Innovation Stage
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Day One – 25th March |
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09:30 |
Registration Opens: Breakfast Banter – Coffee & Pastries Enjoy a coffee and network with fellow attendees and industry professionals. |
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10:00 |
Breakfast Banter: “Payments Innovation News Roundup” Start your day with sharp insights from fintech insiders and journalists as they unpack the latest news, trends, and predictions shaping payments. Simon Taylor, Head of Strategy, Sardine Gina Clarke, Events Correspondent, The Fintech Times Alex Rolfe, Editor in Chief, Payments, Cards & Mobile |
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10:35 |
Opening Keynote: Secrets of Scale: “How Fintechs Go Big” Scaling fast is more than ambition—it’s about strategy, execution, and trust. Learn from a fast-scaling payment company as they reveal their “secret sauce” for scaling operations, building trust, and attracting investment. What you’ll takeaway: Understand how this fintech hyperscaler is setting new benchmarks by leveraging AI and embedded finance. Learn how partnerships and compliance innovation fuel scaling. Simon Taylor, Head of Strategy, Sardine (Moderator) |
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11:00 |
Regulation backed Innovation: “Enabling New Technologies to Flourish” Regulatory sandboxes like the FCA’s AI Sandbox are fostering fintech growth by enabling innovation in a controlled environment. Hear from fintechs that have successfully used regulatory frameworks to innovate, grow, and scale faster. What you’ll takeaway: Practical ways to turn compliance into a competitive advantage. Claire Conby, Director, Finnovation UK Dr Louise Beaumont, Senior Vice President Open Data Global Engagement, Mastercard Heather Lee, Global Head of Payments Strategy, SWIFT |
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11:35 |
The Scamdemic: Fighting Fraud at Scale Fraud is evolving faster than ever, with $1.03 trillion lost globally in 2023. This session brings together top experts to explore how fintechs, regulators, and innovators are fighting back. What you’ll takeaway: Dive into ground-breaking fraud prevention technologies, global reimbursement frameworks, and strategies to detect and combat scams at scale. Ekaterina Safonova, Managing Director, CS Consulting & Advisory Ltd Alison Donnelly, Head of Payments, fscom Eleanor Page, Head of Business Development, PayUK |
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12:10 |
Super Wallets: “The Next Frontier in Digital Payments” Digital wallets are evolving into AI-powered super apps with features like spending analysis and chatbots. Explore the technologies driving the next wave of digital wallets and what fintechs can learn from this innovation. What you’ll takeaway: Practical applications for developing AI-driven wallet solutions. Elizabeth Lumley, Journalist (Moderator) Martin Masser, Head of Growth, TON Foundation Lynn Lagen, Head of Product and Platform, Lloyds Bank Edoardo Volta, SVP Partner Marketing and Business Development, Curve |
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13:00 |
Fintech’s Pitch LIVE 2025: In association with Mastercard Cheer on the most promising fintechs as they pitch groundbreaking ideas. Judges grill, founders shine, and you get a front-row seat to the next big thing. This high-energy session is where bold ideas meet real-world impact, offering a glimpse into the next big disruptors in fintech. What you’ll takeaway: A sneak peek at the most exciting fintech innovations—and maybe even your next partnership. David Parker, Lead Ambassador, The Payments Association Alexandra Edmonds, Vice President Emerging FinTech, Mastercard |
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14:40 |
Embedded Payments: “The Secret Growth Engine” Embedded finance is revolutionising payments by creating seamless customer experiences and unlocking new revenue streams. Explore real-world examples of embedded payments driving customer loyalty and fintech growth. What you’ll takeaway: Steps to integrate embedded payments into your fintech offering for scalability. Dan Lowther, Head of Fintech, CCGroup |
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15:15 |
Mobilising Ecosystems: “How Big Brands Are Driving Payments Innovation” Big brands like retail giants, telecoms, and mobile operators are leading payments innovation by mobilising their ecosystems. Explore how leading companies are using fintech partnerships to reshape their payment ecosystems and drive customer engagement. What you’ll takeaway: Insights into collaborating with big brands to scale faster and more effectively. |
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15:50 |
Retail Reinvented: “Payments at the Heart of Customer Experience” Retail brands are using payments innovation to create seamless experiences and boost customer loyalty. Explore examples of how retailers are integrating advanced payment solutions to enhance customer journeys and retention strategies. What you’ll takeaway: Practical strategies for integrating payment innovations into retail operations. Claire Woffenden, Editor, The Fintech Times Samina Hussain Letch, Exec Director, Square UK Kamjar Hajabdolahi, CEO, Kustom |
