Finovate Podcast

I'm sold! – connecting with FinovateSpring Best of Show winner Solda.ai on their award-winning solution. Detailed Summary: In this Finovate podcast episode, host Greg interviews Andrew Reese, the U.S. go-to-market lead for Solda.ai, a FinovateSpring Best of Show winner. Solda builds artificial intelligence sales representatives that help financial institutions boost revenue and cut costs by mirroring their best sales representatives at scale across phone, text, email, and chat channels. The technology resonated strongly with the Finovate audience because it addresses common challenges in scaling sales operations, including high costs, burnout, and inconsistent performance, while maintaining the human connection that's essential in customer interactions. For B2C applications, Solda's AI can handle the entire sales process from initial outreach to closing deals, including post-call tasks like updating CRMs. For B2B scenarios, the AI focuses on initial conversations, qualifying leads, and setting meetings with human sales representatives. The company emphasizes transparency about AI use while noting that less than 1% of customers actually ask if they're speaking with AI. Solda works closely with clients to train the AI on both what to say and what not to say, which is particularly important in heavily regulated industries like banking. Looking to the future, Solda aims to improve its AI's capabilities to consistently outperform human sales representatives and leverage conversation data to provide richer analytics for clients. The company had insightful conversations at FinovateSpring about potential applications in wealth management and insurance. Rather than replacing human teams entirely, Solda focuses on automating repetitive, mundane tasks that cause burnout and inconsistent performance, allowing human employees to focus on more strategic work like handling escalations and high-priority conversations. The goal is to help organizations transform to work alongside AI while giving human employees more purposeful roles. More info: Solda.ai: https://www.solda.ai/fintech; https://www.linkedin.com/company/solda-ai/ Andrew Reese: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpreese/ Greg Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbpalmer/ Finovate: https://www.finovate.com; https://www.linkedin.com/company/finovate-conference-series/ FinovateSpring: https://informaconnect.com/finovatespring/ #Finovate #AIPodcast #FinancialServices #BankingInnovation #FinTech #sales #data #AIExecution #DigitalTransformation #AI #innovation #financialservices #finovatespring

True personalization is here – connecting with FinovateSpring Best of Show winner Finalytics on their award-winning solution. Detailed Summary: This episode of the Finovate Podcast features Craig McLaughlin (CEO) and Baron Conway (CSO) of Finalytics, a Best of Show winner at FinovateSpring. They join host Greg Palmer to talk about how their platform delivers real-time AI-driven personalization across digital channels by combining behavioral data with transactional and third-party data to create uniquely relevant experiences for each user in both authenticated and unauthenticated environments. This enables financial institutions to optimize marketing spend, improve conversion rates through personalized experiences, and provide full-funnel reporting that tracks customer journeys from first click to funded dollars. Finalytics focuses exclusively on credit unions and community banks because these institutions have traditionally centered their business models around member relationships. The platform helps translate the personalized, human-centered service typically found in physical branches into the digital realm. By creating tailored experiences—such as showing refinancing tools to mortgage browsers, reminding users of abandoned applications, or displaying financial literacy content to Gen Z members—Finalytics helps these institutions maintain their relationship-focused approach in digital channels while driving measurable business outcomes. The episode closes with a look toward the future. Both Craig and Baron believe AI will fundamentally transform banking within five years. Craig predicts a shift from traditional information architecture to contextual experiences where relevant content finds the user rather than users searching for content, while Baron suggests the power is shifting from financial institutions to individuals, comparing the impact of AI to that of the Gutenberg press. Both emphasize that financial institutions must embrace these technologies to remain competitive, asserting that those who fail to adapt "won't be here" in the future. More info: Finalytics: https://finalytics.ai/; https://www.linkedin.com/company/finalyticsai/ Craig McLaughlin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mclaughlincraig/ Baron Conway: https://www.linkedin.com/in/baronconway/ Greg Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbpalmer/ Finovate: https://www.finovate.com; https://www.linkedin.com/company/finovate-conference-series/ FinovateSpring: https://informaconnect.com/finovatespring/ #Finovate #AIPodcast #FinancialServices #BankingInnovation #FinTech #personalization #data #AIExecution #DigitalTransformation #AI #innovation #financialservices #finovatespring

