BHMI, a leading provider of payments software and creator of the Concourse Financial Software Suite^®, announced that Payshop has launched its implementation of Concourse. The deployment will bolster the company’s back office processing for all physical and electronic payment transactions going through its network, creating a unified, omni-channel environment that offers a seamless support system for all the payment services it provides.

Payshop serves clients in Europe through its wide array of payment services. The Portugal-based company enables users to pay a wide range of services from utility bills to tolls and mobile top-ups - at post office branches and retail agents network of diverse commercial establishments located throughout the country. Concourse processes SIBS payments and Single European Payments Area (SEPA) transactions for Payshop, as well as all other transactions passing through Payshop and CTT front-end systems via a Unified Meta Transaction Format (UMTF) for back office processing. Additionally, Concourse’s implementation of the ISO 20022 standard allows Payshop to continue harmonizing all cash and cashless transactions, enhancing the efficiency of its cross-border payments.

“We are excited about the successful implementation of the Concourse Financial Software Suite,” said Tiago Mota, CEO of Payshop. “The flexible, robust back office solution is ideal for our omni-channel processing needs, supporting Payshop’s users, strategic objectives and continued growth.”

“It is an honor to provide Payshop's back office processing needs as they continue their rapid growth in the digital and retail channels,” Dr. Jack Baldwin, CEO of BHMI. “We've designed Concourse to be highly flexible with the configurability and scalability to meet the needs of all transaction types, ensuring our clients can solve the issues of today and adapt to what comes next.”

As part of its commitment to innovation, digital transformation and providing accompaniment to entrepreneurs, CaixaBank has a busy schedule of activities at the 2021 Mobile World Congress and 4YFN, which is held in Barcelona from 28 June to 1 July.

The financial institution, which is the patron of the Mobile World Capital Foundation and innovation sponsor of 4YFN, will feature in this benchmark event influencing the technology sector. CaixaBank will be especially active at 4YFN, the space that gathers entrepreneurs and investors, where DayOne, the unit specialising in technology and innovation companies and their investors, will have its own space and a broad schedule of activities and services, offering customised advice. Furthermore, also in the framework of 4YFN, imagin, the digital services and lifestyle platform driven by CaixaBank will offer content linked to innovation and sustainability.

Below is the summary of CaixaBank's activity at the forthcoming major event on worldwide innovation: 

Premios EmprendedorXXI (EntrepreneurXXI Awards): 14 years contributing to the development of young companies

Within the framework of 4YFN, CaixaBank, through DayOne, will present the EmprendedorXXI awards to the eight start-ups in Spain and Portugal offering the best solutions to the main challenges faced by today's society.

With these awards offered in conjunction with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, through Enisa, CaixaBank aims to contribute to the development of young innovative firms with high growth potential.

The 14th edition of the ceremony will be held this year, which has been established as the benchmark of awards for Spanish start-ups, which has also been running since 2018 for Portugal. Since its inception in 2007, the programme has invested 6.7 million euros in prizes and support actions, benefitting a total of 430 companies.

The awards ceremony will take place on Thursday 1 July at the Agora Stage of 4YFN from 9.30am

DayOne Observatory: fostering knowledge in the innovation economy

One of CaixaBank’s DayOne initiatives in the area of knowledge and ecosystem relations has been the launch of the "DayOne Observatory", an initiative that has emerged through the EmprendedorXXI Awards. The goal of this project is to analyse and spread information on the situation of the sector, needs and trends related to the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Spain and Portugal, focusing on DayOne's 3 types of customer: start-ups, scale-ups and investors.

One of the studies under this initiative is geared towards analysing diversity in the investment ecosystem in Spain, run by the international not-for-profit entity Diversity VC and supported by CaixaBank, through DayOne and Osborne Clark.

Moreover, together with Barcelona Global and IESE, the second edition of a study is being prepared that assesses the ecosystem of scale-ups in Barcelona. These are start-ups that have shown high growth in recent years and have reached a consolidation stage.

