Money Buzz! Europa

Category: Technology

  • Russian TalkBank launch AI-based financial assistant Buffet

    Russian TalkBank launch AI-based financial assistant Buffet

    TalkBank’s new assistant Buffet, integrates into users’ messenger apps and aims to coach individuals to improve the handling of personal finance. 

    The robot is named after Warren Buffett, an investor, entrepreneur and business tycoon, a name associated with wealth and financial management.

    Working within the TalkBank platform, Buffet has access to client activities. It applies artificial intelligence to analyze spending patterns and recommend ways to spend smarter and save more. Users can choose to put money aside for a rainy day or specific goal. Buffet answers questions, gives recommendations and is available via five messengers: VK, Telegram, Facebook, WhatsApp and Viber. This allows users to have instant access when inquiring about personal wealth management.

    Buffet features

    • Calculate monthly income and expenses
    • Analyze personal finances
    • Help with planning a budget and setting financial goals
    • Calculate expenses at gas and service stations
    • Help get optimal travel insurance
    • Provide up-to-date information on exchange rates
    • Remind about loan payments

    As an AI software, Buffet is trainable – the more users interact with him, the more the bot learns, and the better he becomes at providing help.

    The financial advisor is available 24/7 with no days off or lunch breaks. To activate Buffet you just need to start a chat with TalkBank in one of your to-go messengers and send “Hi”.

  • UiPath announced the launch of Automation Awards 2020 competition

    UiPath announced the launch of Automation Awards 2020 competition

    UiPath announced the launch of the UiPath Automation Awards 2020 competition. Open to emerging B2B software automation start-ups and scale-ups in the CEE region and Turkey, the competition rewards the most promising players and emerging talent in the software automation space with a EUR 50,000 cash prize offered by Microsoft, as well as mentoring hours, technical and marketing support offered by UiPath experts, and access to the company’s portfolio of global clients.

    Building on last year’s successful first edition, which attracted applications from more than 16 countries, the competition aims to identify new technologies and companies in the region that can have a global impact and strengthen the larger ecosystem of automation solutions.

    Furthermore, UiPath is keen to reinforce its commitment to supporting the startup ecosystem throughout the CEE and Turkey, and foster innovation in the ever-growing automation space and particularly so at a time of crisis.

    Automation startups and early stage companies can now submit their applications in two categories:

    Start-up Automation Award 

    Open to start-ups up to and including seed-stage only, with existing teams of two or more people, which have developed a viable automation product and have obtained a total financing to date of $1 million.

    Award: Cash prize of €50,000, mentoring with UiPath experts, marketing and tech support over 12 months. The winner will also be offered the opportunity to showcase their solutions at UiPath events and on the company’s channels.

    Scale-up Automation Award 

    Open to companies that have a solid team of 4 or more people and have developed a functioning automation technology they have sold to a maximum of 3 paying customers, and have obtained to date no more than $3 million in funding.

    Award: C-level mentoring and sales support, including the opportunity to present the winning technology to global clients hand-picked by UiPath and have their automation solutions featured in the UiPath Immersion Lab, at UiPath events, and on the company’s channels.

  • Banca Transilvania will offer customers an AI assistant through WhatsApp

    Banca Transilvania will offer customers an AI assistant through WhatsApp

    Banca Transilvania has chosen Vonage to power its digital transformation of traditional banking. The first bank in Romania is leveraging the Vonage API Platform to offer customers an AI-powered virtual assistant through WhatsApp using the Vonage Messages API.

    With a fully-integrated platform and global presence, Vonage APIs offer a simple, agile way to integrate with the WhatsApp Business solution, through which Banca Transilvania’s virtual assistant will provide customers with access to critical information.

    As a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider, Vonage uses its Messages API to power the AI-driven Banca Transilvania virtual assistant, ‘Raul’, to use deep learning and natural language processing to simplify day-to-day business activities.

    Customers can use the WhatsApp chatbot for services such as balance queries, checking payment obligations for credit cards and exchange rates.

