CODE_n CONTEST 2016: Kantox is winner of GFT’s Applied FinTech Cluster
385 applicants from all around the globe, 52 thrilled finalists, 5 main winners: the CODE_n CONTEST 2016 was a complete success with GFT and its Applied FinTech cluster right in the middle of it all. During showdown of the new.New Festival on Wednesday night (21 September), the winner of GFT’s cluster was announced: Kantox from England.
We had already introduced the young FinTech company in our interview with CEO and Co-Founder Philippe Gelis and anyone who searched on the left-hand side of the Applied FinTech stage at the new.New Festival in Karlsruhe last week was able to form their own opinion: The mulitnational startup Kantox was showcasing their FX management solutions at their booth and explained to visitors how customers can manage their currency exposure, build hedging strategies, automate FX transactions and process international payments in a smart way.
This particular offering also convinced the CODE_n jury, including new.New Festival initiator and GFT CEO Ulrich Dietz: On Wednesday afternoon, after the Top 10 pitches, the main winner Xarion and each of the cluster winners were selected. The price for GFT’s FinTech cluster – a trip to GFT’s Digital Innovation Lab in Barcelona, including a workshop with the Applied Technologies Team – was handed over by GFT COO Marika Lulay during the Award Show on Wednesday night. An obviously cheerful and excited audience, including GFT employees from multiple locations, first welcomed Misses Lulay and then Michael Schimmel, who as CCO, accepted the price for Kantox on behalf of his whole team.
The company dominated over the overall twelve remaining competitiors in the Applied FinTech Cluster. “Kantox offers FX management solutions which allow customers to manage their currency exposure, automate transaction and pricess international payments in a smart way”, says Jürgen Görner, Global Head of Marketing at GFT. “The key to working with currencies lies in understanding how the FX market works as well as in managing currency transactions, as simple, convenient and effective as possible. The platform (of Kantox) is simple and straightforward to use – it’s a benefit for all parties.”
This way, with their solution Kantox was not only innovative, but also showed a disruptive approach – matching the motto of this year’s CODE_n CONTEST – without losing any credibility. That’s because according to CEO Philippe Gelis, Kantox believes that “transparency is central to disruption” and “the financial industry, long known for its opacity and lack of innovation, was overdue for a radical change.” At least in the FX Management department. Congratulations to Kantox!
