While March Madness may have decreased productivity in some offices this month, certain fintech firms have seen an uptick in activity. From cyber security and artificial intelligence to innovations in marketplace lending, March certainly made its mark on the fintech calendar.
Here are our favorite headlines from March 2017:
TechCrunch looks at Tencent, Asia’s second highest-valued tech company best known for China’s top messaging app, WeChat. The firm has poached Baidu’s top machine learning researcher to lead its own AI lab in deep learning, looking at four areas for AI application: content, social, online games and cloud services.
Hedge funds have been trying to teach computers to think like traders for years. Bloomberg looks at how an artificial intelligence technology called deep learning that loosely mimics the neurons in our brains holds promise for quant firms who hope this A.I. will give them an edge in the escalating technological arms race in global finance.
Before looking ahead to what Fintech will bring this article first looks at the emergence of it with three factors in mind: Cutting-edge ICT technologies, change in consumer preference on transaction methods, and demand for alternative after the 2008 financial crisis.
Financial technology is so riddled with jargon it’s no wonder companies can’t explain what they do or how they’re solving the problem they’re trying to solve. And potential customers and buyers of the products and services this industry is building end up feeling a little excluded from this world – kind of like the old finance industry they’re working so hard to make more accessible to the masses. This term sheet from Tearsheet provides some non-serious levity that fintech industry folks may get a chuckle out of.
LendIt, the world’s largest show in lending and fintech selected Prime Meridian Capital Management as the winner in the Top Fund Manager category at the first annual LendIt Awards. Prime Meridian Capital Management was selected as a finalist out of hundreds of applicants worldwide and by more than 30 industry experts who judged finalists representing innovation, emerging talent and top performers. Original release via PRWeb.
Robo-advisors are upping their game by providing access to financial advisors in addition to automated investment offerings. Charles Schwab unveiled its hybrid advisory service, Schwab Intelligent Advisory where investors seeking both human and digital advice can sign up. This post from ThinkAdvisor explores the why this new offering may or may not lure advisor clients away.
“I believe that in the near future there will be a hybrid of tech and human services and that there will also be a balance between the two. Both will have their roles and there will be a varying mix of services to cater to different types of clients.” – Shane Stiles, Gate 39 Media