  • Top 10 of the most popular online experiences in quarantine in Italy

    Top 10 of the most popular online experiences in quarantine in Italy

    According to a Mastercard research, more than half of buyers in Italy said they made a lot of online purchases (59%) related to basic necessities (whose online purchase increases by 44%), but also to entertain themselves (36%) with virtual experiences ranging from watching movies and TV series to cooking lessons, through virtual fitness sessions. 

    The same trend is recorded throughout Europe, where the figure stands at 57%.

    Online experiences are increasingly popular among Italians (36%) and Europeans (30%), who are increasingly allocating budgets to digital entertainment. 

    Among Italians, 88% keep in touch regularly, thanks to video-call tools, with their loved ones and work colleagues (against 75% in Europe), 71% are subscribers to a streaming service online, while 1 Italian out of 2 participates in cooking lessons or reads online recipes to test their cooking skills (in line with European data, which are respectively 58% and 50%).

    42% of Italians say they do not behave differently from what would happen offline

    Overall, Mastercard’s research has revealed how Italian and European online shopping habits tend to reflect the behaviors adopted in real life. 

    In fact, 42% of Italians (against 51% of Europeans) say they do not behave differently from what would happen offline, underlining how much the price continues to be the most important discriminate when shopping (71% the Italian figure). 

    Those who are always looking for the best opportunity continue to spend as much time online comparing sites and opinions (86% in Italy against 81% in Europe), thus keeping their habits unchanged.

    Top 10 of the most popular experiences in quarantine times (Italy vs Europe)

    1. 88% regularly make video calls with family, friends and work colleagues (compared to 75% in Europe);
    2. 71% have an online subscription like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video (compared to 58% in Europe);
    3. 50% take part in cooking lessons or read recipes online (against 30% in Europe);
    4. 38% play online video games (against 31% in Europe);
    5. 34% participate in online fitness classes (against 26% in Europe);
    6. 34% watch comedies on the web (against 36% in Europe);
    7. 30% visiting museums or places of interest online (against 24% in Europe);
    8. 29% attend online music concerts (compared to 32% in Europe);
    9. 28% are learning to draw;
    10. 26% take quizzes with friends online (compared to 20% in Europe).

    The top 10 of the most popular products in quarantine times

    1. Books (42% in Italy vs 32% of the European figure);
    2. Kitchen utensils (25% in Italy vs 22% of the European figure);
    3. Board games (21% in Italy vs 18% of the European figure);
    4. Puzzle (19% in Italy vs 17% of the European figure);
    5. Hair clipper (18% in Italy vs 15% of the European figure);
    6. Hair dyes (18% in Italy vs 19% of the European figure);
    7. Fitness equipment (17% in Italy vs 13% of the European figure);
    8. Computers and accessories (15% in Italy vs 13% of the European figure);
    9. Arts and DIY (14% in Italy vs 12% of the European figure);
    10. Yoga equipment (14% in Italy vs 13% of the European figure).
  • Garanti BBVA Mobile, 61% increase of the number of transactions

    Garanti BBVA Mobile, 61% increase of the number of transactions

    Garanti BBVA recorded a 61% increase in the number of transactions performed by its retail customers during March 16 and April 16, over the same period of last year.

    For the retail customers and all digital channels, mobile and online, the number of transactions grew with over 36% and the volume of transactions increased with 25%, compared with the same period from 2019.

    During the above-mentioned interval, the retail clients of Garanti BBVA used the mobile solution specially to make payments – 62% of the total, a 5% increase compared to the same period of the last year.

    Garanti BBVA Turkey (TGB) has over 8.7 million active digital customers, while Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) reached 33.3 million digital clients.

    BBVA was recognized last year by Forrester Research as the global mobile banking leader, within the review of the mobile apps of 54 retail banks across the world.

  • 339 million payment transactions at merchants in Czechia in Q1 2020

    339 million payment transactions at merchants in Czechia in Q1 2020

    The Bank Card Association (SBK) published some statistics on cards payment for the first quarter of 2020 in Czechia.

