The Fintech Blueprint

Sankaet Pathak, former CEO and founder of Synapse and current CEO of Foundation, delves into the rise and challenges of banking-as-a-service. He reveals the revelations behind Synapse's issues, including reconciliation problems and missing payments. Pathak discusses the complex relationship with bank partners and the regulatory oversights encountered in the fintech space. The conversation also highlights the potential role of blockchain technology and the importance of transparency to regain customer trust in a shifting financial landscape.

Lex chats with Zuben Mathews - CEO and Co-founder of Brigit. Brigit is a leading consumer financial app in the United States that offers a suite of holistic financial products including budgeting, financial insights, access to paychecks, and credit building. Zuben kicks off the conversation discussing his journey from investment banking at Deutsche Bank to founding one of the largest financial health apps in the U.S. Mathews reflects on his early experiences in banking, where he launched a small entrepreneurial team within Deutsche to leverage the bank’s data and client relationships to drive revenue. This experience helped shape his approach to solving real financial pain points, which became the foundation of Brigit. Zuben explains Brigit’s focus on addressing the U.S. financial crisis of living paycheck-to-paycheck, a problem he personally experienced as an immigrant student. Brigit’s initial product leverages cashflow data to provide instant cash advances, helping users avoid overdrafts and predatory loans. Mathews emphasizes that Brigit’s success stems from a commitment to solving users’ deepest financial issues and using real-time cashflow data, not traditional FICO scores, to provide financial solutions. The conversation delves into Brigit’s subscription-based business model, which offers transparency and value to users, helping them save money while improving financial stability. Zuben discusses how the app has grown to serve over a million users, generating more than $100 million in revenue with a small team of 90. He also addresses challenges in fintech, such as data access in the U.S. compared to Europe’s open banking regulations, and calls for more balanced regulation that encourages innovation while protecting consumers. The discussion concludes with Zuben advocating for greater access to bank data and better infrastructure for fintechs, highlighting the importance of innovation in improving customer outcomes in the financial space. MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION Brigit's Website: https://bit.ly/4d8tqohZuben's LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3XvsEvT Topics: Fintech, neobank, overdraft, cash advance, subscription, financial wellbeing, PSD2, regulation Tags: Brigit, Deutsche Bank, Plaid, Chime, Revolut, Monzo, Yodlee, Synapse, Coastal Community Bank ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT 🔥Subscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2 🤝 Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV 👉 Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin TIMESTAMPS 1’36: From Deutsche Bank to Brigit: Zuben Mathews' Journey in Finance and Entrepreneurship 5’03: Bridging Silos at Deutsche Bank: Detailing Strategic Vendor Partnerships and Fintech Insights 9’06: From Startup Struggles to Success: Building Brigit and Navigating the Challenges of Entrepreneurship 15’41: Solving America's Deepest Financial Pain Point: The Vision Behind Brigit's Differentiation in a Crowded Fintech Market 21’07: Leveraging Cashflow Data to Outperform Banks: How Brigit Built a Product to Tackle Overdraft Fees and Expand Financial Access 24’47: Beyond Overdraft Protection: How Brigit Uses Cashflow Data to Reduce Financial Stress and Drive User Engagement 29’01: Balancing Affordability and Financial Health: How Brigit's Subscription Model Empowers Users While Lowering Costs 33’25: Challenges of Data Access in US Fintech: Navigating Bank Transactional Data and the Push for Open APIs 40’36: Navigating US Banking Rails: The Role of Regulation, Innovation, and Customer-Centric Solutions in Fintech 45’24: The channels used to connect with Zuben & learn more about Brigit Disclaimer here — this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, DaniellaWant to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

Till Wendler, founder of Peaq Network and a pioneer in blockchain, shares his entrepreneurial journey from e-commerce payments to decentralizing machine leasing. He delves into the transformative concept of Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePINs) and their role in the Economy of Things. Wendler reveals how Peaq successfully onboarded over 800,000 devices while tackling challenges in data-driven projects. He emphasizes the importance of real-time data exchanges and innovative use cases, such as using blockchain to mitigate noise pollution.

