Announcing the Fintech Stage agenda at TechCrunch Disrupt

Building a fintech startup isn’t an easy task, as you have to deal with complex regulation and make sure that your service is extremely reliable because you’re handling money. That’s why we created the brand-new Fintech Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt and invited some of the brightest minds in fintech to learn how they pulled it off.

A few years ago, it was hard to imagine that finance would become one of the most innovative spaces in tech. And yet, the world of fintech is an ever-evolving one with entrepreneurs trying to modernize financial services, simplify payments and embed financial products everywhere.

With a dedicated Fintech Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt, we’ll have plenty of time to talk about the most interesting fintech topics at length. We’ll discuss the future of payments and see how it unlocks new business opportunities with global coverage, instant payouts, subscription-based billing and complex marketplace business types.

We will also host conversations about open banking and embedded finance. These are two major changes for the fintech industry that could potentially turn any startup into a fintech startup and bring financial products much closer to the end customer.

Some seasoned investors will join us as well to discuss all of the ups and downs that come with running a fintech startup. And it’s been a real roller coaster lately with valuation cuts and regulatory changes.

Here is your first peek at the agenda — but stay tuned for more to come!

TechCrunch Disrupt, our flagship startup event, returns to San Francisco on September 19–21, and we have a lot to talk about. We hope to see you there. Tickets are now on sale.

The Fintech Stage agenda at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023

Plaid’s Zach Perret Opens up on Open Banking

with Zach Perret (Plaid)

Plaid has had a thousand lives. After a $5 billion acquisition deal with Visa that fell through due to regulatory concerns, the company didn’t hit the pause button. Instead, it has been relentlessly rolling out features and raising money to make the dream of open banking a reality. What if you could connect to your bank account from anywhere? What if sending money was as easy as sending a text message?

Making Money Move with Embedded Finance

with Peter Hazlehurst (Synctera), Laura Spiekerman (Alloy) and Amanda Swoverland (Unit)

Creating a bank account, storing money, receiving a payment card and lending money should be as easy as opening an account on a social network. Or at least, that’s the promise of embedded finance. That’s why a new wave of finance infrastructure companies are reinventing banking — and they could potentially turn any company into a fintech company.

The Future of Payments

with Céline Dufétel (Checkout.com)

Payments startup Checkout.com cashed in on the tech funding boom of 2021 and reached a valuation of $40 billion. Since then, both Stripe and Checkout.com had to lower their internal valuations. But Checkout.com president Céline Dufétel is here to prove that the payments company is still in growth mode and has big expectations for the U.S. in particular.

Building Up Blockchains for Mass Adoption

with Jesse Pollak (Coinbase), Grace Torrellas (Polygon) and speaker to be announced

As the crypto ecosystem gains more traction from developers, traditional institutions and big brands, it needs mainstream adoption to grow as well. In order to do that, blockchains need to be able to support greater — and faster — transactions per second, while keeping fees low. But what will it take to get to that next level? And what are major blockchains and crypto projects alike doing to help accelerate that mission?

a16z’s Arianna Simpson on the Promise of Web3 Investments

with Arianna Simpson (Andreessen Horowitz)

Yes, there are still crypto-focused investors out there doubling down their web3 strategies as other VCs look to other horizons (ahem, AI). Arianna Simpson is a general partner deploying capital for a16z’s multi-billion-dollar crypto fund(s). While other investors move away from the crypto industry amid the market downturn, we want to learn about why and how a16z is holding on, their strategy, how they view the investing landscape and more. We’ll also dive into what the regulatory landscape means for VCs and the projects they invest in.

Fintech Investing Is Not for the Faint of Heart

with Mark Fiorentino (Index Ventures), Emmalyn Shaw (Flourish Ventures), Jillian Williams (Cowboy Ventures)

Venture capitalists have poured billions into fintech companies in recent years, making it one of the most invested categories in the startup world. While the pace of funding has slowed, there are plenty of investors who are still bullish on the potential of financial technology. What sectors within fintech show the most promise? Which have seen too much hype? Which have proven to be resilient?

Disrupt 2023 runs September 19–21 in San Francisco. Buy your pass now! Seriously, what are you waiting for?

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