Tax efficient investment manager Deepbridge Capital has today (4^th October 2021) announced that it has exceeded £200m of funds deployed across its EIS and Estate Planning Service funds, with a current NAV in excess of £250m.

Founded in 2010, Chester-based Deepbridge launched its first EIS fund in the 2013/14 tax year and specialises in providing venture capital to early-stage technology, life sciences, and renewable energy companies.

Deepbridge has, to date, invested in 71 companies across the UK with Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) funding, a further 63 companies at Seed EIS stage, with three profitable exits.

Earlier this year, Deepbridge reported a record year of EIS fund raising, with almost £30m of funds deployed during the 2020/21 tax year across the Deepbridge Technology Growth EIS and Deepbridge Life Sciences EIS.

In addition to its EIS funds, Deepbridge also manages the Deepbridge Estate Planning Service, which utilises business relief qualifying renewable energy assets to provide inheritance tax mitigation.

Ian Warwick, Managing Partner at Deepbridge Capital, commented: “When we launched our first fund eight years ago, our goal was to support early-stage companies on their growth journey and provide the best possible products for investors, with fundraising milestones not on our mind. However, reaching such a milestone represents an opportunity to reflect on our achievements, which are solely down to having a great team, great investee companies and fantastic support from investors and financial advisers. Our approach of providing hands-on proactive support to investees is proving the right approach; with three profitable exits to date, a portfolio of companies which is maturing well, and significant co-funding being attracted – our investors and financial adviser community can look forward to further good news stories ahead.

“When the Government’s Patient Capital Review redefined the EIS sector and focused investments on growth-focused innovators, this supported our proposition perfectly as we have long spoken about investing in the spirit of EIS; namely seeking to scale great companies that contribute to the UK economy.  As we undergo a period of economic recovery in the UK, the Enterprise Investment Scheme has never been more important and will be critical to creating the great companies of tomorrow.  We look forward to providing even further support to great growth companies over the coming years.”

Mark Brownridge, Director General at the Enterprise Investment Scheme Association (EISA), added: “The Enterprise and Seed Enterprise Investment Schemes continue to deliver money where its needed most in the UK economy and nowhere is this better demonstrated than by long-term EISA members, like Deepbridge, raising such significant sums for early-stage companies in the UK. As we sit here in 2021 and with the UK desperately seeking economic growth, there is no doubt EIS and SEIS continues to provide embryonic companies with equity funding at a point in their lifecycle where other forms of funding do not dare to tread. 

“EIS and SEIS have a long and proud track record in supporting innovative, scalable companies and announcements such as Deepbridge’s go to prove the significant level of optimism in the industry currently; entrepreneurs are turning their bright ideas into productive companies, investors are waking up to the investment opportunities these companies present and I’m absolutely convinced the next wave of unicorns and blue chip companies to come out of the UK will be SEIS and/or EIS funded.”

Deepbridge currently consists of 53 team members across offices in Chester, London, Edinburgh, Bristol and Queensland, Australia.

Global technology provider Arrow Electronics today announced it has signed an agreement with Druva, a leader in cloud data protection and management. This strategic collaboration will provide pan-European channel partners access to Druva’s comprehensive portfolio of industry-leading solutions designed to help organizations strengthen data resilience, security and accessibility.

The agreement encompasses the support and channel go-to-market strategies for Druva Cloud Platform, which offers unified and simplified data protection across cloud and hybrid environments, leading SaaS applications such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and Salesforce, as well as edge devices. 

Alexis Brabant, vice president sales of Arrow’s enterprise computing solutions business said, “The importance of data resilience has elevated over the last year and risen up the board agenda as businesses strive to ensure business continuity and disaster recovery. Druva’s portfolio adds huge value to our cloud offering, and working together we will be able to enhance support for our channel partners across the EMEA region.”

Dennis Sherwood, senior director of global distribution, Druva said: “Our new collaboration with Arrow is an important route to market as we continue our commitment to support organizations successfully navigating their cloud journeys. Our portfolio addresses the data resilience challenges that organisations face today, bringing simplicity, scale and security to the cloud and all aspects of enterprise data protection. With Druva’s scalability, security and proven cost savings, combined with Arrow’s extensive channel partner ecosystem, we will be able to help even more businesses strengthen their data resilience, reduce operational complexity, and thrive in the cloud era.”

