INV Unfiltered: Is B2B2C the Future of Fintech?

It’s increasingly hard to keep track of all the new personal finance management apps out there. They face tough competition from established startups and even banks themselves.

Mark Zmarzly, founder of startup Hip Pocket, found a different solution for his newest PFM app, Hip Money. The company is tapping into the existing customer base of large corporates, removing the initial hurdles associated with customer acquisition.

“We are pursuing a B2B2C [business to business to consumer] model, where corporations pay for the app and distribute it to their employees,” Zmarzly said. “We’ve already received interest from seven organizations that average 150 employees per corporation. After meeting with us, employers can sign a contract in a day; with banks and credit unions that process could take longer than a year.”

The app will go live on March 12, according to Zmarzly.

Tune in for the second monthly episode of the INV Unfiltered podcast, where JJ Hornblass — principal of INV Fintech — hosts Zmarzly for a 20-minute conversation about Hip Money and his customer acquisition strategy. Tune in for the full episode here or go to invfintech.com/inv-unfiltered.

As always, feel free to send us your feedback and suggestions at hornblass@invglobal.co.

INV Fintech seeks startups that target any and all facets of the fintech ecosystem. The accelerator partners with technology companies, as well as banks to create the best possible startups, technologies and financial services products. Launched in 2015, INV relies on its strong global fintech network, maintaining operations in New York, Europe, Israel and Silicon Valley, and leveraging Bank Innovation’s more than 50,000 readers worldwide.