Fintech, Finance, Technology, Banking Highlights – 9 April 2018
Starbucks Korea Debuts Voice Ordering through Samsung’s Bixby
Starbucks Coffee Korea, a 50/50 joint venture between Starbucks Coffee International, Inc. and Shinsegae Group, launched voice recognition ordering today in South Korea by integrating with Bixby, Samsung’s intelligent assistant, available on select Samsung Galaxy devices.
These features are an extension of Starbucks Siren Order, the company’s mobile order and pay technology, which allows customers in South Korea to order and pay for their purchases before arriving at their store.
With the launch, Starbucks Coffee Korea is the first retailer to leverage Samsung’s Bixby to allow for end-to-end ordering and payment. The debut of voice ordering in South Korea on Samsung devices further extends the customer experience within the Starbucks digital ecosystem.
“We are pleased to provide our customers with more convenient ways to be rewarded for their purchases,” said S.K. Lee, CEO, Starbucks Coffee Korea. “The launch of voice recognition ordering is a seamless addition to our innovation portfolio, creating a consistent third-place experience across digital and in-store interactions.”
ACA Compliance Group to Acquire Cordium
ACA Compliance Group announced that it will acquire Cordium, a provider of governance, risk and compliance (GRC) services.
The transaction is expected to close this summer, subject to regulatory approvals. The financial terms of the transaction will not be disclosed.
The complementary strengths of both firms will ensure that clients will have access to the highest caliber regulatory consultancy services and technology – and will serve as the springboard for further product innovation and global expansion. The acquisition also will expand ACA’s services in Europe to include Cordium’s regulatory hosting platform, Mirabella, and a post-Brexit EU office.
Robert L. Stype, CEO of ACA Compliance Group, said: “Cordium’s expertise, technology strengths and shared culture will greatly expand how we service and deliver our solutions to clients. By blending the delivery of innovative technology, depth of knowledge, and exceptional client service, we can help our clients further enhance their approach to GRC. As two leaders in the space, working as one will allow us to innovate faster and deliver more value to clients.”
E-wallet acceptance startup Gate closes $3.2m seed round
Universal eWallet acceptance startup GATE (Global Acceptance Transaction Engine), formerly TokenID announced the closing of $3.2M in seed funding.
The seed round was led by Orco Investments, with participation from serial entrepreneurs Jacob Shochat and Alex Jurovitsky of Quilinks Investments, who previously founded and sold Dynamic Imaging to GE Healthcare in 2007.
The funding will be used for research and development, as well as scaling its sales and marketing channels, client acquisition and further expansion of the business. To that effect, starting today the company enters beta testing mode with a global eWallet company in more than 29 countries.
