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LendIt Fintech News: Daily Coverage of Fintech & Online Lending


LendIt Fintech USA is Just Two Weeks Away

The biggest fintech event of the year to date will feature the industry's best networking, a cutting edge agenda, a startup contest and more. Save $200 if you register by Friday.

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The fintech world will be gathering online on April 27-29 for the ninth annual LendIt Fintech USA event. We have upped the ante on last year’s successful online event and will be broadcasting live from the production studio at the Javits Center in New York City. This will be an online event unlike anything you have ever attended.

So, what can you expect at LendIt Fintech USA? Here is a run down of the different components of the show.

Networking

We had multiple people say after our event last year that virtual networking is better and more efficient than in-person networking. The functionality offered by our networking partner, Brella, continues to improve so you can expect an even better experience this year. We always put a huge effort into networking so we have multiple ways for you to connect with your fellow attendees from the comfort of your home or office.

  • One-on-One meetings – Pre-schedule one-on-one meetings and view the complete attendee list using Brella’s world-class networking technology.
  • Networking Roulette – Let our algorithm match you for a series of spontaneous one-on-one meetings each day. These are short six-minute meetings that mimic bumping into people at an in-person event.
  • Women in Fintech Power Hour – Connect with impressive and interesting women during the lunch break on Day One. This is always one of the most anticipated and appreciated networking events of the year.
  • Post Game Show – Join us in the 1 Fintech room on Clubhouse for an audio-only discussion with your peers to close each day.

Solutions Showcase

Find the answers to your latest challenges in our Solutions Showcase featuring almost 100 sponsors and exhibitors with great ideas to propel your business. At each virtual booth you can gather product information, chat with company reps, engage in in-depth discussions, view videos and more.

Content

We are absolutely delighted with the way our agenda has come together this year. Our virtual keynote stage has some of the biggest names in fintech, companies that are rewriting the rules in financial services. In our afternoon breakout tracks we go more in-depth into the most important fintech topics of the day. There is something for everyone here so check out the full agenda here.

Back to the keynotes. While every keynote session I expect to be great here are the five that are most hotly anticipated:

  • Mike Cagney – CEO of Figure
    There is no one in fintech who has the combination of vision, creativity and ability to execute quite like Mike Cagney. He is bringing his unique skills now in tackling the inequality that has been caused by existing financial products. We know new approaches are needed and you will want to hear Mike’s vision for what this future can look like.
  • Nick Molnar – CEO of Afterpay
    Probably the hottest area of fintech this past year has been the buy-now-pay-later space. Part of the reason for its popularity is the shift that is happening as consumers choose debit options over credit. Afterpay CEO sees this as a structural shift that will have a profound impact on economies going forward.
  • Colin Walsh – CEO of Varo Bank
    Varo Bank has broken new ground as they became the first digital retail bank to be approved for a national bank charter. Now, the company is shifting its attention to creating a bank that is fair for all. CEO Colin Walsh has spent his entire career in banking, he knows what is wrong and more importantly how to build a better bank that is more equitable for everyone.
  • Henrique Dubugras – CEO of Brex
    The financial options for businesses have never been better. Part of the reason for this is because of companies like Brex that are creating financial products that are resonating with startups. But there is much more work to be done here and Brex CEO Henrique Dubugras will share what the future of business banking can look like.
  • Jennifer Tescher – CEO of Financial Health Network
    It is no longer good enough to just talk about the importance of financial health. As an industry we need to take action, measurable action. This will be the key going forward. How do we know our products are really benefiting our customers? By measuring their actual impact. Jennifer Tescher will provide us with a framework to do just that.

You can see a trend here just in these five keynotes. Interest in financial equality and using fintech as a force for change has never been stronger. You will see this reflected throughout our agenda during the three days of the event. This is what we, as an industry, need to be working on right now.

