www.wealthandfinance-news.com Q3 2022 &wealth finance i n t e r n a t i o n a l Turning The Bear Into A Bull Sustainably How Eloy Vargas, a Mexican businessman, is taking avocados from your breakfast plate to your investment portfolio, and creating a positive impact in the process. Featuring: Eloy V. Arreola Chairman AVO Oro Verde
www.wealthandfinance-news.com 2 Wealth & Finance International - Q3 2022 Editor’s Comment Welcome to the Q3 edition of Wealth & Finance International Magazine. As always, with every issue we endeavour to provide fund managers, alongside institutional and private investors with the very latest industry news in the traditional and alternative investment spheres. Keeping up with fast-paced world of wealth and finance, especially throughout tumultuous times, can be a tricky quest indeed. But with Wealth & Finance International Magazine, it’s easy to see patterns and progression for ourselves. We are seeing huge trends in blockchain and innovative AI technology this year. 2022 has been very focused on streamlining processes for clients, using intelligent technology and transformative programming. Our cover, Asymmetrica Investments, helps its clients to manage their assets in a way that leaves us in awe. Named Best Agricultural Impact Investment Firm 2022, Asymmetrica Investments soars to new heights. Supporting clients in managing their sustainable agricultural assets and permanent crops, Asymmetrica Investments promotes healthy expansion of assets as well as overall protection that is ultimately invaluable. Here at Wealth & Finance we wish you a brilliant quarter ahead and we look forward to welcoming you back again soon. Sofi Bajor, Editor AI Global Media, Ltd. (AI) takes reasonable measures to ensure the quality of the information on this web site. However, AI will not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, correctness or completeness of any information that is available through this web site. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them. The information available through the website and our partner publications is for your general information and use and is not intended to address any particular finance or investment requirements. In particular, the information does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by us or any of our partner publications and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making or refraining from making any investment or financial decisions. Appropriate independent advice should be obtained before making any such decision. Any arrangement made between you and any third party named in the site is at your sole risk and responsibility.
Wealth & Finance International - Q3 2022 3 4. News - Dimension X Launches to Build Metaverse Creator Platform - New Venture Fund Provides Investors Exposure to the Disrupting Fintech Sector 6. Asymmetrica Investments: Turning The Bear Into A Bull Sustainably 10. The Cyber Edge: Best Strategic Cyber Services Provider - Israel 11. XP Private: Best Wealth Preservation & Investment Advisory Boutique - Brazil 12. Maverick Gardner: Best SME IT Service Provider - Southern Ontario 14. PolicyAdvisor: Best Insurance Comparison & Purchasing Platform – Canada 15. Ziksu: Ziksu Named as a Winner in Wealth & Finance INTL’s Fintech Awards 16. Heal Accounting: Best Woman-Owned Client Accounting & Advisory Services Practice Northeast USA 17. 3S Money: Global Business Payments with a Personal Touch 10. The Cyber Edge: Most Dedicated Financial Solution Provider - UAE 18. Money Protects™ @ M A B Innovations ROFR CCO.: Best Wealth Preservation & Investment Advisory Boutique - Brazil 19. Barchart: Data First! 20. d1g1t Inc: Revolutionising Wealth Management For All 21. Enyx: Most Innovative Financial UltraLow Latency Trading Technology Solutions 2022 22. eBiashara Africa: Supply Chain Pioneers! Contents
www.wealthandfinance-news.com 4 Wealth & Finance International - Q3 2022 Dimension X Launches to Build Metaverse Creator Platform $600k Pre-Seed Round Filled by New SIV Fund Dimension X, Inc. (DimX) announced the close of its pre-seed round of funding for $600,000. Startup Ignition Ventures (SIV), a new pre-seed fund in Utah filled the entire round. “With more than 20 years of angel investing across more than 100 companies, I’m tuned into winners,” said John Richards, SIV’s managing partner. “And the stars seem to be well aligned. The founding team has several unfair advantages, and their platform strategy couldn’t be any better timed to capitalize on a gigantic opportunity at the front end of an evolving market. With our lean startup methodology, we are committed to helping this team to win big.” “The emerging Metaverse presents a massive opportunity to improve how people train, educate, design, simulate, entertain and market,” said Scott Robertson, CEO of Dimension X. “However, creating immersive experiences today is still way too hard. We are dramatically simplifying the process just like WordPress did for website building, Figma did for interface design, and Unity did for game development. Dimension X is revolutionizing immersive experience creation and making it accessible to millions of new Metaverse creators.” “We have architected a Metaverse creator platform with simplicity, extensibility, and interoperability at its core,” said Kyle Ringgenberg, CTO of Dimension X. “Our technology enables creators and storytellers to build engaging experiences with drag-and-drop simplicity. Additionally, developers will realize significant efficiency using our APIs to push the limits of immersive experiences in new and unimagined ways.” “Perhaps most exciting is the potential of the Metaverse to globally improve lives,” said Chris Keller, COO of Dimension X. “The immersive nature of experiences that can be built on our platform may dramatically accelerate learning by increasing engagement, repetition, and targeted training. Immersive technology may be the great equalizer that reduces the cost, time and distance barriers to achieve the ‘10,000 hours to Mastery’ rule. This new funding will be used for the following initiatives: • Hire a world-class team of immersive developers, designers and product strategists • Develop the Metaverse creator platform • Gather, train and support the Metaverse Creators community. Provide your email at https://dimX.dev to get invited to the group. Apart from the DimX Metaverse Creator platform, the company’s service arm has already begun creating immersive experiences for commercial clients including simulation software for the Christa McAuliffe Space Center and Telos University. DimX has developed flight simulation training software for Randon Aviation and its Flight School Manager platform. Additionally, DimX is contributing to a ‘seeing is believing’ experience that uses LiDAR technology to generate real-time-editable 3D digitally twins, for better client visualization.
