BMW Group Financial Services Japan has announced the launch of the BMW Innovation Lab 2018.

The BMW Innovation Lab 2018 entrepreneur program provides an opportunity for early-stage start-up companies to partner with BMW Group Financial Services Japan’s operational and commercial divisions in Japan. The program is aimed at companies with disruptive business models or new technologies that could benefit BMW Group customers.

Participants can enter any of the following five categories:

 Mitratech, the leading provider of legal, compliance and risk management software announced today that it reached a partnership agreement with Union Systems Limited (USL), a leading information technology company specializing in the marketing and implementation of software solutions for banks and financial institutions across Africa. 

Hartford InsurTech Hub, powered by Startupbootcamp, announces its latest collaboration with international law firm, Clyde & Co. The firm will act as Hartford InsurTech Hub’s exclusive legal partner, providing the startups in the Hartford program with high level advice on how to tackle the legal issues they might experience. 

eVestment, the leader in institutional investment data and analytics, has expanded the data in its Public Plan IQ solution to include information from United Kingdom local government pension schemes (LGPS), giving Public Plan IQ users around the world unique and unprecedented insights into the U.K.’s LGPS industry.

Regulations and rising financial literacy are boosting card acceptance globally, with strong growth potential remaining in mature markets as well as in traditionally high cash usage regions

Regulations pushing card acceptance in both emerging and developed markets

EPAM Systems, Inc., a leading global provider of digital platform engineering and software development services, today announced its acquisition of Continuum, an innovation design firm headquartered in Boston with studios in Milan, Seoul, and Shanghai. Continuum partners with Fortune 500 clients in the healthcare, financial services, travel and hospitality, and consumer products industries to deliver value through four practices: Strategy, Physical/Digital Design, Technology and Made Real Lab.

Small and Medium enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the world’s economy, yet they remain largely ignored by the industry and governments when it comes to developing new technology solutions or policies for global trade.

Yolt, the smart thinking money app owned by ING, is currently enabling up to 100 users, from RBS, Natwest and Ulster bank, per day, to benefit from Open Banking, the new regulation that allows customers to own their banking data.