Finance
PRnewswire | July 28, 2023
Cowbell, a leading provider of cyber insurance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), today announced that it has joined the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cyber Insurance Partner Initiative.
Participation in this initiative demonstrates that Cowbell has deep expertise in serving SME customers with cyber insurance coverage tailored to their unique needs. As an AWS Cyber Insurance Partner, Cowbell's solution has been vetted by AWS for its ability to streamline the quoting process using thorough cyber risk assessments that leverage risk signals from AWS Security Hub. Policyholders will immediately benefit from the wealth of risk management resources bundled with every Cowbell-issued policy.
"We are excited to be joining the AWS Cyber Insurance Initiative as a trusted provider of cyber insurance solutions for SME customers," said Jack Kudale, founder and CEO of Cowbell. "This achievement further validates our expertise in helping businesses effectively manage cyber risks and close the insurability gap. We are committed to serving AWS customers by offering tailored cyber insurance coverage and a wealth of risk management resources to protect their businesses."
Despite cyber insurance being the fastest growing line of business in recent history, four out of five SMEs are still uninsured or underinsured for cyber. By working with AWS, Cowbell is extending its reach into cloud-first businesses, working with its appointed broker partners to close the insurability gap and deliver cyber risk transfer tailored to the needs of AWS customers in the SME market.
AWS enables scalable, flexible, and cost-effective solutions from startups to global enterprises. To support the seamless adoption of cyber insurance coverage, AWS established the AWS Cyber Insurance Partner Initiative to help customers identify AWS Partners with deep industry experience and expertise.
About Cowbell
Cowbell is a pioneer of Adaptive Cyber Insurance, a leader in providing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) coverage adaptable to today's and tomorrow's threats and the advanced warning of cyber risk exposures. In its unique AI-based approach to risk selection and pricing, Cowbell's continuous underwriting platform, powered by Cowbell Factors, compresses the insurance process from submission to issue in less than 5 minutes. Cowbell is backed by 20 prominent leading global (re)insurance partners and serves SMEs in 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Founded in 2019, Cowbell is based in the San Francisco Bay Area with employees across the U.S., Canada, India, and the U.K.
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Finance
Fintech Futures | August 01, 2023
Bluevine, the leading provider of small business banking solutions, today announced the launch of its new accounts payable (AP) offering to help business owners and their teams simplify business payments management from within their Bluevine Business Checking accounts. With accounts payable through Bluevine, business owners can now easily automate each step of their AP process, including bill capture and storage, approval workflows, payment scheduling, automatic accounting reconciliation, and user provisioning and management. As SMBs grow, keeping up with bill payment and management is as much a source of pain as it is essential for optimizing cash flow.
With few alternatives available to businesses of this size, the seamless addition of a robust AP feature set and easy-to-use dashboard to Bluevine’s all-in-one digital banking platform reinforces the company’s commitment to helping SMB owners save time and money by applying innovative solutions to everyday problems.
For nearly 10 years, Bluevine has been dedicated to building all of its banking and financial service products with small businesses in mind, tailoring the capabilities and user experience to their specific needs.The company’s focus on business payments is not new. In 2022, Bluevine introduced its initial bill pay offering, providing free ACH and low-cost wires along with the convenience of a payments dashboard to send, track, and manage payments. Earlier this year, Bluevine announced the launch of international payments, enabling SMB owners to send payments globally at competitive rates. With the launch of its accounts payable solution, Bluevine further empowers customers with new bill management and payment features, such as:
Unpaid Bills Dashboard, Your New Digital Filing Cabinet: One place to upload, view, and store all of your bills and invoices. Quickly add bills to your dashboard by taking a photo or uploading a file, then Bluevine captures the data from your bills through optical character recognition (OCR) and presents them to you for one-click confirmation.
Secure, Delegated Access for Team Members: Add anyone in the company who needs to be involved in your accounts payable process, and set their permissions to reflect exactly what you need them to do.
Route Bills and Payments for Review and Approval: Digitally submit bills and payments for review and approval to one or multiple team members, including setting the logic for the sequence of approvals to optimize how you run your ideal accounts payable process.
Easily Send Payments. Schedule payments from your dashboard with options that meet your preference, whether ACH, Check, Wire, Credit Card, or International Payments – and take advantage of Bluevine’s low-fee payment options. Also, easily track payments to verify when your vendor has received what you owed.
Automatic Reconciliation with QuickBooks Online: Minimize manual data entry, reduce the risk of fraudulent and duplicate payments, set up recurring payments, and streamline approvals with workflow automation designed to cut down back and forth.
“As small businesses scale, often they face more complexity in managing their operations. Our accounts payable solution is purpose-built to strike a balance between providing a robust set of AP automation tools, with the ease-of-use that our customers have come to expect from Bluevine,” said Charles Amadon, SVP, GM of Banking at Bluevine. “Every decision we make has the SMB at the heart of it, starting with the essential question – will this help them grow and run their business easier? Based on customer feedback we knew AP automation was something they wanted and needed. Putting all that power right into their checking account dashboard is an exciting step forward, and further differentiates Bluevine Business Checking with even more added value.”
