The FinTech Innovation Lab is a highly competitive, 12-week program that helps early- to growth-stage enterprise technology companies refine and test their value proposition with the support of the world’s leading financial service firms. After a successful inaugural year, they will continue to operate an insurtech track to bring emerging solutions to an expanded list of insurance partners and provide insurtech entrepreneurs with the guidance that will take their technologies from nice-to-have to mainstays within the industry.

FinTech Innovation Lab

Sharestates

Sharestates is a national private lender focused on non-owner-occupied residential and commercial properties. The company creates customized lending solutions for real estate developers and has successfully funded over $3.5 billion in projects nationwide. Since its founding in 2013, Sharestates has been an important source of private capital to real estate investors nationwide seeking short-term bridge financing for rehabilitation projects and long-term DSCR loans for rental properties.

Sharestates is a private lending platform focused on providing customized financing solutions for real estate investors and developers. Established in 2015, the company originates and services loans secured by residential and commercial properties across the US. Sharestates offers a range of loan programs, including residential bridge loans, fix-and-flip loans, new construction loans, portfolio loans, and rental property loans. The company funds loans ranging from USD 100,000 to USD 20 million, with loan-to-value ratios up to 85% and up to 100% of the construction budget.

Sharestates Review

Sharestates, Inc.

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Sharestates is a private lending platform focused on providing customized financing solutions for real estate investors and developers. Established in 2015, the company originates and services loans secured by residential and commercial properties across the US. Sharestates offers a range of loan programs, including residential bridge loans, fix-and-flip loans, new construction loans, portfolio loans, and rental property loans. The company funds loans ranging from USD 100,000 to USD 20 million, with loan-to-value ratios up to 85% and up to 100% of the construction budget.
Sharestates primarily deals in short-term senior loans, typically with a 12-month maturity, but also offers some subordinated loans and occasional equity investments. The company employs a rigorous underwriting process that considers factors such as loan-to-value ratio, lien position, location, occupancy, development phase, sponsor's track record, experience, credit score, and personal guarantees. As of March 2024, Sharestates had funded over USD 3.5 billion in loans across 27 US states, with an average annualized return of 10.34% and no reported principal losses for investors.
Sharestates operates through a wholly-owned subsidiary, Sharestates Investments, LLC, which is licensed as a finance lender in California. The company pre-funds approved loans, allowing borrowers to start their projects immediately without waiting for full investor funding. Investors receive Borrower-Dependent Payment Notes entitling them to a share of the principal and interest payments received from the borrower's mortgage.
In March 2024, Sharestates secured a landmark legal victory reinforcing the validity of its mortgage enforcement practices. The court ruling upheld the principles of equitable estoppel and the unclean hands doctrine, effectively preventing borrowers from contesting the validity of mortgages after accepting and retaining the loan proceeds.

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 Wise (formerly TransferWise) is a financial technology company that provides low-cost international money transfers and multi-currency accounts for individuals and businesses. Founded in 2011 and based in London, Wise operates a peer-to-peer network that allows customers to transfer money across borders without the high fees and markups charged by traditional banks.
 
 
 
 
 Wise's core offering is a money transfer service that leverages the mid-market exchange rate and charges transparent, upfront fees rather than hiding markups in exchange rates. It supports transfers to over 160 countries across 50+ currencies. For personal users, transfers up to around USD 5,000 tend to be most cost-effective through Wise.
 
 
 
 
 In addition to money transfers, Wise provides multi-currency accounts that allow customers to hold, convert between, spend, and receive over 40 currencies. Users can get local bank details in 10 major currencies like USD, GBP, and EUR to receive money like a local. The Wise debit card enables spending in over 170 countries at the mid-market rate.
 
 
 
 
 Wise is regulated by financial authorities in the countries where it operates, including FinCEN in the US It has over 16 million customers and processed USD 11 billion in cross-border transactions per month as of 2024. Key features include low transparent pricing, fast transfers (50%+ instant, 90% within 24 hours), and user-friendly web/mobile interfaces.
 
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Wise

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 Remitly is an online money transfer service that enables individuals to send money internationally from the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, and the UK to over 180 countries worldwide. The company's primary focus is on facilitating remittances, allowing immigrants and expatriates to securely and conveniently send money back home to their families and loved ones. Established in 2011 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Remitly has grown to serve over 3 million customers annually, with a total transaction volume exceeding USD 20 billion as of 2021.
 
 
 
 
 Remitly offers two distinct transfer options: Express and Economy. The Express service facilitates near-instant transfers, with funds typically arriving within minutes for cash pickups or a few hours for bank deposits. This option is ideal for urgent fund transfers but comes at a higher cost. Alternatively, the Economy service provides a more affordable solution, albeit with a longer delivery time of three to five business days.
 
 
 
 
 One of Remitly's standout features is its extensive network of payout options. Recipients can choose to receive funds through bank account deposits, cash pickups at over 400,000 locations worldwide, mobile wallet transfers, or even home deliveries in select countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, and the Dominican Republic. This flexibility caters to the diverse needs of Remitly's global customer base.
 