The agreement initially focuses on markets across the United Kingdom, Benelux, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, France and Germany, with a roadmap to add Druva’s entire portfolio to ArrowSphere, Arrow‘s award-winning cloud management platform.

Further safe and secure digitalisation in sight for 20 million of users 

Worldline has joined forces with GIE SESAM-Vitale, a major player in the digital transformation of the French healthcare sector, in an innovation partnership to secure the dematerialization of the Carte Vitale on smartphones. The new Carte Vitale app will offer all insured persons the possibility for online identification, as well as authentication solutions. This enables them to access both the same services as with the physical Carte Vitale, and new online functions. 

Securing the use of 20 million apCVs by 2025: a national security and innovation challenge 

The smartphone transforms the relationship between citizens and digital services. Citizens expect to always have all possible services on their smartphone, and in mobile situations. Thanks to the "apCV" application installed on their mobile, every citizen will soon be able to use their phone as a simple connection in their healthcare pathway and, more generally, to access the rapidly expanding digital services. The operational flexibility offered by the mobile phone must obviously be accompanied by the means to reinforce the protection of the highly sensitive information it contains, as well as access to the services offered.  

Worldline, a major player in the security of online payments and sensitive dematerialised operations on smartphones 

It is in this context that Worldline naturally applied to help define the future security solution for the apCV based on its capabilities in terms of Mobile Security and Authentication Services. 

The complete expertise of Worldline's strong mobile authentication solution, deployed for the past ten years by many banks in Europe for the strong customer authentication of online payments (in accordance with the PSD2, Payment Services Directive 2), secures the dematerialisation of cards or payment terminals (HCE and HPE payments). With the digitisation of critical services (payment, health, transport, etc.), all sectors need to strengthen security to counter fraud, as more than 40% of smartphones were targeted by cyber-attacks in 2020.  

Claire Deprez - Pipon, Global Product Manager Authentication Services at Worldline: “Thanks to our extensive experience in the digitization of payments on smartphones, we can leverage this high security expertise for GIE SESAM-Vitale and propose to all sectors and all use cases,  our highest level of security assets for mobile security and authentication services. That is why we are very proud to contribute to this project and help creating a smooth, streamlined experience for all insured persons.” 

An innovation that can benefit everyone 

The innovation partnership concerns the definition, development and deployment of a modern solution, securing the new Carte Vitale application and its associated exchanges, as well as for local use by health professionals, or remotely for access to state administrative services via a substantial digital identity. All the security features of the new mobile app must be on the same level of security as the physical card. The research and development phase started in mid-February and will run through the end of 2021. Afterwards, one of the partners will be selected to further develop and deploy the technology. 

Offers cost-effective one-click execution of large crypto trade orders instantly

ZebPay, India’s most secure and most trusted crypto asset exchange, has launched India’s first global Electronic Over-The-Counter (OTC) Desk for large volume traders and institutional investors globally. Targeted at HNIs, trading firms, and corporates, the ZebPay Electronic OTC Desk offers cost-effective one-click execution of large crypto trade orders instantly at tight spreads with zero fees and minimal slippage. Access is available via API integration or through an easy-to-use trading interface that enables automated trading facilities for all users.

With the OTC Desk, ZebPay is addressing the liquidity crunch in crypto assets as it gives access to 24/7 deep liquidity to a range of cryptocurrencies and best-in-class price execution across multiple trade pairs. It also supports all clients with access to a credit line for 24-hours post-trade settlement with minimum collateral needs. There are multiple order types such as Immediate-Or-Cancel (IOC), Time Weighted Average Price (TWAP) to optimize trading experience as per their tailored needs. The Electronic OTC Desk also offers sophisticated APIs for automated trading which suit the needs of trading firms, quant funds, institutions, brokers, corporates, and algorithmic traders. It currently supports multiple fiat currencies and stable coins for global clients such as US Dollar (USD), British Pound (GBP), Euro (EUR), Singapore Dollar (SGD), Dirham (AED), Australian Dollar (AUD), Tether (USDT), USD Coin (USDC) and DAI. 