Small business owners normally face high transaction fees from traditional banks when paying bills, especially via wire, ACH, or international payments. With Bluevine’s transparent fee structure, free ACH, and low-cost wires, customers enjoy simple, upfront pricing. Additionally, Bluevine Business Checking offers unlimited transactions, live support, and no monthly fees while giving customers the opportunity to earn 2.0% interest on balances up to and including $250,000.
“As my company has grown bigger, I certainly encountered the need for more advanced bill payment and management features to handle the complexities that come up as you scale,” said Cayden Young, founder of Tech Leaf, a Utah-based renewed electronics provider that helped flagship the eBay Refurbished Program and has experienced upwards of 120% growth in annual revenue over the past three years, requiring the company to triple its warehouse space over the same period. “With Bluevine, I get accounts payable features that are fully integrated right into my checking account. The smooth user experience allows me to save the equivalent of a full 8-hour work day per month because of how easy it is to add vendors, upload bills, access payment histories, and sync with my Quickbooks Online Advanced account—in addition to paying and tracking both domestic and international payments.”
About Bluevine
Bluevine provides small businesses with streamlined banking solutions built for them. Since launching in 2013, Bluevine’s innovative and intuitive products, including business checking, bill pay, and line of credit, have helped over 500,000 entrepreneurs save time and money so they can focus on what matters most: growing their business. Bluevine is backed by leading private and institutional investors, including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Menlo Ventures, 83North, Citi Ventures, ION Crossover Partners, SVB Capital, Nationwide Insurance, and M12 (Microsoft’s Venture Arm). Lines of credit are issued by Celtic Bank, a Utah-chartered Industrial Bank, Member of FDIC. Banking Services provided by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC.
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TECHNOLOGY
AT&T | September 22, 2023
AT&T's new fixed wireless home internet service for small businesses promises quick setup and reliable connectivity.
AT&T is expanding Internet Air to various locations, including Los Angeles, Cincinnati, and Philadelphia.
The service offers $55/month pricing with no extra fees, includes security features, and is eligible for financial assistance.
AT&T's latest breakthrough, AT&T Internet Air, aims to address the pressing need for consistent and dependable internet connectivity among small business owners. In an era marked by rapid technological advancement, the demand for a seamless online presence has never been greater. Yet, achieving strong connectivity remains an enduring challenge for those residing in regions with limited broadband options.
This innovation, introduced by AT&T, goes beyond the conventional realm of home Wi-Fi; it is a fixed wireless home internet service. In simpler terms, it delivers home Wi-Fi through AT&T's robust wireless network. Its remarkably swift setup process is what truly sets it apart, especially for small business operators running their businesses from home. In an environment where time equates to money, AT&T guarantees its customers a fully operational Wi-Fi connection in under 15 minutes. Once configured, users can count on a continuous, optimized, and secure internet connection.
Traditional internet options have long been a source of frustration for many, particularly in less densely populated areas. Erin Scarborough, President of Broadband and Connectivity Initiatives at AT&T, has emphasized that their team has made it a priority to identify and address these pain points experienced by customers—their solution: AT&T Internet Air. By harnessing the available network capacity in less congested areas, they have established a connection that is both dependable and robust.
AT&T has already rolled out this service to its existing copper-based clients, receiving positive feedback. The company's vision is crystal clear: to ensure that the selected locations have the requisite wireless coverage and capacity. This not only guarantees an exceptional in-home experience but also sustains the quality of wireless service for their mobile users.
User-friendliness is paramount for small business owners who often handle multiple responsibilities. Upon receiving the AT&T Internet Air package, customers can scan a QR code to access a comprehensive, step-by-step setup guide. Furthermore, the AT&T Smart Home Manager app streamlines the process and even offers a feature to help identify the optimal location for the home's connection. For larger spaces, AT&T provides add-on Wi-Fi extenders to ensure coverage in every corner.
Moreover, AT&T recognizes the aesthetic preferences of its users. The device itself features a sleek, modern design that complements any workspace.
AT&T Internet Air is steadily expanding its coverage, complementing its top-notch AT&T Fiber offering. New locations now include areas in Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, and many others, with recent additions in Cleveland-Akron, Orlando/Gainesville, Denver, and Providence-New Bedford.
For small business proprietors, budget considerations are of significant importance. AT&T Internet Air employs a transparent pricing strategy that is $55 per month (plus taxes), with no additional charges for overages, equipment, or annual contracts. Additionally, AT&T includes ActiveArmorSM internet security for added online transaction security. The service is also eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program, which offers financial assistance to qualifying households.
In today's digital age, where an online presence is critical for businesses, AT&T Internet Air presents a promising solution, particularly for small business owners. Its straightforward setup, transparent pricing, and robust connection represent a significant step toward ensuring universally accessible and reliable internet access.
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