Wealth & Finance International - Q3 2022 5 New Venture Fund Provides Investors Exposure to the Disrupting Fintech Sector Global Alternative Investment Management LLC (“Global Alts”) has announced the launch of FinTech Fund II which is available to Qualified Purchasers. The Fund’s investment objective is to opportunistically acquire a portfolio of companies and funds that seek to invest and profit from investments in financial technology. Such as software and digital services that improve efficiency and speed or decrease costs in the provision of financials services. The Fintech ecosystem includes services as insuretech, regtech, roboadvisory, banktech, digital lending, cybersecurity, digital signature, identity technologies, blockchain, machine learning, AI, and smartcontracts. FinTech Fund II has raised $1.9 million to date and has deployed initial capital into four investments: a diversified blockchain fund that seeks out venture equity along with early stage and established token investments, a blockchain enterprise focused on developing wireless infrastructure network, a growth equity fund investing in high performing fintech companies, and an automated digital Latam freight enterprise. “The financial services industry is at a structural inflection point. We believe that the wave of unprecedented regulation and the proliferation of low-cost enabling technologies are providing the necessary catalysts for significant dislocation and democratization of market share,” says Prateek Mehrotra, Chief Investment Officer. In recent years, the fintech industry has innovated consumer and business applications at a rapid pace. “One of the biggest benefits of fintech is the competition it has introduced into the financial industry. With access to this innovative technology, customers now have an alternative to large organizations and banks, which usually are more expensive options.” Fintech has and will continue to be life-changing in terms of access, transparency, and convenience. We believe our lives are impacted at an increasing rate by disruptive technologies created by high-growth companies with innovative ideas that provide investors with unique opportunities. The market correction in public equity and crypto markets will also impact venture capital and private equity valuations. While public market investors feel the impact of downturns almost immediately the repercussions on private market assets are more complicated. Low interest rates for the past 14 years inflated valuations and investor appetite for more risk. Forced selling by investors that borrowed too heavily or have cash needs may create opportunities in the secondary market, while need for capital in a tightening funding market will cause companies to raise capital at lower prices than previous rounds. In any case, we see the current environment as one that will generate opportunities to acquire the next generation of fintech companies at better prices. We intend that blockchain technology will make up a sizable portion of the portfolio. We believe blockchain technology enables a pioneering method for information to be shared; the use cases for a transparent, verifiable register of data transactions are endless. The blockchain has the potential to be a significant driver of value creation during our lifetime. The crypto and blockchain sector will continue to see volatility, but the market continues to mature, and with that more institutional and even retail investors are flocking the space. The increasing appetite in crypto should empower and drive startups producing a set of unique investment opportunities. FinTech Fund II is available only to Qualified Purchasers meeting certain income and net worth requirements. For more information visit www.GlobalAlts.com.