FinovateSpring keynoter Javier Perez on taking AI out of the experimental and scaling it up for maximum impact. Detailed Summary: In this episode of the Finovate Podcast, Javier Perez, Global Director at VASS Financial Services, shares key insights from his recent keynote at FinovateSpring. He emphasizes that although AI holds immense potential for banks and fintechs, 85% of AI projects in the sector fail to reach production due to poor execution and misaligned teams. To overcome this, organizations must stop treating AI as a mere experiment and instead focus on execution, aligning business, tech, and compliance teams. Javier highlights the importance of beginning with high-impact use cases and ensuring the right mix of technical knowledge, financial expertise, and AI deployment experience. He also stresses the need for companies to build AI-ready data infrastructure, empower business teams to be AI-fluent, and approach AI as a cross-functional business transformation tool to ensure long-term success. Javier goes on to emphasize the importance of moving beyond AI experimentation toward execution in financial institutions. He outlines three core requirements for success: establishing an AI-ready data infrastructure, empowering business teams to become AI-fluent, and prioritizing a few high-impact use cases. Perez explains how VASS supports clients through its AI Academy and bootcamps, guiding executive teams through strategy, platform development, and implementation with experienced, end-to-end support. He stresses that AI should be treated as a business transformation lever rather than a siloed innovation initiative, urging firms to align cross-functional teams and begin practical application, even if their architecture isn't perfect. By doing so, institutions can ensure measurable results over the next 12 to 24 months. More info: VASS: https://intelygenz.com/; https://www.linkedin.com/company/vass/ Javier Perez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fcojavierperezgarcia/ Greg Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbpalmer/ Finovate: https://www.finovate.com ; https://www.linkedin.com/company/finovate-conference-series/ FinovateSpring: https://informaconnect.com/finovatespring/ #fintech #AI #innovation #financialservices #finovate #finovatespring

Blockchain at a key inflection point – where we are now in the innovation cycle, what's coming next, and where to find your next opportunity. Detailed Summary: In this episode of the Finovate Podcast, host Greg Palmer chats with Matthew Le Merle of Blockchain Coinvestors about the current state and trajectory of blockchain technology. He explains that his firm has invested in over 1,250 blockchain startups, including major players like Coinbase and Kraken. With a background in internet and fintech investing and previous leadership roles at top consulting firms, Matthew outlines how blockchain has evolved from a niche innovation into a foundational infrastructure, now at an inflection point similar to the early internet days. He notes that the industry is scaling rapidly, with 500 million digital wallets already in use and billions more expected in the near future as adoption expands. Matthew likens the rise of blockchain to the digitalization of communications through the internet. Just as we transitioned from handwritten letters to instant digital communication, blockchain enables the real-time, low-cost transfer of money and assets via digital wallets and stablecoins. This shift is especially impactful for global remittances, where traditional banking is slow and expensive. He emphasizes that current blockchain adoption mirrors the internet's mid-1990s stage, where foundational tools are in place, but mass user adoption and advanced applications are just beginning. The key enabler is access—digital wallets open the door to the broader ecosystem of digital assets and services. On the topic of tokenization, Matthew asserts that virtually any asset can be digitized through blockchain. Whether it's equities, real estate, or personal possessions, the technology allows ownership records to be placed in digital wrappers (tokens), enabling secure, flexible, and transparent transfers online. This shift not only improves speed and cost-efficiency but also unlocks entirely new functionalities such as fractional ownership and global 24/7 trading. Ultimately, he argues that blockchain will do for assets and money what the internet did for communication and content—transform how we interact, manage, and trade value in every sector. More info: Blockchain Coinvestors: www.blockchaincoinvestors.com Matthew Le Merle: linkedin.com/in/matthewlemerle; @‌mlemerle.bsky.social Greg Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbpalmer/ Finovate: https://www.finovate.com ; https://www.linkedin.com/company/finovate-conference-series/ #fintech #blockchain #cryptocurrency #financialservices #innovation #tokenization #finovate #DeFi #digitization

