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Sharing personal information with financial services can feel daunting, but it's a process designed with your security in mind. When institutions request data for credit checks, savings assessments, or financial planning, they do so with stringent privacy safeguards in place, aimed at helping you achieve your financial goals with confidence.   Financial institutions often collect specific data points, such as your contact information, credit score, and social security number, to offer services that are customized to your financial profile. This can open the door to better loan rates, refinancing options, or debt reduction strategies. Data collection is not arbitrary; it allows advisors and technology platforms to make recommendations that closely align with your unique financial circumstances.   To ensure your data remains secure, financial institutions deploy advanced encryption and tokenization methods, which transform sensitive information into unreadable formats that can only be accessed by authorized personnel under strict protocols.   Additionally, multi-factor authentication and intrusion detection systems are standard practices that monitor for any unusual activity, acting as a constant safeguard. Financial institutions also conduct regular audits and employ dedicated cybersecurity teams to uphold compliance with the latest industry standards. These security frameworks are designed to prevent unauthorized access, ensuring that your data is protected every step of the way—from collection and storage to analysis and application.   Industry leaders like Wells Fargo and American Express partner with secure data-sharing services and comply with rigorous data protection laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). These regulations require that institutions handle your data transparently, giving you control over how your information is used. Moreover, many credit checks use "soft" pulls that do not affect your credit score, enabling you to explore your options without any negative impact.   Data sharing can open the door to smarter financial decisions by using insights drawn from secure data to help you make informed choices. Trusted providers analyze your data within a secure framework to present you with insights that support your financial objectives—safely and efficiently.   While it's natural to have concerns about privacy, sharing data with reputable financial institutions can provide you with access to tailored services backed by robust security protocols and the latest technology. These systems are designed to keep your information safe, enabling you to take control of your financial future with peace of mind.

The Founder's Arena 2024 WealthTech Combine offered valuable insights into leadership, innovation, and strategic investing . Here are highlights from some of our favorites:  1. Leadership Excellence with Anthony Brock:  Anthony Brock highlighted that teams don’t naturally move toward success — leaders must actively align and motivate them with purpose. Effective leadership engages not only the intellect, but also the emotions, driving commitment to a shared mission. As leaders move forward, we must be mindful of where we are prone to drift off mission. Through all the changes and distractions, teams must work to maintain a long-term vision of serving their clients.  2. Streamlining Private Investments with Mammoth:   Mammoth is a model example of where we see the WealthTech space going. They recognized a need that clients don’t always receive from their advisors and created tech to solve the problem. Mammoth’s platform simplifies private investments by uniting clients, advisors, and asset managers. This unified approach reduces friction, streamlines processes, and improves efficiency, ultimately enhancing client experiences in wealth management.   3. Corporate Venture Capital Insights from the Investment Synergy Panel:   The Investment Synergy Panel with Marshall Smith, Kyle Carlson, and Kendrick Wakeman provided all attendees with a solid understanding of the Venture Capital and Corporate Venture Capital space. They discussed how CVC sees returns that are not only financial, but strategic. Some CVCs see it this way: 10x financial returns, 10x returns on things like innovation, talent, and distribution, in 10 years. Big corporates need innovation, and nimble startups need resources. Bringing the two together results in synergistic advantages for both sides.   A huge thank you to Pam Cytron, Scott Parsinen, Camille Santrach, Hamza Qadir, and Garrett Mutch from The Founders Arena for building such a strong community of WealthTech supporters, adopters, and visionaries. We are grateful to be part of it.    As a proud sponsor of The Founders Arena, WealthTech Strategy Partners is excited to see the impact that Cohort 3 — Agent iQ, LemonadeLXP, Mammoth Technology, Practice Intel, Quinn, and Zeplyn —will have on the industry. We’re confident these innovators will continue pushing the boundaries of what's possible in wealth management.    We look forward to the next steps and continuing this journey with all of you!  Learn more about WealthTech Strategy Partners: https://www.wealthtechstrategy.com/ Learn more about The Founders Arena: https://www.thefoundersarena.com/

