Afleveringen

  • Lex chats with Zuben Mathews - CEO and Co-founder of Brigit. Brigit is a leading consumer financial app in the United States that offers a suite of holistic financial products including budgeting, financial insights, access to paychecks, and credit building. Zuben kicks off the conversation discussing his journey from investment banking at Deutsche Bank to founding one of the largest financial health apps in the U.S. Mathews reflects on his early experiences in banking, where he launched a small entrepreneurial team within Deutsche to leverage the bankโ€™s data and client relationships to drive revenue. This experience helped shape his approach to solving real financial pain points, which became the foundation of Brigit.

    Zuben explains Brigitโ€™s focus on addressing the U.S. financial crisis of living paycheck-to-paycheck, a problem he personally experienced as an immigrant student. Brigitโ€™s initial product leverages cashflow data to provide instant cash advances, helping users avoid overdrafts and predatory loans. Mathews emphasizes that Brigitโ€™s success stems from a commitment to solving usersโ€™ deepest financial issues and using real-time cashflow data, not traditional FICO scores, to provide financial solutions.

    The conversation delves into Brigitโ€™s subscription-based business model, which offers transparency and value to users, helping them save money while improving financial stability. Zuben discusses how the app has grown to serve over a million users, generating more than $100 million in revenue with a small team of 90. He also addresses challenges in fintech, such as data access in the U.S. compared to Europeโ€™s open banking regulations, and calls for more balanced regulation that encourages innovation while protecting consumers.

    The discussion concludes with Zuben advocating for greater access to bank data and better infrastructure for fintechs, highlighting the importance of innovation in improving customer outcomes in the financial space.

    MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

    Brigit's Website: https://bit.ly/4d8tqoh

    Zuben's LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3XvsEvT

    Topics: Fintech, neobank, overdraft, cash advance, subscription, financial wellbeing, PSD2, regulation

    Tags: Brigit, Deutsche Bank, Plaid, Chime, Revolut, Monzo, Yodlee, Synapse, Coastal Community Bank

    ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

    ๐Ÿ”ฅSubscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2

    ๐Ÿค Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin

    TIMESTAMPS

    1โ€™36: From Deutsche Bank to Brigit: Zuben Mathews' Journey in Finance and Entrepreneurship

    5โ€™03: Bridging Silos at Deutsche Bank: Detailing Strategic Vendor Partnerships and Fintech Insights

    9โ€™06: From Startup Struggles to Success: Building Brigit and Navigating the Challenges of Entrepreneurship

    15โ€™41: Solving America's Deepest Financial Pain Point: The Vision Behind Brigit's Differentiation in a Crowded Fintech Market

    21โ€™07: Leveraging Cashflow Data to Outperform Banks: How Brigit Built a Product to Tackle Overdraft Fees and Expand Financial Access

    24โ€™47: Beyond Overdraft Protection: How Brigit Uses Cashflow Data to Reduce Financial Stress and Drive User Engagement

    29โ€™01: Balancing Affordability and Financial Health: How Brigit's Subscription Model Empowers Users While Lowering Costs

    33โ€™25: Challenges of Data Access in US Fintech: Navigating Bank Transactional Data and the Push for Open APIs

    40โ€™36: Navigating US Banking Rails: The Role of Regulation, Innovation, and Customer-Centric Solutions in Fintech

    45โ€™24: The channels used to connect with Zuben & learn more about Brigit

    Disclaimer here โ€” this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

    Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

    Want to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

  • Lex chats with Till Wendler, Founder of Peaq Network - a leading DePIN Layer 1 in the blockchain space. In this episode, Till discusses his journey into entrepreneurship and the blockchain space. He talks about his early involvement with Ethereum and building a business around e-commerce payments using cryptocurrencies. Till also explains the concept of decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePINs) and their role in the Internet of Things (IoT) and the Economy of Things (EOT). He highlights the limitations of current IoT systems and the potential for value exchange between devices. Till discusses the success of Peaq in attracting over 800,000 devices onto the network and the challenges of building demand for data-driven projects. He emphasizes Peaq's role in catalyzing the sector by providing support on product optimization, go-to-market strategies, and financial assistance.

    MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

    Peaq's Website: https://bit.ly/3XjsaKo

    Till's LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4cGvSSJ

    Topics: Blockchain, web3, decentralized applications, dapps, economy of things, EOT, depin, iot, decentralized physical infrastructure networks

    Tags: Peaq, IOTA, Exonum, DMG MORI, Silencio, MapMetrics, Helium

    ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

    ๐Ÿ”ฅSubscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2

    ๐Ÿค Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin

    TIMESTAMPS

    1โ€™09: From the Valley to Blockchain: Tillโ€™s Journey into Entrepreneurship and Crypto

    4โ€™59: Building Peaq: From Berlin's Blockchain Scene to IoT Innovation

    8โ€™26: Connecting Machines to Blockchain: The Use Case Discovery and Peaq's Evolution

    13โ€™31: From IoT to the Economy of Things: The Evolution of Connected Devices

    17โ€™53: Unlocking the Machine Economy: The Role of Web3 and DePINs in Decentralized Infrastructure

    20โ€™50: Scaling the Machine Economy: Successful Use Cases Built on Peaq's Decentralized Network

    23โ€™34: Driving Network Growth: How Peaq Reached 800,000 Connected Devices Through Strategic Go-to-Market and Product Market Fit

    29โ€™15: Streamlining DePIN Success: How Peaq Simplifies Tokenomics and Focuses on User Demand

    32โ€™56: Empowering Ecosystem Growth: Peaq's Role in Supporting Projects from Integration to Funding

    34โ€™45: The channels used to connect with Till & learn more about Peaq

    Disclaimer here โ€” this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

    Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

    Want to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

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  • Lex chats with Luke Voiles, the CEO of Pipe - a modern capital platform built to connect business owners to fast, frictionless, dilution-free funding. Luke kicks off discussing his experience in the FinTech industry. He talks about his transition from being an investor to working in FinTech. Luke shares his background in distressed credit investing and how it led him to focus on lending money to other lenders. He then discusses his role at Intuit, where he helped build QuickBooks Capital and gained valuable experience in tech, leadership, and product development. Luke also talks about his time at Square and Square Banking, where he learned about being a true CEO and P&L owner. He then joined Pipe and discusses the stage at which the company was when he joined and the core concept of revenue-based financing. Luke explains the differences between revenue-based financing, invoice factoring, and other fixed income instruments. He also talks about the pivot that Pipe made and the focus on Pipe Capital as a service. Luke discusses the importance of platforms and embedded finance in reaching small businesses and explains how Pipe works with SaaS vertical software providers. He emphasizes the value of giving small businesses access to credit and criticizes other FinTechs that have made mistakes in scaling their businesses. Luke concludes by providing contact information for himself and Pipe.

    MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

    Pipe's Website: https://bit.ly/3WGQrJN

    Luke's LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4dpDh9P

    Topics: Fintech, revenue-based finance, embedded finance, unicorn, SaaS, entrepreneur, lending, capital

    Tags: Pipe, Square, Stripe, PayPal, Intuit, OnDeck, Alloy, Increase

    ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

    ๐Ÿ”ฅSubscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2

    ๐Ÿค Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin

    TIMESTAMPS

    1โ€™07: From Distressed Credit to FinTech Leadership: Luke's Journey from Sixth Street Partners to Intuit and Beyond

    7โ€™17: Square Banking and the Evolution of Leadership: Navigating Single-Threaded and Functional Structures

    14โ€™53: Pipe's Transformation: Joining and Steering one of the Fastest Unicorns in History

    18โ€™46: Understanding Revenue-Based Financing: Defining Factoring, Merchant Cash Advances, and More

    26โ€™39: The Power of Storytelling: How Pipe's Vision and Innovation Led to Unicorn Status

    28โ€™39: Pivoting Pipe: Adapting Strategy and Overcoming Growth Challenges

    37โ€™25: The Future of Small Business Banking: Embedded Finance and SaaS Vertical Platforms

    41โ€™35: Navigating Regulatory Challenges: Pipe's Embedded Finance and Compliance Strategy

    46โ€™23: The channels used to connect with Luke & learn more about Pipe

    Disclaimer here โ€” this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

    Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

    Want to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

  • Lex chats with Danielle Sesko about insurance and innovation in the fintech sector. They discuss the purpose of insurance and why it exists, the structure of insurance companies, the challenges of insurance innovation, and the integration of insurance into digital lending platforms. Sesko explains that insurance is necessary because most people cannot sustain a total loss of their assets, such as their homes or businesses. She also discusses the regulatory structure of insurance in the US, which is regulated on a state-by-state basis. Sesko describes the product she is working on at TruStage, which provides insurance coverage for loans in the digital lending space. The insurance is designed to protect both the borrower and the lender in case of unexpected events, such as job loss or disability. Sesko explains the technology integrations between insurance and digital lending platforms and the economics of the product. She also discusses the challenges and opportunities in the insurtech industry.

    MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

    TruStage's Website: https://bit.ly/3WibyC1

    Danielle's LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3XUZNmp

    Topics: InsurTech, Insurance, Digital Lending, Lending, embedded finance, embedded insurance, API, fintech

    Tags: TruStage, Payment Guard, Lending Club, FDIC

    ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

    ๐Ÿ”ฅSubscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2

    ๐Ÿค Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin

    TIMESTAMPS

    1โ€™27: From Financial Consulting to Insurance Innovation: Danielle Seskoโ€™s Journey in Financial Services

    4โ€™58: The Role and Necessity of Insurance: Insights on Financial Resiliency and Industry Structure

    9โ€™52: Innovation in Insurance: Creating Relevant Products and Navigating Regulations

    13โ€™39: Navigating US Insurance Regulations: Engaging State Regulators and Structuring Underwriting for New Products

    17โ€™59: Adapting to FinTech: How Established Underwriters Leverage Experience for Digital Lending Innovation

    20โ€™48: Assessing the Rise of Digital Lending: Timing, Consumer Preferences, and Regulatory Challenges in FinTech and InsurTech

    27โ€™39: Bridging the Gap in Digital Lending: Ideal Customers for PaymentGuard and Their Unique Needs

    31โ€™21: Defining Digital Lending Coverage: Target Workflows and Payment Flows for Embedded Insurance Solutions

    34โ€™36: Understanding PaymentGuard's Economics: Coverage Duration, Cost Structure, and Value for Digital Lenders

    37โ€™42: Integrating InsurTech and Digital Lending: The Technology and Processes Behind Embedding Insurance Solutions

    40โ€™11: The channels used to connect with Danielle & learn more about TruStage

    Disclaimer here โ€” this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

    Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

    Want to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

  • Lex chats with Anthony Moro, CEO of Provenance Foundation. Provenance is a blockchain platform for real-world assets and has a focus on financial services. Moro discusses his background in the traditional financial industry, particularly in security servicing, and explains how Provenance is positioning itself as a good control location for ownership of securities. He highlights the inefficiencies and high costs associated with intermediated securities transactions and explains how Provenance aims to provide a more efficient and secure alternative. Moro also discusses the technology stack of Provenance, which is built on the Cosmos network, and explains the importance of purpose-built blockchain networks for financial services. He also touches on the topics of noncustodial networks, ledgering, and the importance of network uptime in financial services. Moro concludes by discussing the future vision for Provenance, including the tokenization of trillions of dollars of financial assets and the role of Provenance in enabling asset issuers and service providers to transact efficiently on the platform.

    MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

    Provenance's Website: https://bit.ly/3xLpXx6

    Anthony's LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3VIl3Jn

    Companies: Provenance, Sofi, Provenance Blockchain Labs, ProvLabs, Ethereum, Cosmos, Merrill Lynch, Figure Technologies, Figure Markets

    Topics: Blockchain, tokenisation, capital markets, DeFi, TradFi, NFT, Financial Services, Governance, crypto

    ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

    ๐Ÿ”ฅSubscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2

    ๐Ÿค Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin

    TIMESTAMPS

    1โ€™28: From Traditional Finance to DeFi: Insights on Provenance and Financial Services

    4โ€™48: The Complexities of ADRs: Insights on Traditional and Decentralized Financial Systems

    8โ€™54: Provenance and Blockchain Innovation: From SoFi Founders to Cosmos Network Integration

    13โ€™17: Transforming Capital Markets: The Evolution of Figure's HELOC Business and Blockchain Integration

    17โ€™28: Revolutionizing Mortgages with Blockchain: The Impact of NFT Mortgages and Disinflationary Technology

    21โ€™20: Exploring Alternative Investments: The Value of Pork Bellies and the Unexpected Tale of Uranium

    26โ€™39: Bridging Provenance and Ethereum: Open Source Development and Financial Services Security

    30โ€™01: Revolutionizing Governance in Financial Services: Provenance's Approach and Future Directions

    32โ€™56: Navigating Centralized Exchanges: Bringing an Institutional Network to Retail Markets

    39โ€™20: Regulatory Shifts in Crypto and FinTech: Navigating the Evolving Landscape Ahead of US Elections

    42โ€™49: Embracing the Future of Tokenization: Provenance's Vision for Retail Inclusion and Financial Services

    46โ€™31: The channels used to connect with Anthony & learn more about Provenance

    Disclaimer here โ€” this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

    Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

    Want to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

  • Lex chats with Lu Zhang, the founder and managing partner at Fusion Fund, a venture fund that invests in deep technology, including artificial intelligence (AI) and healthcare. They discuss Lu's experience as an entrepreneur and the challenges she faced in building her own company. Lu also shares her investment thesis on AI, highlighting the opportunities in AI application and infrastructure. She believes that while large tech companies dominate the consumer AI market, there are still opportunities for startups in enterprise AI, particularly in industries with high-quality data and a need for AI solutions. Lu also discusses the potential of edge computing and the importance of addressing energy consumption and data privacy in AI infrastructure. She emphasizes the coexistence of large and small AI models and the need for practical, cost-efficient solutions. Finally, Lu discusses the revenue pools for AI companies and the growing awareness and adoption of AI in enterprises. She encourages startups to focus on reducing energy consumption in AI and addressing sustainability challenges.

    MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

    Fusion Fund's Website: https://bit.ly/4egJMgp

    Lu's LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3KIWozf

    Topics: Venture Capital, VC, Innovation, Artificial Intelligence, Startup, Infrastructure, LLM, Decentralized AI, Healthcare

    Companies: Fusion Fund, OpenAI, IBM, Microsoft, Nvidia, AMD

    ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

    ๐Ÿ”ฅSubscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2

    ๐Ÿค Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin

    TIMESTAMPS

    1โ€™30: From Entrepreneur to VC: Insights from Building and Exiting a Successful Healthcare Startup

    5โ€™50: Navigating Startup Challenges: Overcoming Obstacles and Embracing Growth in My Entrepreneurial Journey

    9โ€™56: From Founder to Investor: Experiencing the Transition and Learning to Say No

    15โ€™16: Fusion Fundโ€™s AI Investment Thesis: Identifying Trends, Opportunities, and Challenges in Artificial Intelligence

    23โ€™03: Comprehending Enterprise AI: Ensuring Startups Thrive Without Being Captured by Big Corporates

    26โ€™48: The Challenges and Opportunities in Selling Large AI Models to Enterprises: Fine-tuning The Sales Process and Building Strategic Partnerships

    30โ€™31: Exploring AI Infrastructure Investments: Paths to Acquisition and IPO in a Competitive Landscape

    36โ€™24: AI Infrastructure Gaps: Identifying Opportunities and Challenges in the Evolving Value Chain

    40โ€™53: The Future of Decentralized AI: Commercial Opportunities and Economic Dynamics in a World of Personal AI Models

    47โ€™07: Key Opportunities in AI: Unmet Needs and Ideas for Future Startups

    48โ€™08: The channels used to connect with Lu & learn more about Fusion Fund

    Disclaimer here โ€” this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

    Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

    Want to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

  • Lex chats with Vishal Garg, the CEO of Better Mortgage. Better is an all-in-one digital homeownership company. From finding a real estate agent and getting a mortgage, to shopping for homeowners insurance and title services, Better and its affiliates take customers through the entire homebuying process online. Garg shares the story of how he founded Better Mortgage after experiencing the difficulties of getting a mortgage online. He explains how he saw an opportunity to reimagine the mortgage industry and create a more efficient and consumer-friendly process. Garg discusses the challenges of scaling the company, going public through a SPAC, and navigating the changing market conditions. He also shares his optimism for the future of Better Mortgage, highlighting the company's focus on efficiency, automation, and sustainable growth.

    MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

    Better's Website: https://bit.ly/456T3Ub

    Vishal's LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4e52szk

    Topics: fintech, mortgage, digital lending, digital mortgage, SPAC, interest rates

    Companies: Better.com, Better mortgage, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Goldman Sachs, SoftBank

    ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

    ๐Ÿ”ฅSubscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2

    ๐Ÿค Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin

    TIMESTAMPS

    1โ€™33: Revolutionizing Mortgages: Vishal's Journey from Frustration to Fintech Innovation

    6โ€™41: Cracking the Mortgage Code: Leveraging Fintech Experience to Disrupt a Stagnant Industry

    11โ€™11: Overcoming Startup Challenges: Innovating in the Mortgage Industry and Securing Early-Stage Financing

    15โ€™25: Recruiting Top Talent: How to Attract High-Caliber Professionals to Revolutionize the Mortgage Industry

    20โ€™32: Scaling to Success: The Rapid Growth, Economics and Strategic Milestones of Better Mortgage

    24โ€™48: Balancing Growth and Profitability: Navigating Blitz Scaling and Cultural Shifts at Better Mortgage

    28โ€™17: Understanding the SPAC Process: The Market Conditions, Expectations, and Challenges of Going Public

    34โ€™20: Facing Macro Headwinds: The Declining Efficiency and Financial Challenges in a Changing Market

    36โ€™50: Balancing External Stressors and Internal Efficiency: Navigating Market Changes and Organizational Challenges

    39โ€™04: From Private to Public: Better Mortgage's Evolution, Current State, and Optimistic Future

