Fintech Combine

Fintech Combine
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Welcome to the Fintech Combine! This is the series where we talk with, and sometimes about, community financial institutions, their adoption of digital technology, which fintechs they are selecting and we mix it with just a little bit of tough love. So if you're ready, lets suit up and get out on the field!

  1. 11 HR AGO

    Spiral’s Big Bet: Better Banking Starts With Purpose

    In this episode of The Fintech Combine, host Kris Kovacs sits down with Shawn Malamed, co-founder and CEO of Spiral, to discuss how credit unions and community banks can build more heart-centered digital banking experiences. Shawn shares his journey from building fintech companies and leading innovation at Morgan Stanley to launching Spiral, a platform designed to help members save money, reach personal goals, and give back to their communities through everyday banking activity. They explore why personalization, financial wellness, and community impact are becoming essential for deposit growth and retention—and how credit unions can use modern fintech tools to compete while staying true to their mission.Subscribe for more fintech insights! 🚀Follow the Pod:https://twitter.com/fintechcombineFollow Kris Kovacs:https://twitter.com/ManagementByteshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/kriskovacs/https://www.instagram.com/kriskovacs/The Fintech Combine is Produced and Edited by Anson Beckler-JonesFollow Anson Beckler-JonesInstagram - @ansonandcoYoutube - @ansonandco______________________________________________________00:00 – Welcome to The Fintech Combine with Kris Kovacs00:17 – Introducing the Powered by Curql Series00:45 – Meet Shawn Malamed, Co-Founder & CEO of Spiral01:22 – From Entrepreneur to Morgan Stanley Innovation Leader03:20 – Why Shawn Left Wall Street to Start Spiral04:32 – The Mission: Building Heart-Centered Financial Services05:23 – How Spiral Transforms Checking & Savings Accounts06:20 – Roundups, Saving Goals & Giving Back to the Community07:25 – How Spiral Integrates Into Mobile Banking Platforms08:19 – How Fast Credit Unions Can Launch Spiral08:52 – Member Adoption: Who Uses Spiral the Most?09:43 – Using Charitable Giving to Strengthen Local Communities11:53 – The Inspiration Behind the “Upward Spiral” Concept13:03 – Why Credit Unions Are a Perfect Fit for Spiral16:16 – Banks vs Credit Unions: Spiral’s Customer Base17:53 – How the Curql Accelerator Helped Spiral Grow20:12 – Lessons From Building a Neobank22:20 – Why Most Neobank Models Struggle Long-Term25:00 – Why Fintech Innovation Still Needs Credit Unions27:14 – Advice for Chief Innovation Officers at Credit Unions29:00 – Personalization: The Future of Member Engagement31:27 – Generational Differences in Saving Money33:07 – Building Fintech for Credit Unions vs Big Banks36:23 – Lessons From Starting Three Fintech Companies38:38 – How to Connect With Spiral39:05 – Closing Thoughts from Kris Kovacs

    40 min

  2. 27 FEB

    How Lodestar Helps Credit Unions Turn Data Into Decisions

    Kris Kovacs sits down with Colin Phillips, CTO of Lodestar, to talk about how credit unions can stop relying on spreadsheets and start treating data like a strategic asset. Colin breaks down what a modern data journey really looks like—pulling information out of core and other systems into a single source of truth, building a practical data strategy with quick wins, and putting smart governance (like a clear data dictionary) in place so teams can trust what they’re seeing. They also dig into near real-time reporting, what success looks like for small vs. large credit unions, and how AI will change analytics next—without replacing the need for clean, well-defined data. Follow the Pod: https://twitter.com/fintechcombine Follow Kris Kovacs: https://twitter.com/ManagementBytes https://www.linkedin.com/in/kriskovacs/ https://www.instagram.com/kriskovacs/ The Fintech Combine is Produced and Edited by Anson Beckler-Jones Follow Anson Beckler-Jones Instagram - @ansonandco Youtube - @ansonandco

    34 min

  3. 13 FEB

    Powered by Curql: Can AI Finally Fix the “Too Many Systems” Problem?

    On this episode of The Fintech Combine, Kris kicks off the new Powered by Curql series with the founder and CEO of Uptiq.ai to explore how their AI platform creates an “intelligent operating layer” on top of a credit union’s existing systems of record. They discuss why so much real work still happens outside the core and LOS, how AI agents can cut across multiple systems to automate manual tasks, and what it looks like when staff shift from doing the work to reviewing it. The conversation also covers faster time-to-value, adaptable policy-driven agents, and why this approach could help credit unions free up time to focus more on member experience and personalization. Follow the Pod: https://twitter.com/fintechcombine Follow Kris Kovacs: https://twitter.com/ManagementBytes https://www.linkedin.com/in/kriskovacs/ https://www.instagram.com/kriskovacs/ The Fintech Combine is Produced and Edited by Anson Beckler-Jones Follow Anson Beckler-Jones Instagram - @ansonandco Youtube - @ansonandco

