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Hey, fintech fam! 💜

Last night, I stood on stage at the Shorty Awards in downtown LA, honored as a recipient of the Wave Elevate Creatives Fund Award at the stunning Belasco Theater. 🌟

And today, LinkedIn reminded me: it’s been three years since I founded Fintech Is Femme.

Three years of incredible growth, challenges, and purpose-driven work to uplift women in fintech.

This journey has taught me one powerful lesson: community changes everything. 

From hosting sold-out events to building a platform amplifying women entrepreneurs and business leaders, every win has been fueled by the people who believe in this mission.

Now, we’re celebrating in the biggest way yet: the first-ever FEMMY AWARDS on December 9 in NYC.

Join us as we launch The Academy of Fintech, our new membership community, with leadership lessons, masterclasses, and a vision for a more equitable future led by you.

🌟 Save your spot here.

Now, onto the news.

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What’s Up In Fintech

Every Thursday, I deliver the hottest fintech news and trends, keeping you updated with the most essential insights impacting the industry.

#1 Hello Alice Reaches $50M in Grants and $130M Valuation

Hello Alice, the fintech platform connecting 1.5 million small businesses to capital, education, and connections, has distributed over $50 million in grants since 2020.

This milestone comes alongside their 2024 achievements, including a Series C funding round that brought their valuation to $130 million.

What Hello Alice does:

Hello Alice is like the fairy godmother of small businesses, offering grants, tools, and resources to entrepreneurs across industries—from legacy mom-and-pop shops to tech startups and everything in between.

Their Business Health Score tool helps entrepreneurs evaluate their financial health and gain personalized recommendations to secure funding. Bonus? Business owners who actively budget and review financials at least three times a year are 39% more likely to have high credit scores (750+).

Through programs like small business accelerators, boot camps, and AI-driven financial health services, Hello Alice ensures entrepreneurs have the skills and capital to navigate challenges.

Why it matters for entrepreneurs in fintech:

Co-founded by Elizabeth Gore and Carolyn Rodz, Hello Alice demonstrates the power of fintech to level the playing field for small businesses, especially underserved groups.

Nearly 50% of the businesses they’ve supported were founded in the past five years, showing their role in fostering emerging entrepreneurship.

Key Insights:

1. Make capital accessible. Many entrepreneurs struggle to access funding. Hello Alice’s grant programs prove that simplifying this process can be a lifeline, especially during unexpected challenges.

2. Tie funding to mentorship. Entrepreneurs need more than just money; they need networks, skills, and guidance. Combining capital with education is a winning formula.

3. Focus on outcomes, not optics. From financial health tools to equitable access programs, Hello Alice drives measurable impact—an approach all fintechs should take note of.

Bottom Line: Hello Alice is proof that small businesses are more than just the backbone of the economy—they’re a massive opportunity. Entrepreneurs, take a page from their book: combine innovation with impact, and you’ll attract funding and build a movement that matters.

And for fintech founders? Remember that empowering others isn’t just good karma—it’s good business.

#2  NovoPayment Bags $20M to Fix What’s Broken in Financial Infrastructure 

Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital just dropped $20 million into NovoPayment, a fintech SaaS player shaking up digital banking and payments. Think digital wallets, virtual cards, real-time payments (RTP), and cross-border transfers—all wrapped in an API-powered platform.

What NovoPayment does:

NovoPayment isn’t just another fintech throwing buzzwords at a deck. They’re in the trenches fixing what’s fundamentally broken in financial infrastructure. Their platform offers:

• Digital wallets so customers can stop fumbling with outdated payment systems.

• Instant issuance of deposit accounts and virtual cards because waiting days for banking services is so last decade.

• Cross-border transfers and RTP that don’t make your wallet cry with fees.

• Digital lending and cash management solutions that actually meet the needs of businesses and consumers alike.

  Their API-first approach lets banks, neo-banks, and fintechs plug-and-play NovoPayment’s services right into their existing systems. No painful overhauls, no drama.

Why this matters (beyond the $20M):

NovoPayment, led by CEO Anabel Perez, is proving that “unsexy fintech” (aka infrastructure) is where the real money—and impact—is.

They’re operating in 15 markets across Latin America, the Caribbean, and the U.S., where the financial systems are ripe for disruption. Their sweet spot? Helping banks and businesses modernize their offerings without tossing their entire tech stack in the trash.

Key Insights:

1. Fix the pain points that keep CEOs up at night. Legacy financial systems are slow, clunky, and expensive. NovoPayment’s solutions save time, money, and plenty of Advil.

2. Make it easy to say yes. An API-first platform means businesses don’t need to burn cash (and patience) on costly integrations.

