Posts from the "Media" category
SmartHippo Named One of the Top Web 2.0 Companies by KPMG and Backbone Magazine
SmartHippo was named one of the top 20 Web 2.0 Companies in Canada in the current issue of Backbone Magazine. The Web 2.0 Awards were an initiative of KPMG and Backbone Magazine.
Here’s what the judges had to say about SmartHippo:
This is a community-created site that compares rates on U.S. mortgages and other financial services.
Forde and others pointed out that “this is a Canadian company that doesn’t offer a service Canadians can use” but the judges still found the basic idea to be solid. O’Connor Clarke pointed out that, in helping others save money, the founders might make some for themselves: “I think they’ll have a really nice exit, getting bought by someone smart and deep-pocketed.”
You can find out more by reading the press release or the full article in Backbone Magazine.
Thank you to all the members of the SmartHippo community without whom winning this award would not have been possible. We’ve been continually making improvements over the past several months, so if you haven’t stopped by in a while, try our compare mortgage rates engine and let us know what you think.
The Early Reviews Are In: What People Are Saying About SmartHippo
SmartHippo’s beta is off to a great start, with an early community of active consumers, banks and brokers who are redefining the way a mortgage is done. But don’t just take our word for it; here’s what others are saying about SmartHippo:
What a huge step for consumers to be able to see the feedback on these companies, or just to have any information on these companies that are calling them.
- Michael Ferree, editor of Leadcritic, a well-respected industry blog about mortgage lead generation
Listen to a Leadcritic podcast interview with SmartHippo founder George Favvas
There’s a strong imbalance in the information that each side has, and my friends at SmartHippo have just launched a site to help correct that imbalance. If you’re getting a mortgage, or just want to compare, check these folks out. I really like what they’re doing and where they’re going.
- Adam Shostack, founder of the Emergent Chaos blog
I believe SmartHippo has a promising future, mainly because there is a lot of business to be made in mortgages. Choosing “the power of the herd” is a smart way to reach this market and make the voice of the final consumer to be heard, finally. If they manage to be a reference in mortgages, then mortgage companies will have no option than partnering with SmartHippo. And this has already started, as they already have 2 banks in their partnership programs.
- Heri Rakotamalala, editor of Montreal Tech Watch
I know the banks could use a good kick in the pants (I use a local credit union, myself) and maybe an angry herd of consumer hippos could be just the ticket.
- Tris Hussey, Blognation Canada
