as in UK, over 1000 people attending, more VCs and fewer bankers perhaps than in London, but surprisingly formally dressed (relatively few T shirts and chinos - I wisely decided to bring my suit jacket!) here are the firms that I'm remembering...1. Bode Tree - based in Denver, www.bodetree.com. - a 2-sided platform to enable small business owners to better manage their businesses and their banks to deliver an improved customer experience and more appropriately selected financial services. they're mostly offering this through white label through FI partners...also helps target non-financial support. they're not really that keen in short term on emerging markets, but if there was strong FI partner interest, would think more.2. Nearex - www.nearex.com - a low cost NFC platform for really small merchants to have robust, affordable payment options...combinaton of stored value card and a really small reader (Xip micropayment system) that even a matatu payment person could carry on a lanyard (or a market vendor)...these folks are from singapore, very interested in emerging market applications. the partners come out of mobile payments industry. 3. Kreditech - www.kreditech.com - big data scoring and underwriting, currently only for consumer, but they will broaden...started in Poland, working in Czech Republic, Russia, Spain, Mexico and Austria, too. They are soon going to Brazil and Philippines. already have $22.5M raised...4. Quisk - www.quisk.co - first central bank sanctioned all digital bank account with complete and secure banking functionality. experience with business correspondents network development in cash to digital commerce conversion...relatively young company, pre-revenue but have VC backing already. 5. Privat bank "topless ATM" www.privatbank.ua - ukraine bank developed ATM run by android phone that is fraction of the size and complexity of others...needs NFC or Wifi, but very clever (almost didn't make it through US customs in time for the show, but a big hit)...6. eyeverify - www.eyeverify.com - very clever eyeprint verification system for mobile devices of all sorts. targetting mobile banking and payments platforms...uses existing camera on smartphones. patents held...7. crealogix - www.ebanking.crealogix.com - e-learning system now only for consumer finance/responsible finance, but can see how this could be extended into SME and other spaces...really like the clever way they can immediately launch a relevant learning module to test the customer right when customer wants to investigate new service...already publicly traded in switzerland, a number of big banking clients...a model for how something like SME toolkit could be made more intereactive and immediate???8. Endeavour/Zoot /Jumio partnership - www.techendeavour.com (and www.jumio.com and www. zootweb.com ) - mobile transactions platform integrated with innovative ID validation with real-time risk management decision engine. mobile account opening and CRM capabilities.....and interest in emerging markets...based in Austin, Texas, backed by a leading PE firm, Basil Investments. 9. Flexscore - www.flexscore.com - consumer finance, but clever use of gaming to raise financial capability and change financial behavior, which could be extended possibly into SME (not their focus now). target both consumers and personal financial advisors now... based in San Francisco. 10. intelliresponse - www.intelliresponse.com - VOICES technology helps assess and optimize automated customer response channels (either on phone or on-line), can literally translate the interactions into systems analysis to determine opportunities to improve effectiveness...more than 150 customers, ...toronto based firm...not really SME specific, but could be applied to SME automated services...absolutely brilliant software, both in its cleverness and in the graphic design...really, really clear and simple...11. Loop - www.looppay.com - mobile wallet that can store and organize all one's magnetic strip cards and pay using existing POS "rails".. so all in your smartphone, it does every payment, you decide what payment source to use each time.. also adds greater security to mag card payments ..really clever, but in emerging markets maybe the magnetic strip cards won't be much of an issue (except in LAC)? 12. Pixeliris/Copsonic - reported on these guys from Finovate Europe - www.copsonic.com - love the way they focus on contactless payment that can work with any cellphone, no matter how old....oriented to emerging markets, and in particular those that won't have lots of smartphone penetration for a while (though the tech works with smartphones, too - uses sonic waves for secure ID)...13. Verde International - www.verdeadvisor.com - very interested in emerging markets, and already working with XacBank in Mongolia - loan underwriting optimization engine, geared toward markets where conventional financial info is scarce...uses advanced behavioral models and projected cash flows, based in Atlanta...not just SME, but they are using for SME lending. 14. ZenPayroll - www.zenpayroll.com - payroll implementation and compliance reporting made simpler and more appropriate for SMEs...they already have Kleiner Perkins backing them (among others, more than $26M raised)...wish could interest them in emerging markets, but not for a while....San Francisco-based.not bad, out of 69-70 presenters....and even the ones still firmly focused on US market say that's only for the next year, because in their businesses if they take off fast there, they get more funding, and quickly expand market horizons...see the websites for more detail