    43โ€™11: Overcoming Market Shifts: Vishal Garg on Better Mortgage's Resilience and Path to Profitability

    45โ€™30: The channels used to connect with Vishal & learn more about Better Mortgages

    Disclaimer here โ€” this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

    Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

    Want to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

  • Lex chats with Matt Watson, the founder and CEO of Origin, a comprehensive money management platform for the modern workforce. Watson discusses his background as an entrepreneur and his first fintech experience working on Wall Street. He also talks about his previous business in the commercial insurance space and the challenges of building out the go-to-market function for that company. Watson then explains the concept behind Origin and its focus on providing a mass-market private banking experience for the underserved segment of the population with investable assets below $500,000. He discusses the company's go-to-market strategy, its target market, and its monetization strategy. Watson also touches on the collapse of Mint and the opportunity it created for Origin, as well as the role of generative AI in financial planning and guidance. He concludes by discussing the ownership of data and the challenges of accessing and utilizing consumer financial data in the industry.

    MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

    Origin's Website: https://bit.ly/4bJcMvc

    Matthew's LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3ym8mMa

    Topics: fintech, AI, artificial intelligence, PFM, personal financial management, embedded finance

    Companies: Origin, Origin Finance, Mint, Mint.com, Plaid, LearnVest, Column Tax, Intuit, Yodlee, ChatGPT

    ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

    ๐Ÿ”ฅSubscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2

    ๐Ÿค Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin

    TIMESTAMPS

    1โ€™07: The Entrepreneurial Journey: From Family Influence to Fintech Ventures

    3โ€™55: Building the Go-to-Market Function: Penetrating and Innovating in the Insurance Agency Software Market

    7โ€™55: Challenges in Financial Vertical Software: Entrenched Systems and High Switching Costs

    10โ€™08: Exploring Origin: Addressing the Financial Services Gap for the Mass Affluent

    18โ€™16: Evolving Data Aggregation in Fintech: Addressing Costs and Open Banking Trends

    22โ€™30: Originโ€™s Business Model and Market Dynamics in Mass Affluent Financial Services: Lessons from Lead Generation Giants

    26โ€™01: Building Financial Solutions In-House: Origin's Approach to Planning, Investing, and Tax

    29โ€™24: The Collapse of Mint: Catalyzing Opportunities for Origin in B2B and B2C Markets

    31โ€™26: Leveraging Generative AI in Financial Planning: Enhancing Guidance and Managing Challenges

    35โ€™47: Understanding the Demand for AI Financial Planning: Challenges and Consumer Behavior

    40โ€™22: The Future of Financial Data Control: Consumer-Driven Analysis and Insights in a Tokenized World

    41โ€™07: The channels used to connect with Matthew & learn more about Origin

    Disclaimer here โ€” this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

    Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

    Want to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

  • Lex chats with Jason Morton, CEO of EZKL - EZKL is a technology that helps people build around artificial intelligence using zero-knowledge proofs (ZK proofs) and the latest in technology. Jason explains that ZK proofs are a way to prove that a computation has been executed correctly without revealing any sensitive information. The proofs can be used to verify the execution of AI models, statistical models, and other computations on blockchain networks. EZKL provides a command line tool, a backend proving service, and a Python library for developers to use. The company's economic model involves licensing the components of the system and running backend services. In the future, EZKL aims to provide a more complete solution for interacting with the technology. The demand for verifiable AI and ZK proofs is expected to come from both Web2 and Web3 companies, as well as enterprise clients

    MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

    EZKL's Website: https://bit.ly/4dx1wUb

    Jason's Twitter: https://bit.ly/4boqumY

    Topics: fintech, machine learning, ai, artificial intelligence, llm, zk-proofs, zero-knowledge proofs, blockchain, web3

    Companies: EZKL, Ethereum, Bitcoin, DARPA

    ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

    ๐Ÿ”ฅSubscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2

    ๐Ÿค Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin

    TIMESTAMPS

    1โ€™18: From Mathematics to Machine Learning: Tracing the Journey of an AI Researcher"

    3โ€™47: Putting Theory Into Practice: Navigating the Evolution of Neural Networks and Blockchain

    7โ€™18: Understanding Zero-Knowledge Proofs: The Evolution and Impact of Cryptographic Privacy

    11โ€™02: Digital Trust and Privacy: How Zero-Knowledge Proofs Enhance Security and Authentication Online

    16โ€™15: From Consensus to Cryptography: Exploring the Transformative Impact of Zero-Knowledge Proofs on Blockchain Technology

    22โ€™30: Revolutionizing AI with Blockchain: The Strategic Focus of EZKL on Verifiable and Secure Machine Learning

    28โ€™18: Connecting Worlds: Bridging Advanced AI and Blockchain Technology for Economic and Computational Efficiency

    31โ€™21: Strategic Transparency: Integrating Proofs in Smart Contracts for Trustworthy Investment Strategies

    35โ€™44: EZKL Defined: Navigating the Blend of Product, Library, and Framework in Blockchain Proofs

    38โ€™48: Blurring Lines: Will Web3 Innovations or Traditional Web2 Enterprises Drive the Future Demand for EZKL?

    40โ€™28: The channels used to connect with Jason & learn more about EZKL

    Disclaimer here โ€” this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

    Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

    Want to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

  • Lex chats with Libor Michalek, the President of Affirm, a buy now, pay later (BNPL) company. Michalek discusses his early experiences with the internet and how it shaped his understanding of technology and its potential in the financial services industry. He explains how Affirm was founded with the goal of building honest financial products that improve people's lives, and how the convergence of e-commerce, mobile technology, machine learning, and access to consumer information enabled the company to create a credit product that aligned with consumer interests. Michalek also discusses the challenges of building a technology-driven finance company, the performance of Affirm's loans compared to credit cards and personal loans, and the company's approach to competition and future growth.

    MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

    Affirm's Website: https://bit.ly/3Qo2DvI

    Libor's LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4bfsQVk

    Topics: fintech, buy now pay later, BNPL, e-commerce, machine learning, loans, credit, credit cards, payments

    Companies: Affirm, Thinking Machines Corporation, PayPal, Amazon

    ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

    ๐Ÿ”ฅSubscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2

    ๐Ÿค Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin

    TIMESTAMPS

    1โ€™00: Internet Pioneers and Business Innovation: Libor Michalek touches on Early Web Experiences

    4โ€™56: Digital Transformation and Commerce: Unpacking the Consumer Insights and Technological Advances That Fuelled the E-commerce Explosion

    9โ€™18: Beyond Traditional Finance: How Affirm's Founding Insights and Technological Integration Redefined Fintech in the 2010s

    13โ€™14: Redefining Credit: Exploring the Consumer Demand for Transparency and Fairness in Financial Products with Affirm

    19โ€™04: Integrating Innovation: How Affirm's Unique Approach to E-commerce and Payments Shaped Its Market Strategy

    23โ€™47: Machine Learning and Financial Innovation: Launching Affirm's Transaction-Specific Underwriting Models

    27โ€™56: Assessing Investment Opportunities: The Risk and Return Profile of Affirm's Customer Loans from an Institutional Perspective

    32โ€™11: Empowering Customers: Affirm's Commitment to Transparency and Support in Financial Services

    37โ€™42: Leading the Charge: Navigating Competition and Innovation in the Buy Now, Pay Later Market

    41โ€™22: Defining Innovation in FinTech: Distinguishing Between Technology-Driven and Finance-First Companies

    43โ€™29: The channels used to connect with Libor & learn more about Affirm

    Disclaimer here โ€” this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

    Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

    Want to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

  • Lex chats with Sarah Levy, CEO of Betterment - the largest independent digital investment advisor. Levy kicks off the conversation by discussing her career journey from working in the media industry to leading a fintech company. Levy explains that she was attracted to Betterment's mission of making people's lives better and saw the potential for growth and scale in the company. She also highlights the importance of brand building and understanding the customer in creating a successful business. Levy discusses Betterment's core products, including its retail robo-advisory service and its 401(k) offering for small and medium-sized businesses. She explains that Betterment aims to be a holistic investing home for its customers, focusing on expanding access and offering more account types and asset classes. Levy also discusses the potential for Betterment to offer self-directed investing options in the future.

    MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

    Betterment's Website: https://bit.ly/3Uq5gPK

    Sarah's LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4d5aGqJ

    Topics: Fintech, embedded finance, banking, investment, RIA, Tax, roboadvisor, advisory, branding, 401k

    Companies: Betterment, Nickelodeon, Disney, Viacom, Schwab, Fidelity

    ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

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    ๐Ÿค Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin

    TIMESTAMPS

    1โ€™10: From Nickelodeon to Betterment: Tracing Sarah Levy's Journey Through Media and FinTech

    7โ€™22: Brand Personification and Audience Engagement: Exploring Digital Transformation with a lens on the consumer

    13โ€™33: Mission and Brand Resonance: Transitioning Leadership at Betterment

    16โ€™50: Initial Impressions and Strategic Directions: Enhancing Betterment's Brand and Services

    21โ€™41: Refining FinTech: How Betterment Evolved to Meet the Needs of Modern Investors

    24โ€™58: Building Betterment's 401k Business: Strategic Growth and Market Opportunities

    34โ€™45: Revamping RIA Economics: Betterment's Innovative Approach to Advisor Services

    39โ€™41: Beyond the Super App: Betterment's Strategic Approach to FinTech Diversification

    44โ€™12: Focused Growth: Betterment's Strategic Decision to Prioritize Long-Term Investing Over Self-Directed Trading

    47โ€™09: The channels used to connect with Sarah & learn more about Betterment

    Disclaimer here โ€” this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

    Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

    Want to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

  • Lex chats with Anthony Cimino, the head of policy at Carta - an equity management company that builds the infrastructure for innovators, supporting approximately 35,000 companies, over 2.2 million stakeholders, and more than 5,000 funds. Cimino discusses his background in government and policy in the financial services industry and how he got involved in finance and policy. He explains the role of policy in the fintech industry and the importance of engagement with policymakers. Cimino also talks about Carta's core business of cap table management and valuation services, as well as their fund administration business. He discusses the challenges and opportunities in the private markets industry, including the barriers to entry for investors and the need for more access and standardization. Cimino also mentions Carta's focus on supporting founders and their plans to expand globally. He emphasizes the role of policy in unlocking capital and creating access to private markets.

    MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

    Carta's Website: https://bit.ly/3U92K0w

    Anthony's LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3J6u5db

    Topics: fintech, regulation, policy, private markets, fund administration

    Companies: Carta, SEC, Committee on Financial Services

    ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

    ๐Ÿ”ฅSubscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2

    ๐Ÿค Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin

    TIMESTAMPS

    1โ€™23: From Capitol Hill to Financial Crisis Management: Tracing Anthony's Journey through Finance and Policy

    6โ€™24: Building Trust in Turbulent Times: The Crucial Link Between Public Engagement and Policy Formation

    10โ€™50: Shaping the Future of Finance: The Essential Role of Stakeholder Engagement in Policy and Regulation

    14โ€™50: Digitizing Equity: Carta's Impact on Private Markets and the Future of Financial Infrastructure

    20โ€™07: Unlocking Private Markets: Navigating Complexity and Challenging Paternalistic Regulations

    24โ€™17: Expanding Economic Opportunity: The Imperative of Broadening Access to Private Markets

    27โ€™27: Beyond Data: Carta's Vision for Empowering Founders and Investors in the Private Market Ecosystem

    31โ€™50: Tailoring Growth: How Carta Supports Founders from Startup to Public Transition

    34โ€™39: Navigating the Terrain: The Dynamics of Private Fund Administration in Changing Economic Climates

    38โ€™56: Charting the Future: Carta's Vision for Empowering Founders, Revolutionizing Fund Administration, and Expanding Global Footprints

    40โ€™57: The channels used to connect with Anthony & learn more about Carta

    Disclaimer here โ€” this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

    Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

    Want to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

  • Lex chats with Malcolm deMayo, Global Vice President for Financial Services at Nvidia. deMayo kicks off the discussion on how Nvidia has been working with financial services firms for over 15 years, providing accelerated compute platforms to help solve compute-intensive challenges in trading, banking, and insurance. DeMayo explains that Nvidia's hardware accelerators, such as GPUs, can execute thousands of instructions at a time, resulting in a significant speedup compared to traditional CPUs. He highlights the use of AI and machine learning in various financial services applications, including fraud detection, sentiment analysis in trading, and process automation in banking. DeMayo also discusses the emergence of Generative AI, which enables the generation of unique content and the potential for human-like engagement in customer service. He emphasizes the importance of collaboration between business and AI teams for successful AI deployment and mentions the role of open-source models and federated learning in the future of AI.

    MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

    Nvidia's Website: https://bit.ly/3TwEDXO

    Malcom's LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3xeimqa

    Topics: AI, Artificial intelligence, Machine learning, accelerated compute, compute, generative AI, genAI, financial services, Neural networks

    Companies: Nvidia, OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, EvidentAI, AlexNet

    ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

    ๐Ÿ”ฅSubscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2

    ๐Ÿค Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin

    TIMESTAMPS

    1โ€™35: Beyond Moore's Law: Nvidia's Pioneering Role in Financial Services Innovation

    6โ€™56: Revolutionizing Efficiency: The Transformative Impact of GPU-Accelerated Computing in Finance

    14โ€™12: Unlocking Efficiency: How Nvidia's Accelerated Compute Platform Revolutionizes Machine Learning in Finance

    19โ€™52: Transforming Finance: The Power of Machine Learning in Fraud Detection and Market Analysis

    29โ€™15: From Data Custodianship to AI Revolution: Nvidia's Pivotal Role in Transforming Finance with Generative AI

    35โ€™03: Beyond Classification: Nvidia's Role in Fueling Generative AI's Impact on Financial Services Innovation

    42โ€™04: Shaping the AI Landscape: The Dynamic Between Open Source Innovation and Proprietary Models in Financial Services

    47โ€™01: The channels used to connect with Malcom & learn more about Nvidia

    Disclaimer here โ€” this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

    Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

    Want to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

  • Lex chats with Nelson Chu, founder and CEO of Percent - the modern credit marketplace. Nelson kicks off the discussion b by walking through his inspiration for building the private credit marketplace and the challenges of operating in the fintech industry. He explains that Percent aims to provide a better alternative investment platform for credit investors by offering shorter durations and lower minimum investments. Nelson also discusses the importance of infrastructure in the private credit market and the need for technology to streamline processes. He highlights the different types of investors and borrowers that use Percent's platform and the challenges of building a three-sided marketplace. Nelson also touches on the impact of macroeconomic factors, such as interest rates, on the private credit market and the role of data and AI in the industry.

    MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

    Percent's Website: https://bit.ly/3x3w8Mg

    Nelson's LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4a5Nwym

    Topics: Private credit, lending, borrowers, underwriting, AI, artificial intelligence, investment, alternative investment, fintech, marketplace

    Companies: Percent, Lending Club, LendIt, Prosper, Blackstone

    ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

    ๐Ÿ”ฅSubscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2

    ๐Ÿค Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin

    TIMESTAMPS

    1โ€™12: From FinTech Consulting to Revolutionizing Private Credit: The Genesis of Percent

    4โ€™33: Unveiling the Void: The Journey to Establishing Essential Infrastructure in Alternative Investments

    6โ€™55: Decoding Private Credit: Navigating Yields, Risk, and Investor Dynamics in Short-Duration Fixed Income

    14โ€™01: Investor Trends and Platform Evolution: The Shifting Terrain of Private Credit Investments

    19โ€™15: Building the Bridge: Crafting the Infrastructure to Power a Tripartite Financial Marketplace

    26โ€™15: Mastering Multi-Sided Markets: Strategies for Bootstrapping Borrowers, Investors, and Underwriters

    31โ€™26: Tech as the Catalyst: Navigating the Fusion of Traditional Finance and Innovative Infrastructure in Private Credit

    36โ€™49: Adapting to Shifts: The Impact of Changing Interest Rates on the Private Credit Landscape

    40โ€™16: Unlocking Potential with AI: How Proprietary Data Sets Are Shaping the Future of Finance

    43โ€™15: The channels used to connect with Nelson & learn more about Percent

    Disclaimer here โ€” this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

    Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

    Want to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

  • Lex chats with Richard Ma, CEO of Quantstamp -a leading blockchain security company. Richard kicks off by discussing the origins of the company and the importance of security in the blockchain space. He explains that the idea for Quantstamp came after he invested in Ethereum and witnessed the hack of the DAO, which prompted him to focus on the security side of Ethereum. Richard describes how Quantstamp conducts audits of blockchain projects, identifying vulnerabilities and providing recommendations for improvement. He emphasizes the importance of reading audit reports and understanding the risks associated with projects. Richard also discusses different types of adversaries in the blockchain space, including nation-state actors, developers seeking recognition, and financially motivated hackers. He believes that while established projects will become more secure over time, new experimental projects will always carry some level of risk. Richard suggests that AI-based debuggers could help improve security auditing in the future. He highlights EigenLayer, ZK-rollups, and the development on Solana as exciting sectors to watch in the coming years.

    MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

    Quantstamps's Website: https://bit.ly/3Iv6zX4

    Richard's LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3IvaxyO

    Topics: blockchain, security, audit, hacking, hacks, crypto, cryptocurrency, digital assets, Web3, DeFi

    Companies: Quantstamp, Ethereum, MakerDAO, Compound, EigenLayer

    ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

    ๐Ÿ”ฅSubscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2

    ๐Ÿค Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin

    TIMESTAMPS

    1โ€™30: From High-Frequency Trading to Fintech Innovator: The Journey to Creating Quantstamp

    9โ€™26: Demystifying the Audit Process: Inside Quantstamp's Approach to Securing Blockchain Projects

    15โ€™04: The Art and Challenge of Blockchain Audits: Navigating the Complex World of Code Review

    19โ€™37: The Nomad Hack: A Case Study in Preventability and the Importance of Diligence in Code Auditing

    24โ€™39: Web3's Adversarial Landscape: Unpacking the Motivations Behind Crypto Hacks and Security Breaches