Farther, a technology-bolstered advisory firm, announced it has raised $72 million USD in a Series C round, co-led by CapitalG (Alphabet’s growth fund) and Viewpoint Ventures. Other notable investors include Bessemer Venture Partners, Khosla Ventures, and Lightspeed Venture Partners. This funding boosts Farther’s valuation to $542 million as the company surpasses 5000 customers and $5 billion in assets under management, marking 5x year-over-year growth. Farther’s technology infrastructure automates administrative tasks, allowing advisors to spend 90% of their time on client relationships and growing their businesses. CEO Taylor Matthews remarked, "This investment strengthens our commitment to reshaping wealth management by empowering advisors and delivering superior client experiences." With over $117 million raised to date, Farther continues to attract industry-leading advisors, expand its wealth management platform, and demonstrate the ever-growing market opportunity for tools that enhance advisor-in-the-loop services.   Learn more about Farther: https://www.farther.com/about-us Read more about Farther’s Series C: https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/startups-tech/alphabets-capitalg-backs-startup-making-tech-wealth-advisers

Hot on the heels of eToro’s Spaceship acquisition, Revolut has entered the race with a similar product launch. Europe’s most valuable fintech has expanded its €8.5 billion wealth offering by launching a standalone app, Revolut Invest, to capture the retail investor market by targeting new customers beyond the existing banking app.   Revolut’s goal of becoming a "truly global bank" puts pressure on other trading and investing platforms by expanding its wealth management and investment services. As retail investors return to the markets, trading platforms like Revolut, eToro, and Robinhood are racing to increase their reach and assets under management.   What’s particularly exciting about this expansion is how the increased competition is clearly driving efficiency and innovation in the market. As WealthTech companies fight for market share, we can expect to see increasingly sophisticated products—ranging from enhanced personalization and advanced analytics to more simple and intelligent financial tools that benefit retail investors. Want to learn more about Revolut and the Revolut Invest app? Click here: https://www.revolut.com/

eToro announced last week that it has acquired Spaceship, an Australian investing app, in a deal worth up to $80 million AUD. This acquisition strengthens eToro’s presence in Australia and enhances its long-term savings and wealth management product offering. Spaceship will gain access to: eToro’s global platform  and investment tools to expand its product offerings for superannuation and managed funds. Opportunities for collaboration  with eToro’s large user base, providing Spaceship clients with additional tools and educational resources. Increased market presence  in Australia and key regions as eToro continues to broaden its long-term savings and wealth management proposition. By integrating Spaceship into its ecosystem, eToro is further expanding its reach in the wealth management sector, offering a more comprehensive solution for investors at all stages of their financial journey. Spaceship will continue to operate under its own brand while benefiting from eToro’s resources and expertise. Link to Press Release: https://www.etoro.com/news-and-analysis/etoro-updates/etoro-expands-long-term-savings-offer-with-acquisition-of-spaceship-in-deal-worth-up-to-80-million-aud/

We are thrilled to announce that Alex Sion has joined Wealth Tech Strategy Partners as a Senior Advisor. With over two decades of experience in fintech and WealthTech, Alex brings a wealth of expertise around corporate venture and innovation to our team. As an entrepreneur, corporate executive, consulting practice leader, and investor, Alex has a proven track record of success leading digital transformation in the industry. His experience includes leading financial institution partnerships around early-stage venture and innovation at Motive Partners, venture incubation at Citi Ventures, and Mobile Channels at JP Morgan Chase. Additionally, he has helped to develop and lead FS and wealth management consulting practices at Publicis Sapient and Capgemini. Alex is business builder and pioneer in the fintech space, having co-founded Moven, an early, venture-backed "neobank" and incubated and carved-out new businesses for large corporates. His innovative product work at Moven led to a patent for a machine learning system that delivers financial behavioral advice through gamification. In his new role at Wealth Tech Strategy Partners, Alex will work closely with incumbent wealth and asset managers to develop strategies and identify investment opportunities that support their corporate venture and innovation efforts in the AI-driven era. We are excited to have Alex join our team and look forward to his contributions to our clients' success.