www.wealthandfinance-news.com 6 Wealth & Finance International - Q3 2022 Turning The Bear Into A Bull Sustainably When market trends go south, and investors must make a choice, it is more common than not that their ethical pledges go out the window. It’s in the hard times that you can see who truly believes in their investment philosophies, and Asymmetrica Investments is one to prove that sustainable investments and positive returns go hand in hand when it comes to long-term profitability with agricultural assets. Sustainability is a word which has become highly valued in all circles. As we look for ways to help preserve our planet, it’s essential to consider how we use our natural resources. Conserving our natural resources has become a priority for many individuals, companies, and even entire nations, and billions of dollars have been pledged to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) created by the United Nations. When we think of environmental footprint, agriculture is one of the most overlooked, misunderstood, and underutilised resources to live more sustainably. With half of the world’s habitable land used for this purpose, it is there that the team from Asymmetrica Investments comes in with sustainable methods to supply food for our growing population. Having achieved remarkable success in the Ethical Finance Awards from Wealth and Finance International, where the firm was named Best Agricultural Impact Investment Firm 2022, we thought it was the right time to talk to the team to uncover how they earned such a remarkable accolade. 1. Firstly, please give us an overview of your company and your work. Asymmetrica Investments is a Swiss company that specialises in investments in sustainable agricultural assets. Currently, the firm is the advisor to the world’s first investment vehicle specialised in sustainable avocado production, AVO Oro Verde. Before Avo Oro Verde, investments in Avocado Orchards in Mexico were hardly accessible for anyone outside the avocado industry. Most of the time, only local growers or existing avocado companies could benefit from the expanding avocado industry in Mexico. Every year, avocado consumers worldwide would see an increase in the prices of avocados or avocado farms without being able to join this enterprise effectively. People could only invest in listed global companies like Calavo Growers or Mission Produce. These investments do not Jun22038 resemble farmland ownership, as they generate most of their income from trading, not the avocados’ production. In AVO Oro Verde, investors are acquiring real estate, specifically arable land that produces income. So, their investments are backed by tangible assets, in this case, avocado orchards. In general, Farmland investments have two advantages. The first is that investors receive an income from the sale of the avocados, and the second is that the land they acquire appreciates due to inflation. By investing in an avocado orchard, investors can reasonably expect to benefit from the rise in the prices of avocados. Specifically, an investment in an avocado orchard increases in value as the cost of avocados rises because growers can sell their product at a higher price. On the contrary, generally, when avocado prices increase, companies like Calavo Growers or Mission Produce have lower profitability; this change in profitability usually reflects a lower share price. The main reason is that the margins and profitability of companies shrink when there is a rise in their input prices. In 2019 AVO Oro Verde came up with a solution that enabled the global audience to invest in avocado orchards. Because of that, Mexicans and foreigners can now invest in sustainable avocado orchards in Mexico. 2. How can avocado orchards be sustainable? Agriculture is not intrinsically unsustainable but often poorly managed. For instance, more than 95% of all day workers in agriculture do not have a pension or any access to health care insurance. Not having these benefits is the reality for more than 5 million people in Mexico. People are at the heart of any organisation, and we encourage our partners to insure their workers and their families under state-run insurance. Moreover, we also support using organic pesticides to have better food and protect our employees from chemicals. Regarding avocados, a lot has been said about their lack of sustainability. However, like most agricultural products, avocados are not intrinsically unsustainable, but their poor management is untenable. The problem with avocados starts when producers cultivate avocados in nonsensical places, such as where the irrigation process is not based on rainwater or natural moisture in the soil. In some areas where water can be privatised, it depletes the water reservoirs, affecting the surrounding communities and plantations. Significant changes can be done by having a When we think of environmental footprint, agriculture is one of the most overlooked, misunderstood, and underutilised resources to live more sustainably. With half of the world’s habitable land used for this purpose, it is there that the team from Asymmetrica Investments comes in with sustainable methods to supply food for our growing population.
Wealth & Finance International - Q3 2022 7 Mauricio Mérigo Almenárez COO Asymmetrica Investments
www.wealthandfinance-news.com 8 Wealth & Finance International - Q3 2022 long-term view, producing in places with the right climatic conditions and adopting a technologicaldriven organic production. For instance, by using the proper irrigation process, it can be more water efficient to produce a Kilo of avocados (400-600 L/Kg) than bananas (790 L/Kg) or apples (820 L/Kg). Moreover, rainwater can be collected, stored, and used in the irrigation system if avocado orchards are planted in the right places. Deforestation is another problem with the sustainability of agricultural products, including avocado orchards. Agricultural expansion drives almost 90% of global deforestation worldwide. In the case of avocado production, it is estimated that it is responsible for 30-40% of recent deforestation in Michoacán. We do not tolerate illegal deforestation. Moreover, we protect natural reserves and keep approximately a third of the land as a forest reserve. 3. What is your core ethos as a company? Our core ethos is capital preservation and sustainability. We are redefining the meaning of asymmetric investment, opening the door to safe asset-backed agriculture investments for investors looking to minimise their risks and optimise their returns while positively impacting the environment and society in general. Many people have the wrong impression that by investing sustainably, profitability gets hurt. However, if you take a long-term approach, sustainability is paramount for preserving the ecosystem and our assets. 4. Can you tell us how you are involved in sustainable finance? We offer access to our impact, sustainability measurements, and best practices to ensure sustainable production and growth. We are in the process of implementing an impact process that consists of three parts. A. 1. Pre-Investment: Exclusion criteria, due diligence process to identify ESG risks, selection of impact strategies that target specific SDGs. B. 2. Management and Measurements: Data collection and monitoring impact performance, sustainability and impact KPIs. C. 3. Reporting: Transparent communication about the impact on partners and clients. We are also involved in defining what sustainability means in our industry. We actively participate with the AIIMX—the Mexican representative of the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment—to inform about the sustainability of the orchards that we grow and to promote the benefits of sustainable agriculture. Regarding impact and sustainability, some of the metrics are set by the Principles for Responsible Investment, and others are included in the Impact Reporting and Investing Standards Catalogue, which the Global Impact Investment Network manages. 5. So then, are your investors only sustainable-focused ones? We only do sustainable projects, but our investors can be anyone who wants high returns with inflation protection and long-term profitability. We educate our investors with specific materials regarding our investments so that they understand the impact of their investment on all the stakeholders. 6. So, as Asymmetrica Investments, what do you value the most? As a company, we are conscious of our impact and reach and are committed to using this to promote intelligent investments with asymmetric returns and sustainability. Our stakeholders come before our financial gains as we select land and consider the treatment of our workers and their families. Stakeholders also are uppermost in our minds as we decide how much of our land is devoted to producing and how much is set as a natural reserve—considering water availability and environmental purposes. We also give precedence to our stakeholders’ needs even though we are involved in the Counsels and Associations and devoted to Ethical Finance and Impact Investments. Having fewer, more closely selected assets can still ensure great returns and positively impact all our stakeholders. We value the opinion and perceptions of our investors, partners, farmers, clients, and providers and the environment in which we perform our business. 7. What are your plans? We plan to expand operations to Colombia and Africa, expanding our reach and offering exposure to new markets with interesting returns. We believe that emerging markets will play a central role in food security. Africa has 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land. Company: Asymmetrica Investments Name: Mauricio Mérigo Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.asymmetrica-investments.com/ Watch a Video of our Avocado Orchards Scan with your smart phone camera.
