Lend Academy

LendIt Fintech News: Daily Coverage of Fintech & Online Lending


What to Expect at LendIt Fintech USA Virtual

LendIt Fintech will host the biggest virtual fintech show of 2020 at the end of this month

By Leave a Comment

Views: 129

LendIt Fintech USA is coming up fast and I wanted to share what we have in store for you this year. We embraced the move to digital early on and have completely reimagined the event experience for the virtual world. This will not just be a bunch of boring Zoom presentations. We have hired an Emmy Award-winning production crew to help us bring you a first-class experience on top of the A-Grade content and networking opportunities you’ve come to expect.

The world of financial services has been turned upside down by the pandemic. Fintech has been front and center as the financial services industry has responded quickly to these changes. But the changes have only just begun and we all need to gather at this critical juncture to learn, collaborate and do business. This is why I believe that this will likely be our most important event ever.

So, what can you expect at LendIt Fintech USA 2020? Here is a run down of the different components of the show.

Networking

We know that many of you attend LendIt Fintech to meet with the people who matter to your business. This is where we have put in the most effort, making this virtual event better than any in-person event we’ve ever produced. 

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

Solutions

Find the answers to your latest challenges in our Solutions Showcase featuring over 150 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 a new iPhone 12 Pro, Airpods and free memberships to LendIt Fintech Digital.

Content

We have completely retooled our agenda in the last three months and I can confidently say it is our best and most relevant ever. Learn what some of the biggest names in the industry are thinking about today and how they are taking their companies forward. While I think every session is going to be great, here are some of the highlights I am most looking forward to:

  • Stephanie Cohen – Chief Strategy Officer at Goldman Sachs
    A leader at one of the biggest names in finance, Stephanie will share the Goldman philosophy of when to buy, build or invest when it comes to new initiatives. She will talk about their approach to diversity and their takeaways from dealing with the pandemic.
  • Anthony Noto – CEO of SoFi
    With competition heating up from banks and other fintechs, the CEO of SoFi will share his vision for where fintech is going and how SoFi will maintain its leadership position in the industry.
  • Zach Perret – CEO of Plaid
    Plaid has been at the epicenter of fintech for years and has been an enabling force for banks and fintechs this year as the world has shifted dramatically to digital. But we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg and Plaid has a vision of moving fintech beyond financial services.
  • Angela Strange – General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz
    The world’s three billion underbanked people have been largely ignored during the first phase of fintech but there are many companies getting traction today with creative products addressing this population. Angela will be talking with fellow VC luminary Matt Harris of Bain Capital Ventures about real solutions for the underbanked.
  • Steve McLaughlin – CEO of FT Partners
    Many of the most important fundraising and acquisition deals in fintech go through the doors of FT Partners. Steve will share how to position your company for M&A today, what has changed and what steps entrepreneurs can take to maximize their chances for financial success.

Discounted Pricing Ends Friday

Discounted pricing for LendIt Fintech USA 2020 ends at midnight on Friday. After that the full retail price will be in force. But don’t forget that Lend Academy readers always receive special treatment, so you can use the code LENDACADEMYVIP to receive 15% off the already discounted price. So register now.

See you online

The reality is that there are many advantages to attending a virtual event, not the least of which is cost. You can experience the best of what has made LendIt events so popular, all from the comfort of your home office. Want to learn more? Here’s a quick tour of what we have in store for you at the largest virtual fintech event of 2020.

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

By Leave a Comment

Views: 50

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

By 4 Comments

Views: 384

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

By Leave a Comment

Views: 563

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.

LendIt Fintech USA 2020 Call for Speakers

Submit your speaker idea for LendIt Fintech USA 2020 by December 31st

By Leave a Comment

Views: 179

We are now less than six months away from LendIt Fintech USA 2020 to be held at the Javits Center in New York City on May 13-14 next year. We are just starting to fill out our speaker roster so if you would like to be considered as a speaker now is the time to act. I recorded the short video below with my fellow co-founder, Bo Brustkern, CEO of LendIt Fintech, to give you an idea of what we are looking for when it comes to a speaking role.

To be part of LendIt Fintech’s exclusive speaker faculty please send us your most provocative and innovative ideas. This should (obviously) not be a sales pitch for your company, it should be an original idea that will help drive the industry forward. As I said in the video to have the best chance of being included as a speaker next year you should submit your idea by December 31st. I look forward to reading your submissions.

Planning for LendIt Fintech USA 2020 is Underway

The biggest show in lending and digital banking returns to New York City next year, launch pricing ends Friday

By Leave a Comment

Views: 211

Even though we are still nine months away the LendIt Fintech team is already hard at work producing our biggest event of the year. LendIt Fintech USA will be held in New York City on May 13-14 next year at the Javits Center. After two years in San Francisco we will be back in the finance capital of the world where we are expecting our biggest audience ever.

Registration for LendIt Fintech USA opened earlier this month and we have already had a flurry of activity with many people taking advantage of the special launch price of $1,695. That is a savings of $1,300 off the full price of a ticket. But to take advantage of this steep discount, you need to act soon. The launch pricing will end at midnight on Friday, so register now.

What will we be covering next year? Regular attendees will know that we have the broadest and deepest content in both lending and digital banking and we will continue that next year. Here is an initial look at the themes we will be building our agenda around:

New Themes
  • The Small Business Fintech Ecosystem
  • Revolution at the Point of Sale
  • New Approaches to Capital for Growth Businesses
  • Digital Banking Goes Mainstream
  • New Systems for Identity and Trust
  • Applying Fintech to Financial Wellness
Back by Popular Demand
  • Credit & Underwriting Innovation
  • The Latest in Consumer Lending
  • How Small Business Lending is Evolving
  • Digital Real Estate Offerings
  • The Evolution of Fintech Partnerships
  • How Regulation Can Keep Up With Fintech

We are just starting outreach to potential speakers so if you want to be part of our exclusive speaker roster please submit your idea here. We are pleased to have already secured our first three keynote speakers: the Chairman of the FDIC, Jelena McWilliams, Jo Ann Barefoot of Barefoot Innovations Group and Rishi Khosla of UK fintech unicorn OakNorth.