    At a certain stage of the cessation of life in the Czech Republic, it obviously had its effects on the fluctuating purchasing dynamics in the period under review.

    “Use of cards payments in the domestic market was affected by the effects of the coronavirus in the first quarter of 2020; on the one hand, there was a decline in the number and volume of transactions in brick-and-mortar stores, especially in March 2020, on the other hand, the number and volume of transactions in e-commerce grew,” says Roman Kotlán, Executive Director of the Bank Card Association.

    Main data compared with Q1 2019

    Number of payment terminals 232,541 (194,012 in 1.q 2019);

    Number of payment terminals for contactless payments 216,364 (189,946 in 1.q 2019);

    Number of e-shops accepting payment cards 12,359 (10,028 in 1.q 2019);

    Number of ATMs 5.669 (5.502 in 1.q 2019);

    Number of issued payment cards 12.8 mil (12.2 mil in 1.q 2019);

    Number of contactless payment cards issued 12.3 mil (11.5 mil in 1.q 2019).

    Cashless payments at merchants for the 1st quarter of 2020

    Number of payment transactions at merchants 339 mil (274 mil in 1.q 2019);

    Volume of payment transactions at merchants CZK 211.5 billion (CZK 172 billion in Q1 2019).

    Cash withdrawals from ATMs in the 1st quarter of 2020

    Number of cash withdrawals from ATMs 36.7 mil (39.7 mil in 1.q 2019);

    Volume of cash withdrawals from ATMs CZK 179.5 billion (CZK 173.1 billion in Q1 2019).

  • Skillmill, a platform for the creative industry, connects talent with opportunity

    Skillmill, a platform for the creative industry, connects talent with opportunity

    Skillmill acts a melting pot for creative professionals with all sorts of specialties and backgrounds, causing projects to germinate and innovation to flourish.

    This provides rich ground for creatives not only to find new jobs, but to discover, connect, and smoothly collaborate with one another as well.

    Skillmill offers the creative community the space and infrastructure it needs to work together and co-create, making it possible to start a profile for free, upload a portfolio, and connect with others.

    Skillmill’s Messenger function is a way to contact businesses and creatives without even being connected members.

    The Skillmill network focuses on the creative market

    This ranges from advertising and graphic design to architecture, web development, and much more. Thousands of creatives are already members.

    Skillmill encourages creatives to support and guide one another.

    “Collaborating across the borders of a branch fosters innovation and is a crucial aspect of the development of the creative economy as a whole. That’s why we are pleased to help creatives work together,” says Max Hareiter, Skillmill co-founder and CEO.

  • #FakeHunter Software is ready for sharing under open license

    #FakeHunter Software is ready for sharing under open license

    Polish Press Agency and GovTech Polska have shared an open source code of the #FakeHunter software to fight the disinformation.

    #FakeHunter project, PAP and GovTech, have decided to share the source code with other entities online in order to fight against disinformation. The software will be provided under open license enabling further distribution as well as copying and development.

    The aim of both institutions is to minimize the effects of fake news in circulation through verifying and public contradicting.

    The #FakeHunter platform has been launched on April the 8th in response to a deluge of false information concerning the Covid-19 pandemic which at that time were posing a risk to human health and security. The example of such a fake news can be made with all the offers of false treatments or even news denying the existence of the same virus, both posing the people to risk of infection enormously. 

    #FakeHunter is fighting the disinformation by engaging the Internet community. Users have the possibility to report via/through the application a questionable content and after having been verified by public verifiers and PAP experts they receive a reliable answer. All verdicts are made public on fakehunter.pap.pl 

    After a month since the application has been launched out of all reported contents for checking we disclosed 75 false information on the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • 64% of EU citizens living with children had basic digital skills

    64% of EU citizens living with children had basic digital skills

    In the European Union (EU) in 2019, almost two-thirds of individuals (64%) aged 16 to 74 living in a household with children under 16 years old had basic or above basic digital skills, show Eurostat.

