Purpose Driven FinTech The Future of SMB Banking: AI, Automation, and Financial Intelligence | Akhil Nigam, CoFounder at Finmo,
In this episode, I speak with Akhil Nigam, CoFounder at Finmo, and we answer the critical question: How can global businesses transform their fragmented treasury operations into unified, intelligent systems that drive growth?
He shares insights on why SMEs deserve better treasury solutions, how real-time payment rails are transforming cash management, and why MO AI is becoming the intelligent co-pilot every finance team needs.
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We cover:
[00:00:00] Why SMBs should be at the center of treasury innovation
[00:01:00] The economic impact of SME financial health on the wider economy
[00:03:00] Why SMBs are fast-moving segments banks ignore for enterprise clients
[00:05:00] How automation frees finance teams from manual work to focus on growth
[00:07:00] Enterprise vs SMB treasury: The critical differences explained
[00:10:00] The connected finance challenge: Why bank integration matters
[00:12:00] The purpose behind building Finmo's complex treasury platform
[00:15:00] Why the founding team's diverse skill set made payments possible
[00:16:00] How to keep purpose alive when you're in the trenches
[00:19:00] Reimagining treasury workflows: Real-time visibility and forecasting
[00:20:00] The cosmetics company spending $1M on treasury with 6-month reporting delays
[00:22:00] Outcome-driven product development: From features to measurable KPIs
[00:23:00] Introducing MO AI: The intelligent advisor for CFOs
[00:27:00] The practical transition: From FinTech to AI-powered FinTech
[00:30:00] How Finmo uses AI to help AI build AI (yes, really!)
[00:33:00] Upskilling product teams on vector databases, MCPs, and AI infrastructure
[00:34:00] Advice for PMs: How to upskill on AI when it's not your day job
[00:37:00] The cost reality of AI: Why capital intensity matters for innovation
[00:38:00] Final message: From reactive reporting to growth driver
Search Questions
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What are real-time payment rails and why do they matter?
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What are the key KPIs for SME cash management?
How to choose between building in-house AI vs using cloud APIs?
#TreasuryManagement #FinTechInnovation #AIinFinance #SMEFinance #ProductLeadership
Disclaimer: This episode does not constitute professional nor financial advice and does not represent the opinion nor views of my current, past or future employers. The guest has agreed to record and release our conversation for the use of this podcast and promotion in social media.