    29โ€™13: The Ethical Dilemma of Crypto Hacking: Navigating the Fine Line Between Exploitation and Market Manipulation

    34โ€™59: Exploring the Frontier: Key Innovations Shaping the Future of Blockchain in 2024 and Beyond

    36โ€™34: The channels used to connect with Richard & learn more about Quantstamp

    Disclaimer here โ€” this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

    Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

    Want to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

  • Lex chats with Christian Catalini, co-founder and chief strategy officer of Lightspark - a company aiming to break down global payment barriers, throwing its weight behind a new standard intended to make payments as easy as sending an email. Christian kicks off by discussing his career in blockchain and academia, as well as the challenges and opportunities in the fintech industry. He explains how he became interested in crypto through his research on crowdfunding and how he later focused on Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. Catalini also discusses the importance of decentralized governance and the potential of Bitcoin as a global payment network. He introduces Lightspark's products, including Lightspark Predict and Universal Money Addresses (UMA), which aim to make Lightning Network more efficient and user-friendly for cross-border money movement. He emphasizes the need for compliance and regulatory clarity in the crypto industry and highlights the role of various partners in facilitating on and off-ramps between digital assets and traditional payment systems.

    MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

    Lightspark's Website: https://bit.ly/3uQ0Nw1

    Christian's LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3UVwBu3

    Topics: blockchain, crypto, cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, Digital Assets, AI, cross border, payments, lightning network

    Companies: Lightspark, Diem, Libra, Meta Fintech, MIT, MIT Cryptoeconomics Lab

    ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

    ๐Ÿ”ฅSubscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2

    ๐Ÿค Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin

    TIMESTAMPS

    1โ€™22: Bridging Worlds: From Academic Inquiry to Entrepreneurial Action in the Crypto and Crowdfunding Era

    7โ€™12: Innovating at the Intersection: From the Creative Destruction Lab to the Cryptoeconomics Lab at MIT

    13โ€™00: Designing Stability: The Economic Architecture and Vision Behind the Diem Experiment

    18โ€™37: Governance and Trust in Crypto: Navigating the Complex Landscape from Diem to Bitcoin

    25โ€™42: Money as a Public Good: The Evolutionary Path of Bitcoin and Digital Assets in the Global Economy

    31โ€™57: Unleashing Potential: Crypto and AI's Complementary Forces in Shaping the Future of Open Source Technology

    37โ€™02: Universal Money Addresses: Revolutionizing Global Transactions with Seamless, Compliant, and Real-Time Payments

    41โ€™31: UMA and Bitcoin: Simplifying Cross-Border Payments with a Global, Liquidity-Driven Settlement Layer

    46โ€™49: Integrating Innovations: How UMA Partners Enable Smooth Cross-Border Payments Through Bitcoin Liquidity and Local Infrastructure

    50โ€™14: The channels used to connect with Chris & learn more about Lightspark

    Disclaimer here โ€” this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

    Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

    Want to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

  • Lex chats with Shelby Austin, co-founder and CEO of Arteria AI - Arteria AI is an AI-focused company that develops a contract lifecycle management platform for end-to-end digital contracting. Shelby kicks off by discussing her career journey and the development of her company, which focuses on solving documentation challenges in the financial services industry using artificial intelligence (AI). Shelby explains that Arteria AI uses a combination of people and technology to streamline document management processes, such as onboarding, contract generation, and data organization. The company leverages a variety of AI models, both open-source and proprietary, to analyze and generate documents. Shelby emphasizes the importance of user-centric design and practical application of AI in solving real problems for financial institutions. She also discusses the challenges and opportunities of working with large financial firms, including data security and integration with existing infrastructure.

    MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

    Arteria AI's Website: https://bit.ly/3SLtWAr

    Shelby's LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3I11568

    Topics: AI, Artificial Intelligence, ChatGPT, documentation, finance, analytics, contract processing

    Companies: Arteria AI, Arteria, Deloitte, OpenAI

    ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

    ๐Ÿ”ฅSubscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2

    ๐Ÿค Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin

    TIMESTAMPS

    1โ€™23: From Law to Innovation: Shelby Austin's Journey Through Legal Grind to Tech Entrepreneurship

    6โ€™41: Digitizing Diligence: Pioneering Data Management in Legal Workflows

    9โ€™10: From Legal Documents to AI Frontiers: Navigating the Transition into Technological Leadership at Deloitte

    17โ€™27: Reimagining Documentation: The Genesis of Arteria and the Evolution of Financial Services Solutions

    22โ€™32: Simplifying Complexity: Arteria's Solutions for Streamlining Documentation and Compliance Processes

    26โ€™44: Transforming Documentation: Arteria's Multimodal Approach to Financial Services Paperwork

    32โ€™03: Crafting AI Solutions in Finance: Navigating the Landscape of Models Beyond the Hype

    36โ€™16: Building Bridges in Finance: Exploring the Complex Landscape of AI Integration with Major Financial Firms

    39โ€™25: The channels used to connect with Shelby & learn more about Arteria AI

    Disclaimer here โ€” this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

    Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

    Want to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

  • Lex chats with Rachel Lin, the Co-Founder & CEO of SynFutures, a decentralized derivatives trading platform. Lin discusses her background in traditional finance and her transition into the fintech and cryptocurrency industry. She explains her experience working in structured derivative sales and trading at Deutsche Bank, where she interacted with clients such as hedge funds and corporates who used derivatives for speculative purposes, hedging, and arbitrage. Lin then moved to fintech company Alipay, where she learned about blockchain technology and became interested in the potential of decentralized finance. She later joined Matrixport, a centralized platform, before starting her own decentralized derivatives platform, SynFutures. Lin explains that decentralized platforms offer transparency and the ability for anyone to become a market maker or service provider, while centralized platforms require more configuration and rely on market makers. She also discusses the growth potential of decentralized derivatives and the current dominance of speculation in the crypto derivatives market. Lin believes that as digital economies grow, the usage of blockchain and derivatives for economic purposes will also increase.

    MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

    SynFuture's Website: https://bit.ly/3OCDRaa

    Topics: crypto, digital assets, investment, blockchain, AMM, DeFi, CeFi, Liquidity, hedging, arbitrage, derivatives, perps, synthetic

    Companies: Synfutures, Alipay, Matrixport, DYDX, GMX, Synthetix, Deutsche Bank, Uniswap

    ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

    ๐Ÿ”ฅSubscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2

    ๐Ÿค Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin

    TIMESTAMPS

    1โ€™23: Trading Illusions for Insights: Navigating the Complex World of Financial Derivatives

    6โ€™35: Hedging Needs vs. Market Speculation: Deciphering the Derivatives Landscape

    10โ€™54: Institutional to Retail: Transitioning Through Chinese Fintech and Cryptocurrency Markets

    16โ€™16: SynFutures: Unlocking Decentralized Derivatives Trading for All

    20โ€™54: Synthetic Derivatives and Leverage: Amplifying Trades on Decentralized Platforms

    26โ€™56: DeFi Derivatives: AMM Liquidity, Competition, and the Future of Synthetic Trading

    32โ€™13: The promise of Crypto Derivative Markets: Beyond Speculation - Hedging, Arbitrage, and the Promise of Digital Economies

    35โ€™00: The channels used to connect with Rachel & learn more about SynFutures

    Disclaimer here โ€” this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

    Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

    Want to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

  • Lex chats with Stan Miroshnik, founder and managing partner of 10Squared Capital, discusses his early experiences in financial services and his journey into the world of digital assets and crypto. He talks about the challenges of navigating the ICO market and the importance of price discipline in investing. Miroshnik also shares his insights on the current state of the market and the opportunities he sees in sectors such as infrastructure, consumer applications, data analytics, and financial services. He also discusses the potential of security tokens and real-world asset tokenization.

    MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

    10Squared Capital's Website: https://bit.ly/3ShddVm

    Stan's LinkedIn profile: https://bit.ly/3w8kO0S

    Topics: crypto, digital assets, venture capital, investment, blockchain, ICO, tokenization

    Companies: TenSquared Capital, 10THoldings, 10T, 10SQ, Animoca, Coatue, Tiger, Civic

    ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

    ๐Ÿ”ฅSubscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2

    ๐Ÿค Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin

    TIMESTAMPS

    1โ€™28: Navigating the Financial Landscape: From Soviet Childhood to Blockchain Innovation

    4โ€™03: Transitioning from Soviet Roots to Global Finance: A Journey Through Capital Markets and the Emergence of Digital Assets

    11โ€™07: Emergence of Russian Capital Markets: Navigating the Complexities of Financial Evolution and Integration

    15โ€™15: Bitcoin and the Birth of a New Capital Market: Pioneering Digital Asset Investment Banking

    19โ€™13: Compliance Complexity in 2024: Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Digital Asset Regulation

    23โ€™25: Reflecting on the ICO Market: Balancing Innovation, Speculation, and the Evolution of Digital Assets

    27โ€™53: From ICOs to Institutional Investment: Charting the Evolution of Digital Asset Markets with 10T Holdings and TenSquared Capital

    32โ€™18: Assessing Growth Stage Investments in the Digital Asset Space: Navigating the Challenges of Valuation and Opportunity in 2021-2022

    35โ€™24: Identifying Emerging Leaders in Digital Assets: A Look at Key Sectors and Companies Shaping the 2024 Market Landscape

    36โ€™25: Exploring the Future of Digital Assets: Exploring Infrastructure, Consumer Applications, and Financial Services in the Blockchain Ecosystem

    43โ€™04: The channels used to connect with Stan & learn more about TenSquared Capital

    Disclaimer here โ€” this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

    Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

    Want to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

  • Lex chats with Jerome Le Luel, founder and CEO of TRIVER - a London-based startup that uses open banking data and AI to provide short-term working capital to SMEs. To kick off, Jerome discusses the application of AI in fintech lending for small businesses. He explains that traditional banks have struggled to automate lending decisions for SMEs due to regulatory constraints and manual underwriting processes. However, with the emergence of open banking and the ability to access transaction-level data, fintech companies like TRIVER can use data science to automate underwriting decisions and provide instant capital to small businesses. TRIVER's platform allows SMEs to apply for short-term financing in a few clicks, using bank data and credit bureau information to make lending decisions. The capital comes from a combination of equity and debt raised by TRIVER, and the company is also exploring partnerships with non-financial institutions to embed its technology and offer instant capital to their SME clients.

    MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

    TRIVER's Website: https://bit.ly/3OiT1RN

    Jerome's LinkedIn profile: https://bit.ly/3ubNWUz

    Topics: Fintech, lending, SME, SME finance, Open Banking, Underwriting, API

    Companies: TRIVER, Funding Circle, Barclays, Barclaycard, Capital One

    ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

    ๐Ÿ”ฅSubscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2

    ๐Ÿค Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin

    TIMESTAMPS

    1โ€™29: From analytics to innovation: Pioneering credit card strategies in the UK with Capital One

    4โ€™13: Segmentation and innovation: How Capital One's early customer insights revolutionized consumer finance

    9โ€™19: Scaling financial services: Lessons in clarity, efficiency, and rigorous execution from Capital One's rapid growth

    14โ€™53: From challenger to major player: Navigating the shift to large-scale operations in financial services at Barclaycard

    18โ€™59: Risk management in lending: Balancing uncertainty, reward, and scaling in financial services

    26โ€™44: Innovating in Fintech: Leveraging flexibility and focus to outpace traditional banking at Funding Circle and TRIVER

    31โ€™37: Entrepreneurship and innovation: The impact of organizational culture and talent on Fintech advancements

    33โ€™53: Solving short-term SME finance challenges: TRIVER's innovative approach leveraging data science and open banking

    40โ€™23: Real-time SME underwriting: Leveraging transaction data and open banking for effective financial decisions at TRIVER

    41โ€™53: Empowering SMEs with instant capital: TRIVER's seamless integration of tech, data, and finance for efficient working capital solutions

    46โ€™02: The channels used to connect with Jerome & learn more about TRIVER

    Disclaimer here โ€” this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

    Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

    Want to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.