Financial technology touches everyone. Whether in business or in the personal lives of consumers, this evolving field has implications for the role of money and how it works.
Technology’s demonstrated ability to reimagine the financial landscape raises possibilities around accessibility, equity, and sustainability. How can the power of fintech be a tool for improvement in the financial industry and in the world at large? These are the questions behind Boston FinTech Week, now in its fourth year, which takes place virtually from September 28 to October 1.
With four days of jam-packed programming, Boston FinTech Week brings dozens of speakers and thousands of participants together to dive into the ins and outs of fintech topics — ranging from decentralized finance to insurtech to corporate governance and more. And, in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, insights on post-COVID futures will be included as well.
Behind this diverse week of programming is FinTech Sandbox, a Boston-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship and innovation globally in the financial technology sector. We here at CIC have been lucky to have FinTech Sandbox as a member of our community of mission-driven organizations at Impact Hub Boston, part of the CIC Boston innovation campus. And we’re equally thrilled to join forces on an evening of programming as part of Boston FinTech Week — Playing in the Regulatory Sandbox: How RegTech is Influencing the Financial Industry — on Thursday, September 30. In collaboration with our partner organization Venture Café Cambridge, this night of all things regtech includes voices from banks, startups, and industry experts.
Whether you’re an industry longtimer, a serial or novice entrepreneur, a student, or just plain curious about where the hot world of fintech is headed next, Boston FinTech Week has something for everyone. Oh, and they have plenty of networking opportunities interspersed between sessions. (New to virtual networking? Check out this handy list of tips.)
Browse the list of their events below and then head to their website for more details on speakers, programming, and registration.
Day 1 (Tue. 9/28) — Welcome, AI, Embedded Finance, Career Fair, and More
8:45am Boston FinTech Week Welcome Remarks
9am Exclusive Conversation with Mike Massaro, CEO of Flywire
9:45am Half of What You See and None of What You Hear: Building Trust Digitally
11am Is There Noise in the Machine?: Removing Bias in AI
12pm Exclusive Conversation with Greg Becker, CEO of SVB
12:30pm FinTech Women + Suffolk University – Transparent Tools for Financial Freedom: A Founder’s Story
1:30pm How Embedded Finance is Changing Consumer Lending
1:30pm World Ready: Trends in Developing NextGen FinTech Talent
2:30pm Mass Fintech Hub: Student Career Fair
2:30pm Kicking and Screaming: Changing the Insurance Industry
3:45pm Changing the Game: Lessons from Athletics on How FinTech Might Monetize Personal Data
4:00pm Boston RegTech Meetup – The Emerging Opportunities and Challenges for AI in Financial Services
4:45pm Closing remarks & open networking
Day 2 (Wed. 9/29) — Climate Change, Equity, VC, and More
9:05am A Tale of Two Economies: How FinTech is Reducing Financial Volatility for Low-Income Americans
9:50am Parametric Insurance: Meeting Cover Needs Created by Climate Change
11am How to Build a Thriving FinTech Ecosystem
12pm Exclusive Conversation with Beth Johnson, CXO of Citizens Financial Group
12pm Northeastern University – International Perspective: Fintech’s Role in Economic Recovery Through the Pandemic
1:30pm Mass Fintech Hub: Building FinTech Partnerships
2:30pm The Blurring of FinTech: Using the Tools at Hand to Build a Better Future
3:45pm Raising the Bar: Building Financial Security for Everyone
4:45pm Investing for the Future We Want, the World We Need: A Fireside Chat with Venture Investor Mark Casady
5:35pm Mass FinTech Hub: Angel Investor Education
Day 3 (Thu. 9/30) — Decentralization, Blockchain, RegTech, and More
9:05am Architecting a Borderless Industry: Why Decentralization Matters to the Future of Financial Services
9:50am Reshaping the Capital Markets: The Impact of Using Blockchain to Improve Efficiency in the Digital Securities
10am Boston Blockchain Association – Education and Talent
11am Rethinking the Basics of Insurance: A Deep Dive into the Use of Blockchain to Build the Insurance Industry of the Future
12pm Defying Gravity: A conversation on Stable Coins and their Systemic Role in the Future of Global Finance
12pm Boston Blockchain Association – Banking and Crypto
1:30pm Catalyzing Sustainability: How the Great Green Investment Boom is Catalyzed by Blockchain
2pm Boston Blockchain Association – FinCen
2:30pm Intersecting Curation and Commerce: How Blockchain is enabling Payments and New Financial Models the Creator Economy
3:45pm Powered by DeFi: The Future of Finance
4pm Boston Blockchain Association – Government Crypto and Blockchain
5pm Venture Café RegTech Night — Startup Stalls: What I Learned from Regulation Roadbumps
6pm Venture Café RegTech Night — SHARK TANK: Meet the Boston RegTech and FinTech Startups
6pm Boston Blockchain Association – Blockchain and Tracking Bad Actors
Day 4 (Fri. 10/1) — Conversations and Conclusions
9:05am Exclusive Conversation with Abby Johnson, CEO of Fidelity Investments
10:05am What is Art?: Designing for the Next Era of FinTech Solutions
11:15am Exclusive Conversation
12pm Exclusive Conversation
12:45pm Closing remarks & networking reception
Networking Opportunities at Boston FinTech Week
In addition to many panels and discussions happening, Boston FinTech Week includes dedicated opportunities at various points throughout each day to network with fellow participants. If you’d like to brush up on your networking skills before then, we’ve got you covered. Check out some CIC-approved advice on networking in digital spaces, networking for introverts, and networking for people who (understandably) hate networking.
Below are the networking sessions hosted during Boston FinTech Week. Be sure to check out the event website to register and get more information.
Tue. 9/28
10:45–11am
12:45–1:30pm
3:30–3:45pm
4:50–5:50pm
Wed. 9/29
10:50–11am
12:45–1:30pm
3:30–3:45pm
5:35–6:35pm
Thu. 9/30
10:50–11am
12:45–1:30pm
3:30–3:45pm
4:35–5:35pm
Fri. 10/1
11:05–11:15am
12:55–1:55pm
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