Running alongside FinovateFall on September 11 in New York City, IMPACT Funders & Founders is a special opportunity for innovative fintech startups and scale-ups to connect with venture capitalists, corporate investors, and industry leaders.
For investors, IMPACT offers an early look at some of the best investment prospects in fintech, targeted one-on-one meetings with startups, and insights from experts on common challenges faced by fintech investors today. For founders and startups, IMPACT provides opportunities to network individually with top VCs, angel investors, and private equity firms, pitch directly to leading investors, and learn from veteran fintech executives on how to grow and scale.
IMPACT is a one-of-a-kind event. But is IMPACT for you? Here’s a look at our updated agenda, including a peek at our Pulse Roundtables, a special opportunity for candid, off-the-record conversations between funders, founders, and attendees.
Remember that IMPACT Funders & Founders is its own event and requires a separate pass from FinovateFall 2026. Create your package and secure your Funder or Founder & Startup Pass at our IMPACT Funders & Founders hub.
The day begins with IMPACT Funder & Founder Meetings: pre-scheduled, 10-minute, one-on-one meetings directly connecting startups with active investors. This session is followed by a dual-track conference-within-a-conference with one stage dedicated to the issues and concerns of fintech startups and another stage focused on the challenges faced by fintech investors. Each stage will consist of keynotes, fireside chats, and power panels covering a range of topics from AI and investment trends to tokenized assets and navigating regulatory change.
For Funders
Opening Keynote: The Future of Venture Capital: Navigating Change. This opening keynote will focus on how AI, tokenized assets, and innovative fund structures are reshaping the venture capital landscape.
Power Panel: GP-LP Evolution and Market Dynamics. This power panel will explore evolving dynamics between GPs and LPs, including co-investment trends, GP-led transactions, and strategies for navigating global capital flows.
Keynote: The Advantage Shift: How AI, Regulation, and Trust are Reshaping Competitive Advantage. Featuring Cate Taylor, CEO of communications and corporate affairs advisory firm Bayes Global.
Lightning Round Presentations: These 10-minute talks feature industry professionals sharing their insights on key issues in fintech and investing, including:
- Mindset Ventures Managing Partner Boaz Albaranes on The Liquidity Problem: How Venture Capital Adapts to 15-Year Private Companies
- Sidecut Ventures Managing Partner Mike Ma on Why Capital Efficiency is Replacing Growth-at-all-Costs
- Thomson Reuters Ventures Investor Alex Carvalho on Fintech Valuations After the Reset: What Deserves a Premium Multiple?
- Global PayTech Ventures Managing Partner Kristofer Perez on The Return of Consumer Fintech: AI Enables Opportunities in Lending, Payments, and Personal Finance
Check out the Pulse Roundtables! Our Pulse Roundtables are a unique opportunity for candid, peer-led conversations between attendees. For Funders, we’re featuring discussions on distribution as the new moat and the evolving landscape of crypto and digital assets.
For Founders
Fireside Chat: A Fintech Success Story. This fireside chat will highlight the pivotal moments that defined a company’s trajectory.
Power Panel: Fundraising Playbook—Tactics That Work Now. This power panel will discuss best practices for startups seeking funding, from the first meeting to the term sheet.
Keynote: The Visibility Gap and How to Get Found in the Era of AI. Featuring Greg Matusky, Founder and CEO of financial services PR agency Gregory, and host of the AI-focused podcast The Disruption is Now.
Fireside Chat: AI as Your Growth Engine. This fireside chat will focus on how startups are using AI to scale faster and cheaper. This chat will be moderated by Steven Ramirez, CEO of Beyond the Arc, in conversation with Fintech Sandbox Co-Founder Sarah Biller.
Lightning Round Presentations: These 10-minute talks feature industry professionals sharing their insights on key issues in fintech and investing, including:
- Launch Factory Partner Alessandro Rinaldi on Building Strategic Networks and Advisory Boards
- Accutive Fintech Strategist and Evangelist Derek Corcoran on GTM Strategy: From Zero to Market Traction
- Finkr COO and Co-Founder Paul Mullins on Talent Strategy: Building High-Performing Fintech Teams
Don’t forget the Pulse Roundtables! For Founders, we’re offering conversations on developing scalable operational strategies and coordinating go-to-market efforts with growth and market expansion, as well as a look at how to leverage AI-driven insights to optimize customer acquisition, retention, and deal closure.
The day concludes with our IMPACT Startup Spotlight, featuring a series of pitches from a curated group of fintech startups and scale-ups. Scheduled for the spotlight are:
- Fed Alcius, Founder, Rends.ai
- Annie Burtoff, Founder, Confidio
- Alisha Chowdhury, CEO & Co-Founder, Kiro Money
- Betiana Darderes, Founder & CEO, Palomonte Labs
- Alex De Marco, Founder & CEO, MoneyStack
- Paigaam Dhaliwal, Co-Founder, Alt Indices
- Mario Jiménez Gárate, Founder & CEO, CredX.AI
- Carla Garcia, Founder & CEO, My Plan Keeper
- Connor Gillooly, Founder & CEO, CreditMark
- Anaïs Howland, Founder & CEO, Oasive
- Timothy Li, CEO, LendAPI
- Vijay Parwari, Founder & CEO, Code Comprehend
- Bart Vanhaeren, Co-Founder & CEO, Young Early Starters
- Brett Vasconcellos, Co-Founder & CEO, Paywhere
- Jay Zigmont, Founder & Chief Visionary, Childfree Trust