This event will be held on Wednesday 30 June at the Workshop Room of 4YFN at 9.30am

imagin: a commitment to sustainability from the digital environment

imagin, the lifestyle platform powered by CaixaBank, offers digital, financial and non-financial services to help users — chiefly young people under 30 — in their daily lives and future projects. Currently, imagin has a community of more than 3 million users and offers digital content based on five major subject areas: music, videogames, trends, technology and sustainability.

imagin will be present at this edition of 4YFN with a space linked to imaginPlanet, the platform’s themed area that develops content and services with a positive impact on the planet and society. The space, designed to "rest and reconnect will be open to all visitors and will feature seating areas and phone charging points.

Zone2boost: driving innovation in retail services and the fintech sector

The international innovation initiative Zone2boost, headed by CaixaBank Global Payments, Worldline and Visa, seeks to drive innovation in retail and fintech products and services and improve the customer experience.

The initiative, which provides investment companies with support for growth, will also feature in the benchmark event for entrepreneurs.

On Monday 28 June at 4.30pm at the Workshop Room of 4YFN, an event will be held to introduce the potential companies in which Zone2boost invests to the main agents of the investment ecosystem. To do so, start-ups will interact and be able to showcase their projects to potential investors and explain their solutions.

Furthermore, a joint meeting will be held on Tuesday 29 June at 7.30pm on the terrace of Pier 01 at Barcelona Tech City, between Zone2boost, DayOne, Wayra (the Telefonica accelerator), Barcelona Tech City and Plug and Play, seeking to connect the entrepreneurial ecosystem and generate networking. 

Presentations, lectures and round table discussions: an environment for debate 

During the week, various MWC and 4YFN venues will host speeches from CaixaBank representatives and other stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem, including:

• An Investment panel given by AXA on Monday 28 June at 10am at the DayOne stand.
• "Key challenges for fintech companies and the digital transformation of banks" a talk by Anna Canela, Head of Engagement & Open Platform at imagin. Monday 28 June at 10.30am on the Agora Stage (Fintech Summit)
• "Technological transformation and future prospects for the food & beverage sector", with the participation of PepsiCo, Nestlé, Unilever and Familia Torres. Monday 28 June.
• "The future of the healthtech: collaboration between corporations and start-ups", held by Barcelona Tech City which will take place on Monday 28 June at 12.30pm at the DayOne stand
• Presentation of the winning proposals of "Hack the Hospital", the project driven by the Mobile World Capital Foundation in partnership with the Barcelona Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and the Boston Children's Hospital that seeks to design innovative solutions to improve the stay of adolescents in hospitals. "Hack the Hospital" features CaixaBank as a mentor company and project partner. Tuesday 29 June at 10am on the MWCapital auditorium.
• Mentoring by a specialised team from CaixaBank and CaixaBank Business Intelligence for the teams taking part in the Hackathon organised by Barcelona Digital Talent during the MWC to seek the best digital talent from Barcelona specialists in frontend and backend technologies and data scientists. Monday 28 June from 3pm – 6.15pm (first day) and on Tuesday 29 June from 11am – 6.15pm (second day)
• "Talent-driven transformation: how incumbents are becoming tech companies enabled by digital skills”, round table discussion featuring Joan Antoni Cabrer, head of Digital Transformation at CaixaBank. Tuesday 29 at 2.50pm on the Main Stage of 4YFN
• "Building the largest online talent marketplace" and "Bootstrapping B2C Ecommerce" organised by IESEon Tuesday 29 June at 11.30am at the DayOne stand and on Wednesday 30 June at 3pm at the same place
• "Launching Fintech", a conference and round table discussion with the participation of Benjamí Puigdevall, CEO of imagin. Wednesday 30 June at 12 noon at The Studio, Hall 3.0

NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR), a global enterprise technology provider for the financial industry, and the ATM Industry Association (ATMIA), today announced certification of NCR’s Activate Enterprise NextGen ATM application to Level 2 of the new ATMIA Next Gen Framework. NCR is the first technology provider to achieve this milestone.

This new certification standard is instrumental for financial institutions that want to leverage modern web technologies on their ATMs to deliver exceptional mobile-like experiences. Additionally, it allows interoperability between vendors and provides access to banking and fintech services that significantly expand the functionality of the ATM.