 
 
 
 Remitly's fees and exchange rates are generally competitive within the industry. Fixed transfer fees typically range from USD 1.99 to USD 3.99, while exchange rate markups are typically between 0.5% and 2.5% above the mid-market rate. Larger transfers often incur lower fees, with Remitly waiving fixed fees for bank-to-bank transfers exceeding USD 1,000.
 
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Remitly

Zepz is a global cross-border payment group that operates two leading remittance brands, WorldRemit and Sendwave. The company disrupted the traditional remittance industry by taking international money transfers online, offering a faster, more affordable, and secure way to send money globally. Zepz's platforms facilitate digital money transfers to over 130 countries across more than 5,000 money transfer corridors, including emerging markets with high barriers to entry.
The company's business model revolves around providing a seamless digital experience for senders, enabling them to transfer funds from a smartphone or computer, while offering a wide range of payout options for recipients, such as bank deposits, cash collection, mobile airtime top-ups, and mobile money. Zepz's technology eliminates the need for physical cash handling, enhancing security and convenience.
In 2021, Zepz reported a significant 67% year-over-year revenue growth, reaching USD 399 million, following the acquisition of Sendwave in February 2021 and a USD 292 million Series E funding round in August 2021. The company achieved profitability in the first half of 2022, driven by investments in marketing, talent, and technology, enabling efficient customer acquisition and paving the way for future growth.
Zepz's platforms have facilitated the movement of money that has supported education, healthcare, and daily expenses for families, contributing to the economies of recipient countries. In the first half of 2022, WorldRemit users sent more than USD 2 billion to the African continent, with core African and Asian markets experiencing substantial year-over-year volume growth of over 20% and 35%, respectively.

Zepz

TransferGo is a digital money transfer service that enables fast and cost-effective international money transfers. It utilizes an innovative approach by opening bank accounts in various countries, allowing local transfers both for receiving funds in the sending country and dispatching them in the receiving country. This strategy eliminates most transfer costs, enabling TransferGo to offer highly competitive exchange rates and low fees.
The company was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in London, UK, with operations across Europe. TransferGo's platform supports transfers in 22 currencies across 47 countries, serving over 5 million customers as of March 2023. It provides services for both individuals and businesses, including batch payments and integration with accounting software.
TransferGo offers a user-friendly online platform and mobile app, allowing customers to easily initiate transfers. Depending on the delivery speed selected, funds can reach the recipient within 30 minutes or on the same day. The company prioritizes security, adhering to stringent regulations and employing robust encryption protocols to safeguard customer data and funds.
As of March 2024, TransferGo was recognized as one of the most cost-effective options for sending money from the UK, being the cheapest provider for 26.2% of all searches conducted on Monito's comparison engine. It also earned top rankings for transferring funds to the UK, being the best choice for 17.7% of the searches.

TransferGo

Girmiti Software is a technology company that specializes in developing digital payment solutions and professional services. The company offers next-generation solutions and services tailored for various industry verticals, including payments, retail, restaurants, healthcare, telecom, banking, transit, and events management.
Girmiti's core offerings revolve around EMV solutions for mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) systems, personal computers (PCs), mobile devices, and card readers. Additionally, the company provides add-on transactional channels for payments processing. Girmiti's solutions leverage innovative technologies like QR codes, Near Field Communication (NFC) wallets, and contactless payments to enhance flexibility and mobilize businesses within the payment ecosystem.
The company's expertise lies in executing and delivering innovative solutions, operations, and professional services with a focus on cost-effectiveness in niche areas. Girmiti Software has achieved CMMi Level five appraisal, affirming its software development and delivery capabilities. The company is ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certified, ensuring quality management and information security standards. Additionally, Girmiti Software is PCI DSS SAQ-D v3.2 certified, demonstrating its adherence to payment card industry data security standards.
Girmiti's NFC wallet solution enables financial institutions to offer contactless payment options to their customers through secure smart chips on mobile devices. This mobile wallet application can store various payment cards, access cards, coupons, loyalty cards, prepaid cards, and tickets, facilitating contactless transactions with nearby NFC-enabled terminals or reader devices.
In the transit sector, Girmiti develops Automated Fare Collection System (AFCS) solutions, integrating ticketing systems for public transport networks like buses, metros, and rails. These solutions automate fare collection, support various fare media (tokens, cards, NFC), and facilitate online ticket purchases and recharges, accepting multiple payment methods.
Girmiti's EMV services encompass developing and implementing EMV L2 kernels for point-of-sale (PoS) terminals, mPOS solutions on Android OS, and chip card management systems. The company also offers testing, security evaluations, and payment scheme certifications for its EMV solutions.
In the banking and financial services domain, Girmiti helps firms develop business solutions that drive efficiency, effectiveness, innovation, and virtualization while ensuring compliance with regulations. The company's team of analysts, domain experts, and technology specialists provide solutions tailored to support mobile, ecommerce, and cloud environments.

Girmiti Software

Platforms using a global network of businesses and individuals to complete international fund transfers

Platforms that let businesses and individuals obtain necessary debt through peers (retail investors)

Equity crowdsourcing platforms for private businesses to raise equity funding from retail investors

Enables small businesses and users to access lending, equity, and fund transfers circumventing established institutions

Sharestates

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