Commonwealth Bank has announced a collaboration with AgTech integrator Pairtree Intelligence and launched Smart Real Estate Payments for tenants and real estate managers.

Commonwealth Bank’s Group Executive of Business Banking, Mike Vacy-Lyle, said the new solutions extended upon the dedicated support CBA had built for business customers in other industry verticals.

“Our market-leading transaction banking franchise provides us with data and insights that help us build differentiated products and services for customers in key industry verticals,” Mr Vacy-Lyle said.  

“Just as we have done for our customers in healthcare, hospitality and trades, we are building tailored payments and business management solutions for our customers in the agricultural and real estate sectors.” 

Pairtree collaboration supports deeper customer relationships

Pairtree Intelligence reduces complexity for farmers by providing seamless integrations with 100+ leading AgTech companies. It combines data from previously incompatible digital sources to provide reporting and insights to agribusinesses, government and researchers.

“AgTech adoption and development of platforms are critical to Australia's agricultural sustainability, profitability and resilience,” Mr Vacy-Lyle said.  

“Our collaboration with Pairtree will help us reimagine the products and services we provide to the sector by utilising farm data to better understand agribusinesses,” Mr Vacy-Lyle said.

“The collaboration will support deeper customer relationships and inform our investments in better customer experiences,” he said.

“This includes improved lending processes and risk decisioning and greater support in transitioning to a net-zero future,” he said.

Mr Vacy-Lyle also announced Pairtree as the winner of the 2023 Xccelerate startup program – run through CommBank’s venture-scaling arm, x15ventures. Now in its fourth year, Xccelerate is a structured pathway for early-stage founders to explore partnerships with CommBank, providing investment, mentorship and resources. Pairtree receives a $250,000 investment as this year’s winner, themed around ‘startups helping advance Australia’s transition to net zero.’ 

Pairtree founder and fifth generation farmer Hamish Munro said the company’s aim was to empower farmers to better utilise AgTech and be more confident in adopting new solutions and technologies.

“At a time when sustainability projects are more critical and in-demand than ever, winning Xccelerate and the investment and collaboration with CommBank will help us further refine and scale the services we deliver to Australian agriculture,” Mr Munro said.

Real estate payments solution makes rental payments simple, easy and safe

CommBank also announced plans to deliver Smart Real Estate Payments, a market-leading payments solution for tenants and real estate managers.

Currently in pilot, Smart Real Estate Payments will scale in early 2024 and will reduce administrative burdens and improve the customer experience when making, collecting and reconciling rental payments.

“Nearly 1 in 3 Aussies rent their home and we want to make the processes around making rental payments simple and easy for both renters and their agents by automating and digitising payments,” Mr Vacy-Lyle said.

“Our solution will accept all payment types and reduce the cost of taking payments while employing our leading security features and privacy protection for both renters and agents,” he said.

“Today’s announcements build on the existing investments we have made in delivering better experiences through tailored industry propositions and we look forward to bringing new solutions to our business customers,” he said.

About Pairtree

Pairtree collaborates with 100+ leading AgTech companies to give farmers and the agricultural industry the ability to integrate farm data from previously incompatible sources, improving data-backed decision making, streamlined reporting, safe data sharing and the development of new services for agricultural businesses. For more information visit: pairtree.co

About Xccelerate 2023

Now in its fourth year, Xccelerate is a structured pathway for early-stage founders to explore partnerships with CommBank. This year’s program focused on startups helping advance Australia’s transition to net zero, and attracted applications from more than 70 teams keen to explore what joining the bank on that journey could look like – a 40 percent increase on last year. The winner of Xccelerate receives investment from x15, plus mentorship and resources to help guide it to a partnership agreement with CommBank.

About x15ventures

x15 is a venture scaler powered by CommBank. Founded in 2020, it builds, buys, and invests in startups that would benefit from connections to Australia’s leading bank, and could improve the lives of its 15 million customers, either reimagining existing CommBank products or services, or offering solutions not traditionally classed as finance, but that could extend the bank’s relationship and relevance with customers.

Its platform model combines the latest cloud technology (running on a standalone, x15-developed tech stack) with enterprise grade controls, enabling ventures to innovate at pace in a 'bank safe' environment, and scale through access to CommBank assets – capital, brand, and customer distribution – when ready. For more information visit: x15ventures.com.au

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