Wealth & Finance International - Q3 2022 9 Francisco Escobar CEO Asymmetrica Investments
www.wealthandfinance-news.com 10 Wealth & Finance International - Q3 2022 Best Strategic Cyber Services Provider - Israel Businesses around the world have had to adapt rapidly to the increase in demand for cyber security. With digital solutions now at the heart of how organisations operate, it’s little wonder that many have struggled to keep abreast of the various developments that have been made. The Cyber Edge was specially designed to help small-to-large, public and private organisations to reinforce their cyber posture. The environment through which the team has operated has changed remarkably over the last few years, with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing many businesses to alter their positions on the digital revolution. They have had to adopt new and exciting technologies and many of these have transformed the way in which they operate. The truth of the matter, however, is that many have adopted these technologies without considering the way in which poor cyber security could impact their businesses. Easing the transition so that companies remain cyber safe, whilst also supporting IT evolution, is what The Cyber Edge team excel at. At the heart of this operation is the incredible achievement of Tomer Nuri. Mr Nuri has an incredible grasp of the direction that the technology sector is moving in, having been at the forefront of it for many years. His position is not just as an entrepreneur, but as a thought leader and innovation who is always pushing the envelope. Through his enterprise, The Cyber Edge, he has been proud to use this knowledge for the benefit of others. The team’s work has seen them engage with cyber education, catching people up with the various challenges they will face in the future, as well as preparing future generations for the problems of today. The Cyber Edge has worked with educational institutions from higher education academics through to pre-schoolers who are just understanding the power that technology offers. The team fervently believe that the earlier people think about how cyber can be used, the more prepared they will be for the changes still to come. Over the last couple of years, The Cyber Edge has gone from strength to strength. They have worked with clients in finance, defence, the commercial sector and government. The skills built up over the years are not just growing, but evolving to suit the needs of the moment. When people wonder where technology will take us, they should ask this talented team. There are few better equipped to inform us about how to make sure we can make the most of this remarkable opportunity in as safe a fashion as possible. Company: The Cyber Edge Name: Tomer Nuri Email: [email protected] May22148 The Cyber Edge focuses on offering strategic cyber consultancy services and education. In a world which is rapidly having to react to various cyberthreats. Having been named Best Strategic Cyber Services Provider – Israel in Wealth and Finance International’s Cyber Security Awards 2022, we thought it time to take a closer look at how the team has achieved such success.
Wealth & Finance International - Q3 2022 11 Best Wealth Preservation & Investment Advisory Boutique - Brazil XP Private is part of XP wholesale banking brand, a complete and sophisticated ecosystem of financial solutions for large companies, institutional investors, and private clients. Over the years, the wealth planning department at XP Private has made itself a deeply intuitive and exemplary partner to its’ client’s livelihoods. Ensuring that their assets are well taken care of, and that their future is in good hands, its professionals work around the clock to guarantee their utmost satisfaction. The dedicated wealth planning team, is well-taught and well-trained, willing to go above and beyond for each client in order to let them know the depth of commitment it holds as standard. Having launched as a business in 2015, the Wealth Planning department of XP Private found its beginnings in 2017. The founder of this division, Renato Folino, built his team around the principles of the utmost client care, having spent more than 25 years in the financial market and the last 14 in senior roles within this industry. Thus, he has been able to approach this role with the most impeccable dedication to success at his back, fostered by the depth and breadth of financial planning knowledge that he has accumulated over a long and successful career. Clients, therefore, can trust he and his team will always have their best interests in mind, and be recommending only the best wealth planning solutions. A robust team with solid legal knowledge, helps XP Private customers to re-examine wealth. It helps clients to re-examine wealth and to take a closer look at it as a concept, allowing them to see how money is just a puzzle piece in the wider strategic game that ‘wealth’ involves. Thus, by encouraging them to see wealth in this way, it can cultivate healthier, more comprehensive and holistic ways of managing it, expanding beyond money to look at heritage, family, generational wealth, perpetuation, preservation, and all manner of other considerations. With issues such as planning, taxation, and asset protection in mind, it wishes to help families assemble their ‘inheritance puzzle’ in order to ensure that future generations are provided for. Nominally, its family holdings services are thus May22295 lauded as utterly exemplary, with basic, structural, and fundamental concepts of wealth planning forming the pillars upon which the rest of the department is built so that these excellent core concepts are a constant. Working in a modern, comprehensive, and diligent manner for its high-net-worth clients, its staff have all made themselves invaluable talents and power players in their own rights, launching XP Private as a company into the international spotlight to become one of the foremost wealth management services on the market. Thus, despite the challenges of the pandemic – including various new taxation challenges such as tax reform in Brazil – it has dedicated itself to ensuring the outcome for its customers is greater tax efficiency with its dedication, long-term mindset, and ability to see both bigger picture and the details. With a rising interest in offshore structures, a renewed interest in diversification, and a market focused more on savings and living abroad, it is more determined than ever to keep up with the changing demands of its clients – and it promises that it will remain staunchly by their side every step of the way. Company: XP Private Contact: Renato Folino Website: xpprivate.com