“ATMIA is delighted to announce the world’s first Next Gen ATM Level 2 API certification, offering our heartiest congratulations to NCR for being first over the finishing line in this reinvention of ATMs, to inaugurate what we call ATM 2.0, a new API App model for ATMs,” said Mike Lee, chief executive officer of ATMIA, president of the ATM Security Association and chairperson of the Consortium for Next Gen ATMs, a multi-year future-proofing exercise involving over 400 participating companies in 56 countries. “The Next Gen ecosystem for ATMs will be globally interoperable and will provide for more secure, convenient and richer customer experiences and range of services at ATMs from now on, reinforcing the relevance of ATMs for years to come.”

NCR’s industry leading multi-vendor ATM software, including Activate Enterprise NextGen, allows financial institutions and ATM deployers to run common applications across their ATM fleet, regardless of the ATM manufacturer. This enables the delivery of new ATM applications and services to market more quickly while increasing efficiencies and reducing costs. It also provides a consistent customer experience across ATMs regardless of brand.

“The ATMIA’s Next Gen standardized API ecosystem is a key step in establishing a modern ATM environment aligned with the digital services consumers use every day. NCR is the best partner to help financial institutions combine the best of their digital and physical assets to run self-directed banking,” said Frank Hauck, president and general manager, Global Banking, NCR Corporation. “NCR’s unique perspective is informed not only by our position as the leading multi-vendor ATM software provider but also by our strong position as a leader in digital banking. This certification reinforces that position.”

Bluebird Network, a communications infrastructure provider, connects businesses and organizations with more than 10,000 route miles of world-class fiber, two data centers and prestigious customer service. By remaining focused on their promise to empower customers through their digital journey, Bluebird Network is engaging a new era of productivity in the Midwest.

Jason Boedeker is the co-owner and founder of DataTenant, a hybrid and managed cloud services provider with a focus on business intelligence. Jason recently volunteered to share his experience working with Bluebird, going so far as to say he recommends Bluebird’s services to his peers every day.

“Some might call the type of service old-fashioned,” Boedeker says. “It’s white glove but at the same time, it rolls up your sleeves. I’ve even had a sales rep help me rack a server. It’s people who are willing to help you help your customers. Those are the things that improve my business; and any business partnering with Bluebird will be successful."

“I can talk to the facilities manager, technical experts and network architects without red tape. It makes coming to a decision point easier. The ability to talk to the people who are supporting me and already familiar with my equipment makes a huge difference.” 

Boedeker says Bluebird’s customer service is paramount and drives success for DataTenant. Bluebird doesn’t shy away from getting technical, noting it offers carrier-grade networking into and out of their data centers.

“It really helps us that we aren't in a one-dimensional conversation,” Boedeker adds. “We store our data in a world-class data center, and we can now offer transport back and forth from the data center with carrier-grade fiber. We have conversations about where my customers’ data is and how they can access it. Bluebird Network offers us that benefit and helps us check a lot of boxes when talking to an existing or prospective customer."

“Bluebird’s hosting services are especially fantastic.” he continues, “We have a high degree of confidence in their offerings and the offerings we see coming in the future. Bluebird Network can deliver us transport to some of our clients that are further out, and they connect both data centers – in the Quad Cities and in Springfield, Mo. – with their own private connection.”

DataTenant leases space in both data center locations, and Boedeker says he is excited about what the future holds for this partnership, adding he has been in the industry for a long time and there simply aren’t many companies like Bluebird Network.

“When I toured the Quad Cities Data Center, it was one of the most detailed tours I could have asked for. They pointed out individual systems in place and told me why they made those decisions. You can tell they’re very proud of the facility and that goes a long way in instilling confidence in why I would trust Bluebird Network to house my critical data."

“As a company offering DRaaS (disaster recovery as a service), we have customers asking us to host production-level servers, and that means we have to have a location for our own [DataTenant] disaster recovery – the diverse location in Springfield makes that possible.”

 Judopay, the leading mobile-centric and fully cloud based payments provider, today announced its partnership with MedPoint, an automated prescription collection system, to enable a safe, quick and secure method for patients to purchase and collect their prescriptions, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The MedPoint system is similar to Amazon collection points, featuring secure lockers where customers can pick up orders 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. MedPoint’s touch-free collection points look to revolutionise the way pharmacies interact with their customers both during and post-pandemic. The system can also be integrated with a pharmacy chain’s eCommerce app or website, giving patients a seamless end-to-end experience.