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16:25 |
Unplugged: “Behind the Scenes” Wrap up the day with a light-hearted and lively session designed to entertain and inspire. Think Graham Norton meets fintech as an industry personality leads a relaxed discussion with key speakers, sharing fun stories, behind-the-scenes moments, and fresh takes on the day’s highlights. What you’ll takeaway: A relaxed way to connect, unwind, and reflect on the day’s big ideas. David Barton-Grimley, Chief Strategy Officer, 11:FS Laura McCracken, Board Director – Fintech, Payments & Platforms |
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Day Two – 26th March |
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09:30 |
Registration Opens: Coffee & Pastries Enjoy a coffee and network with fellow attendees and industry professionals. |
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10:00 |
Breakfast Banter – “Payments Innovation News Roundup” Start your day with sharp insights from fintech insiders and journalists as they unpack the latest news, trends, and predictions shaping payments. Simon Taylor, Head of Strategy, Sardine |
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10:30 |
To be announced – Stay tuned! |
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11:00 |
Kick-off to Innovation Challenge A brief introduction to the session, exploring the latest innovations in payments and what to expect from the showcase. About the Innovation Challenge Series The Innovation Challenge Series is a new programme from Fintech Fringe driving innovation partnerships between corporates and startups. In partnership with PAY360, the first challenge will focus on driving innovation in payments, with fintechs tackling problem statements sourced from leading corporates. |
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11:05 |
Innovation Challenge Showcase: Breaking Barriers – Why Accessible Payments Matter The £1.8 trillion accessible payments market remains untapped. Joanne Dewar of Project Nemo dives into how inclusive payment designs not only drive growth but also create transformative impacts for underserved communities. What you’ll takeaway Actionable strategies to build inclusive payment solutions that unlock new market opportunities |
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11:20 |
Innovation Challenge Showcase: Winners present The moment of truth! Watch this year’s winning teams present their ground-breaking solutions to some of the payments industry’s biggest challenges, including accessibility. What you’ll takeaway Insights into cutting-edge innovations and opportunities to engage with the trailblazers shaping the future of payments. |
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11:50 |
Celebrating Innovation A final word on the Innovation Challenge, celebrating the winners and the ground-breaking solutions presented. Reflect on key themes and takeaways. |
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12:15 |
Big Ideas in Action: “AI and Blockchain – Transforming Payments” Discover how AI and blockchain reshape payments. Learn how these technologies boost security, scale systems, and create seamless customer experiences. What you’ll takeaway Practical strategies to adopt AI and blockchain in your payment solutions. |
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12:50 |
Generative AI’s Ripple Effect: “Payments Beyond Automation” Generative AI is revolutionising payments through hyper-personalisation, smarter fraud detection, and enhanced operations. See real-world practical AI applications driving efficiency in fraud detection, personalisation, and customer retention. What you’ll takeaway Practical examples demonstrated of how fintechs can leverage generative AI for competitive advantage. |
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13:25 |
Rethinking BNPL: Credit Innovations for Tomorrow BNPL is evolving into embedded credit models for both B2C and B2B audiences. What you’ll takeaway Practical examples demonstrated of how fintechs can leverage generative AI for competitive advantage. Melinda Roylett, Managing Director, Merchant Services, Lloyds Banking Group |
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14:00 |
Tokens and Stablecoins Rule: “Payments Without Borders” Explore how tokenised payment model’s (eg Stripe’s blockchain adoption) and stablecoins are reshaping treasury and trade finance. Tokenisation and Stablecoins are driving transformation in cross-border and real-time payments, unlocking cost efficiencies and improving security. What you’ll takeaway Actionable steps to adopt tokenisation to reduce friction in payments. |
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14:35 |
Unplugged Finale: fresh takes on the day’s highlights Wrap up the day with a light-hearted and lively session designed to entertain and inspire. Think Graham Norton meets fintech as an industry personality leads a relaxed discussion with key speakers, sharing fun stories, behind-the-scenes moments, and fresh takes on the day’s highlights. What you’ll takeaway A relaxed way to connect, unwind, and reflect on the day’s big ideas David Barton-Grimley, Chief Strategy Officer, 11:FS Laura McCracken, Board Director – Fintech, Payments & Platforms |
