The Vestigo FinTech Podcast Vestigo Ventures

Ever wondered how to navigate the complexities of FinTech innovation and leverage AI for your startup's success?
In this episode, Frazer and Kris discuss:
Building and scaling FinTech startups, including strategic leverage, technology adoption, and effective partnerships with banks
The importance of measuring and managing complexity within banking systems to drive innovation and efficiency
The transformative potential of AI in financial services, enhancing customer experiences and streamlining processes
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Kris Hansen is the CTO at Sagard. His extensive background includes a mix of technology startups and banking and payments architecture roles. Previously, Kris was the CTO and Co-Founder at Synctera, a bank-as-a-service marketplace connecting community banks and consumer-facing Fintech firms. He also served as the Chief Technology Officer at KOHO Financial, Canada’s leading challenger bank, and at Portage Ventures, a Fintech-focused venture capital firm. Before these roles, he was the Head of Solution Architecture at the Royal Bank of Canada and the Chief Architect at ATB Financial. Early in his career, Kris created one of the first internet service providers in Canada and established one of the largest Hawaiian professional services firms. Additionally, through his angel investment company 4Utopia Inc., Kris is a pre-seed angel investor and advisor for high-potential technology companies.

Curious about the evolving landscape of growth equity investments in the FinTech sector and the role of AI in shaping the future of finance?
In this episode, we discuss: 
How FinTech and AI are reshaping financial services and investment strategies
Opportunities for applications of LLM technologies within financial services
Matt’s learnings from being a member of the Goldman FinTech mafia
Matt Alfieri is a partner at Centana Growth Partners, leading investments and serving on boards in the financial services, FinTech, and related software sectors. Prior to this role, he spent 9 years at Goldman Sachs, focusing on financial technology, market structures, and enterprise software, where he was both an investment banker and served on the principal investment group.

How is AI reshaping geopolitical complexities and the competitive landscape of enterprise?
In this episode, we discuss: 
The complexities of AI markets, from navigating open source versus closed systems to balancing innovation and margins in AI-as-a-service models
AI in Enterprise: Scaling Startups vs. Incumbent Giants
The geopolitical impact of AI on Middle Eastern energy politics and China's techno-authoritarianism
Ray Wang, a tech luminary, is the Co-Founder & Chairman of Constellation Research, a Bestselling Author, and a Keynote speaker. Renowned for his insights into digital transformation and enterprise technology, Ray's expertise stems from influential roles at Altimeter Research and Forrester Research. His bestselling books, including "Disrupting Digital Business" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," delve deep into the impact of digital technologies on business models.
 

What role does AI technology play in shaping the businesses of the future?
In this episode, we discuss:
What it takes to build an AI business on today’s most cutting edge technology stack
The challenges and opportunities presented by the new digital divide
Building technology for small business customers
Jimmy Hatzell, a seasoned SaaS startup professional, is the CEO and co-founder of Hatz AI, revolutionizing AI as a service for small businesses through MSPs. His leadership at Hatz follows a successful tenure as VP of Revenue at CyberQP, where he significantly contributed to revenue growth and strategic product direction. He continues to influence the company as an advisor. 
 

Victor Cheng is a CEO Coach and independent board member for founders of SaaS companies. He has been featured as a business expert by major media outlets including MSNBC, TIME magazine, and The Wall Street Journal, Victor is a former McKinsey & Company consultant and has been a senior executive in several publicly owned technology companies. He’s the author of Extreme Revenue Growth: Startup Secrets to Growing Your Sales from $1 Million to $25 Million in Any Industry
 
Vipul Shah is a Co-founder & CEO at SaaSWorks. SaaSWorks is the first purpose-built Continuous Finance Platform, powering the single source of truth for Subscription, FinTech, and Payments businesses and delivering accurate data, timely signals, and peace of mind. Prior to founding SaaSWorks, Vipul held Managing Director or Managing Partner roles at the likes of ArrowMark Partners, Brightwood Capital, SVT Capital, and Goldman Sachs, where he invested in mid-market private equity, growth equity, and debt across the SaaS, software, and tech-enabled services sectors.
 

In this exclusive interview from our Annual General Meeting this past October, Frazer Anderson sat down with general partners Mark Casady and Dave Blundin to discuss the profound differences between blockchain and AI, with a focus on the transformative impact of neural networks. The interview explores concrete examples of AI applications in financial services, emphasizing the imminent shifts in customer service, risk management, and coding practices. Casady and Blundin also share perspectives on the adoption of AI in enterprises, discussing the challenges and opportunities in navigating this technological revolution. The interview concludes with insights on attracting top talent and fostering a dynamic learning environment. Watch as these industry veterans provide valuable perspectives on the evolving landscape of financial technology and artificial intelligence.