At a time when contact has been reduced to a minimum, MedPoint's offering couldn't be more timely. Though even after the current pandemic it will still offer convenience and flexibility to customers, increasing customer loyalty and freeing up pharmacists’ time. Judopay will be using their extensive experience in enabling businesses to take safe and secure payments, to enable MedPoint to change the way British pharmacies operate. It will mean working alongside MedPoint to promote a solution that can be installed at any pharmacy, from a local independent shop to a national chain.

The experience of the pandemic has meant that consumers are increasingly embracing digital solutions to purchase or collect goods. Pharmacies have had to put restrictions on how many customers can enter their premises and those shielding or with compromised immune systems aren’t currently able to visit stores at all. Even if the pandemic were not a factor, there are times when many consumers have been unable to collect medication because they can’t get to a pharmacy during business hours. As a result, MedPoint’s solution will improve customer experience and save pharmacists’ time that can be better spent solving customer queries and building relationships.

Richard Morgan-Green, Sales Director at MedPoint, added: “We chose to partner with Judopay as our partner for our 24/7 Prescription Collection Points because it was the best, most seamless digital payment solution on the market. Although we completed our due diligence on the market, Judopay really understood what we were looking to achieve for our customers. They are a great company and team to work with and they really understand what their customers want.”

Jeremy Nicholds, CEO at Judopay, said: “Our partnership with MedPoint is solving a clear challenge in the market by removing any potential risk of infection or unnecessary human contact for when patients are purchasing their repeat prescription, medicine orders or general medical goods. Judopay is leading the way with MedPoint to bring innovation to an industry that’s been slow to change."

Award-winning Banking-as-a-Service platform, Contis, is pleased to announce the appointment of Andy Lyons as Managing Director of Banking Solutions. Andy brings a wealth of experience in retail and corporate banking to boost Contis’ banking division and cement its position as the European leader in Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS).

This appointment comes amid a period of significant growth and success for Contis. Having doubled in size in 2021 and after claiming “Best Innovation” at the Card & Payments Awards, Contis is looking to hire an additional 50 employees. A number of these will sit in Andy Lyons’ new Banking Division, which is focusing on delivering Banking-as-a-Service and embedded finance to high-growth businesses across Europe - following a huge surge in demand for BaaS services in recent years. 

As a qualified Transaction Banking specialist, Andy brings over 25 years’ experience across banking and payments. Andy joins Contis from Lloyds Banking Group, where he was responsible for sales strategy and commercialisation of new products as Managing Director of Payables and Receivables Sales.  

Prior to that, Andy was UK & European Sales Director in the Transaction Banking division at Deutsche Bank. Previous experience also includes over 5 years at Sony Corporate Finance and 3 years at HSBC.

Andy Lyons commented: “Banking-as-a-Service is an exciting new area that has exponential growth potential with Fintechs, SMEs and Neobanks, as well as more traditional banking providers seeking to quickly provide more flexible payment and data services to their customers. By owning our own platform and development team, Contis are in a fantastic position to deliver on these Banking-as-a-Service requirements. 

“Personally, I am excited about this new challenge and am fully committed to helping Contis build out their wider banking and payments propositions to sit neatly alongside our comprehensive card proposition. The fact that we currently deliver B2B and B2B2C propositions means we are very well placed to deliver for all of our target sectors.”

Contis Founder and Executive Chairman, Peter Cox, commented: “I am really pleased we’ve captured Andy to lead the expansion of our banking and payments capabilities across Europe. He has a proven success record and delivers highly credible banking knowledge to our massive push to be the European leader in efficient payments and remittances.

“Today, Contis is a significant provider of UK Faster payments to corporates and is growing its SEPA volumes dynamically via our end-to-end BaaS solutions.

“Contis reorganised its go-to-market approach in March 2021, introducing highly focused teams addressing Bank payments, end-to-end Regulated BaaS solutions, stand-alone managed services including card processing for regulated businesses, core banking technology and finally financial inclusion solutions for the Credit Unions under our Engage® brand.

