Pretty Progressive
In our effort to highlight startups led by minority groups, today we shine the spotlight on innovative startups in the Financial Services industry founded by members of the East Asian community. These startups blend creative ideas with advanced technology and dedication to bring new solutions to the financial services industry. Each startup has managed to carve a niche for itself, playing a significant role in reshaping the financial landscape around the world. We aim to celebrate their contributions by profiling these distinguished startups that are not just companies, but a significant representation of dedication, hard work and a testament to the capability of the East Asian entrepreneurial community.
In this list we feature industry game changers; startups that are utilising emerging technologies such as big data analytics, FinTech, and artificial intelligence. Each having unique offerings, they provide services ranging from financial data analytics, credit building solutions and payment systems, to financial management applications. The founders, mostly of East Asian descent, have put their impressive acumen into solving financial problems and providing better services for businesses, investors and ordinary people.
Without further ado, let’s embark on our exploration into this realm of innovation, showcasing some of the top East Asian Founded startups in the Financial Services industry.
Finvar Capnote
Founders: Ikenna Ene, Kenneth Huynh, Pedro Martins
Website
Twitter: @capnote
Facebook
LinkedIn
Finvar is an analytics and financial services startup based in New York that leverages modern technology to interpret and analyze financial data. The company’s Capnote platform consolidates information from different streams into a singular hub, allowing financial professionals to make informed financial decisions in real time. Its impressive portfolio management tools and data-driven insights open up more opportunities for investors.
Yada Data Studios Inc
Founders: Jim Hewitt, Kaixia Zhang, Patrick Feldman
Website
Yada Data Studios uses data to help banks and brands predict future trends, strengthen customer relationships and find new business opportunities. Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, the startup uses advanced financial technology to build the next generational personal finance management applications for financial institutions.
Merged
Founders: Kelvin Craver
Twitter: @merged_finance
LinkedIn
Based in San Francisco, Merged offers its members resources that help them to build sustainable financial growth. It is an exclusive investors network that provides alpha information on tax strategy, wealth management best practices, and a private network of entrepreneurs, investors, and other successful individuals.
OneEleven
Founder: Dani Pascarella
Website
Twitter: @getoneeleven
Facebook
LinkedIn
OneEleven is a New York based startup committed to helping people live happier lives through financial wellness. They achieve this by aiding businesses to increase their profits. The organization was founded in 2017 and offers B2B (Business to Business), Educational Technology (EdTech), fintech and wellness services.
Cheese
Founders: Ken Lian, Qingyi Li, Zhen Wang
Website
Twitter: @earncheese
Facebook
LinkedIn
Cheese Financial Inc. is dedicated to helping people build credit and grow savings through simple and automated solutions. The California-based startup believes in equipping everyone with a great credit score, thereby helping them reach their financial goals.
Illume Financial
Founders: Adam Schlesinger, Chirag Shukla, Dave Kochbeck, Jeff Schnitz
Website
LinkedIn
Located in San Francisco, Illume Financial assists modern fintechs in launching innovative financial products on a larger scale. Their services are banking, financial and fintech oriented, with payment solutions also forming an integral part of their offering.
Stronghold
Founders: Sean Bennett, Tammy Camp
Website
Twitter: @strongholdpay
Facebook
LinkedIn
Stronghold, a San Francisco based startup, creates virtual payment networks enabling developers to access legacy and next-gen payment systems through a single accessible API (Application Programming Interface).
Figure
Founders: Alana Ackerson, Cynthia Chen, June Ou, Michael Cagney
Website
Twitter: @figure
Facebook
LinkedIn
Figure offers financial solutions around home improvement, debt consolidation and retirement planning. They leverage technologies like blockchain and artificial intelligence to provide these services making funds accessible in as few as five days.
Databento
Founder: Christina Qi
Website
Twitter: @databentohq
LinkedIn
Databento provides financial data on a metered, pay-as-you-go basis. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, they eliminate expensive upfront data costs, offering real-time full exchange feeds and huge quantities of historical data when needed.
Lithic
Founders: Boling Jiang, David Nichols, Jason Kruse
Website
Twitter: @lithic
LinkedIn
Lithic uses virtual cards to help consumers and businesses prioritize privacy. They aim to protect sensitive financial information while making it simple for users to create payment cards to control expenditure.
TomoCredit
Founders: Dmitry Kashlev, Kristy Kim
Website
Twitter: @TomoCredit
Facebook
LinkedIn
TomoCredit aims to help millennials build credit by analyzing alternative data. The San Francisco based startup offers a credit card designed with no pre-required credit history, geared towards those who may have struggled with credit cards in the past, echoing the founders’ personal experiences as immigrants.
