We all use financial technology apps.

Financial apps, on the other hand, work either with your fingerprint or face ID, making it harder for someone who isn’t you to spend your money.

There are many fintech apps to look at in awe, but we’ve compiled a list of the ones that grew fastest this year.

BrainTree had a head start on a lot of other apps because it’s under the PayPal umbrella, so they have experience when it comes to financial technology.

Lending online has been heavily debated by Forbes Magazine but has proven to grow fast and steady as fintech apps gain credibility. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1576679406.5660937/The-Startup-Magazine-The-Fastest-Growing-FinTech-Apps-in-2019?ref=audio_experience

Hourly, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based platform to manage workers’ comp insurance, payroll and time tracking for small business owners, raised $7.15m in seed funding.

The raised capital will be used to expand rapidly into new markets.

Led by co-founder and CEO Tom Sagi, Hourly has created a mobile-first technology platform for small businesses to manage, pay and insure their workforce.

It can help employers save money on workers’ comp insurance by partnering with insurance providers and leveraging real-time payroll data.

The system also ensures accurate reporting down to the penny and helps avoid over- or underpayment of workers’ comp insurance premiums. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1576677607.3706813/Hourly-Raises-$7.15M-in-Seed-Funding?ref=audio_experience

But there’s an internet startup out there that’s bucking the trend.

Byju’s has quietly posted a net income of Rs.

With this milestone, Byju’s has become the only profitable consumer startup unicorn in the country.

Byju’s now has 4 crore registered users on its platform, of which 28 lakh are paying users.

And that’s saying quite a lot for the Indian startup ecosystem that’s littered with companies that have sky-high valuations, but yet don’t make any money. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1576675814.6924558/Byju’s-Reports-Net-Income-Of-Rs.-20.16-Crore,-Becomes-Only-Profitable-Consumer-Unicorn-Startup-In-India?ref=audio_experience

The objective of this fund of funds is to satisfy the need for startup financing in the country.

Delays, imprecisions, and intentionsThe Cofide had previously stated that this fund of funds would be ready before 2019 was over.

But more specifically, through this fund of funds, authorities want to scale startups that are in the “going to market” phase.

In Colombia, President Iván Duque announced the release of a similar fund of funds for US$38 million last November.

Related article: Colombian president reveals US$38 million Fund of Funds for Orange Economy startup developmentThese fund of funds scramblings show the need for more VCs in their respective countries. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1576674008.792277/Peru-preps-fund-of-funds-for-startups-to-be-launched-in-2020?ref=audio_experience

A labour market that reached historic levels of tightness in 2018 and 2019, per Bureau of Labor Statistics figures, shows no signs of abating as a new decade approaches.

No employer is immune from the combined gravitational pull of a tight labour market and persistent training deficiencies.

They’re making impressive strides to attract and retain highly qualified, motivated workers who add value to their organizations.

In a tight labour market, you don’t have the luxury of hiring your ideal employee for every available role because there aren’t enough ideal employees out there.

If you’re able to incorporate these four successful strategies into your human resources processes, you’ll have an easier time of attracting and retaining the workers you’ll need to maintain (or regain) your organization’s competitive edge. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1576672215.5230803/Attract-Talent-in-a-Tight-Labor-Market:-4-Strategies-From-Successful-Leaders?ref=audio_experience

Recently, delivery partners in Hyderabad accused the company of eating into their share of income by rigging the payment and incentive system.

But with the new incentive model in place, the delivery partners face the same issue.

In addition to this, the delivery partners also highlighted that Swiggy levies late-night charges to the customers on orders placed after 10:30 PM, but the delivery partners are only paid extra for deliveries between 1 AM to 5 AM.

Swiggy delivery partners have reportedly been fired previously, which has triggered protests against the company.

Moreover, the spokesperson also clarified that the delivery partners are “aptly” compensated, if they are working during bad weather conditions, festivals or late at night. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1576668609.6811464/Delivery-Executives-Accuse-Swiggy-Of-Rigging-The-System?ref=audio_experience

Sigstr CEO Bryan Wade and Terminus CEO Tim Kopp (Photo: Business Wire)Terminus, an Atlanta-based provider of an account-based marketing platform, acquired Sigstr, an Indianapolis-based provider of an email signature marketing platform that turns employee emails into brand engagements.

The addition of Sigstr aims to create a end-to-end account-centric marketing platform with a complete account intelligence (based on intent, engagement, and relationship data).

All Sigstr employees will immediately become employees of the acquiring company and Bryan Wade, CEO of Sigstr, will join the executive team at Terminus.

Sigstr is a relationship marketing platform that turns 1:1 emails into brand engagements and practical relationship intelligence.

Led by Tim Kopp, CEO, Terminus provides a solution that gives marketing teams an account-centric platform that delivers intelligence and automation. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1576666808.8613274/Terminus-Buys-Sigstr?ref=audio_experience

Amber Atherton is the founder and CEO of Zyper (YC W18).

Iba Masood is the cofounder and CEO of TARA (YC W15).

Topics00:15 – Intros1:00 – Seed fundraising for Zyper and Tara3:10 – Tara’s pivot4:15 – Series A fundraising for Zyper and Tara17:55 – Evaluating investors23:30 – Meeting with associates and partners30:20 – Raising a Series A as a female founder39:15 – Fundraising psychology41:30 – What not to do when fundraising44:45 – Talking to portfolio companies about investors46:05 – What it’s like to run a Series A stage company1:00:25 – The most important piece of advice for fundraisingSubscribeiTunesBreakerGoogle PlaySpotifyStitcherSoundCloudRSSTranscriptA transcript is on the way. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1576665005.6777377/Amber-Atherton-of-Zyper-and-Iba-Masood-of-TARA-on-Raising-a-Series-A-as-a-Female-Founder?ref=audio_experience

To further push this digital growth in India, the government, on Tuesday (December 17, 2019), launched a national broadband mission.

According to ET, the national broadband mission aims to connect 600K villages across India at an estimated outlay of INR 7 Lakh Cr.

“Deploying of 10 Lakh mobile towers from the present 5.65 Lakh sites in next three to four years is also a part of this mission,” Prasad added.

Notably, the national broadband mission is a part of the government’s ongoing BharatNet initiative, which aims to connect 250K gram panchayats or village blocks with an optic fibre network in the country.

Dhotre added that through BharatNet, broadband services have reached in as many as 142K village blocks, and the national broadband mission aims to offer broadband for all by 2022 including remotely-located hospitals, schools and post offices. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1576663205.4660068/Govt-To-Connect-India-Digitally-With-National-Broadband-Mission?ref=audio_experience

Gurugram-based healthcare platform Pristyn Care has raised $12 Mn in Series B from Sequoia Capital India, Hummingbird Ventures, Greenoaks Capital and AngelList to expand its healthcare operations and technology.

Earlier in June this year, Pristyn Care raised $4 Mn in Series A round from Sequoia Capital India.

The company has expanded its offerings both geographically and across specializations,” said Sequoia Capital India’s principal, Ashish Agrawal.

Besides Pristyn Care, other names in this domain include Zoctr, Portea Medical and Care24 among others.

Last year, Portea Medical raised $3.6 Mn from Alteria Capital, and Zoctr raised funding from NB Ventures and investors from Udaipur Angel Network. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1576661410.886974/Pristyn-Care-Bags-$12-Mn-From-Sequoia,-Others-To-Expand-Operations?ref=audio_experience