“Andy’s team will be very disruptive in the banking payments sector, backed by the solid, proven and highly efficient Contis owned banking technology platform. It is industry beating from a technology and economics standpoint, and with its API connectivity, has already proven capable of attracting top tier users including banks and other fintech providers.”

Smart Engines introduced in-browser document recognition technologies, which do not require  sending data from the client device. The new solution is suitable for personal devices, Internet of Things (IoT) objects and minimizes the risk of personal data breaches on the Internet. The company's researchers solved the complicated scientific and technical task to develop real-time AI algorithms for full-fledged in-browser recognition. This allowed to offer a high-quality and secure alternative to “cloud” OCR services for users, developers and businesses.

With Smart Engines software, users can quickly extract data and fill out online forms. The document images will not leave the perimeter of the browser. Using SDK from Smart Engines developers can deploy document recognition to any gadgets, including smart IoT devices, without tinkering with native applications. For businesses, in-browser recognition of IDs, passports, barcodes, bank cards and other documents means the development of remote omnichannel customer service without threats to privacy and security.

A web browser is the most universal interface for interaction between a person and a device connected to the Internet. The in-browser operation is an opportunity to provide customers with uniform service standards, regardless of what device the person uses. Today, with the help of Smart Engines technologies, the high-end recognition of ID cards,  driver's licenses, passports, business forms and documents, bank cards and barcodes has arrived to web applications for mobile phones, tablets, laptops, desktop computers, as well as televisions, smart watches, devices in the smart home system and any other smart devices equipped with a camera and browser.

Reliable and quick operation of the in-browser recognition algorithms is achieved through the use of proprietary GreenOCR® technology, based on the results of advanced scientific developments of Smart Engines researchers in the field of low-bit neural network architectures. The use of specialized computer vision algorithms and original 8-and 4-bit integer neural network models, as well as the deep algorithmic and software optimization carried out by the company's engineers, made it possible to ensure high recognition speed even in the browser.

To extract data, users can take photos or recognize a document in a video stream by calling the device's camera within a web page. When using Smart Engines recognition technologies, any WebAssembly-enabled web browser and a camera with a resolution of at least 640x480 should be installed on the user's device. WebAssembly allows you to run the program code directly on a web page and perform all calculations in a browser, using low-level optimization capabilities of the platform on which it runs. Today, WebAssembly is supported by the latest versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla FireFox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge browsers.

“In 2017, at Mobile World Congress we introduced the solution for secure recognition of the ID cards of EU, driving licences of USA, passports and other identity documents in mobile apps in real time, the solution did not transfer images to the services and worked on a user's phone or tablet. Today we are opening a new chapter in document recognition on the Internet. The AI algorithms allow us to securely recognize the ID cards, Drivers Licenses, Passports, Visas  and other documents in web apps in real time. As with mobile applications, our products are completely autonomous, work directly in the user's browser and do not transfer images for processing to external services for computerized or manual processing. From the business point of view, in-browser data recognition is not only a matter of concern for the safety of client data, but also the opportunity to reduce the cost of developing cross-platform applications to build an omnichannel client service,” comments Vladimir Arlazarov, CEO of Smart Engines, PhD.

“Our new paradigm of personal and sensitive data processing on the Internet is designed not only to provide a safe interaction for consumers in already created web applications, but also to pave the way for new digital service channels and a cross-sales organization by connecting IoT devices. It is safe to say, the Smart Engines AI technologies are well prepared for the challenges of the Internet of Things (IoT) era,” comments Dmitry Nikolaev, Technical Director of Smart Engines.

You can add data recognition to your web application for mobile phones, laptops, desktops, smartwatches, and other devices using Smart Code Engine, Smart ID Engine, and Smart Document Engine software products, starting with version 1.4.0. All presented solutions are optimized for SPARC, MIPS, ARM, x86 architectures and are compatible with the operating systems iOS, Android, Linux, Windows and macOS. For easy integration, developers are provided with the SDK, API documentation and embedding examples in various programming languages.

