cloud environment. Predictiva is poised to transform the financial industry with its blend of technical and financial expertise.

Predictiva states:

"We are truly honoured and thrilled to be an integral part of the 'Fintech Fast Pass' program, generously sponsored by Machine Lab and IBM. This transformative initiative signifies a pivotal moment in our journey and aligns with our commitment to innovation and excellence. The program's dedication to powering fintechs with unparalleled opportunities to elevate brands, acquire customers, leverage cutting-edge technology, and forge enterprise partnerships is both inspiring and invaluable. We extend our deepest gratitude to Machine Lab and IBM for their visionary leadership, and we eagerly anticipate the boundless growth and success that this collaboration promises to unfold. Together, we are charting a course towards a future where innovation thrives and possibilities are limitless."

Wealth Build

Wealth Build is revolutionizing personal finance management. They have created an AI-powered financial advisor, accessible right from your pocket, designed to democratize financial advice and make wealth management simpler and more accessible to everyone.

Ramona Ortega, CEO of Wealth Build, had this to say:

"We are thrilled to be participating in the prestigious IBM Fintech Fast Pass program. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in our journey, as an AI/Wealth tech startup, and will provide us with unprecedented access to IBM's vast expertise and robust infrastructure. As a Latina founder, I see this as an incredible opportunity to amplify our mission of financial empowerment and AI for good. Our financial co-pilot is designed to simplify wealth management and ensure everyone has access to quality financial guidance and with IBM's support, we are excited to take full advantage of this opportunity to scale with WatsonX."

Passport.gg

Passport.gg is creating a new home for competitive gaming players and communities. They offer a platform for event organizers and gamers to build communities and leagues, preparing them for an immersive Web3 experience and bridging the gap between esports and fintech.

Ignat Bobrovich, Founder of Passport.gg states:

“I'm very happy to join the Machinelab program. Many thanks to Victoria, Melissa and the team. And thanks to Debbie and Kumar from IBM in helping to navigate the on-boarding process.

It's very important for me that we have received this support. This validates our idea and recognises our achievements. I've been boiling the general concept of empowering gamers and creators within esports for many years. Due to COVID and other external situations we've shifted focus towards solving basic needs of esports, leaving the Fintech part for better times. However, these past few years helped us to build truly unique industry expertise and network and we are looking forward to bridging the world of esports with the world of Fintech. This becomes even more important with the rise of Web3 and other emerging techs, that will shift the way people entertain and interact between each other.

We believe that together with Machinelab and with the support of IBM we can build the leading solution within our industry.”

Prop Eco

Prop Eco is an innovative solution for assessing the energy efficiency and risks of UK properties. As climate change impacts property values and livability, Prop Eco provides AI-powered tools to future-proof urban environments, identifying key risks and opportunities for any property.

PropEco says:

“We're delighted to be partnering with IBM & MachineLabs and look forward to leveraging their platform as we develop AI-powered tools to future-proof the urban environment.”

Celeste

Celeste is transforming the way debt collection is handled in the SMB lending and alternative SMB funding industry. Their human-centered software leverages AI and end-to-end automation to optimize the collection process, focusing on maximizing rates, reducing costs, maintaining compliance, and preserving customer relationships.

Celeste had this to say:

“We are delighted to be selected as a participant in Fintech Fast Pass and to partner with Machinelab Ventures and IBM Cloud for Financial Services. The program's dedicated focus on unlocking the potential of groundbreaking technologies perfectly aligns with Celeste’s mission to deliver unparalleled solutions to our customers. Together with Machinelab Ventures and IBM Cloud for Financial Services, we stand poised to shape the future of fintech, making enduring contributions to the industry.”

Etive

Etive is at the cutting edge of digital identity trust schemes with MyIdentity for residential property sales. Their identity trust framework aims to reduce property & mortgage fraud, improve customer onboarding, and quicken the home sales process, ensuring a secure and efficient transaction environment.

Etive says:

“Etive are very pleased to be working with Machinelab as we further explore the options and scope to scale up our services using the IBM Cloud. As a Fintech business it is very important for our financial services customers to know that we are working with experienced partners, especially as issues such as scalability, ability to provide modularity, managing load distribution, resource efficiency and performance metrics. All this becomes critical for our tour business and our customers.”

Lasting Asset

LastingAsset is reimagining trust in communications. Their mission is to ensure that customers always know who’s calling, thereby enhancing a company's reputation and building trust in their communications. They envision a world where every call underscores the synergy of technology and human trust.

Co-founder Zakwan Jaroucheh says, “Being part of IBM Fintech Fast pass is a significant milestone, offering us access to engineering support, and co-selling opportunities. This partnership not only addresses compliance challenges but also provides marketplace visibility and validation, strengthening our position in the fintech industry.”

Lasting Asset’s CPO, Dipankar Sarkar, echoes this sentiment: “Through the IBM Fastpass program, our cybersecurity fintech startup is enhancing our product suite with IBM's cutting-edge security technology, while also leveraging Machinelab Ventures' compliance expertise and expansive customer network. This synergy is pivotal in refining our product offerings, ensuring they meet stringent security and compliance standards, and broadening our reach in the fintech security market.”

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As these companies embark on their journey with Fintech Fast Pass, they not only represent the pinnacle of fintech innovation but also embody the shared vision of reshaping the future of finance. This collaboration signifies a major step towards realizing the full potential of fintech innovation, and we are excited to see the transformative impact they will have on the financial services sector.

If you're a fintech startup or scaleup, or AI venture looking to partner with financial services institutions, Fintech Fast Pass is your gateway.

Apply now to join our next roundtable.