www.wealthandfinance-news.com 12 Wealth & Finance International - Q3 2022 Best SME IT Service Provider - Southern Ontario Providing IT services and solutions to the small and medium sized businesses marketplace, Maverick Gardner works in enterprise-grade solutions for such clients, taking great pride in giving them access to the same level of information technology services as the titans of industry they exist alongside. In essence, it delivers value-added solutions, becomes a true partner to its clients with its empathic and invaluable work, and follows established, reliable security standards that allow it to be as reliable as it is effective. Having found its feet in 2012 with serving smaller or more grassroots businesses with information technology security systems that put them in a better place to compete with their larger peers, Maverick Gardner has made a name for itself by being customer-led and personable. Nominally, by keeping the individual at the heart of its business, it promises to help an SMB to maintain their security, business continuity, and versatility in an ever-changing IT environment, using its own dedication to adaptability and flexibility to ensure that its clients’ systems are ready for the inclusion of the latest innovations and for any challenges the market might throw at them. Its founder and CEO, Christopher Germain, has committed himself and his business to these goals since its inception. Fundamentally, he built Maverick Gardner to close the gap before it widens even further, as he and his company are cognisant of just how fast the changes to the digital solutions market are evolving; with new and bold measures being brought out daily, Maverick Gardner has made itself an expert in keeping pace. Established, reliable, and trusted, it aligns expertise, leading and cutting-edge technology, and accountability in order to deliver an unrivalled MSP solution. Its ‘security first’ MSP approach, in essence, helps it succeed in its goal to ‘close the gap’ by being responsible and secure, with a team of highly trained and certified IT professionals behind it at every turn. These professionals have ensured that the systems and services it has built are impeccably developed and executed at every turn, each of whom have a high level of experience within a wide range of industries that allow Maverick Gardner to present a fully holistic service, emboldened by diverse knowledge. Clients, importantly, directly benefit from this. The most obvious way this is shown is in its core values, each of which clients laud as a reason for just why Maverick Gardner is such a delight to work with. May22322 Nominally, it is thoroughly accountable; Maverick Gardner believes that in order to truly put a client first, one must accept responsibility for all one’s actions and decisions, fostering accountability between itself and the client as well as within its team in order to maintain a healthy working environment for its staff. This is tempered by its optimism. Maverick Gardner firmly believes in the excellence of its staff, and is incredibly proud of the work they do, affording them all the trust and support they need to remain authentic, respectful, and loyal to the company’s vision of helping smaller companies get the leg up they need. After all, with the emerging digital paradigm firmly settling in to stay after the pandemic, more industries are online than ever before, and this presents a unique opportunity to small and medium firms. Maverick Gardner believes that now is a fantastic time to level the playing field somewhat between larger companies and the more undiscovered gems, especially as the importance of the high street has all but died out completely. Therefore, it dedicates itself to helping them take this opportunity for all it’s worth by giving them access to strong business continuity, an unshakable security posture, and immense digital preparedness, allowing them to be ready for anything that may come their way in the everchanging and dynamic new epoch. Moreover, it doesn’t believe in ‘competing’ with its peers. When it comes to cybersecurity and making sure today’s businesses are protected, it hopes to lead from the front with its attitude that the only true competition in this sector is cybercrime and the cybercriminals perpetrating it; there is no need for security firms to compete, and every need for collaboration. Indeed, with the rate the technology grows and develops, every move that the cybersecurity makes is mirrored by that of cybercrime, and so it is imperative that cybersecurity experts work together in order to share knowledge and benefit the world at large. It has used this attitude to build a strong network of peers, allies, and friends, leveraging such partnerships to engage in all manner of training programmes and knowledge sharing relationships. Additionally, it has been able to empower its own employees by giving them access to these, ensuring that as the threats to its clients evolve, so do its own services, staff, and internal culture, with its core values forming a strong foundation upon which this future can be built. It qualified its clients through a minimum-security threshold audit in order to ensure that a clientprofessional relationship would be right for the client and Maverick Gardner, and the resulting transparency that it sets up right from the beginning follows a client throughout. This honesty is a huge part of what has made it such an invaluable voice in the cybersecurity world, as it operates by opening communicative and detailed lines of discourse between itself and the client. Critically, by giving them all the relevant information on what exactly its services will offer and how it will be of use, creating a roadmap to innovation and development that considers the moves of the wider industry. Having encountered a variety of challenges throughout the pandemic that have presented it with both opportunity and sticking point alike, Maverick Gardner has truly emerged stronger than ever. As it moves forward into its third quarter of 2022, it is excited to announce that the recent growth and development it has been underdoing has allowed it to reinvest in its company in order to offer branding and operational help to its clients, aiding them through the time of tumult that has made a lasting impression on the global business world. Therefore, it will be using this achievement to go on to bigger and better things, and hopes to bring its clients, partners, and peers along with it into a bright future. Company: Maverick Gardner Contact: Christopher Germain Website: maverickgardner.com