PitchIt @ LendIt

Our startup competition is bank with a whole new batch of promising fintech companies. In the morning of day three you will be able to watch pitches from eight finalists in PitchIt @ LendIt. Our panel of venture capital investors will decide who is the most promising fintech company of 2021.

Discounted Pricing Ends Friday

Discounted pricing for LendIt Fintech USA ends at midnight on Friday. At that time the price goes up $200. But don’t forget that Lend Academy readers always get the best deal, so you can use the code LENDACADEMYVIP to receive 15% off the already discounted price. So register now.

See you online

This is an important time for fintech and LendIt Fintech USA is the event for this moment. Never before has finance been through such changes in a 12-month period. But we are just getting started. Come see what the future will look like at the largest fintech event of the year to date.

I look forward to seeing you online at the end of this month.

LendIt Fintech’s Lending Innovation Summit Europe is Next Week

The first event in LendIt Fintech's free quarterly series kicks off on March 3 with the focus on fintech lending

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LendIt Fintech is doing something a little different this year in Europe. We will be producing a free quarterly series of one day virtual events centered around a specific theme. Our first event, the Lending Innovation Summit kicks off next week on March 3rd.

The day will feature cutting edge content as we hear from fintech lending leaders discussing where the industry is going. The title we are giving this event is “A Year Interrupted: What’s Next for Lenders”. We know that the past year has been a challenging one for most lenders but we will not be dwelling on the past, this will be very much focused on the way forward.

As with all LendIt events, networking will be front and center. We have deliberately left ample time for one-on-one networking throughout the day. Together with our partner, Brella, we have completely reimagined the networking experience for the digital age and have made meeting new people incredibly simple. You can request meetings directly for one-on-one Zoom meetings and you can participate in our speed networking hour we call Networking Roulette.

Meeting the people who matter to your business has never been easier. Our software will suggest which professionals you should meet who actually want to meet you.

Lending Innovation Summit Agenda

9:00 – One-on-one Networking Opens
11:00 – Keynote: The Next Step for Fintech Lenders: Profitability
11:35 – Panel: Making Better Lending Decisions With Open Banking Data
12:20 – Panel: How Embedded Finance Will Impact Lending
13:00 – Lunch Break
14:00 – One-on-one Networking
15:00 – Keynote: The Future of Funding: Instant Disbursements
15:30 – Keynote: Helping European SMEs Recover From the Crisis
16:00 – Networking Roulette
18:00 – One-on-one Networking Closes

(all times GMT)

The event is completely free to attend. So, join the 1,000+ people who will be attending the Lending Innovation Summit next week and register now.

Highlights from LendIt Fintech LatAm 2020 and Why Latin America is the Most Exciting Region of the World for Fintech

LendIt Fintech LatAm 2020 was held online this week and it featured most of the leaders of fintech in Latin America

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This week the Latin American fintech community came together for the second annual LendIt Fintech LatAm event. Just over 700 people enjoyed two full days of great content, networking and more.

In December last year we held our first Latin American event in Miami but this year, like all events, it was conducted online. This was actually LendIt’s third big online event so we have really started to get the hang of things, as everything went quite smoothly.

I came away with a much greater understanding and appreciation for the fintech community in Latin America. Many of the fastest growing fintech companies on the planet are located in this region. There are three main factors underpinning this growth: the large number of unbanked consumers, the deep penetration of smartphones and the poor job the incumbents are doing in serving consumers and small businesses. These things, combined with an indomitable entrepreneurial spirit, have led to several fintech companies achieving significant scale.