Smart Engines technologies securely recognize data from more than 1,600 types of ID documents from 210 jurisdictions worldwide, business documents and forms in more than 100 languages, as well as bank cards and barcodes. Smart Engines solutions in mobile, desktop and server applications are used by Tinkoff Group, Dukascopy Bank, Emirates NBD, Oman Arab Bank, Raiffeisen Bank, Beeline, BioCollections Worldwide, Blockpass IDN, Caribbean Airlines, iDenfy, NEC, Sumsub, Tessi, Travizory, VerifyMyAge, others. etc.

CTERA, the edge-to-cloud file services leader, announced a new partnership with Varonis to integrate the Varonis Data Security Platform with the CTERA Enterprise File Services Platform. The joint solution offers data classification, audit log processing, and auditing capabilities to defend sensitive data from theft, leakage, and loss. Together, CTERA and Varonis allow organisations to modernise their file services while simplifying compliance with regulations such as GDPR, SOX, and HIPAA.

As the volume of unstructured data continues to explode and workforces become distributed and mobile, there is an ever-growing need for global file system technology that enables users to efficiently access and share files from anywhere. The ability to protect files wherever they are created, accessed, and shared across the remote workforce has become imperative for the post-COVID enterprise.

CTERA enables access to files from any edge location or device without compromising performance or security. CTERA's global file system combines the unlimited capacity of cloud object storage with caching edge devices, empowering organisations to replace and consolidate legacy NAS infrastructure. Remote office users increase productivity through real-time multi-site file synchronisation, and decision-makers gain centralised visibility into all enterprise data.

The Varonis integration with CTERA enhances centralised visibility of organisational files from edge to cloud. The Varonis Data Security Platform detects and responds to threats that bypass traditional perimeter security. Machine learning algorithms automatically detect and alert on abnormal user behaviours that indicate potential compromise by threats such as ransomware and trigger responses to mitigate any possible damage.

Together, CTERA and Varonis deliver the following benefits:

• Visualisation of user access to sensitive and regulated information across global locations
• Automatic detection and response to abnormal behaviour that indicates threats such as ransomware, malware, and advanced persistent threats (APTs)
• Full audit and analysis of every file touch on-premises and in the cloud
• Fast identification of exposed folders, stale data, or inactive accounts
• Detection of regulated and sensitive data at risk of exposure
• Compliance with common industry standards and regulations (HIPAA, SOX, PCI, GDPR, etc.) leveraging pre-built library of rules and patterns

“The continued adoption of hybrid environments created a fundamental shift in the way enterprises protect their most sensitive data,” said Hanit Fein, Senior Director of Product Management at Varonis. “Today, there is no such thing as a network perimeter, and IT and security teams must safeguard corporate information with a data-first approach. We are pleased to work with CTERA as a technology partner to provide enterprises and other organisations with a scalable security solution.”

Varonis maps out CTERA permission structures to help administrators understand where data is overexposed and begin remediation efforts. Varonis correlates data activity from CTERA into context with additional information such as data classification, authentication events, and network activity to provide a complete audit trail of user activity.

"Varonis represents the industry standard for data security and threat protection,” said Oded Nagel, Chief Strategy Officer, CTERA. “By integrating Varonis’s technology into our global file system, we offer enterprises a compelling solution to power the new working environment with secure and tightly controlled distributed file services across core, branch, and home users.”

CTERA and Varonis will host a live webinar on 13^th July 2021 to discuss the partnership and demonstrate how organisations can visualise user access of sensitive and regulated data across global locations. Register here: https://ctera.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_b416ZLNpRhiXibiwO8PoIg

Responding to the growing demand for at-home print solutions, leading printer manufacturer Epson has teamed up with GoCardless, a leading fintech for bank-to-bank payments, to accelerate the rollout of its ReadyPrint ink subscription service. Epson customers can now benefit from a reliable and economic way to print at home with subscriptions from as low as £1.29/month - saving customers between 70 and 90 per cent depending on the plan they choose. 

From printing schoolwork to work documents, Epson research found that seven in 10 (67 per cent) people say the printer has become one of the key pieces of home technology they have found most useful in lockdown. 

Despite restrictions lifting, working from home will continue to be part of many people’s lives. Almost half (47 per cent) of those who mainly worked from an office or other work location before lockdown expect to work from home in the future - paving the way for more people to consider new ways to buy printer ink.