Wealth & Finance International - Q3 2022 13
www.wealthandfinance-news.com 14 Wealth & Finance International - Q3 2022 Best Insurance Comparison & Purchasing Platform – Canada Being a full-service digital insurance brokerage, PolicyAdvisor.com promises to help its Canadian customers find the insurance coverage they need — every time, all the time. Its efforts are client-focused and exemplary, fostered by a deep sense of pride in its own work that forms a throughline in the business and inspires each of its staff to work to the best of their abilities. Offering a wide range of diverse insurance solutions for many different needs through its online marketplace, it is proud to say that it has made itself an industry stalwart over its time in operation. PolicyAdvisor.com is, thanks to its consistent excellence and hard work, Canada’s leading insurance brokerage and advisor. Offering everything from life insurance to critical illness insurance, disability insurance, mortgage protection, travel insurance, and more through its exemplary online marketplace, it has made a name for itself by being the partner and friend to clients of all ages and from all walks of life. Its dedication to getting clients the insurance they need, at the right time, of the best quality, has endeared PolicyAdvisor.com to its peers and market segment alike. Through its extensive product offerings, it grants customers the coverage they need for every stage of their life, throughout their whole life, becoming their one-stop shop to ensure that their lives, livelihoods, and possessions are protected. From new Canadians to permanent residents and citizens; from globetrotters to homebodies; from renters to homeowners, PolicyAdvisor. com provides the same level of excellence to all of its clients. Indeed, it hopes to provide impeccable service to everyone who visits its online marketplace, updating itself daily in order to ensure it is providing only the best, most diligently reviewed, and most trusted policies and promotions from Canada’s top providers. Indeed, the exemplary, user-intuitive site design is also something that is constantly improving, allowing clients to find the policy right for them amongst the more than 20,000 policy options available. Moreover, PolicyAdvisor.com has made it easy to speak to a live, licensed insurance agent through phone, email, and e-chat, providing critical support to Canadians as they make the insurance decision that is right for them. Life insurance is a big consideration to make, as are all other types of insurance, and PolicyAdvisor’s expert advisors work hard to consider all options with the client, laying out the various paths they could take and the pros and cons of each in order to demystify the process. With constant updates, developments, and upgrades in mind, PolicyAdvisor.com gives Canadians access to one of the best, most adaptable online insurance ecosystems out there. This is something it will continue to do long into the future, introducing more products for customers and further evolving its online insurance purchase procedures. Company: PolicyAdvisor Contact: Rayne Morgan Email: [email protected] Website: policyadvisor.com Jun22020
Wealth & Finance International - Q3 2022 15 Ziksu Named as a Winner in Wealth & Finance INTL’s Fintech Awards Most Innovative Contactless Payment Solution 2022 (APAC): Scan n Pay Ziksu is the first Australian fintech to be recognised as a financial institution with a QR code and true contactless mobile payment services complete with a digital transaction account, and real-time funds settlement. Incorporated in mid-2020 in Perth, Western Australia, Ziksu is the brainchild of Founder, and CTIO, Karthik Srinivasan with a vision to disrupt and respond to a changing payments landscape in Australia. Mr Srinivasan has worked for decades within the digital transformation space for some of the world’s largest banks and is passionate about providing banking equality in Australia. Ziksu will also be a genuine solution for 30 percent of the country’s population, which are currently unbanked or underbanked. The platform is the first of its kind to utilise the New Payments Platform (NPP) whose original shareholder is the Reserve Bank of Australia. Ziksu’s QR code technology enables the user to send and receive money through the app and has been developed as per the NPP QR Code Standard to support a consistent payment experience. Ziksu has developed static and dynamic QR Codes across several use cases mainly for instore and online purposes. It’s QR code technology is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and allows transactions to settle in real time across more than 100 banks, and financial institutions connected to the platform. QR codes have already become widely accepted throughout Australia due to compulsory COVID-19 contact tracing and have been popular in APAC countries for many years. Ziksu’s flagship product, ‘Scan n Pay’ is the first truly contactless payment method in Australia enabling customers to manage transactions through their mobile device, including entering an additional pin number to verify their identity. It combines transactional banking with a digital transaction account and truly contactless payments for both business and personal customers within the scope of Anti Money Laundering/Counter Terrorism Funding (AML/ CTF) regulations and compliance. The ‘Scan n Pay’ QR code platform is 100 percent mobile and user-friendly as it operates on any Android or iOS mobile device via the Ziksu app. The Ziksu platform will assist millions of small