FinTech Australia has revealed the finalists for their 2018 Finnie Awards.
Fintech focused companies are competing for 23 different categories. Overall, 89 companies were selected as finalists from over 200 submissions. The finalists were reviewed by 81 domestic and international judges.
The Finalists are as follows:
People, Culture and Talent (4 awards)
1) Best Workplace Diversity
BRICKX
FirstStep Investments
Link4
Valiant Finance
2) Emerging FinTech Leader of the Year (under 35)
Brad Delamare – CEO, Tank Stream Labs
Louis Edwards – Head of Renewable Energy Finance, RateSetter Australia
Nick Molnar – Co-Founder & CEO, Afterpay
Jack O’Reilly – Director, funding.com.au
Rebecca Schot-Guppy – Community Manager, Stone & Chalk
Thomas Whitworth – COO, Finstro
Jack Zhang – CEO & Co-Founder, Airwallex
3) Female FinTech Leader of the Year
Julia Bearzatto – Head of Technology & Tribe Leader, Assembly Payments
Katrina Donaghy – CEO, Civic Ledger
Katryna Dow – CEO, Meeco
Sophie Gerber – Director, TRAction Fintech
Lucy Liu – COO & Co-Founder, Airwallex
Emily Martin – CEO, Balance Impact
Marie Mortimer – Managing Director, loans.com.au
Judy Sahay – Director, Crowd Media Group
4) Outstanding FinTech Leader of the Year (can be from any field)
David Link – Founder & CEO, Verrency
Lucy Liu – COO & Co-Founder, Airwallex
Katherine McConnell – Founder and CEO, Brighte
Alex Scandurra – CEO, Stone & Chalk
Jack Zhang – CEO & Co-Founder, Airwallex
Growth Mindset and Global Perspective (2 awards)
1) Excellence in Establishing Market Presence: Global
Cover Genius
Entersoft Security
NEM Foundation
TRAction Fintech
Verrency
2) Excellence in Industry Collaboration & Partnerships
AgriDigital
Assembly Payments
Class Limited
Metamako
TravelbyBit
Excellence in Business (13 awards)
1) Excellence in Business Lending
Finstro
Prospa
Spotcap Australia
The Invoice Market – tim
Trade Ledger
2) Excellence in Consumer Lending
HashChing
MoneyMe
MoneyPlace
RateSetter Australia
SocietyOne
3) Excellence in Crowdfunding
CrowdfundUP
Equitise
OnMarket
4) Excellence in Payments (including Remittance/FX)
Airwallex
InstaReM P/L
LanternPay
TransferWise
Troovo Payments
Zip
5) Excellence in Digital Currencies/Wallets/Exchanges
CoinJar
Finch
Living Room of Satoshi
NEM Foundation
6) Excellence in Blockchain/Distributed Ledger
AgriDigital
Civic Ledger
FlashFX
NEM Foundation
7) Excellence in Cyber Security
Cipherise
Entersoft
Vertex Technologies
XM Cyber
8) Excellence in Insurtech
ClaimSpace
Cover Genius
Factfin
9) Excellence in Data/AI/Digital ID Solutions
Basiq
Data Republic
Proviso
10) Excellence in Regtech (including KYC and AML)
Checkbox.ai
Proviso
TRAction Fintech
VendorPanel
11) Excellence in Wealth Management (including PFM and Robo)
BRICKX
Class Limited
myprosperity
Pocketbook
RateSetter Australia
Raiz Invest
SelfWealth
Stockspot
12) Best Customer/User Experience
Afterpay
Joust
Link4
Look Who’s Charging
Valiant Finance
13) Best Marketing/Branding Initiative of the Year
Coinjar
SocietyOne
Stockspot
TravelbyBit
Support Services (2 awards)
1) Excellence in FinTech Support Services – Infrastructure and Investment
Blockchain Centre
Reinventure Group
Stone & Chalk
Tank Stream Labs
YBF Ventures
2) Excellence in FinTech Support Services – Professional Services
Entersoft
Melbourne Securities Corporation
Proviso
Stone & Chalk
The Fold Legal
There are eight finalists for the Female FinTech Leader of the Year award. These finalists are:
Emily Martin – CEO of ethical investment fintech Balance Impact
Julia Bearzatto – Head of Technology & Tribe Leader at payments fintech Assembly Payments
Lucy Liu – Co-founder & Chief Operating Officer of foreign exchange market making and cross border payment company Airwallex
Marie Mortimer – Managing Director of loans.com.au
Sophie Gerber – Co-founder and director of Australian regulatory technology business TRAction
Katrina Donaghy – CEO of smart contract and blockchain technology company Civic Ledger
Katryna Dow – CEO of award winning personal data platform Meeco
Judy Sahay – Founder of creative social media agency Crowd Media
NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Small Business John Barilaro said he was excited to see 55 out of 89 finalists – nearly two thirds – were from NSW including four out of the eight finalists for the Female FinTech Leader of the Year award.
“This is a great result for NSW’s fintech sector and I wish all finalists the best of luck. The NSW Government through Jobs for NSW is the Finnies presenting partner as part of our efforts to grow the startup sector to create jobs and businesses for the future,” commented Barilaro. “Jobs for NSW has so far invested over $800,000 to help about 30 fintech startups grow. Our state has 54 per cent of Australia’s fintechs which are creating exciting opportunities in financial services, a sector with exports worth $2.9 billion and growing at over nine per cent a year.”
FinTech Australia chair Stuart Stoyan described all of the entries as very high quality showcasing the depth of Fintech talent that exists in Australia.
.“Each of these finalists is now in the running to be named a winner in 23 Finnie award categories at our gala awards ceremony on 13 June in Sydney. The fact we received 223 award entries – a 40 per cent increase from the 158 entries in 2017 – is in itself a sign of the growing stature of Australia’s fintech industry,” Stoyan stated. “Highlighting and celebrating female leaders in our industry is just one way we can boost the number of women in fintech and therefore drive a more diverse and inclusive workforce and help meet skills shortages.”