FinovateEurope 2018: where fintech buzzwords become a reality
FinovateEurope 2018, a showcase of new and innovative fintech solutions, happened in London on 6-9th March 2018. FinTech Futures caught up with Finovate’s VP, Greg Palmer, after the show to see what trends are emerging from the first major fintech event of 2018.
What were some of the key trends that emerged from FinovateEurope 2018?
The solutions that the presenters were offering were hugely diverse this year. We saw AI, crypto-currencies, open banking, and blockchain. All these topics have gone from being niche topics to permeating all aspects of fintech and becoming integral to many of the solutions we have seen.
You had some of the biggest names in fintech speak in the additional days. What did they talk about?
Absolutely, there were some hugely interesting discussions that took place over the two days after our presenter days. One of my favourites was Simon Taylor, head of blockchain, co-founder at 11:FS, talk about why blockchain is the next generation of the internet. Obviously, blockchain, DLT and crypto-currencies have a lot of press at the moment, but many people don’t truly understand it properly. He spoke about the fact that blockchain has sometimes been seen as a solution without a problem, and that’s something we’ve noticed ourselves over the years. This time, though, we saw some concrete examples of real-world solutions built on blockchain, as more and more companies are tackling real problems for banks. He really de-mystified the blockchain space and teach people about the possibilities. With time, these kinds of sessions will allow innovators to get a foot in the door and have discussions they may not have been able to have with people six to 12 months ago.
Back to the traditional Finovate demos; what did you see from this year’s 70+ companies?
This year, we saw something pretty unique; we had five out of seven Best of Show winners who were focused in a similar area: user experience and personalisation. Lots of our audience voted in this direction, which is testament to what the banks and the industry are looking for. Find out about the winners here.
