Finalists Selected for the 2020 TAG FinTech South Innovation Challenge

Companies Selected for Education and Mentoring Program, Concluding with FinTech South Pitch Off for $50,000 Prize

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FinTech South, the Southeast’s largest event dedicated to financial innovation, announces 10 startups selected for the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) FinTech South Innovation Challenge’s 2020 class. The companies will participate in a four-week Education and Mentoring program, which aims to accelerate early stage fintech companies in the region through instruction and mentoring. At the conclusion of the program, three startups will be selected to present on FinTech South’s main stage on April 21 for a chance to win the nation’s largest fintech prize package of $50,000.

In its sixth year, the TAG FinTech South Innovation Challenge’s Education and Mentoring program brings startups and industry veterans together to bolster Georgia’s fintech ecosystem and showcase them at FinTech South. During the final week, the companies will present to a panel of expert judges, competing for one of three spots to present at the region’s premier fintech event. Conference attendees will vote for the most impressive startup through the FinTech South mobile app.

Applications were submitted by companies across the region. The 10 finalists include:

• Artis Technologies, LLC– powers an embedded financing platform to provide seamless digital lending and payment services at the point of need
• EnrichHER– helps women-led businesses grow through business financing and a highly engaged network platform
• Ethiopay– centralized global payout platform that currently enables users a simple and convenient way to transfer and/or purchase cross border bill pay, money transfer, mobile data, and mobile minutes between the United States and Ethiopia
• Finosec– information security platform that automates the complex and labor-intensive information security and cybersecurity activities that are required for financial institutions and their fintech partners
• Griffin Technologies – a real-time location data platform that connects financial institutions to their customers in the moments that matter
• Immediate– offers a financial wellness and on-demand pay employee benefit, ImmediatePay, that helps reduce dependence on predatory lending services
• InvestGuard– an online funding platform for entrepreneurs who buy companies rather than start them from scratch
• Lendsmart– an AI-driven digital lending platform coupled with a home-buying marketplace, streamlining and optimizing the loan application and home buying journey via a centralized ecosystem
• Ryze– builds automated investing products for Bitcoin, simplifying Bitcoin investing for consumers
• VIVA Finance Inc. – expanding access to affordable credit by offering personal loans that are underwritten based on employment data—instead of credit score

“FinTech South’s Innovation Challenge never fails to bring an exceptional group of companies together, and this year is no different,” says Lucas Timberlake, co-chair of the FinTech South Innovation Challenge. “The 10 selected participants are a testament to the incredible talent and innovation in the space and we look forward to working with them throughout the four-week program,” adds Chris Stanley, co-chair of the FinTech South Innovation Challenge.

FinTech South, hosted by the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), is taking place April 20 – 21, 2020 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. The two-day conference will join the industry in an exchange of insights, innovations and trends fueling tomorrow's financial tech industry. The Innovation Award Challenge is held annually in part of the Conference, and is open to early stage companies based in Georgia. The finalists will participate in educational sessions including, Pitch Deck Do’s and Don’ts, Raising Capital and Legal and Compliance.

For more information on FinTech South, visit www.fintechsouth.com.

About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)

TAG is the leading technology industry association in the state, serving more than 35,000 members through regional chapters in Metro Atlanta, Athens, Augusta, Columbus, Macon/Middle Georgia, and Savannah. TAG's mission is to educate, promote, influence and unite Georgia's technology community to foster an innovative and connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy.

Additionally, the TAG Education Collaborative (TAG's charitable arm) focuses on helping science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education initiatives thrive.

For more information visit the TAG website at www.tagonline.org or TAG's community website at http://www.hubga.com. To learn about the TAG-Ed Collaborative visit http://www.tagedonline.org.