In this discussion, Luke Voiles, the CEO of Pipe, shares his journey from distressed credit investing to leading a modern capital platform. He elaborates on revenue-based financing, clarifying its benefits over traditional methods. Luke recalls his impactful experiences at Intuit and Square, revealing insights on organizational change and leadership. He emphasizes the significance of embedded finance in supporting small businesses and critiques common scaling missteps in the FinTech landscape. His focus on providing access to credit is both refreshing and vital for entrepreneurs.

Lex chats with  Danielle Sesko about insurance and innovation in the fintech sector. They discuss the purpose of insurance and why it exists, the structure of insurance companies, the challenges of insurance innovation, and the integration of insurance into digital lending platforms. Sesko explains that insurance is necessary because most people cannot sustain a total loss of their assets, such as their homes or businesses. She also discusses the regulatory structure of insurance in the US, which is regulated on a state-by-state basis. Sesko describes the product she is working on at TruStage, which provides insurance coverage for loans in the digital lending space. The insurance is designed to protect both the borrower and the lender in case of unexpected events, such as job loss or disability. Sesko explains the technology integrations between insurance and digital lending platforms and the economics of the product. She also discusses the challenges and opportunities in the insurtech industry. MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION TruStage's Website: https://bit.ly/3WibyC1Danielle's LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3XUZNmp Topics: InsurTech, Insurance, Digital Lending, Lending, embedded finance, embedded insurance, API, fintech Tags: TruStage, Payment Guard, Lending Club, FDIC ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT 🔥Subscribe to the Fintech Blueprint newsletter to stay at the forefront of Fintech and DeFi: https://bit.ly/3hyhlC2 🤝 Partner with Fintech Blueprint through sponsorships: https://bit.ly/3UZllsV 👉 Twitter: https://twitter.com/LexSokolin TIMESTAMPS 1’27: From Financial Consulting to Insurance Innovation: Danielle Sesko’s Journey in Financial Services 4’58: The Role and Necessity of Insurance: Insights on Financial Resiliency and Industry Structure 9’52: Innovation in Insurance: Creating Relevant Products and Navigating Regulations 13’39: Navigating US Insurance Regulations: Engaging State Regulators and Structuring Underwriting for New Products 17’59: Adapting to FinTech: How Established Underwriters Leverage Experience for Digital Lending Innovation 20’48: Assessing the Rise of Digital Lending: Timing, Consumer Preferences, and Regulatory Challenges in FinTech and InsurTech 27’39: Bridging the Gap in Digital Lending: Ideal Customers for PaymentGuard and Their Unique Needs 31’21: Defining Digital Lending Coverage: Target Workflows and Payment Flows for Embedded Insurance Solutions 34’36: Understanding PaymentGuard's Economics: Coverage Duration, Cost Structure, and Value for Digital Lenders 37’42: Integrating InsurTech and Digital Lending: The Technology and Processes Behind Embedding Insurance Solutions 40’11: The channels used to connect with Danielle & learn more about TruStage Disclaimer here — this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, DaniellaWant to discuss? Stop by our Discord and reach out here with questions.

Anthony Moro, CEO of Provenance Foundation, discusses how Provenance blockchain offers a more efficient and secure alternative for securities ownership. He highlights the technology stack built on the Cosmos network and emphasizes the future vision of tokenizing trillions of dollars of financial assets.

Lu Zhang, founder of Fusion Fund, discusses the potential of AI in enterprise applications, focusing on practical and cost-efficient solutions. She emphasizes the importance of reducing energy consumption and addressing sustainability challenges in AI infrastructure. Lu also highlights the growing awareness and adoption of AI in enterprises, encouraging startups to innovate in this space.

CEO Vishal Garg discusses the journey of founding Better Mortgage to streamline the mortgage approval process. He shares insights on scaling the company, going public through a SPAC, and navigating market conditions. Garg emphasizes the focus on efficiency, automation, and sustainable growth for Better Mortgage's future.

Founder and CEO of Origin, Matt Watson, discusses his entrepreneurial journey and the concept behind Origin, focusing on providing private banking for underserved populations. He explains the collapse of Mint and the role of generative AI in financial planning. Watson also addresses challenges in data ownership and accessing consumer financial data in the industry.

Jason Morton, CEO of EZKL, discusses zero-knowledge proofs (ZK proofs) for verifying AI models on blockchain networks. EZKL offers tools for developers and aims to provide a complete solution. The demand for ZK proofs is expected from Web2 and Web3 companies, as well as enterprise clients.