All users including the HNIs, trading firms, corporates, and institutions will enjoy bespoke services such as in-depth research, analysis, and 24/7 white-glove service.

Avinash Shekhar, Co-CEO, ZebPay, said, “ZebPay aims to create a robust crypto ecosystem and a multi-faceted business where the needs of both the retail and institutional investors are met seamlessly. With ZebPay OTC Desk, we are addressing the growing institutional interest in crypto globally and in India. Like other ZebPay products, the OTC Desk also provides a simplified and optimised trading experience coupled with personalised assistance, but specifically for larger volume traders. This will further encourage adoption of crypto in the country and help create a mark for India as a major player in this emerging space.”

Nirmal Ranga, Chief Revenue Officer, said, “Ever since its inception, ZebPay has been innovating to become a one-stop-shop to invest in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies without any boundaries. With the launch of India’s first crypto OTC Desk, ZebPay aims to provide guidance, assistance, and convenience to HNIs and institutional investors for trading in crypto assets. The product will eliminate the struggle of finding deep liquidity and enable the instant execution of large crypto trade orders. Given ZebPay’s experience handling crypto assets worth billions since 2012, the OTC Desk offers a trusted and secure trading platform. We are confident that ZebPay OTC Desk will become the go-to for large crypto volumes as it offers a variety of benefits of quick settlements, convenience, flexibility, and personalised assistance, all on one platform.”

ZebPay is addressing the whole value chain of an investor's cryptocurrency needs and now offers industry-leading features such as earn and lend on their mobile apps, ZEBB (SIP for BTC/ETH), and on the new OTC desk.

• New digital service streamlines access to financing solutions from TDF to advance tourism projects in Saudi Arabia
• Temenos cloud banking platform enabled rapid development and time-to-market
• Powered by Temenos and implemented by NdcTech, the service offers digital customer onboarding and loan origination, providing a fast, frictionless customer experience

Temenos, the banking software company, announced that Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Development Fund (TDF) has gone live with a digital lending service on Temenos in just 60 days. The new service provides investors and businesses in the tourism sector with rapid access to financing solutions from TDF. The SAR 15 billion (USD 4 billion) fund was established to enable private sector tourism investments and develop the tourism sector as part of plans to diversify the Saudi economy.

In the face of unprecedented global challenges due to the ongoing pandemic, the new digital service makes it faster and easier for local and international tourism investors to access financing solutions for tourism development projects. The service currently offers corporate lending and treasury investment products with seamless digital onboarding and origination.

The solution is powered by cloud-native Temenos Infinity digital banking platform and Temenos Transact next-generation core on the Oracle Cloud datacenter in Saudi Arabia. With Temenos’ ready-to-go features, modern microservices architecture, and a low-code environment, TDF benefits from speed, agility, and rapid time-to-market. With support from local implementation partner NdcTech, TDF was able to build and launch incrementally, going live with the first phase of the digital service in just two months.

TDF provides tailored financing solutions for investors in the tourism sector with attractive financing rates.  Leveraging the pre-built country-specific functions and integration of Temenos Infinity helped the Fund to shorten implementation timelines.

Tourism is one of the main pillars of Saudi economic reforms. The country has opened up to international tourists and foreign investors and hopes the sector will contribute more than 10% of gross domestic product by 2030, up from 3% currently.

Qusai Al Fakhri, CEO, Tourism Development Fund, commented: “With Temenos, we have been able to build a greenfield digital service to serve our investors in record time. The first phase of the project was live within 60 days, and funding is already beginning to flow to tourism projects across the Kingdom. The Tourism Development Fund has a vital role to play in driving the growth of KSA’s tourism sector and in the diversification of our economy. Therefore, it was essential to have a technology partner that shared our vision and ambition. Temenos was the obvious choice. It is the global leader in banking technology with an agile platform and deep expertise that enables us to build rapidly and scale.”

Yasser Alkhathlan, Executive Director - Business Technology, Tourism Development Fund, added: “Temenos has an unmatched reputation in digital banking with many successful projects with financial institutions and lenders in the region. This deep experience and expertise was key to the rapid go live with TDF. With Temenos, we have streamlined access to funding that will advance important tourism projects. Over time, we plan to leverage the rich out-of-the-box banking functionality of the Temenos digital banking platform to continue to enhance the service and customer experience.”