    This was one percentage point (pp) higher than 2017 (63%) and up by 3 pp from 2015 (61%). In contrast, 28% of individuals living in a household with children aged 0-16, reported that they had low overall digital skills.

    The share of individuals living in a household without children with basic or above basic digital skills was by 11 pp lower (53%) compared to those living with children (64%).

    Among EU Member States, Finland had the highest share of individuals aged 16 to 74 living in a household with children under 16 years’ old who reported that they had basic or above basic overall digital skills (88%), followed by the Netherlands (83%), Sweden (81%), Germany and Estonia (both 80%).

    By contrast, the lowest shares were observed in Bulgaria (32%), Romania (34%), Italy (45%), Cyprus (54%) and Poland (55%).

  • Dedagroup Stealth acquires Zedonk

    Dedagroup Stealth acquires Zedonk

    Dedagroup Stealth, the tech company behind more than 60% of Italy’s best-known global fashion brands, has acquired Zedonk, a company relied on by more than 650 small fashion businesses.

    Dedagroup Stealth ioffers a wide range of software solutions for the efficient and flexible management of all the production and distribution processes for fashion products across multiple channels.

    Now, with Zedonk, the group will be a partner for smaller fashion companies, from the very beginning of their growth trajectory right through to international expansion.

    Zedonk enables brands in their emerging phase as well as those who are established, but want to accelerate their digital transformation journeys. Its solutions include design and production management, stock inventory, purchase orders, style management as well as customer and supplier relations, with all data managed and protected in the Cloud.

    The two companies now have a significant footprint in the UK through new headquarters in London where Dedagroup Stealth consultants already on the ground will join the Zedonk team.

  • Greek e-commerce saw an increase of up to 171% per week

    Greek e-commerce saw an increase of up to 171% per week

    An increase of up to 171% per week, compared to the same week of 2019, was observed in the consumer spending in online stores in April, setting a new record after March when the quarantine period began. 

    Evaluating the change in online spending from the first 9 weeks of the year (before COVID-19), it appears that e-commerce in Greece has now increased sixfold in the weeks 10 to 18.

    The assessment of May is expected with great interest because the physical network of stores will now be active. 

    This research is carried out monthly by GR.EC.A, the Hellenic Electronic Commerce Association in collaboration with the BestPrice & Skroutz, Greek price comparison machines. 

    The data was drawn from 4.451 eshops listed by Skroutz  and  2.116 eshops listed by BestPrice.

  • Entirely online processes available in 48.3% of Italian Municipalities

    Entirely online processes available in 48.3% of Italian Municipalities

    Entirely online processes, in 2018, at least for one service out of the 24 observed, was available in 54.6% of the Italian Regions and 48.3% of the Italian Municipalities, latest Istituto Nazionale di Statistica data show.

    Despite the growth of computerization of internal activities, 87.8% of the local PAs still used analogue tools (stamps, signatures, abbreviations) in the protocol and among them 45% used these tools for more than half of the documentation.

    Internet access with fast connections (at least 30 Mbps) is avaible for 41% of the local PAs, ultrafast (at least 100 Mbps) for 17.4%.

    More advanced technologies in larger municipalities

    In 2018, almost all the Public Administrations (99.6%) used desktop PCs (39.2% with an average life longer than 5 years) and 62.4% laptops.

    The presence of desktop personal computers was widespread (94.5 out of 100 employees; laptops available for 8.3 out of 100 employees).

    Regions and Autonomous Provinces also used other mobile devices, GIS and CAD instruments, video conferencing tools, with percentages between 90% and 100%.

    In comparison with 2015, among technologies aimed by Pas to reduce costs, open source software decreased from 54.1% to 50.9% in 2018, whereas cloud computing increased from 25.7% to 34.3% (10.5% in 2012).

    The share of entities relying on e-procurement purchases remained stable (from 79.5% to 80.9%).

    Availability of online services offered by local administrations continued to improve: almost half of them offered the possibility to start and conclude online the entire process of the requested service (47.8%; 33.8% in 2015) and the possibility to upload online documents relating to the requested
    services (68.3%; 58,3% in 2015).