When it comes to scale no Latin American fintech company can come close to Nubank. Based in Brazil, with a population just over 200 million people, they have already attracted over 30 million customers to their digital banking platform. David Vélez is the CEO and co-founder of Nubank and he kicked off our keynote “stage” with Nigel Morris, the co-founder and Managing Partner of QED Investors. Nigel was also the co-founder and President of Capital One back in the ‘90s and he reflected on the many similarities between the early days of Capital One and the early days of Nubank. David also shared that, despite Nubank’s growth, the big banks in Brazil still have about the same market share as they did a decade ago demonstrating that Nubank is really growing the market. [Read more…]

The Big Names Are All Speaking at LendIt Fintech LatAm Next Week

We are delighted to have many of the biggest names in Latin American fintech speaking at LendIt Fintech LatAm 2020 on December 8-9

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LendIt Fintech LatAm 2020, our second annual event focused on Latin American fintech is happening next week (December 8-9), online of course. Our keynote roster is set and we couldn’t be happier with the way it has come together. Here is our complete keynote lineup and the topic they will be discussing:

  • David Vélez of Nubank with Nigel Morris of QED Investors:
    • The Rapid Growth of Digital Banking in LatAm
  • Sergio Furio of Creditas with Paulo Possini of Softbank:
    • Building a Modern Fintech with Lending as the Gateway
  • Hector Cardenas of Conekta with Arnoldo Reyes of Visa:
    • Payments at the Center of the Fintech Ecosystem
  • Hernan Kazah of Kaszek Ventures with Claire Diaz-Ortiz of Magma Partners:
    • Filling the LatAm Capital Gap
  • Pierpaolo Barbieri of Ualá with Miguel Armaza of Wharton Fintech:
    • The Simplicity & Power of Inclusive Banking
  • Angela Strange of Andreessen Horowitz with Nick Shalek of Ribbit Capital:
    • How Silicon Valley Views LatAm Fintech Today
  • Tory Jackson of Galileo with Thiago Dias of Mastercard:
    • The Age of the Enablers
  • Juan Guerra of Rappipay Mexico with Andres Fontao of Finnovista:
    • Why Platforms Will Dominate the Future of Finance

We also have a stellar collection of speakers and topics in our afternoon breakout tracks covering digital banking, lending innovation, payments and the cutting edge of fintech.

While hearing from these fintech leaders is important, networking with your peers is critical during this time of limited travel. We will have all the leading companies of Latin American fintech in attendance and available for meetings in our popular Brella platform. You can start pre-scheduling meetings today. We also have “networking roulette” where an algorithm will match you with people you should meet for a quick 7-minute intro meeting. This has proved to be very popular at our USA and Europe events.

Lend Academy Discounted Price

As we do with every LendIt event, Lend Academy readers receive a special discount. You can use the code LENDACADEMYVIP to receive 15% off the already low price. Time is running out with the event next week so register now.

Can’t Afford to Attend? Apply for Our Hardship Program

We know these are difficult times for many companies. We have heard from a number of people in our Latin American community who have said that they would love to attend but can’t afford it. So, we have set aside a limited number of free passes for those people who are struggling. You can apply here to be included in this program. If you are approved we will get back to you within 24 hours.

I look forward to seeing you online next week at LendIt Fintech LatAm 2020.

LendIt Fintech LatAm 2020 Preview

The Latin American fintech community will come together virtually for LendIt Fintech LatAm next month

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LendIt Fintech LatAm is happening December 8-9, virtually, of course. We are excited to be returning to the Latin American market as it remains the hottest region on the planet when it comes to fintech. And while the pandemic has had a major impact on region, as it has most places, if anything fintech is growing even faster now.

This will be our third virtual event of the year and we now know the ingredients of hosting a successful virtual event. And we couldn’t be more pleased with how our second annual Latin American event is coming together. So, what can you expect at LendIt Fintech LatAm 2020? Here is a run down of the different components of the show.

Networking

While networking is always a focus at LendIt, when we moved to virtual events we knew we had to make the networking experience fantastic. And judging from the comments we have received at our previous two events we have succeeded. Several people said networking at LendIt Fintech was even better in the virtual format than in-person. Here is what you can expect.