By using GoCardless’ global bank debit network, Epson was able to offer direct debit payments across nine countries through one platform when ReadyPrint launched, greatly accelerating their speed-to-market. They also saw an increase in conversion: After introducing GoCardless, Epson contacted consumers who previously dropped out of the ReadyPrint payment journey, notifying them direct debit was now on offer. Of those, 80 per cent went on to complete their purchase. 

There was also a clear preference for direct debit by geography. Eighty percent of customers in the Netherlands and Germany now pay with GoCardless, boosting conversion rates in those countries by 40 to 50 per cent and bringing them in line with Epson’s other European markets.

Mauro Bartoletti, Epson Europe Head of Digital Programs, said: “Those who consider payment methods to be an auxiliary part of their proposition couldn’t be more wrong. A choice of payment methods matters to customers as much as a choice of services and Direct Debit must be one of those choices. As a customer-centric business, we are thrilled to now offer GoCardless, an option that our subscribers clearly prefer.”

With the average UK household spending £552 a year on subscription services, Epson joins GoCardless’ growing portfolio of businesses offering subscriptions such as Brompton Bikes and Bridgestone Tyres. 

Stephen Reidy, VP and General Manager, Northern Europe, at GoCardless said: “The subscription economy is booming as companies big and small have shown customers they can have both convenience and great service for treats and essentials -- from printing ink to bikes to tyres. Epson’s ReadyPrint subscription is perfect for the hybrid working model many of us will adopt after lockdown restrictions ease. We’re excited to continue working with Epson to offer a low-cost, highly preferred and seamless way to pay as they build on the momentum of this launch.”

Nutanix, a leader in private cloud, hybrid and multicloud computing, announced today that the University of Derby has migrated to Nutanix to refresh its IT infrastructure. Struggling with a legacy IT portfolio based on three-tier architecture that was causing performance and manageability issues, the University has now harnessed a scalable and flexible alternative that lets it focus on transformative projects.

With an aging infrastructure with legacy storage and blade servers that were leading to performance degradation, troubleshooting challenges and support handoff issues, the University sought an IT approach that was more integrated and that could scale more easily. In addition to renewing the core infrastructure platform used by staff and students, a key requirement was to create a way for researchers to spin up their own VM workloads. Another was for a solution without the admin impact of a multi-vendor approach, that could bring everything under the management of one team.  

Richard Lock, Principal Infrastructure Engineer, at the University of Derby said: “We have a small IT team and we wanted to focus engineers on improving and aligning with business needs, not just managing infrastructure. We wanted to improve services and free up time by being more automated. Today, we have one core technology to host and monitor on-premises IT services.” He continued: “Feedback from the application infrastructure team has been very good. There’s been a significant improvement in performance for page loads for student records and we’ve got the number of pages taking over three seconds to load down to one per cent. That has a direct impact on the user experience.”

Six engineers now manage all core infrastructure servers, storage and identity systems with Nutanix Prism being used for day-to-day visibility across systems that have replaced legacy three-tier equipment. The Nutanix Calm application management framework is used for research workloads where virtualisation is provided via the AHV hypervisor. File shares have been consolidated on Nutanix Files. The data centres have two-way failover integrated in the event of an outage or other disaster so operations can continue. 

Since deployment, the University of Derby now enjoys a more streamlined, manageable and performant IT environment. Also, staff are no longer forced to operate on a break/fix basis. 

Dom Poloniecki, Vice President & General Manager, Sales, Western Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa region at Nutanix said: “Thanks to its forward-thinking approach, the University of Derby now benefits from a lot more automation freeing up its small team of engineers to focus on business value and from a hybrid environment appropriate for its contemporary strategy using SaaS applications wherever possible and Microsoft Azure as a core cloud platform. This sets the university in good stead for the future as it provides researchers and academics with the ability to meet their own requirements in a way that is both flexible and future-proofed.”

Looking to the future, the University of Derby is in a good position as it progresses with its hybrid cloud approach. It plans more services in the public cloud, providing greater agility to deliver services for teaching, learning and research.

In delivering the solution, Nutanix worked closely with partner XMA.