Exploring CU-specific fintech solutions, with a preview of the CU Spotlight session at FinovateSpring. Detailed Summary: In this episode of the Finovate Podcast, host Greg Palmer interviews Nick Evens, President and CEO of Curql, ahead of FinovateSpring. Nick shares his journey from working within credit unions to leading Curql, a strategic investment fund focused on credit union innovation. He explains how Curql was born from a need to support credit unions in staying competitive with big banks by pooling resources to invest in transformative financial technology. With its roots in the credit union community, Curql helps these institutions gain access to tech solutions they otherwise couldn't afford on their own. Nick then elaborates on Curql's mission to connect credit unions with fintechs and vice versa, underscoring its role in helping credit unions adopt cutting-edge technology. He discusses the company's current and upcoming funds and how they support a growing portfolio of tech firms. Curql not only invests in startups but also fosters an ecosystem where over 130 credit unions collaborate and share resources. Additionally, Curql emphasizes regulatory modernization and strategic partnerships, often co-investing in companies that serve both banks and credit unions. Looking ahead to FinovateSpring, Nick and Greg discuss the special Credit Union Spotlight session, designed to highlight fintechs that cater specifically to CUs. This curated environment ensures that attendees from various roles—whether in lending, compliance, or cybersecurity—can discover relevant solutions. With a diverse lineup of presenting companies, including those focused on AI and member-facing technologies, the session aims to meet the broad needs of credit union professionals and further Curql's mission of bridging the gap between fintech and credit unions. More info: Curql: https://www.curql.com/ ; https://www.linkedin.com/company/curql/ Nick Evens: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-evens-76b75316/ Greg Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbpalmer/ Finovate: https://www.finovate.com ; https://www.linkedin.com/company/finovate-conference-series/ FinovateSpring: https://informaconnect.com/finovatespring/ #fintech #CU #creditunions #financialservices #innovation #digitaltransformation #finovate #finovatespring

Building and growing winning teams – thoughts from a seasoned fintech leader on managing high-performing engineering teams. Detailed Summary: In this episode Naga Rishyender, Manager of Software Engineering at Discover Financial Services, shares his thoughts on building and managing high-performing engineering teams in the fast-evolving fintech space. He begins by discussing his career journey—from his education at UNCC to roles at Wells Fargo, Oracle, Amazon, and now Discover—highlighting the impact of his leadership on major projects like Amazon's “Pay with Affirm” feature. At Discover, he currently leads a team of engineers working on critical payment authorization systems, fraud prevention, and infrastructure modernization, with a strong focus on innovation and cloud technology. Naga goes on to detail his philosophy for assembling effective engineering teams. He emphasizes diversity—not just in background, but in experience levels—as a key to fostering collaboration, mentorship, and innovation. Psychological safety, clear roadmaps, and continuous learning opportunities are all pillars of his leadership approach to ensure team alignment and growth. The conversation also explores the evolving relationship between academia and the fintech industry. Naga praises the rise of fintech-specific courses in universities and highlights Discover's Student Rotational Program as a successful model for bridging the gap between education and real-world experience. He advocates for more industry-academic collaboration through mentorship, hackathons, internships, and curriculum development. These partnerships, he argues, prepare students more effectively for careers in fintech by offering practical experience, exposure to regulations, and insight into company cultures before graduation. More info: Discover FS: https://www.discover.com/ Naga Rishyendar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naga-rishyendar-p/ Greg Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbpalmer/ Finovate: https://www.finovate.com ; https://www.linkedin.com/company/finovate-conference-series/ #fintech #leadership #engineering #financialservices #innovation #mentorship #finovate

Former pro athlete and founder of the Male Mogul Initiative Walter Mendenhall on the recent acquisition of Help With My Loan, and the importance of fair access to credit. Detailed Summary: In this episode of the Finovate Podcast, host Greg Palmer talks with Walter Mendenhall, founder of the Male Mogul Initiative, a Chicago-based nonprofit aimed at empowering young men through leadership, entrepreneurship, and workforce development. Walter shares his unique path from the NFL to teaching, and eventually to founding his organization in response to systemic issues he witnessed in his community. What began with a handful of students in 2018 has grown into a large-scale movement impacting over 3,000 young people, producing 200+ jobs, and launching Chicago's first youth business incubator, CoLab. Walter highlights the critical issues his organization tackles—such as lack of access to capital and high rates of unemployment and gun violence among young black men in Chicago. Walter then explains how his personal experience being denied a loan, despite strong financials, sparked a deeper dive into the challenges under-resourced communities face in accessing capital. This led to his obsession with financial education and systemic barriers, eventually informing his academic work and business ventures. He emphasizes how a lack of basic financial knowledge—like understanding loan underwriting criteria—keeps many people from succeeding. His goal is to demystify these processes and educate individuals who are often left behind by traditional financial systems. The conversation turns to the recent acquisition of Help With My Loan, a Finovate alum that uses AI to speed up and streamline the commercial loan process. Walter, along with his partners, brought the company from California to Chicago to expand its reach and use it as a tool to train youth as business loan brokers. With a 95% match rate and 80% faster processing times, the platform aligns perfectly with Male Mogul's mission to increase access to capital. Looking ahead, Walter envisions expanding their lender network, integrating blockchain for community investment, and ultimately creating scalable solutions to close the capital gap nationwide. His closing advice to fintech innovators: focus on solving real problems with passion—opportunities and support will follow. More info: Male Mogul Initiative: https://malemogulinitiative.org/ Help With My Loan: https://helpwithmyloan.com/ Walter Mendenhall IV: https://waltermendenhall.com/ , https://www.linkedin.com/in/walter-mendenhall-iv-55200787/ Greg Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbpalmer/ Finovate: https://www.finovate.com ; https://www.linkedin.com/company/finovate-conference-series/ #fintech #lending #credit #FinancialInclusion #finovate