  • One-on-One meetings. Pre-schedule one-on-one meetings and view the complete attendee list using Brella’s world-class networking technology.
  • Networking Roulette. Let our algorithm match you for a series of spontaneous one-on-one meetings to close day one. This is serious fun for novice and expert networkers alike.
  • Overtime. Participate in lively discussions with your peers during Overtime at the conclusion of day two. Overtime has been a real hit with our community because of its authentic interface.
  • Women in Fintech Power Hour. Connect with impressive and interesting women during the lunch break on Day One in a speed networking session.

Content

We are absolutely thrilled with the way the agenda has come together over the last couple of months. This is without doubt a more high powered keynote roster than last year with pretty much everyone we invited saying yes. Here are are some of the big names you can learn from at LendIt Fintech LatAm 2020:

  • David Vélez – CEO of Nubank
    The largest digital bank on the planet is Nubank, based in Brazil. With over 30 million customers and a reported valuation of $10 billion Nubank is not just the most important fintech player in Latin America, it is unique in the world. We are so thrilled to have Nigel Morris of QED Investors interview David on our virtual keynote stage to kick off the show.
  • Sergio Furio – CEO of Creditas
    Creditas is the most successful fintech lender in Latin America but they are far more than just a lender. They are using lending as a gateway to provide, not just other financial services, but to offer products even beyond finance. Their model is truly fascinating and one that could be a blueprint for fintech lenders in the future.
  • Pierpaolo Barbieri – CEO of Ualá
    Barely three years old, Ualá is likely the fastest growing fintech company in Latin America. With two million prepaid card customers in Argentina they have recently expanded to Mexico to bring their inclusive banking offering to more people. Pierpaolo will be kicking off day two of the show.
  • Hernan Kazah – Managing Partner of Kaszek Ventures
    The co-founder of e-commerce giant Mercado Libre now runs the largest venture fund in Latin America with over $1 billion in capital raised. Started in 2011, Kaszek Ventures has provided capital and expertise to many of this current generation of fintech leaders.

Solutions

Find the answers to your latest challenges in our Solutions Showcase featuring industry leading sponsors and exhibitors with great ideas to propel your business. At each virtual booth you can gather product information, chat with company reps, engage in in-depth discussions, view videos and more.

We also have a fun competition for attendees where you can become a LendIt Fintech All-Star. The most engaged attendees can win some great prizes including free memberships to LendIt Fintech Digital.

Discounted Pricing Ends Friday

For just $199 you can enjoy two full days of networking and cutting edge content but you need to hurry. At the end of day Friday, November 20, the price increases to $299. Keep in mind, as with every LendIt event, Lend Academy readers receive a special discount, so you can use the code LENDACADEMYVIP to receive 15% off the already low price. So register now.

See you online

If you are curious about the Latin America market or are already well established there you should join us in December. You can experience the best of what has made LendIt events so popular, all from the comfort of your home office. See you online next month.

Early Bird Price for LendIt Fintech USA Virtual Ends June 30

LendIt Fintech USA is happening on September 29 through October 1 but early bird pricing ends very soon

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LendIt Fintech USA 2020 is coming to your desktop on September 29 – October 1. It is everything that you love about LendIt without any of the travel.

Our keynote roster is looking stronger than ever. Here are just some of the speakers you will learn from this year: 

  • Stephanie Cohen – Chief Strategy Officer of Goldman Sachs
  • Zach Perret – CEO and co-founder of Plaid
  • Peter Hazlehurst – Head of Uber Money
  • Jelena McWilliams – Chairman of the FDIC

Of course, as we do with every event we will be covering the most important topics of the day in our afternoon breakout sessions. Each afternoon we will be running three concurrent tracks of content focused around a particular topic. This year, more than ever, our agenda will attempt to answer today’s biggest challenges.

Now, networking is going to be front and center at LendIt Fintech USA 2020. Early feedback from initial tests we have been doing suggest that the virtual format of networking may even be superior to the in-person variety. So, rest assured we will be putting a great deal of effort into delivering the best online networking event you have ever experienced. You come to LendIt to meet the right people and this year that will be easier than ever before.

