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Hey, fintech fam! 💜

Just like that… the second-annual Fintech Is Femme Leadership Summit is in the books. Months of prep. Years of vision. One hell of a community.

Because when you bet on yourself—and each other—momentum happens.

You didn’t just show up. You built this with me. You brought your teams, your friends, your conviction.

Conviction that fintech isn’t just broken—it’s ready for a rebuild.

And women? We’re not asking for permission. We’re rewriting the rules.

Fintech isn’t a trend for us. It’s a tool—a tool for redesigning systems that were never meant for us to thrive in.

So yes, I built this Summit—but Fintech Is Femme? That’s your megaphone.

Now, as you can imagine… I’m wiped. So today, I’m keeping it light:

• A fresh podcast drop with Ellevest unpacking the future of the platform

• One of my favorite stories from this month (in case you missed it)

• One guest post from my friend and behavioral finance expert, Dr. Daniel Crosby

If you want a killer recap of the Summit, check out Ashanti Bentil-Dhue’s LinkedIn post—she nailed every highlight.

I’ll be back next week with full event coverage—strategy, tactics, and all the brilliance you brought to the room.

And finally—a massive THANK YOU to the sponsors who made this all possible:

Nasdaq ︱ Brex ︱ Atomic ︱ Middesk ︱ Osborne Clarke ︱ Fin Capital ︱ Grasshopper Bank ︱ Stripe ︱ Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati ︱ Rosy Finch ︱ Method & Co. ︱ goodfin

Couldn’t have done it without you.

#TRENDING

What’s Up In Fintech

Every Thursday, I bring you the latest fintech news and trends, delivering the key insights that matter most to the industry—and you.

#1 The Next Chapter of Ellevest with Emily Green

When Emily Green joined Ellevest in 2017, the fintech startup was managing just $40 million in assets—a bold player in a male-dominated industry with an even bolder mission: get more money into the hands of women.

Fast forward to today, and Ellevest has surpassed $2 billion AUM. But scaling isn’t the most impressive part of this story—it’s how they’ve done it.

Rooted in purpose, led by values, and unafraid to pivot when the market (and their clients) demand something different.

In this week’s episode of Fintech Mavericks, we sat down with Emily Green, Head of Wealth Management at Ellevest, to unpack one of those pivotal decisions: sunsetting their robo-advisory product and transitioning clients to Betterment.

It’s a move that raised eyebrows—but for Ellevest, it’s all about focus.

By stepping away from the crowded robo space, they’re doubling down on what they do best: high-touch wealth management and financial planning designed specifically for women.

Our conversation dives deep into:

• How Ellevest is helping women navigate the Great Wealth Transfer,

• why today’s investors are demanding values-aligned financial strategies,

• and what it really takes to lead through industry shifts without losing sight of your mission.

Emily also shares candid stories from her leap out of corporate finance, the early days of building alongside Sallie Krawcheck, and the leadership lessons that come with scaling a company designed to change not just portfolios, but lives. Listen now on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.

#2 Fintech Is One Of The Most Funded Sectors For Women Founders

One of my favorite pieces from this month, which I wrote in my Forbes column, dives into how women founders in fintech continue to make their mark and secure the funding to prove it.

According to new data from Tracxn, fintech was one of the top-funded sectors for women-led startups in 2024. Globally, women-led tech companies raised $29.6 billion last year—a decline of 11% from 2023—but fintech held steady among the top-performing sectors, alongside enterprise applications and life sciences.

Let’s be clear: the numbers still reflect a massive gender funding gap.

In 2024, women-founded companies received just 11.7% of total global tech funding. In fintech specifically, female-led companies secured $3.4 billion—a small fraction of the broader funding landscape. According to data from Anthemis Group, only 3.4% of fintech venture capital dollars in 2023 went to companies founded solely by women.

Despite progress, the capital still isn’t flowing equitably.

Still, that $29.6 billion speaks volumes. Amid macroeconomic headwinds and shifting investor appetites, fintech is still where women are finding traction—and thriving.

Why Fintech?

Fintech is, at its core, about access. It’s about rewriting the rules of financial services and creating more inclusive systems. That’s why so many women are finding their footing in this space: because they’ve lived the inequity—and they’re building better from that experience.

Investors are starting to notice, too. Venture-backed companies with diverse leadership teams see a 30% increase in returns on invested capital, according to McKinsey.

World Economic Forum data adds that companies with above-average diversity generate 45% of revenue from innovation—nearly double that of less-diverse peers.

And let’s not forget: women-led businesses deliver. Women founders generate more than twice as much revenue per dollar invested than their male counterparts, according to Boston Consulting Group.

The Realities Beneath the Headlines

While the funding headline might feel promising, it’s still worth digging deeper.

Late-stage funding for women-led tech companies fell 21% in 2024, while early-stage funding rose 10%—a signal that investors may be more willing to bet early, but cautious to follow through in later rounds. Seed-stage funding? Down 19% from last year.

Fourteen women-led unicorns emerged in 2024, more than double the six minted in 2023. Exit activity also increased by 10%, with companies like UK-based Darktrace (co-founded by CEO Poppy Gustafsson) and China-based Biotheus (co-founded by Joanne Sun) commanding multi-million and billion-dollar exits, respectively.

In New York, which ranked second globally for women-led tech funding in 2024, raising $1.9 billion—just behind San Francisco and ahead of London. It’s no surprise: New York is a unique blend of startup energy and institutional power, and it remains one of the most diverse entrepreneurial ecosystems in the world.

“Fintech has the potential to provide access to financial services to a broader range of people than ever before,” Amy Nauiokas, founder and CEO of Anthemis Group, told me during last year’s New York Fintech Week. “But we still need more diverse perspectives at the helm to fully realize that potential.”

