Finovate Fall: The Inside Perspective

Finovate Fall brought fintech and banking leaders together in the heart of New York City to explore the future of financial services. EI’s Senior Analyst, Morgan Lewis was there to capture the key insights. Here’s an inside look at the event

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On-Site Branding was Big

Walking into the conference, you could see that the organisers had done a fantastic job using the unique layout of the Marriott Marquis to highlight their sponsors. ShareFile, the platinum sponsor, was hard to miss—their logo was everywhere: on the escalator taking you up to the event space, wrapped around massive pillars, and even on the railings that circle the hotel's signature target-shaped floors. Talking to the event producers on-site, they mentioned that sponsors were already asking about which pillars and escalators they could snag for next year.

Demos Dominate: Finovate is best known for its demo sessions, where 36 fintech companies each have 7 minutes to showcase their products and compete for the annual “Best of Show Award.” While the bell signalling the end of each presentation can be a bit startling at first, it was exciting to see the direction in which the fintech space is heading.

Hot Topics: A big trend on day one was the push for financial wellness solutions that make it easier for consumers and financial institutions to communicate. One standout was Addition Wealth, which helps employees understand and utilize the financial tools available to them. Another notable demo came from Credit Mountain, which automates the loan denial process for credit unions and helps people improve their credit so they can eventually get approved.

Out-of-the-Box Speakers Shine

As with all B2B conferences these days, AI was a huge focus, particularly on how AI can enhance personalization and improve the customer journey in banking. However, some of the most memorable moments came from unexpected sources. For example, when Flipstick (a phone accessory brand) CEO ?? Akeem Shannon took the stage and began rapping, the room went quiet. His compelling story of overcoming setbacks and seizing opportunities—including connecting with Snoop Dogg and appearing on Shark Tank—was not only captivating but also perfectly aligned with the innovative spirit of the conference and the interests of the sales-focused attendees.

Engaging with the Expo

Most of the excitement at Finovate was centered in the expo hall, which was split into a demo area and a more traditional setup. Both sides were lively, but the custom booths in the sponsored section stood out as particularly bright and inviting. Unsurprisingly, Nest’s booth, which was handing out artisan donuts, was a major draw and created a lot of chatter among attendees. Tote bags from sponsors were also everywhere, as they were quickly put to use by attendees to carry their laptops and other items. The charging stations and networking spaces at the center of the expo were also a big hit, drawing people back throughout the day.

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New Networking Approach

During the general session program, event producers announced a new meetings program they were beta-testing called "Level Up." While they didn’t share too many details, Finovate’s Greg Palmer , who was emceeing the general session stage, said it’s designed to help the event stay on top of big tech trends and was shaped by feedback from past attendees. It’ll be exciting to see if future Finovate events roll out this new meeting platform!

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