The Best Price Ever for a LendIt Event

The price to attend LendIt Fintech USA 2020 is only $495. This is the best price ever for a LendIt event and will likely never be repeated. This price only lasts until June 30, so you should register today.

The great thing about hosting a virtual event is that we can reach a much broader audience of bank, fintech and investment leaders from not just around the country but around the world. We expect our audience to grow in size and diversity, as attending a LendIt Fintech event is no longer a luxury and much more a necessity.

As you know, the LendIt team will be working tirelessly over the next 3+ months to make this virtual 2020 event the best LendIt ever.

LendIt Fintech Moves to All Virtual Events for 2020

LendIt Fintech USA, Europe and LatAm will be held as virtual events in 2020

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After much deliberation over the past several weeks, the leadership team at LendIt Fintech have made the decision to move all of our major events in 2020 to an all-virtual format. 

While many cities throughout this country and the world continue to open, we are still a long way from being able to host business events in convention centers with thousands of people. The reality is that we don’t know when exactly it will be safe to have live events like LendIt Fintech USA.

We all want certainty as we start to plan the second half of the year. And there is only one way we at LendIt Fintech can provide certainty for our USA, Europe and LatAm events in 2020, and that is to move to an all-virtual format. 

The reason events like LendIt Fintech are so popular is that we can learn the very latest trends from the experts, meet with the people who matter most to us, and create new connections. At our live events, these three goals are met very efficiently in a compressed time period with thousands of like minded people. 

However, with this apparently slow and uncertain reopening of commerce that we are now experiencing, it is not clear that we can successfully host a LendIt-quality event in 2020.

Now, with more than seven years of history as a leader in content production, networking innovation and journalism, and after receiving glowing reviews about LendIt Fintech Digital, we are confident that our virtual events will provide excellent value for our audience. You see, we aren’t trying to digitally replicate a live event, we are reimagining the best components of our live events within a virtual world. We will provide an experience that is as good or even better than what we can offer at our live events, all without the expense of travel.

We will have:

  • The highest quality speaker roster in the industry.
  • Interactive breakout rooms.
  • 1-on-1 networking with Brella 
  • All sessions available on demand
  • A huge and diverse audience

We will be launching our virtual events next week with some really special deals. We will also be cooking up some surprises for all of you that we will share at a later date. 

If you have already bought a ticket or sponsorship for LendIt Fintech USA you should have received an email earlier today telling you about the benefits you will receive for your early support of us. If you are a confirmed speaker we will be reaching out to you over the next week or so.

We look forward to returning to live events in 2021. In the meantime, we understand you need to stay ahead on your fintech news, knowledge and relationships, and we are here to help you do just that. 

Get ready to grow. Look for the launch of LendIt Fintech Virtual events next week. 

Health Update for LendIt Fintech USA 2020

How we are making sure our May conference will be safe for all attendees

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The world is awash in coronavirus news. Google News is showing 894 million news articles for the term “coronavirus”, a word most of us had never heard of until this year. Even “COVID-19” has 255 million news articles. It is, without doubt, the most well covered new virus in history.

Here at LendIt we are starting to get questions from attendees, speakers and sponsors about our marquis event, LendIt Fintech USA 2020, happening in New York City on May 13-14, just over 10 weeks today. So, we wanted to provide an update for you. 

The Show Will Go On

The LendIt Fintech team is committed to producing a great show as we have done every year since 2013. We know that for many companies in our industry, LendIt is their Superbowl, the place where they make the most connections, generate the most impactful leads, and learn the most important new trends in fintech. In short, the industry depends on us, and we will not let the industry down.

We have added a section to our FAQ page that spells out the precautions we are taking. And we have emailed all registered attendees, sponsors and speakers. Rest assured there will be hand sanitizer everywhere, common areas will be vigorously cleaned and we will have additional medical staff on site.