Lend Academy Readers Always Receive a 15% Discount

As always, as a Lend Academy reader you can save an additional 15% off the already discounted launch price. When you register just enter the code LENDACADEMYVIP at checkout.

We look forward to seeing everyone when the industry gathers for the 8th annual LendIt event next year in New York City.

All LendIt Fintech USA 2019 Sessions Now Available Online

By Leave a Comment

Views: 262

If you attended LendIt Fintech USA 2019 in San Francisco earlier this month there was likely many sessions you missed out on. I know that was the case for me. Not to worry you can now listen to or watch any and all of the sessions from this groundbreaking event.

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

I have already started going through the audio files and last night I listened to The New Payday Lending Alternative: Employer Based Lending, a fascinating session featuring four companies that are trying to change the financial health of workers across America. There are dozens of other great session to listen to and I hope you add some LendIt content in your audio playlist.

LendIt Fintech USA 2019 Event Highlights

By 3 Comments

Views: 1,774

Roger Hochschild, CEO of Discover and Douglas Merrill, CEO of Zest Finance chat with Selina Wang of Bloomberg in LendIt Fintech USA 2019 opening keynote session

Last week the fintech world gathered in San Francisco for the 7th annual LendIt Fintech USA conference. As I do every year at this time I will share many of the highlights from the keynote presentations and other parts of the event.

We kicked off the event with a fascinating discussion that encapsulated so much of what is important in finance right now. We had the CEO of Discover, Roger Hochschild and the CEO of ZestFinance, Douglas Merrill on stage talking about bank-fintech partnerships and how machine learning is helping both banks and fintech companies expand their credit box to the previously underserved. Hochschild said that partnerships are so important for banks because they can get access to talent that they might otherwise not. My favorite quote from the session was from Merrill, “There is a moral beauty in finding people who have been mistreated by the [financial] system and fixing that”.

The CEO and Co-founder of Affirm, Max Levchin, had some harsh words to say about credit cards in his session. He basically compared them to pay day loans in that in both instances borrowers are allowed to refinance their own debt in perpetuity. Their business model is based to some extent on deceiving the customer. Far better to have an installment loan where you know exactly how much you are paying with a fixed payment every month. He also talked about Affirm’s groundbreaking partnership with Walmart and how both companies, while very different when it comes to scale, have a very similar customer-centric approach. He appreciated Walmart no longer offers a deferred interest payment option, something that Levchin dislikes intensely. He said that 2019 will be the year of big partnerships for Affirm both within finance and outside.

Sallie Krawcheck is the CEO of Ellevest and previously ran the wealth management operations for some of the largest Wall Street firms. She talked about an amazingly underserved investor segment: women. Investment management is such a male dominated industry with 90% of mutual fund managers and 95% of hedge fund managers being male. She made the interesting point that we have been socialized to think that something “for women” means it is inferior and likely just a marketing ploy. Women have not made the progress either in finance or other industries that we all expected a couple of decades ago. The gender pay gap is decades away from closing and one of the ways to help close this gap is to help women invest in a smarter way.

Sallie Krawcheck of Ellevest talks with Kat Utecht of Core Innovation Capital at LendIt Fintech USA 2019
Sallie Krawcheck of Ellevest talks about empowering women investors with Kat Utecht of Core Innovation Capital
[Read more…]

Women in Fintech Demolish Glass Ceiling

LendIt Fintech Woman of the Year 2019 award finalists target diversity, equality, education

By Leave a Comment

Views: 987

[Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Mark Lusky of Mark Lusky Communications, a writing and marketing communications firm, operating since 1982. He specializes in ghostwriting expert advice articles, blogposts and other bylined content for clients, along with writing e-books, whitepapers, case studies, websites, opinion pieces and other communiques—incorporating marketing skills and perspectives acquired as a regional marketing director for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He will be attending LendIt in San Francisco this April.]

LendIt Fintech’s Fintech Women of the Year 2019 award finalists champion the causes of diversity, equality and education—and shout it from the rooftops. In the process, they’re demolishing glass ceilings for women and other diversity-challenged groups.

They are dedicated to achieving gender, ethnic and racial equality. And they are educating a variety of audiences— including borrowers, investors and the Fintech industry—about ways to grow and thrive by becoming savvier and open to all people.

These finalists are changing not just their world—but the whole world.

Promote diversity, respect, collaboration
Valerie Kay, Chief Capital Officer at LendingClub, is responsible for overseeing LendingClub’s Investor Group. She addresses the need for diversity, inclusion, mutual respect and collaboration. She emphasizes the vital importance of diversity to drive better workplaces, happier customers and more profits.

[Read more…]

New Lending as a Service White Paper Released

By Leave a Comment

Views: 559

One of the themes of the upcoming LendIt Fintech USA 2019 event will be the growing role partnerships are playing in lending operations at both banks and non-banks. We have gone from one or two projects that have moved beyond the pilot stage to several dozen lending as a service (Laas) implementations.

The latest LendIt Fintech white paper highlights industry growth, key trends, feature requirements and implementation considerations for financial institutions considering LaaS. It also profiles the leading fintech companies providing Laas, shows their capabilities as well as examples of customers who have implement their solution.

You can download the white paper here.

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.

Recent Editorials