businesses struggling to stay viable through the current COVID-19 economic crisis, by reducing overheads and boosting cashflow. With Australia’s banking system remaining unchanged for more than three decades, millions of small businesses have been burdened with a range of issues. These include, ongoing terminal/hardware costs, high account keeping fees, two to three business days wait time for funds to clear, and loss of business when terminal systems fail due to natural disasters or bank system failures. Small businesses have laboured under the restrictions of a dominant dual cash or terminal payment landscape in Australia and more recently a ‘Tap n Pay’ option due to COVID-19 contactless requirements. This has led many smaller businesses having no alternative but to pass on the high service fees or implement price hikes to consumers. The heavy reliance on a payment terminal has also made it a single point of failure for any business, regardless of size, product, or service offering. As a result, many are forced to cease trading due to natural disasters, power outages or terminal/ banking disruptions. Households and individuals will also see advantages through the ‘Scan n Pay’ QR code with zero banking fees, no delays or wait times, and additional budgeting tools and instant digital transactions. Ziksu combines transactional banking (Digital Transaction Account) and payment for personal and business accounts. Accounts open in less than two minutes and five minutes respectively including Know Your Customer checks and identity verification. As with all financial institutions, Ziksu is a regulated entity and conducts in-app identity verification of individuals and businesses to safeguard the integrity of the platform. Consumers can access the product by downloading the Ziksu app and once the identity has been verified, the user is provided with a digital transaction account, which includes a BSB, account number, PayID and unique QR code. With the initial commencement of PayTo service from NPPA, Ziksu is currently developing features in its Scan n Pay product to further revolutionise account-to-account payments and aims to transform the instore payment experience for a customer. Ziksu’s application architecture and infra/compute power are API-based and directly impact its ability to innovate quickly and to process a high volume of payments in seconds. It has a global outlook and is on track to realising its strategic plan and developing a third product, which is expected to be taken to the international market in early 2023. Jun22022
www.wealthandfinance-news.com 16 Wealth & Finance International - Q3 2022 Best Woman-Owned Client Accounting & Advisory Services Practice Northeast USA Heal Accounting is a full-service CPA and CAAS (Client Accounting and Advisory Services) firm with clients spanning the United States. Founder, Jodie Heal knows first-hand the challenges business owners face because she herself is an entrepreneur who owns several businesses. We got in touch with Jodie to learn more about the firm. Heal Accounting is a team of experienced financial and tax experts providing a range of accounting and consulting services to a diverse portfolio of businesses and non-profit clients. They step in to help businesses by acting as an outsourced CFO and finance department. Whether it is cashflow management, cost reduction initiatives, real-time invoicing, value-based pricing, or tax planning, Heal Accounting makes a direct impact to the bottom line – leading to increased profitability and growth for its clients. Training and technology are what gives Heal Accounting the competitive edge. Currently they are the only CPA firm in Maine certified with an exclusive accounting partnership with cloud-based software company, Sage Intacct. Jodie explains, “This state-of-the-art ERP (enterprise resource planning) tech provides us with the necessary tools to improve day-to-day operations and facilitate growth. Think about the decisions which can be made when accurate information can be reported in real time with the click of a button. It’s truly a game changer and is so much more efficient.” Recently there has been a trend of clients approaching the firm to work on all aspects of accounting and tax planning. Heal Accounting combines personal attention and expertise to deliver so much more than just tax services. Jodie says, “Yes, we do taxes, but it is only a portion of what we do. We onboard clients with bookkeeping and general accounting services first so we can set everything in motion for a seamless annual tax filing. The 360-degree approach is what is growing the advisory portion of my business. It’s the new normal. The biggest bonus is that in the end, we save clients time and money – and they are happy.” So, what about her team? How does Heal attract top notch talent? Jodie shares, “I have a very thorough screening process which has not let me down. It includes certification training, skills assessments, personality profile, and several reference checks. We deal with sensitive and personal business intel as we work side-by-side with our clients. I need to know my people can provide solid financial guidance – but I also need them to be able to think outside of the box. I work with businesses that are growing! Increased sales, production, services, locations – you name it. Our clients are confident that we can buckle up and help them drive that growth every step of the way.” Indeed, by leveraging the team’s collective experience and background in all areas of finance, accounting, and consulting, the firm is positioned to help clients thrive so they can achieve the best work and life balance possible. Jodie guarantees that with a strong team behind her, Heal Accounting will live up to the name of Best Woman-Owned Client Accounting & Advisory Services Practice in the Northeast USA. Company: Heal Accounting Contact: Jodie Heal CEO, CPA, MAFM Email: [email protected] Website: www.healaccounting.com Jun22177
