Ed Maslaveckas, Co-Founder and CEO, Bud Financial on Transforming Data Into Personalized Insights

In this episode of The Innovators Exchange, co-hosts Hiten Patel and Cosimo Schiavone engage in an insightful discussion with Ed Maslaveckas, co-founder and CEO of Bud Financial. The conversation covers Ed's journey from his early experiences in banking to founding a fintech company focused on enhancing customer engagement and personalization through advanced data analytics. Ed discusses the challenges and opportunities within the financial technology landscape, particularly the integration of generative AI and its impact on customer interactions. 

Key topics include: 

• Bud Financial overview: Ed is CEO and co-founder of Bud Financial, a firm established in 2015, initially as a consumer app. Now, the company focuses on personalization and customer engagement tools, with an aim to substitute unnecessary bank marketing with tailored financial product recommendations. 
• Generative AI in banking: Ed highlights increasing interest from banks in using generative AI for customer engagement, whilst also acknowledging the importance of training AI models with appropriate data to avoid inaccuracies.  
• Market dynamics: Banking landscapes between the UK and the US differ, with smaller US banks being more willing to partner with fintechs like Bud. Ed emphasizes the need for resilience and adaptability in the face of disruptive external macro events. 
• Future of financial assistance: The conversation touches on the need for incorporating automation and AI to improve customer experience and operational efficiency, particularly developing efficient models that would handle complex queries and offer personalized solutions.  

This episode is part of Innovators’ Exchange, a series that explores the financial infrastructure and technology landscape. Tune in for a captivating exploration of key themes and opportunities for both professionals and retail investors, touching on AI's transformative potential in financial markets.