Shaping Fintech Innovation: Greg Palmer, VP and Director of Fintech Strategy at Finovate
Finovate has established itself as a key platform for showcasing the latest in financial technology, bringing together industry leaders, innovators, and investors – with leading events FinovateEurope, FinovateSpring (taking place in San Diego in May) and their flagship event FinovateFall (taking place in New York in September). As fintech continues to evolve, staying ahead of regulatory changes, technological advancements, and shifting customer expectations is more important than ever.
In this interview, Greg Palmer, VP and Director of Fintech Strategy at Finovate, shares insights on how the Finovate event series drives innovation, supports diversity in fintech, and helps industry professionals navigate emerging trends.
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Finovate’s Journey: With years of hosting one of the most prominent fintech event series globally, can you share the pivotal moments that shaped Finovate’s growth and relevance in the fintech industry?
Finovate first launched in 2007, and by 2011, it was growing rapidly. Key industry milestones, such as the passing of PSD2 and the rise of cryptocurrencies, have certainly played a role in shaping its trajectory. However, the biggest driving force has been the evolving expectations of banking customers. As more consumers demand high-tech solutions from their banks, it creates opportunities for innovators to push the industry forward. The most exciting part? We’re still just getting started!
Demonstrating Innovation: How does Finovate select and showcase the most impactful fintech innovations during the event, and what criteria are most important in the selection process?
Finovate is built around live demos of the latest fintech innovations. Companies have just seven minutes on stage to showcase their working products—no PowerPoint slides or pre-recorded videos allowed.
To participate, companies must first submit an application detailing what they plan to demo. From there, we carefully select the most innovative and impactful solutions to feature. Our goal is to present our audience with technology that is relevant, cutting-edge, and ready for real-world implementation—all while being mindful of everyone’s time. There’s no more efficient way to experience the latest advancements in fintech!
Tackling Industry Challenges: Fintech is evolving rapidly with new challenges like regulatory pressures and technological disruptions. How does Finovate Europe equip its participants to navigate these changes successfully?
Simply put, we bring in leading subject-matter experts to share their insights with our audience. With the fast pace of fintech, it’s nearly impossible for banking executives to stay on top of every industry shift. That’s where our speakers and panelists come in—they provide perspectives, best practices, and key knowledge to help attendees navigate these changes effectively.
Championing Diversity: Fintech has faced scrutiny for a lack of diversity in leadership. What role does Finovate Europe play in promoting inclusion and diversity within the industry?
Finovate is the only major fintech conference that proudly features a 50% female speaker faculty. Beyond that, we actively support diversity by offering demo scholarships to companies led by underrepresented founders or those driving innovation in ESG-focused areas.
While many conferences talk about diversity, we ensure it’s front and center—on the main stage, during the busiest times of the day, where it truly matters.
Impact of Emerging Technologies: Technologies like AI are reshaping the financial sector. How is Finovate Europe adapting to include discussions and demonstrations around these transformative trends?
Our model has always been about showcasing the latest innovations, and emerging technologies like AI and machine learning have naturally become a major part of that. However, at Finovate, the focus isn’t just on the technology itself—it’s on what it enables and the real-world benefits it delivers.
Today, the vast majority of fintech demos incorporate AI or ML in some way, but what truly sets them apart is how they help banks enhance security, improve customer acquisition and retention, streamline credit decisions, and more.
Our stage isn’t just about discussing AI—it’s about demonstrating what’s possible with AI that wasn’t achievable before.
Building Year-Round Engagement: Beyond the annual event, how does Finovate Europe keep its community engaged and connected throughout the year?
The Finovate Blog serves as a year-round publication, keeping our community informed with updates from our demoing alumni and key developments in the fintech space.
Additionally, we extend our reach globally with Finovate events across the world, including FinovateEurope in London (February) FinovateSpring in San Diego (May) and FinovateFall in New York (September). These events provide ongoing opportunities for fintech professionals to connect, learn, and showcase the latest innovations throughout the year.
Advice for Aspiring Fintech Innovators: For emerging fintech companies, what advice would you give them to make the most of an opportunity to participate in Finovate Europe?
It’s all about perfecting the 7-minute demo. This is a powerful opportunity to capture the undivided attention of executive-level bankers, VCs, analysts, press, and industry leaders, so making the most of it is crucial.
We offer demo coaching to every company that signs up, but the key factors for success are understanding your high-level messaging, showcasing your product quickly and efficiently, and ensuring the audience clearly sees how they would use your technology within their own organisation. A well-executed demo can leave a lasting impact and open doors to new opportunities.