What’s Next?

Here’s the bottom line: while just 2% of venture capital goes to all-women founding teams across sectors, closer to 20% goes to companies with at least one woman co-founder. And even that figure is misleading.

According to research from Anthemis, a portfolio where 50% of companies have at least one female founder doesn’t mean 50% of founders are women. In fact, achieving gender parity would mean 70% of a venture capital firm’s portfolio should have a woman on the founding team. That’s the real benchmark.

If we want to see real change, venture capitalists must do more than celebrate a few stats—they must shift who they fund, how they fund, and the structures they build around that capital.

And women founders? We’re already showing the way forward. When women lead startups, they hire 2.5x more women. If there’s a woman in both the founder and executive seat, that number jumps to 6x. That ripple effect is what drives systemic change.

It’s also why women are so well positioned for the next frontier of fintech: embedded finance. As more sectors integrate financial services—from healthcare to education to social platforms—there’s a huge opportunity to innovate beyond traditional products.

Women, especially those with intersectional lived experience, are uniquely equipped to build for those underserved by legacy systems.

Research by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) reinforces this opportunity. The study found that fintech companies that understand gender differences can unlock a $31 trillion global female market—while also advancing financial inclusion.

Leadership is key here: when company leaders recognize the commercial and social value of serving women, they’re far more likely to prioritize them in strategy.

According to the IFC, 58% of fintech firms with gender-forward leadership have added targeted marketing and research initiatives focused specifically on women.

The result? A competitive edge that goes beyond inclusion—it’s just smart business.

Fintech remains one of the best bets for women founders. While the funding landscape is far from equitable, the momentum is building. And the women leading this charge are not just closing the gap—they’re opening new doors.

So whether you’re a fintech founder pitching your first round or building your second unicorn, here’s the message: you belong in fintech. And this industry will be better because of you. Let’s build.

#3 Your Life Is the Best Benchmark

Today, I’m excited to feature a guest post from my long-time mentor, supporter, and fellow author friend, Dr. Daniel Crosby, Chief Behavioral Officer at Orion. In this post, he shares powerful insights from his new book, The Soul of Wealth.

Why do we cry at sad movies or cringe when someone eats something gross? The answer lies in mirror neurons—tiny powerhouses in our brains that fire whether we’re performing an action or just watching it.

This phenomenon was first discovered in a lab in Parma, Italy, when researchers noticed a monkey’s brain lighting up as it watched a grad student eat ice cream. These neurons help us empathize and connect, but they also have a dark side.

Social mimicry, powered by these neurons, can lead us astray. Think of the laugh track: nobody likes it, yet it works. It prompts us to laugh harder and rate mediocre jokes as funnier.

Similarly, we’re swayed by pre-salted tip jars (yep, people give more to tip jars that already have money!) or even by headlines reporting tragic events. Mirror neurons amplify our tendency to compare ourselves to others—financially, socially, and emotionally.

The Perils of External Benchmarks

When it comes to investing, this comparison game can wreak havoc.

Many investors benchmark their performance against the S&P 500, torturing their portfolios—and their peace of mind—to fit a rigid, one-size-fits-all standard. But investing, as Jason Zweig says, isn’t about beating others at their game; it’s about mastering yourself at your own.

Enter goals-based investing: a smarter way to benchmark.

By aligning your investments with personal goals, you avoid the panic that comes from comparing yourself to market swings.

Research during the 2008 financial crisis shows the power of this approach.

While 50% of traditional investors liquidated their portfolios, 75% of goals-based investors stayed the course.

Why?

They had labeled their money with purpose, dividing it into short-term safety buckets and long-term growth buckets. This framing provided clarity and calm amid chaos.

Harnessing the Power of Mental Accounting

Labeling your money isn’t just practical—it’s psychologically effective too.

Studies show that people save more when funds are earmarked for specific goals. Behavioral economist George Loewenstein highlights how even simple labels, like “kids’ college fund,” can double savings rates.

Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs applies here, too.

Just as we can’t focus on self-actualization without meeting basic needs, we can’t plan for lofty financial goals without ensuring short-term stability.

In fact, it’s research like this that led Orion to create a behaviorally informed goals-based investing platform called Protect-Live-Dream.

So, What Do I Do Now?

1. Encourage Clients to Label Their Assets: Help clients bucket their money into categories tied to their specific goals (e.g., “retirement fund,” “emergency savings”). This practice reduces emotional volatility and fosters long-term focus.

2. Challenge External Comparisons: Ask clients how their benchmarks align with their values. Shift the narrative from “How did I do versus the market?” to “How am I progressing toward my goals?”

Self-Reflection Question

What benchmarks are driving your life decisions today, and do they truly reflect what matters most to you?

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Join us every Thursday to keep up with fintech events!

_{JUNE 11-12}

[CHARLOTTE] Fintech & Insurtech Generations

Let’s talk about where the future of fintech and insurtech is being built…

This June 11-12, Fintech + Insurtech Generations is taking over Charlotte, NC—and if you’re serious about shaping what’s next, you’ll want to be in the room.

Hosted by RevTech Labs, FIG is the premier gathering in the Southeast where founders, investors, innovators, and industry leaders collide to rethink finance and insurance from the ground up.

It’s not just a conference—it’s where ideas turn into action, partnerships spark, and the next generation of fintech gets its momentum.

✨ Ready to be part of it?

_FINTUNES

🎶 Ariana Grande - just like magic

This year’s theme song. We are manifesting, attracting, and finessing our way to success.

_{LET’S CONNECT}

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📚 Increase your expertise by ordering your copy of my book, Fintech Feminists: Increasing Inclusion, Redefining Innovation, and Changing the Future for Women Around the World.

⭐️ 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 💜