Credit Kudos has launched Signal, a credit scoring system that combines machine learning and open banking insights. Signal is supposed to make accurate predictions about repayments and creditworthiness. These predictions aim to help lenders cut down defaults and serve more customers by offering a more precise understanding of a potential customer’s financial situation. As regulations require lenders to stay transparent and fair, Signal provides explanations for how it decided an individual’s score. According to Credit Kudos, the model has already led to notable results, with one of the lenders using Signal reporting a decrease in overall default rates from 11.7% to 9.7% and a rise in acceptances from 17.5% to 29.8%.

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Barnsley-based ilumoni has officially launched its borrower wellbeing app on both iOS and Android. The app is free to use and helps users manage their borrowing and take advantage of better repayment options. ilumoni gathers the user’s financial data from bank accounts, credit cards and reports, then offers AI-based recommendations for products and repayment alternatives, accounting for the user’s personal goals. The app also breaks down the user’s interest costs and payment timeframes on each account. Apart from the launch, ilumoni can boast overall £1.63 million in investment and FCA authorisation granted earlier this year.

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Chip has just concluded the biggest ever equity crowdfund on Crowdcube with £11.5 million received from 12,954 investors. The crowdfunding round had even more exciting milestones, hitting £1 million in under 10 minutes and over £8.6 million in less than 48 hours. This new record comes after Chip’s other successes such as increasing its revenues by 500% or attracting 400,000 users, in part due to new product launches, one of which we reported on in FinTech Wire #31. When considering the company’s next plans, CEO Simon Rabin said, “From a product perspective, we’re looking at more market-leading savings accounts, more investment funds, and more automatic investing. We also have aggressive growth plans, across several marketing channels, as we aim to increase our user base further.” These goals are also aligned with Chip’s ambitions to become the next FinTech Unicorn.

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The financial learning app GoHenry has launched a new tool to promote financial education among children aged 6-18. Through gamification, Money Missions teaches kids how to earn, save, and invest money, spend responsibly and manage credit money safely. The interactive tool includes animated videos and quizzes through which young users can earn points and badges. One of the parents whose daughter took part in beta testing underlined the sense of achievement that came with completing the missions. By educating through entertainment GoHenry continues to fulfil its goal of empowering children and teenagers to gain real-world financial skills.

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The open banking platform Plaid has published a new report, The FinTech Effect 2021, on the use and impact of financial technology. Conducted in association with the Harris Poll, the research shows that FinTech reached mass adoption this year, with 86% of UK consumers using technology to manage their money. Consumers cite saving time (93%) and money (78%), getting help at making smarter financial decisions (73%), and reducing financial stress (71%) as top benefits that make them turn towards FinTech. 71% of respondents also reported that the more they use financial technology, the more their confidence about their finances increases. Growing use of FinTech products also translated into increased trust in digital finance tools for 76% of consumers.

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