Paymark congratulates the finalists in the 2018 Fintech Innovation Challenge and is delighted by the calibre of the award entries.
Judges have selected the five finalists from a pool of applicants and Paymark's strategy and innovation head Ross Delaney says the field was particularly strong.
"It's great to see so much innovation in the fintech space and the range of entries made choosing only five finalists that much tougher," says Delaney.
The finalists will pitch their entries to the judges and conference delegation at the PaymentsNZ conference, The Point 2018, on June 26.
Each finalist will have six minutes to present, followed by a four-minute Q-A session with a panel of industry experts.
Delegates will then vote for the grand prize winner and the startup with the most votes will walk away with $10,000 and a mentoring package from Paymark.
"There's such a wealth of talent in this field that we think we've made the final decision as difficult as possible for the conference goers. All five of the finalists are in with a clear shot at the title and that great package.
Paymark sponsors the Fintech Innovation Challenge because it sees the value in innovation and disruption in the payments space.
"As the original digital payments fintech, Paymark helped take New Zealand to the front of the global payments race and now we're looking for the next disruptor.
"By helping drive the PaymentsNZ API standards, we want to help usher New Zealand into an era of open banking and invite New Zealand's fintechs to join us. Together we can create the future of digital payments in New Zealand.
The winners will present their cases to the conference on the afternoon of June 26 at the Cordis Hotel in Auckland.
The five finalists are:Aider is a mobile-first digital assistant for small businesses.
Using AI and the latest technology, Aider helps small businesses by accessing and analysing data from within their business and the world around them. Aider thrives on conversations - ask Aider a question via voice or message. Answers could include metrics, insights and may prompt decisions or actions.
Banqer is an online financial education platform that enables primary and intermediate students to experience personal finances firsthand in their classroom.
Over 60,000 Australasian children are currently earning classroom income, paying taxes, exploring the property market, enrolling in Kiwisaver and much more as they practice how to manage their money in the safe confines of the classroom.
This activity, increasing their financial capability through educational simulation, prepares students for the financial world ahead.
Bosspac does all the recordkeeping for you, minimising tax payments by claiming business expenses.
Users can even raise invoices to stay on top of customer payments with ease.
Tax and GST returns are filled out before they are due, saving you stress and time.
Money Compare is a free, online comparison service that allows Kiwis to compare thousands of financial products from a range of providers. Whether saving or borrowing, Money Compare has tools, calculators and data to help consumers make an informed financial decision whilst saving them time and money.
Sharesies is an investment platform that gives customers with $50 the same investment opportunities as someone with $50,000.
