Driving innovation forward – lessons from a fintech founder turned community banker. Detailed Summary: In this episode, Christian Ruppe, Chief Innovation Officer of Colony Bank, joins Greg to discuss his journey from fintech entrepreneur to banker. Colony Bank is a $3.3 billion community bank headquartered in Fitzgerald, Georgia, with a footprint primarily in South Georgia…

Bringing a rewarding investment experience into FI’s with FinovateSpring Best of Show winner Bits of Stock. Detailed Summary: In this episode of the Finovate Podcast, host Greg interviews Arash Asady, CEO and co-founder of Bits of Stock, a Best of Show winner at FinovateSpring 2025. Arash introduces Bits of Stock as an embedded digital wealth…

I swear, it wasn’t me! – connecting with FinovateSpring Best of Show winner Herd Security on their anti-deepfake fraud prevention solution. Detailed Summary: In this episode of the Finovate podcast, host Greg Palmer interviews Brandon Min, founder and CEO of Herd Security, a Best of Show winner at FinovateSpring 2025. Brandon explains that Herd Security…

Next-gen customer service – connecting with FinovateSpring Best of Show winner Penny Finance on attracting, retaining, and serving members of the digital generation Detailed Summary: In this Finovate podcast episode, host Greg interviews Crissi Cole, founder and CEO of Penny Finance, a Best of Show winner at FinovateSpring in San Diego. Cole, a former Goldman…

Talk to me – connecting with FinovateSpring Best of Show winner Illuma Labs on their AI CX and authentication agent Detailed Summary: In this episode of the Finovate podcast, host Greg Palmer interviews Milind Borkar, founder and CEO of Illuma, a two-time Best of Show winner at Finovate events. Illuma specializes in voice authentication and…

I’m sold! – connecting with FinovateSpring Best of Show winner Solda.ai on their award-winning solution. Detailed Summary: In this Finovate podcast episode, host Greg interviews Andrew Reese, the U.S. go-to-market lead for Solda.ai, a FinovateSpring Best of Show winner. Solda builds artificial intelligence sales representatives that help financial institutions boost revenue and cut costs by…

True personalization is here – connecting with FinovateSpring Best of Show winner Finalytics on their award-winning solution. Detailed Summary: This episode of the Finovate Podcast features Craig McLaughlin (CEO) and Baron Conway (CSO) of Finalytics, a Best of Show winner at FinovateSpring. They join host Greg Palmer to talk about how their platform delivers real-time…

FinovateSpring keynoter Javier Perez on taking AI out of the experimental and scaling it up for maximum impact. Detailed Summary: In this episode of the Finovate Podcast, Javier Perez, Global Director at VASS Financial Services, shares key insights from his recent keynote at FinovateSpring. He emphasizes that although AI holds immense potential for banks and…

Blockchain at a key inflection point – where we are now in the innovation cycle, what’s coming next, and where to find your next opportunity. Detailed Summary: In this episode of the Finovate Podcast, host Greg Palmer chats with Matthew Le Merle of Blockchain Coinvestors about the current state and trajectory of blockchain technology. He…

Exploring CU-specific fintech solutions, with a preview of the CU Spotlight session at FinovateSpring. Detailed Summary: In this episode of the Finovate Podcast, host Greg Palmer interviews Nick Evens, President and CEO of Curql, ahead of FinovateSpring. Nick shares his journey from working within credit unions to leading Curql, a strategic investment fund focused on…

Building and growing winning teams – thoughts from a seasoned fintech leader on managing high-performing engineering teams. Detailed Summary: In this episode Naga Rishyender, Manager of Software Engineering at Discover Financial Services, shares his thoughts on building and managing high-performing engineering teams in the fast-evolving fintech space. He begins by discussing his career journey—from his…

Former pro athlete and founder of the Male Mogul Initiative Walter Mendenhall on the recent acquisition of Help With My Loan, and the importance of fair access to credit. Detailed Summary: In this episode of the Finovate Podcast, host Greg Palmer talks with Walter Mendenhall, founder of the Male Mogul Initiative, a Chicago-based nonprofit aimed…