Wealth & Finance International - Q3 2022 17 Global Business Payments with a Personal Touch Connecting start-up businesses and fast growers to their market segments, 3S Money has gained accreditation as the ‘Best Online Cross-Border Banking Services and Payments Provider’ in 2022 for the United Kingdom. Helping by providing such clients with local business accounts from which they can send and receive money through all major payment rails, its digital accounts are designed to be both high-value and highly trusted, earning it the respect of its industry as a result. A provider of some of the best business accounts by which fast growing clients can send and receive money, 3S Money has made a name for itself with diligent, reliable, and impeccably managed import and export transactions. Fundamentally, such import and export monetary exchanges, dividend distributions, finance, treasury options, and more have meant for a reputation of the utmost trust for the company, with its market segment lauding it as exemplary in all its many functions. Handling cross-border payments and FX risk management well, each of its clients has been able to benefit hugely from the effort it puts into ensuring that each of them walks away satisfied. Moreover, it works hard to enhance its own due diligence with global coverage for mid-sized corporate clients, a no-chatbot guarantee giving the company a personal and personable feel as a result. Its 24/7 personal client support and representation is handled by its outstandingly well-trained and committed employees, operating in London, Dubai, Amsterdam, Luxembourg, and Riga, ensuring that no matter what, someone in its team will be up and ready to help a client with any questions, qualms, and concerns that they might have. Clients receive unparalleled levels of attention as a result, with transactions being carried out in over 40 currencies. Indeed, the levels of personal service normally involved in these processes as a result easily stand up to what is normally provided by large merchant banks to huge international players, shifting this instead to make it available to middling and growing enterprises that grant them access to a new scale of market across 190 different countries. The attitude and energy involved in the delivery of such things is upheld by everything from its sales team to its client management professionals, its compliance team, marketing experts, designers, and more. Digitally renowned, innovatively powered, and pushing through challenges from the pandemic to the challenge of keeping up with the complexities of cybersecurity, its tenacity has ensured its survival. Above all else, its response to each of these challenges has been growth, development, and betterment, taking its clients into the future one transaction at a time, and helping to grow its industry in the macro scale as a result. Increased by 170%, since summer 2022 and totalling over 100 employees globally, its headcount is ushering forward its plans for physical and virtual cards for its offerings, as well as with plans for its mobile app, celebrating its team’s own diversity, dedication, and ability to work together. Company: 3S Money Contact: Simon Concannon Email: [email protected] Website: https://3s.money/ Jun22171
www.wealthandfinance-news.com 18 Wealth & Finance International - Q3 2022 Most Dedicated Financial Solution Provider - UAE Founded under a year ago, Money Protects™ @ M A B Innovations ROFR CCO. has already accomplished a multitude of impressive goals. Designed with customer interactions in mind, the company, which is supported by industry leaders in Dubai’s financial industry. Established in 2021 by the senior ex-banker Mirza Ashraf Beg alongside investors, non-executive advisors, and senior ex-bankers, Money Protects was designed to provide technologically advanced and digitally accelerated product offerings in the areas of financial freedom and planning, debt management, and wealth management. In a short space of time, the business has become a leading financial ecosystem developer, with clients ranging from individuals to global corporations. Money Protects specialises in financial guidance, innovation, and support for debt, equity, restructuring, and more. Such ecosystems bridge the gap between sustainability and long-term confidence in financial services. They are supported by extensive research and international standards, and the flagship model’s copyright was positively approved by the European IP Depository in Berlin, Germany. The Asset-Backed Restructuring & Low-Risk Asset Building Innovation Methodology is essential for fostering long-term sustainability and evolution, developing value prepositions, and developing an ecosystem for problem solving. In addition, Money Protects is a company that is legally able to provide its professional services because it is authorised and regulated by the Dubai Economic Department and other leading regulators. As such, clients can always expect to receive an exceptional service that is wholly tailored to their unique needs. This is imperative as Money Protects’ customers come from all backgrounds – such as age, class, and region. The anticipated untapped market for the business stands at an estimated 17.45 billion AED annually, which is coupled with the estimated available market in the sector consisting of approximately 50 billion AED per annum. According to the initial draught of 2022 from JRB Chartered Accountants, Dubai, UAE, and Crowe Mak, a leading global audit, tax, and advisory firm, expected revenue will amount to 1.8bn AED in 2025, with a gross profit of 698 million AED, operating expenses of 51.4 million AED, and a net profit of 585.8 million AED after taxes. The company’s success is further evident through its recent agreement with Crowe Mak Consultants and JRB Chartered Accountants, which will enable Money Protects to acquire high-level Business Plan, Market, Financial Analysis, and Financial Projections over the next five years. Moreover, through this agreement, Money Plans will be collaborating on regulatory licensing, fund raising, and transaction services. By the end of 2022, the company plans to be fully operational across the UAE. Money Protects will also be working on several Web3 projects, and will be developing balanced, optimised, and simple Metaverse virtual services. Many of these projects will utilise blockchain technology, AI, and more. Contact: Mirza Beg Company: Money Protects™ @ M A B Innovations ROFR CCO. Web Address: https://moneyprotects.com/ Jun22748
www.wealthandfinance-news.comRkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTQxNTg3MQ==