Jean-Paul Mergeai, President – International Sales, Temenos, said: “Launching a digital banking service in less than two months is a fantastic achievement. It shows the dedication and commitment of the Tourism Development Fund and its teams. TDF has bold ambitions, and Temenos’ open and flexible platform will allow TDF to continue innovating at speed and scale in the cloud as it grows. In addition to advanced technology, TDF will benefit from our 25 years of experience in the Middle East working with 120 financial institutions in the region, from digital challengers such as STCPay to the largest banks, including Al Rajhi. Together with TDF, we are proud to make access to funding that will boost tourism investment faster and easier.”

Ammara Masood, CEO and President NdcTech, commented: “Our many years of experience on the Temenos platform allowed us to launch TDF’s system in such a short time on the OCI Cloud. TDF’s team was extremely collaborative, and working together as one team with Temenos made this rapid implementation possible.”

Temenos is the platform of choice for digital banks that want to launch fast. It has over 70 neo and challenger banks worldwide running on its platform, more than any other vendor, and is ranked the top seller in the category in the IBS Intelligence Sales League Table 2021.

Temenos successfully completed the project as part of a consortium led by Almoammar Information Systems (MIS) with National Data Consultants (NdcTech), Temenos’ Saudi specialized implementation partner. Working together, the combined resources and expertise ensured a smooth integration and shortened the implementation time.

Solactive is pleased to announce the appointment of Alex Steiner as the new Chief Information Officer, starting on October 1st, 2021. In his role, Alex will assume responsibility for expanding and Solactive’s proprietary indexing platform and IT infrastructure strategy across Solactive’s global platform and business. Alex will join Steffen Scheuble, CEO, Timo Pfeiffer, CMO, and Christian Vollmuth, CRO, on Solactive’s management board.

Solactive’s growth trajectory accelerated sharply in recent years. With the establishment of two overseas offices in Toronto and Hong Kong and the substantial increase of its workforce, the German index provider now calculates more than 20,000 indices daily, which serve as the underlying or benchmark for an increasing number of financial products traded globally. The appointment of Alex Steiner as Solactive’s new Chief Information Officer sets a clear statement to provide a solid and flexible indexing ecosystem, which supports both Solactive’s business growth and customer satisfaction. Alex responsibilities span across all IT and tech related aspects of Solactive´s business, platform, and infrastructure.

Steffen Scheuble, Chief Executive Officer of Solactive, commented: “In its core, our business is an IT-based service, and, therefore, we, from day one, ingrafted a reliable and accountable IT infrastructure into the heart and soul of our company. Since Solactive grows at an enormous pace, we want to make sure to cultivate our IT infrastructure in the same manner in order to prepare ourselves for exciting challenges and opportunities. Alex shares Solactive’s deeply entrenched spirit for technology, and in combination with his deep and proven knowledge, we are sure that we’ve found a perfect fit for the role, elevating Solactive in terms of reliability, future-proof scalability, and accelerating growth. It’s great to have him on board!”

Alex Steiner, Chief Information Officer at Solactive, comments: ”From my perspective, continuous business development requires equal growth and investment in a company’s IT infrastructure. In my new role as CIO, I look forward to synchronizing Solactive’s growing business activities with an IT backbone that is both scalable and agile in order to kickstart new client-focusing projects such as AI-based data intelligence while maintaining a reliable indexing calculation platform that accounts for business continuity and customer enablement. I cannot wait to roll up my sleeves.”

Before joining Solactive, Alexander Steiner worked for the German fashion house Peek & Cloppenburg for two years, serving as CTO in Düsseldorf. His responsibilities included the oversight of the entire IT infrastructure from business operations and webshops. Prior to that, Alex worked for the Chicago-based company Capital Markets Trading as CIO, where he oversaw teams in Frankfurt, London, and Kyiv integrate AI into trading strategies. Alex started his professional career at Deutsche Börse, covering different roles in research and advisory, service management, and the company’s data science content lab.