    44 min

  4. 30 JAN

    AI + Stablecoins: The Two Trends Credit Unions Can’t Ignore

    In this episode of The Fintech Combine, host Kris Kovacs sits down with Dr. Lamont Black of Wide Open Ventures to break down what’s next for credit unions as AI and stablecoins move from hype to real strategy. They unpack the impact of the Genius Act, why stablecoins are becoming a mainstream payments rail, and what credit unions should do now to prepare—without jumping into tech for tech’s sake. Dr. Black also shares how leaders can approach AI adoption as organizational change, what “agentic AI” means for the future of member relationships, and why being a “fast follower” can quietly turn into doing nothing. Follow the Pod: https://twitter.com/fintechcombine Follow Kris Kovacs: https://twitter.com/ManagementBytes https://www.linkedin.com/in/kriskovacs/ https://www.instagram.com/kriskovacs/ The Fintech Combine is Produced and Edited by Anson Beckler-Jones Follow Anson Beckler-Jones Instagram - @ansonandco Youtube - @ansonandco

    35 min

  5. 16 JAN

    The Future of Credit Unions: Embracing AI and Data Governance

    In this episode, Kris Kovacs hosts Troy Wyatt, CEO of DataOps, and Shawn Gilfedder, CEO of Kitsap Credit Union, to discuss the transformative impact of agentic technology on credit unions. The conversation begins with an introduction to the participants and a brief overview of their organizations. Shawn shares insights into Kitsap's journey towards leveraging data and AI to enhance member experiences, emphasizing the importance of internal culture and collaboration in adopting new technologies. Troy elaborates on how DataOps supports credit unions in managing their data effectively, enabling them to create personalized services for their members. The discussion also touches on the recent changes in Washington state law that allow credit unions to make direct equity investments in tech companies, highlighting Kitsap's pioneering role in this area.As the conversation progresses, the speakers delve into the challenges and opportunities presented by agentic technology, including the need for a cultural shift within organizations to embrace innovation. They discuss the importance of understanding business processes and data governance, as well as the potential for AI to enhance operational efficiency. The episode concludes with reflections on the future of credit unions in a rapidly evolving technological landscape, emphasizing the need for continuous learning and adaptation to meet member needs effectively. Follow the Pod: https://twitter.com/fintechcombine Follow Kris Kovacs: https://twitter.com/ManagementBytes https://www.linkedin.com/in/kriskovacs/ https://www.instagram.com/kriskovacs/ The Fintech Combine is Produced and Edited by Anson Beckler-Jones Follow Anson Beckler-Jones Instagram - @ansonandco Youtube - @ansonandco

    40 min

  6. 19/12/2025

    A Year-End Conversation on Credit Union Innovation

    As we wrap up the year, this special holiday episode of The Fintech Combine brings together industry leaders to reflect on where credit unions are headed and how innovation continues to shape the future of community-based financial institutions. From collaboration and technology to growth strategies and evolving member expectations, this conversation looks back on the lessons of the past year while offering thoughtful perspective on what lies ahead. It’s a timely, end-of-year discussion focused on progress, possibility, and the people driving meaningful change across the credit union ecosystem. Follow the Pod: https://twitter.com/fintechcombine Follow Kris Kovacs: https://twitter.com/ManagementBytes https://www.linkedin.com/in/kriskovacs/ https://www.instagram.com/kriskovacs/ The Fintech Combine is Produced and Edited by Anson Beckler-Jones Follow Anson Beckler-Jones Instagram - @ansonandco Youtube - @ansonandco

    20 min

  7. 05/12/2025

    The AI Tool That’s Revolutionizing Risk & Compliance for Banks

    In this episode of The Fintech Combine, host Kris Kovacs sits down with Kalyani Ramadurgam, co-founder and CEO of Kobalt Labs, to explore how AI is transforming third-party risk management and compliance for financial institutions. Kalyani shares how her background in AI research and fintech led to building an auditable, secure, and highly explainable platform that automates the most manual parts of risk review. Together, they discuss why spreadsheets are no longer enough, how credit unions of all sizes can benefit, and what the future of AI-driven compliance looks like. Follow the Pod: https://twitter.com/fintechcombine Follow Kris Kovacs: https://twitter.com/ManagementBytes https://www.linkedin.com/in/kriskovacs/ https://www.instagram.com/kriskovacs/ The Fintech Combine is Produced and Edited by Anson Beckler-Jones Follow Anson Beckler-Jones Instagram - @ansonandco Youtube - @ansonandco

    39 min

  8. 21/11/2025

    From Retail Secrets to Credit Union Growth: Vertice AI’s Playbook

    In this episode of the Fintech Combine, host Kris Kovacs sits down with Mitch Rutledg, co-founder and CEO of Vertice AI, to explore how community financial institutions can finally unlock the power of their data without massive teams or endless projects. Mitch shares his journey from leading advanced analytics at global giant SAS to building Vertice AI specifically for credit unions and community banks, and explains how smarter use of first-party data, AI-driven targeting, and intelligent agents can transform member engagement, lending and deposit growth, and indirect conversions. If you’ve ever felt “too small” to be truly data-driven, this conversation will change your mind. Follow the Pod: https://twitter.com/fintechcombine Follow Kris Kovacs: https://twitter.com/ManagementBytes https://www.linkedin.com/in/kriskovacs/ https://www.instagram.com/kriskovacs/ The Fintech Combine is Produced and Edited by Anson Beckler-Jones Follow Anson Beckler-Jones Instagram - @ansonandco Youtube - @ansonandco

    44 min
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About

Welcome to the Fintech Combine! This is the series where we talk with, and sometimes about, community financial institutions, their adoption of digital technology, which fintechs they are selecting and we mix it with just a little bit of tough love. So if you're ready, lets suit up and get out on the field!

Information

  • Creator
    Fintech Combine
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    64
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Fintech Combine
  • Show Website
    Fintech Combine