3. Go where the opportunity is—literally. NovoPayment’s focus on Latin America and the Caribbean shows that the fastest-growing markets aren’t always the most obvious.

Bottom Line: Anabel Perez and NovoPayment are a masterclass in fintech done right: bold, focused, and solving problems that matter. And let’s be honest—modernizing financial infrastructure is about as unglamorous as it gets, but it’s also the kind of work that pulls in $20 million checks.

Founders, take note: tackling big, thorny problems with innovative, scalable solutions isn’t just the right move—it’s the winning move.

#3 World Economic Forum Outlines Fintech Startup’s Growth Strategy

At this year’s World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala didn’t hold back:

“As we look for new growth models, we must ensure that they’re far more inclusive than those of the past.”

Translation? The old playbook for globalization left too many behind, and it’s time to rewrite the rules.

Why it matters:

At the beginning of 2024, she made a statement that resonates even more powerfully now as the year draws close, proving its increasing relevance as we move into 2025.

Rebuilding trust in our economic systems is the theme for 2025. Without trust, innovation falters, and institutions face a legitimacy crisis.

For fintech, this isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s our opportunity to shine.

If we focus on widening access to finance and serving underserved communities, we build both businesses and resilience.

Here’s the TL;DR from a 2024 report by the WEF and the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance:

By the Numbers

What’s driving fintech growth?

1. Consumer demand – 51% of fintechs say it’s their top growth engine.

2. Skilled workforce – Talent remains a key driver (39%).

3. Favorable regulation – A supportive environment (38%) makes all the difference (A bit more uncertain heading into the new year).

What’s standing in the way?

1. Macroeconomic challenges – Inflation and high interest rates? Yep, 56% of fintechs feel the pinch.

2. Unfavorable regulation – A top hurdle for 47% of respondents.

3. Funding woes – Capital constraints affect 40%, exacerbated by tighter markets.

But the biggest universal hurdle? Consumer education.

From digital payments to lending, fintechs everywhere agree that we need to make finance simpler, smarter, and more accessible.

So, what’s the play in 2025?

According to the report, market-led initiatives are winning. Fintechs that double down on community-building—like networking events and partnerships—are best positioned for success.

Here’s the big unlock: Community isn’t just about connection—it’s a revenue and growth driver.

When you build a strong network, you’re not just fostering relationships—you’re creating a healthy pipeline for growth.

Community drives trust, loyalty, and ultimately, the bottom line.

Your 1-step playbook:

👉 Join a community and build your network.

Gather venture capitalists, founders, and funders to build meaningful, long-term relationships. Focus on building communities that convert connection into collaboration, revenue, and growth.

The big takeaway: Fintech can be the antidote to institutional distrust. But only if we create solutions that serve everyone—not just the well-off.

Innovation is about more than just code. It’s about community.

_{MARK YOUR CALENDARS}

Join us every Thursday to keep up with fintech events! These events are perfect for meeting people, learning new things, and connecting with our fintech community. Let's add these fun events to our schedules - I hope to see you there!

_{MONDAY, DECEMBER 9}

[NEW YORK] THE FEMMY AWARDS: A Night to Celebrate, Lead, and Accelerate Your Growth 🌟 

Last night, I had the honor of meeting the legendary LeVar Burton and hearing him speak at the Shorty Awards. His words hit me straight in the heart:

“To be useful in life is a goal worthy of a human being.”

That’s exactly what this work is about—telling stories, building community, and making fintech more inclusive. It’s purpose work, and it’s the greatest gift.

But here’s the truth: this purpose isn’t mine alone. It belongs to all of us working to change the narrative.

That’s why we’re making history with the first-ever FEMMY AWARDS on December 9 in NYC. It’s not just an awards show—it’s the launch of The Academy of Fintech, a membership community for women (and men) committed to redefining fintech’s future.

📌 What to expect:

• Leadership lessons with industry powerhouse Lule Demmissie

• Masterclasses from Team Fintech Is Femme

• A celebration of the wins, the struggles, and the progress we’re creating together

Because let’s face it: women in fintech deserve better. We make up half the workforce, yet we receive only 2% of venture funding and hold just 6% of CEO roles.

This has to change—and it starts with us.

Join this award-winning movement because, as LeVar Burton said,

“Take a deep breath. We got shit to do.”

P.S. Captured a moment with LeVar Burton after he requested my autograph on a copy of my book (so surreal).

_FINTUNES

🎵 Aster and daffodils — T H R O N E

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That wraps up today’s edition—thanks for reading! Until next week, keep innovating and challenging the status quo. See you Tuesday!

Love,

Nicole 💜