To read the press release, please click on this link, and do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Leading global fintech brand, Finalto (previously known as TradeTech Group), will be the official sponsor of two of the most prestigious events for the financial services industry in 2021. The events are iFX EXPO International 2021, to be held in Limassol, Cyprus, on October 4-6, and the Finance Magnates London Summit (FMLS) 2021, to be held in London on November 16-17.

Both are eagerly awaited fintech expos where top-level executives from payment service providers, retail and institutional brokers, technology brands, fintech start-ups, and a growing crypto segment come together to share ideas and propel the sector forward. Attendees at these events benefit from direct access to industry and thought leaders, meeting potential clients and listening to experts on important issues.

Finalto at the iFX EXPO International 2021, Cyprus

The largest B2B fintech expo promises to be an exciting event. The two-day event will be held at the luxurious Parklane Hotel and Spa Resort, in Limassol, Cyprus. Apart from being a sponsor for this event, Finalto will also be among industry leaders on the panel discussions.

Matthew Maloney, CEO of Finalto’s regulated B2B division, will be speaking on October 5, in the session on Business as Usual? Industry Leaders Roundtable. This high-profile panel discussion will cover issues like the impact of the surge in retail trading volumes, and the impact of events like the GameStop short squeeze on the financial markets. It promises to offer insights into what can help fintech firms cope better with this changing landscape.

Joining the ranks of esteemed speakers at the event will also be Andy Biggs, Head of Liquidity at Finalto. Andy will be participating in a panel discussion, themed Stemming the Tide? Liquidity in the Era of Meme Stocks, on October 5. The discussion will focus on various concerns expressed by financial services providers, including the regulatory stance on PFOF (Payment For Order Flow), and its impact on trading apps.

Additionally, many other members of the top management at Finalto will be present at the event, including Paul Groves, Head of Sales, and Michael Bleys, Vice President Institutional Sales. The team will be present at Booth #7 to showcase Finalto’s B2B and B2C offerings.

The Much Awaited Finance Magnates London Summit

The London Summit is the industry’s leading conference, with huge opportunities for business development. Over 1,400 global companies attended the 2019 event, with 37.59% of the attendees constituting C-level executives, VPs, founders, and directors.

The event will be held at Old Billingsgate in London, kicking off with an exclusive Networking Blitz event on the evening of November 16. Finance Magnates promises that this networking event will have an interesting twist, while providing a great platform to connect, unwind, and explore new opportunities.

The two-day event will also showcase some of the most brilliant minds in the industry, presenting at the Speaker Hall and Seminar Room. Some of the most interesting topics for the panel discussions include:

• Charting the Payments Landscape in 2022
• Marketing in 2022: Making Your Voice Heard
• Cutting Edge: The Latest in the CFDs Landscape
• Choppy Waters: Liquidity in FX and Beyond in 2022

Another much-awaited part of the expo is the London Summit Awards Ceremony. Firms that win the prestigious industry titles for 2021 will have unique PR and social media exposure.

Finalto is proud to sponsor and partner with an event of this scale and reputation, which will boost its recognition as an industry leader. The fintech firm is the Mega Platinum & Speakers’ Hall Sponsor for the event. The Finalto team will be available at Booth #4 at the venue of the event to showcase the company’s unique offerings.

Finalto – A Market Leader in Innovations and High-Quality Services

Finalto is the financial division of Playtech PLC, a global business listed on the London Stock Exchange and a constituent of the FTSE 250 index. On September 23, Playtech PLC published its financial results for the H1 2021, reporting a 16% YoY increase in its B2B revenues. Finalto is a market leader in providing next-generation trading software, liquidity and trade management tools, CRM tools, prime brokerage services, and back-office and business intelligence systems to global companies in the financial services sector.

It offers the best possible liquidity channels through its extensive network of tier-1 banks, non-bank liquidity pools, and ECNs. The cutting-edge technologies offered by the firm are developed in-house by specialists with years of experience, which gives them deep insights into the markets and the complex needs of institutions. All the solutions are made for multiple jurisdictions, adaptable to the industry’s rapidly changing regulatory framework.

Finalto recently partnered with institutional FX technology solutions provider, BidFX, to expand its portfolio to include FX and precious metals. BidFX is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Singapore Exchange (SGX) and specialises in data collection and storage, analytical tools for liquidity provision, allowing clients efficient price discovery.