Innovate without needing to update your legacy tech stack. FinovateEurope Best of Show winner Tweezr explains how. Detailed episode description: In this episode, Greg sits down with FinovateEurope Best of Show winner Tweezr to learn more about their innovative approach to maintaining and modifying complex legacy systems. Co-founders Ohad Kotler and Lior Vernia created Tweezr to help financial institutions modernize without replacing their core systems. By enabling developers to make precise code changes without breaking critical functionality, Tweezr saves time and makes legacy systems more maintainable. The co-founders share their experiences working with banks and the significant challenges posed by outdated technology, emphasizing that the inability to swiftly update core systems hinders digital transformation efforts. The discussion also highlights the severe bottlenecks legacy systems create for banks, making even simple modifications a lengthy and costly process. Tweezr acts as a guiding tool (rather than an automated coding system), helping developers navigate millions of lines of code efficiently. It identifies necessary modifications, warns of potential breakages, and significantly reduces the time required to implement changes. By doing so, Tweezr empowers financial institutions to innovate without being bogged down by their outdated infrastructure. Tweezr's AI-driven approach focuses on bridging the maintainability gap, allowing banks to continue using their legacy systems without full-scale modernization. Instead of replacing core banking software—a process that can take years—banks can use Tweezrr to optimize and maintain their existing technology stack. The AI functions as a senior engineer, analyzing dependencies and guiding developers to implement safe, effective changes. This ability to enhance legacy systems without a full overhaul is what resonated strongly with FinovateEurope's audience. More info: Tweezr's Demo: https://finovate.com/videos/finovateeurope-2025-tweezr/ FinovateEurope: https://informaconnect.com/finovateeurope/ Tweezr: www.tweezr.io, https://www.linkedin.com/company/tweezr/ Ohad Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ohad-kotler-949b4941 Lior Vernia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liorvernia Greg Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbpalmer/ Finovate: https://www.finovate.com ; https://www.linkedin.com/company/finovate-conference-series/ #fintech #digitaltransformation #modernization #AI #legacytech #corebanking #finovate #finovateeurope

FinovateEurope Best of Show winner Keyless on using facial recognition without storing sensitive biometric data on a specific device. Detailed Summary: In this episode, Tobin Broadfoot and host Greg Palmer highlight the challenges of traditional authentication methods, such as remembering passwords and using SMS one-time passcodes, which are both inconvenient and vulnerable to security breaches. Keyless addresses these issues by offering a decentralized, privacy-focused solution that allows users to authenticate across multiple devices securely. Their unique approach uses zero-knowledge biometrics and secure multi-party computation to perform authentication without storing or accessing personal data. Tobin also discusses the difficulties banks face when customers lose devices and how Keyless provides a more seamless and secure solution compared to traditional device-based authentication systems. The technology reduces reliance on weak factors like SMS and email verification, which are prone to account takeovers. Tobin concludes with the thought that while AI enables more sophisticated fraud techniques, including "fraud-as-a-service," companies like Keyless are already equipped with advanced defenses to combat these evolving threats. Keyless' ability to process biometric data locally on devices while maintaining privacy gives it a significant edge in preventing large-scale fraud. More info: FinovateEurope: https://informaconnect.com/finovateeurope/ Keyless: keyless.io, https://www.linkedin.com/company/keylesstech/ Tobin Broadfoot: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobinbroadfoot/ Greg Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbpalmer/ Finovate: https://www.finovate.com ; https://www.linkedin.com/company/finovate-conference-series/ #finovate #fintech #biometrics #security #ai #verification

