Hey, fintech fam! 💜

Yesterday’s Fintech Is Femme AI Summit was nothing short of incredible.

We brought together 200 of the brightest minds in fintech — founders, investors, operators, and builders — all in San Francisco to unpack what AI really means for our industry and for the consumers who rely on our products and services.

From expert panels with leaders at Stripe, Middesk, and Brex, to an interactive vibe coding session, to 1:1 curated networking — yesterday wasn’t just another event. It was a turning point.

The Fintech Is Femme team is still catching our breath, so I’m keeping today’s newsletter short and sweet.

Next week, I’ll dive deeper into the stories, data, and conversations that made this Summit our most impactful yet.

For context: we had everyone in the room — from folks who helped shape AI’s earliest models to VC-backed startups with “AI” in their brand name.

The learnings? Massive.

Let's get into it.

#TRENDING

Yesterday at the Fintech Is Femme AI Summit, we didn’t just talk about the future of fintech — we witnessed it.

With over 200 founders, investors, and operators gathered in San Francisco, we unpacked what happens when AI meets fintech — and how women are shaping a new era of tech built on both intelligence and empathy.

Thanks to our partner Middesk, we hosted one of the day’s most transformative sessions — a three-part experience that began with a live Fintech Mavericks podcast, evolved into a panel on trust and emotional intelligence, and ended with an interactive “vibe coding” session that left everyone buzzing.

Here are the three biggest takeaways from that conversation — and why they matter for every fintech leader thinking about AI, trust, and the future of financial wellness.

Our live podcast with Laurel Taylor, Founder & CEO of Candidly, set the tone for the day.

Fresh off the World Economic Forum’s AI in Financial Services Roundtable at the London Stock Exchange, Laurel reminded us that embedding AI into an organization isn’t just a technical challenge — it’s a human one.

“AI doesn’t just need to be embedded in your products — it needs to be embedded in your boardroom,” Laurel said. “If your investors and leaders aren’t literate in how AI impacts your business model, your mission, and your people, you’ll never scale responsibly.”

That was the wake-up call.

Too many incumbents still treat AI like a software upgrade instead of a strategic transformation. Laurel’s team built Candidly’s new Intelligence Center to prove the opposite — that AI can simultaneously scale personalization and protect compliance, empowering banks and employers to help people move from debt to savings.

The bigger idea: the companies that win in this next wave won’t be those who “adopt AI.” They’ll be the ones who align AI with their values, governance, and customer empathy — from the inside out.

Or, in the case of Laurel and Candidly, create a category-defining product.

Subscribe to the Fintech Mavericks podcast to catch this episode as soon as it drops!

Next, Middesk’s Head of Marketing, Jackie Wylie, and Funbox COO, Rina Jariwala, joined me on stage for a panel that cut right to the core:

How do you scale trust in an AI-driven world where legitimacy itself can be faked?

Jackie said it best: “Trust can’t just be a gut feeling anymore. It has to be infrastructure.”

At Middesk, that means turning empathy into a measurable system — one that combines human intelligence with verifiable data.

And Rina took it further, reframing emotional intelligence (EQ) as a business growth lever:

“IQ gets you the plan. EQ rallies the team to deliver it.”

Her story hit home — leading Funbox through a massive 2022 reset, rallying a team that had just weathered layoffs and uncertainty, and turning it around through radical transparency and shared accountability.

Their message was clear:

In fintech, the future of scale isn’t speed — it’s trust.

The next competitive edge won’t come from faster APIs or flashier LLMs. It’ll come from leaders who can measure, operationalize, and communicate credibility — in how they build, lead, and serve.

We closed the block with something no fintech event has ever done before — live vibe coding.

Led by Anne Cocquyt — UC Berkeley entrepreneurship lecturer, bestselling author of Dare to Launch: Mini MBA for First-Time Entrepreneurs, and founder of Vibe Coding Studio — the session turned into a masterclass on building in real time with AI.

Anne started by announcing:

“Code is no longer a moat.”

Then, she proved it.

She invited a banker from the audience to join her on stage.

The challenge: build an app to help high school students understand financial options for college — scholarships, loans, ROI by major, and debt management — in under 15 minutes.

Using Lovable, an AI app builder, Anne narrated every step as the crowd watched:

Anne looked up from her laptop, smiled, and said:

“That would’ve cost $250,000 and taken six months. We just did it in ten minutes.”

The room exploded with applause.

But it wasn’t just a tech demo. It was a mindset shift.

“Vibe coding is about building from intuition and ethics — not fear,” Anne said.

“You don’t need permission to build anymore. You need curiosity.”

She closed with a challenge:

“Don’t fear the dragon. Ride it. These AI tools are your dragon.”

Then she handed out copies of her book to founders who shared app ideas — from climate solutions to self-care planners — and invited them to her Vibe Coding Bootcamp to bring those ideas to life.

It was the perfect ending: part hackathon, part healing.

A reminder that the future of fintech isn’t just about what we build, but how we feel while building it.

Join us every Thursday to keep up with fintech events!

October is JUST getting started for the Fintech is Femme crew!

At the end of the month, we’ll be at Money 20/20 in a penthouse at the Bellagio Hotel. On Monday, October 27th, we’re hosting a Toast to Women in Fintech!

Attendance is free but limited, you can apply to join here. If you’re interested, apply now because spots WILL go fast and we only have a certain number of spots.

If you’re interested in attending our other penthouse events during Money 20/20, stay tuned because we have more coming your way!

I am so excited to be partnering with Empire Startups to spotlight the next generation of builders redefining money as we know it!

From lending to payments, wealth to insurance, capital markets and beyond, these are the founders creating the future.

At each event, five early-stage companies will take the stage. A panel of sharp investors will weigh in. And together, we’ll crown fintech’s Best in Show.

This isn’t just a pitch event — it’s where ideas meet capital, culture, and community.

✨ Register to attend below (it’s virtual, join from anywhere!)

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⭐️ P.S. If you’ve read Fintech Feminists (or listened to the audiobook!), I’d be so grateful if you could take 30 seconds to leave a review or rating on Amazon here. Your support means the world to me. A million thanks in advance!

That wraps up today’s edition—thanks for reading!

Until next week, keep innovating and challenging the status quo. See you Tuesday!

Love,

Nicole 💜