Finalto’s latest initiative has been the introduction of  Non-Deliverable Forwards (NDF), enabling seamless forex technology that can easily integrate with any existing infrastructure.

The company’s presence at these events will help seal the brand as one of the best technology providers in the industry. For more information or to arrange a meeting, please contact the team

Yesterday, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell testified before the House Financial Services Committee, making a statement which settled crypto investor concerns about the legality of cryptocurrencies in the United States. Recently, China’s central bank issued guidance that all cryptocurrency-related transactions would be considered to be illegal, a move which many believe to be part of a coordinated plan to move the country towards its CBDC, the e-yuan.

“Chairman Powell made it clear that the United States would not be following China’s lead,” opined Richard Gardner, CEO of Modulus, a US-based developer of ultra-high-performance trading and surveillance technology that powers global equities, derivatives, and digital asset exchanges. “The United States, at this point in time, is not interested in attempting to use government decree in order to channel its population away from digital assets which may, at some point, compete with their own central bank digital currency.”

During his statement, Powell said that there “no intention to ban” cryptocurrencies, adding that stablecoins “are like money-market funds, they’re like bank deposits, but they’re to some extent outside the regulatory perimeter and it’s appropriate that they be regulated.”

“The headline has been that the United States isn’t banning cryptocurrencies, but what the Chairman said, as it relates to stablecoins, is worth considering, too. He’s acknowledging that, at least stablecoins, need another glance in terms of regulation. I’ve been arguing, for years, that the digital currencies segment must have clear-cut regulatory guidance so that exchanges can work together with the government in order to prevent nefarious activities. The digital assets space is still in its infancy, and it isn’t going anywhere. For the sake of all stakeholders, it is time to create a commonsense rulebook that protects the citizenry while enhancing the ability of innovators to compete,” said Gardner.

Modulus is known throughout the financial technology segment as a leader in the development of ultra-high frequency trading systems and blockchain technologies. Over the past twenty years, the company has built technology for the world’s most notable exchanges, with a client list which includes NASA, NASDAQ, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Barclays, Siemens, Shell, Yahoo!, Microsoft, Cornell University, and the University of Chicago.

“What’s notable here is that the United States is moving in an opposite direction from China. It signifies that the emergence of CBDCs will not necessitate the end of cryptocurrencies. In fact, I expect that, in many cases, as CBDCs make the general populace more aware of digital assets, you will likely see new segments of investors who become interested in cryptocurrencies. It is a great time for cryptocurrency exchanges to double down and become more competitive because I think they will face competition for new operators as they begin to realize that there is still massive opportunities in the space,” said Gardner.

On Wednesday, 22 September 2021, Solactive became a founding member of the Net Zero Financial Service Provider Alliance (NZFSPA) to support the UN’s Race To Zero.

As a founding member of the NZFSPA, Solactive commits to ensuring its service offering will help its clients transition to a net zero economy by 2050. Alongside other financial service providers members of the NZFSPA, Solactive undertakes to keep developing products and services and engaging with clients in helping them transition to net zero across their index and systematic investment offerings as well as allowing them to benchmark their progress towards net zero in their investment strategies. Solactive additionally pledges to address its own operational impacts by setting and disclosing progress towards science-based emissions reduction targets in line with the Paris Agreements goal. 

Commenting on the announcement, Steffen Scheuble, CEO at Solactive, noted: “Achieving the Paris climate goals is one of the most challenging and important tasks of our time. We have to act now to limit the severe impact of climate change, which is observable around the globe already. At Solactive, we take our responsibility as a founding member of the NZFSPA seriously and are committed to helping our clients achieve their net zero goals with credible and transparent climate index solutions while at the same time contributing positively to the achievement of Net Zero through our own responsible business practices.”

“The surge in demand for our climate index strategies is proof that Solactive can make an important contribution to the net zero goals. We dedicate ourselves to help our clients integrating their ambitious goals into investable index strategies and accompany them in their transition by providing net zero solutions across all major markets. In doing so, we will adhere to our philosophy of continuing to offer tailor-made index solutions for our clients where the standard net zero solutions do not fit their needs,” added Timo Pfeiffer, CMO at Solactive.