Streamlining complex system integrations with FinovateEurope Best of Show winner R34DY. Detailed summary: in this episode, host Greg Palmer speaks with Márk Katenyi, CEO and founder of R34DY, a company that won Best of Show at FinovateEurope. The two talk about Ablements, an integration platform designed for banks and financial institutions to simplify IT architecture and streamline complex system integrations. Márk explains how the platform uses AI, including retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and agentic technologies, to ingest documentation, understand IT systems, and create deployable workflows. He highlights the industry's long-standing struggle with integration and how AI is now enabling real solutions, rather than just theoretical improvements. Throughout the conversation, Márk discusses the overwhelmingly positive response from banks at FinovateEurope, who have long awaited AI-driven integration solutions. He acknowledges that while there is still skepticism about AI's effectiveness, R34DY has been able to demonstrate real results. The discussion also touches on the broader role of AI in financial institutions, emphasizing the importance of focusing on enterprise use cases that reduce costs and improve efficiency. Looking ahead, R34DY aims to expand its platform's capabilities and address market gaps, particularly in enabling faster, more secure, and compliant financial system integrations. More information: FinovateEurope: https://informaconnect.com/finovateeurope/ R34DY: https://www.r34dy.io/ Ablements: https://ablements.com/ Márk Hetenyi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-hetenyi-64b7824/ Greg Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbpalmer/ Finovate: https://www.finovate.com; https://www.linkedin.com/company/finovate-conference-series/

A different approach to connecting community banks with fintechs, and predictions for the coming year

Collaboration and co-creation between fintechs and credit unions – a recap of a FinovateEurope conversation, and a preview of FinovateSpring

AI, data apps, and a preview of FinovateEurope.

The investment landscape, IPO and M&A predictions, and what to expect in 2025.

Crypto, the SEC, and what shifting regulations mean for the fintech industry.

FinovateFall Best of Show winner Nest on their partnership with Efigence, conversational banking, and the future of customer service

Neobanks, 2025 predictions, and a preview of FinovateEurope

Expanding credit for women entrepreneurs in the Global South, and how fintech can help.

Exploring opportunities and challenges in fintech for private wealth

Cryptocurrency in 2025 – where we are now, and what's coming next

Is fintech too crowded? A high-level examination of the ecosystem now, and where we're going from here.

FinovateFall Best of Show winner Themis on compliance administration and avoiding becoming a target for regulators

FinovateFall Best of Show winner CardLift on opportunities coming from payment through browser extensions

FinovateFall 2024 Best of Show winners Delfi on the dangers of balance sheet risk and its macroeconomic impact.

FinovateFall Best of Show winner Bancography on the importance of physical branches and making sure they're in the right places

FinovateFall Best of Show winner Illuma on call-center security and AI-based fraud

FinovateFall Best of Show winner Credit Mountain on the “warm decline” and relationship-building

FinovateFall Best of Show winner Eko on a new approach to bringing investing capabilities inside FIs

Successfully onboarding third-party fintechs, from strategizing, to selection, to implementation.

Why you should be thinking about B2C payments.

Payments, security, and the importance of staying flexible as an innovator.

Unicorn or Cash Cow? Building a company for the exit you want.

Insights from senior bankers on digital transformation and how fintechs can stand out from the crowd.

Exploring Fintech Sandbox and the importance of making data available to early-stage fintechs

Cannabis banking and community banks: one COO's perspective on implementing a new program.

Understanding Web3, how it's changing financial services, and what you should be doing now.

2024 mid-year review, tips for founders, and a discussion about what's next for the fintech industry.

FinovateSpring Best of Show winner on Savvi AI on bringing concrete value to banks through AI.

FinovateSpring Best of Show winner Remynt on the future of debt collection and credit-rebuilding.

FinovateSpring Best of Show winner Cascading AI on how AI is dramatically impacting SMB loan origination.

FinovateSpring Best of Show winner Kobalt Labs on third-party regulations, AI, and the broader regulatory environment.

The changing face of SMB financing, and how technology is helping.

FinovateSpring Best of Show winner Bloom Credit on building credit and creating new lending opportunities.

Northern Trust's President of Asset Servicing joins us to talk about engaging new technologies and leading by example to push your tech stack forward.

Big opportunities in fintech, the current state of VC funding, and a brief preview of FinovateSpring.

Fast payments are vital for the world economy, and the World Bank's Project FASTT is helping to lead the charge.

Landings Credit Union's CEO joins us to talk about using technology to bring new projects to life.

The authors of Customer-Centric Innovation in Finance talk through their new book and the importance of viewing fintech through the lens of human behaviors.

FinovateEurope Best of Show winner Zeed on the next generation of investment and wealth-management educational content

FinovateEurope Best of Show winner Tuum on the value of flexibility in core banking.

FinovateEurope Best of Show winner Corsound.ai on identity theft, deep fakes, and the escalating AI arms race.