Morgan Stanley announced that Revere , an AI-powered platform for managing alternative asset portfolios, has joined its 10th cohort in the Inclusive Ventures Lab accelerator. As part of Morgan Stanley’s Corporate Venture  initiative, Revere will gain access to:  $250,000 investment  to accelerate development and scale its AI technology.  Mentorship from wealth management and corporate venture experts  to enhance platform capabilities and drive innovation.  Industry connections  through Morgan Stanley’s network of investors and partners.  This Corporate Venture backing highlights Morgan Stanley's commitment to fostering innovation in the wealthtech  space. It will enable Revere to continue enhancing its AI-driven portfolio management tools, automating workflows, and improving transparency in alternative asset management. Morgan Stanley gets an innovation partner that could help solve internal pain points as well as those of the industry. Revere will present at Demo Day in February 2025 to attract further investment.    View the full cohort here: https://www.morganstanley.com/ideas/morgan-stanley-inclusive-ventures-lab-2024-cohort

We are delighted to announce that Rishi Agrawal has joined WealthTech Strategy Partners in an internship role to support our deal execution team. Rishi is currently pursuing a BSBA with a specialization in Finance at Northeastern University. He has gained valuable experience in private equity through his work within the search fund ecosystem, where he contributed to sourcing opportunities and conducting financial analysis.  In his free time, Rishi enjoys staying active by going to the gym, taking walks, and exploring new areas. Grateful and excited to have you on the team, Rishi!

Cerity Partners announced last week that it is acquiring Touchdown Ventures, a leading provider of advisory services for corporate venture programs. The partnership is aimed at expanding Cerity Partners’ offerings to corporations and businesses while strengthening its venture capital capabilities.    According to the company, the Touchdown merger will allow Cerity Partners to:  Expand its Venture Capital-as-a-Service (VCaaS) offerings, providing corporations with tailored venture capital solutions to access external innovation.  Broaden access to innovative startups, enhancing opportunities for private clients and corporate partners.  Offer diversified investment vehicles and strategies, blending traditional wealth management with advanced venture capital approaches.    This move aligns with Cerity Partners’ strategy to deepen its wealth management offerings and enhance its service to corporate partners while at the same time capitalizing on the rise of Corporate Ventures in the innovation space. Through this merger, Cerity Partners will equip corporations with the tools to not only invest but also foster growth and advancement in their industries.    Link to article: https://ceritypartners.com/news/cerity-partners-welcomes-touchdown-ventures/

We are delighted to announce that Mason Morris has joined WealthTech Strategy Partners in an internship role to support our deal execution team.   Mason is a bridge student at the University of Texas at Austin and will be graduating this December from the Business Economics Options Program. He begins a Master's degree in Business Analytics next fall. In his free time, Mason enjoys being outside, ideally on the water, but most of the time playing sports with friends. He is competitive, adventurous, hardworking, and excited to serve God with his time and talents through his time at WTS.    Grateful and excited to have you on the team, Mason!

We are delighted to announce that Alex Olesinski has joined WealthTech Strategy Partners in an internship role to support our deal execution team.   Alex currently works with the Texas Christian University men’s basketball program as a Graduate Assistant. Additionally, he is pursuing his MBA at TCU, where he is an associate for the Horned Frog Investment Network, helping source start-up deals and perform due diligence for the network. In his free time, Alex enjoys all things sports and fitness, traveling to new places, trying different restaurants, and learning new things.   Grateful and excited to have you on the team, Alex!

We are delighted to announce that Michael Wuest has joined WealthTech Strategy Partners to bolster our deal prep and execution team. Prior to joining WealthTech Strategy Partners, he was the advisor solutions manager at an independent wealth management firm, which fits well with our mission. He is also an advisor to First Rate Ventures, a WealthTech-focused corporate venture capital firm, an Ambassador to The Founders Arena, a WealthTech-focused start-up accelerator, a Venture Fellow at Alumni Ventures, an affiliation-based venture capital firm, and an advisor to Ambassador's Impact Network, a faith-driven early stage investment firm. Welcome aboard Michael!