The Weekly Wrap: all you need to know by Friday COB | March 15th

By Puja Sharma

The Weekly Wrap is published every Friday and recaps the week’s main stories and deals, as well as upcoming events and announcements. For Prime subscribers only.

The Big Story

West Monroe, a business and technology consulting firm, and Backbase, a global leader in Engagement Banking, have announced their strategic partnership to help accelerate the digital transformation of the US banking industry.

The partnership harnesses the unique strengths of West Monroe’s financial services advisory and digital experience capabilities and combines them with Backbase’s Engagement Banking Platform. This platform acts as a robust foundation for banks and credit unions to simplify and elevate their digital banking experiences, ensuring flexibility and scalability in an ever-evolving landscape.

“Backbase is dedicated to spearheading digital transformation through progressive banking modernization,” stated Jouk Pleiter, Founder and CEO of Backbase. “The partnership with West Monroe allows us to accelerate this mission, as it is designed to push the boundaries of what banks and credit unions can offer to their customers and members.”

Deals of the week

• Worldline signs payment partnership with Italy’s Cassa Centrale Group
• Yuno raises $25m in Series A round, plans Europe, Asia expansion
• Griffin raises $24m and launches as a fully operational UK bank
• Perfios raises $80m funding from Teachers’ Venture Growth
• Jefferson Bank partners with Finastra to boost its instant payments strategy
• Tuum bags investment from Citi Ventures in Series B extension
• Wolters Kluwer extends Global Minimum Tax expert solution to North America
• PPRO announces €85m funding to fuel growth
• Flagstone raises $138m investment from Estancia Capital Partners
• SBI selects ‘iCashpro+’ Aurionpro’s Cash Management & Transaction Banking Platform
• Indonesia’s wagely raises $23m in equity and debt financing round
• Nexi picks Mastercard to power open banking payments in Europe

Be on the lookout for

Held between April 16-18 in Bergen, the Nordic FinTech Festival (NFF) invites finance enthusiasts from across Norway, the Nordics, and beyond to convene for a three-day extravaganza amidst the breathtaking backdrop of fjords and mountains. This event transcends the conventional conference experience, embracing the spirit of a festival by offering a diverse array of activities beyond traditional keynotes and panel discussions.

Attendees can anticipate engaging in social and cultural events during the evenings, fostering connections and camaraderie within the vibrant FinTech community. The highlight of the festival is the official concert, where hundreds of participants unite to revel in the performances of various local music artists hailing from Western Norway.

As anticipation builds, NFF 24 unveils glimpses of its esteemed lineup of speakers. While the roster continues to evolve with additional announcements in the pipeline, attendees can already anticipate insights from prominent figures shaping the FinTech landscape. Stay tuned for forthcoming updates on speakers and program sessions, ensuring you don’t miss out on any valuable opportunities to enrich your experience at NFF 24.