We are in regular touch with the Javits Center and the City of New York, who are constantly monitoring the situation. They are working hard to make sure all of the upcoming conferences, of which there are many, will be safe and productive for all attendees. If circumstances change we will certainly update everyone.

My Personal View

I have been saying privately for weeks that the death rate for COVID-19 has been dramatically overstated. Here is a recent article from the Cato Institute that affirms my opinion. 

While I don’t want to minimize the dangers of the virus, the vast majority of people who contract COVID-19 experience mild symptoms. We may never know the actual mortality rate for this flu, nor does our crystal ball reveal the path of expansion and contraction it will take, but we can be confident that life will return to normal at some point. 

Now, it could well be a new normal with increased awareness of cleanliness and health safety. But we don’t want to live or work without face to face contact with people. I obviously have a vested interest in people maintaining their normal life but it is also something I believe should happen. I am writing this article on a plane to New York City and I am more acutely aware of doing the simple things to protect myself than ever before. And that is probably a good thing.

As I said, the show will go on. My colleagues at LendIt are committed to providing a safe, hygienic environment in which you may develop your company in this dynamic and ever-changing industry.

Early Bird Pricing for LendIt Fintech USA 2020 Ends Tomorrow

Register by end of day Friday to save $1,000 on your ticket to LendIt Fintech USA 2020 in New York

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LendIt Fintech is excited to be back in New York City for our marquis event, LendIt Fintech USA 2020, after spending the last two years in San Francisco. We will be back at the Javits Center again on May 13-14 where you can attend the world’s largest event dedicated to lending and digital banking.

Our keynote roster is shaping up to be the best we have ever had. Earlier this week we announced the Chief Strategy Officer for Goldman Sachs, Stephanie Cohen, who will be speaking about Goldman’s approach to innovation and how they are working with the fintech ecosystem today. We also have confirmed Jelena McWilliams, the head of FDIC, Craig Boundy, the CEO of Experian North America, Angela Strange, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz and Rishi Khosla, the CEO and Co-Founder of OakNorth, the leading UK challenger bank. We also have a couple more big names that we will be announcing very shortly.

Save $1,000 to LendIt Fintech USA 2020 by Registering Now

Early bird pricing of $1,995 ends at midnight on January 10th (that’s tomorrow as I am writing this), that is $1,000 off the full price of a ticket. Also, as always Lend Academy readers can receive an additional 15% discount (off the already discounted price) by using the code LENDACADEMYVIP at checkout. You know you want to go so why don’t you go ahead and register now.

Below is a video with some highlights from our event last year in San Francisco. We look forward to seeing you at LendIt Fintech USA 2020 in New York in May.

All LendIt Fintech Europe 2019 Sessions Now Available Online

LendIt Rewind now has audio of all Europe 2019 sessions on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher

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Rishi Khosla, CEO of OakNorth, in the opening keynote session

If you attended LendIt Fintech Europe 2019 in London this past September you probably missed out on many sessions you really wanted to attend. I know that was the case for me. Not to worry you can now listen to or watch any of the sessions from this groundbreaking event.

While we have had videos of all the keynote sessions available online for a couple of months now, we recently completed uploading all the track sessions as well. These are audio files that you can listen to on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher (just search for LendIt Rewind or the title of your favorite session).

In addition, recorded sessions can be found on the LendIt Fintech Europe 2019 website. You can also view photos from the event. All available slide presentations can also be found on the LendIt Blog.

If you are interested in joining us as a speaker for LendIt Fintech Europe 2020 please sign up to speak today.

ABOUT LENDIT FINTECH NEWS

LendIt Fintech News, Powered by Lend Academy, has been bringing you all the news and information about fintech and online lending since 2010 when it was founded by Peter Renton. We not only have the industry’s most active news site, but also the largest investor forum and the first and most popular podcast.

We are a team of fintech enthusiasts who have been covering the industry for many years. With a deep knowledge of online lending, digital banking, blockchain, artificial intelligence and more our team covers the daily news and writes in-depth editorials.

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