MIT FinTech Conference Speaker Series

In today’s episode, Gabby Dee sits down with Hester Peirce, Commissioner of the SEC. Commissioner Peirce has long been an active supporter of the cryptocurrency industry, and plays an integral part in shaping the regulatory landscape today. During the podcast, we discuss how crypto is regulated today, along with its risks and limitations. We also discuss how future regulations can strike a balance between customer protection and innovation. Finally, we delve into the ideal state of crypto regulation, and what it will take to get there. Commissioner Peirce will be joining us as a speaker during the MIT Fintech Conference on February 25, 2022. The MIT Fintech Conference is a student-led initiative by MIT Sloan students. For more information, visit www.mitfintech.com

In today’s episode, Gabby Dee sits down with Alex Kostecki, COO of Clair. Clair is a social fintech that provides on-demand access to payroll. During the podcast, we discuss how the idea for Clair came about, and how its business model works. We also dive into how Clair balances its mission to be a social fintech with growing the business profitably. Finally, we cover what's next for Clair after their recent round of series A funding. Alex will be joining us as a speaker during the MIT Fintech Conference on February 25. The MIT Fintech Conference is a student-led initiative by MIT Sloan Students. For more information visit www.mitfintech.com

In today’s episode, we sit down with Umar Arshad, Christian Vazquez, and Jan-Erik Steel, creators of the FyatLux NFT project. FyatLux will mint their collectibles on December 28th. Join the FyatLux community on Discord (https://discord.com/invite/fyatlux) and follow them on twitter (https://twitter.com/fyatlux) to become a part of the revolution! We will learn about the creatives behind this project; how to nurture and maintain a community; the story of the Sparks; their phygital technology; the mechanics behind their upcoming minting process; and we will hear their advice on how to make the most of your time at MIT. FyatLux is integrating AR & NFTs to bring the Metaverse to life, featuring art & characters by @robotpencil. By combining digital NFTs with physical cards (physical + digital = phygital), Fyat Lux introduces a new type of collectible that transforms how NFTs can be used in storytelling and real-world social experiences. The Fyat Lux collection will feature 8,080 uniquely generated 3D characters called Sparks. Fyat Lux is the brainchild of some of the world’s foremost experts in AR, NFTs, gaming, and digital art. With roots in the famed MIT Media Lab, and with experience working for Google, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Riot, Nintendo, Netflix, Vuforia, Wayfair, Disney and others, their unique team of artists and technologists is committed to making Fyat Lux the most engaging and premium NFT franchises in the world. Umar will be joining us as a speaker during the MIT Fintech Conference on February 25. The MIT Fintech Conference is a student-led initiative by MIT Sloan Students. For more information visit www.mitfintech.com

In today’s episode, Carlos sits down with John Peurifoy, co-founder and CEO of Floating Point Group. During the podcast, we discuss John's backstory and the origins of FPG; we dive into the mechanics of how crypto trading works across exchanges; we learn about FPG's product, specifically its modular trading technology and secure multiparty computation; we discuss competition in the industry; John reveals how he spends his time these days; and he provides an unexpected piece of advice to MIT students. Floating Point Group was founded in 2018 to redefine finance by bringing the power of programmatic currency to a legacy financial system that consumes billions of hours and trillions of dollars each year. It offers investors access to proprietary smart-order-routing software to block trade directly on cryptocurrency exchanges, intelligently routing orders to minimize slippage and transaction fees. Floating Point’s latest benchmarks displayed the ability to sell $1mm worth of cryptocurrency at just 0.003% off current market value. John will be joining us as a speaker during the MIT Fintech Conference on February 25. The MIT Fintech Conference is a student-led initiative by MIT Sloan Students. For more information visit www.mitfintech.com

In today’s inaugural episode, Gabby Dee sits down with Tom Duncan, Managing Director of Insurance and Wealth at Grab Financial Group. Grab is a $40B southeast Asian super-app, with offerings across transportation, deliveries, and fintech. Before joining Grab, Tom headed Digital Partnerships at Chubb, and has a long and fruitful career in Fintech and Financial Services spanning almost 20 years. During the podcast, we discuss the current state of financial inclusion in Southeast Asia, in particular relating to insurtech and wealthtech, and the challenges and idiosyncrasies that emerge while working in the region. We also dive into Grab Financial Group’s amazing growth trajectory, and how products at Grab are ideated and iterated. Finally, we cover Grab’s next steps as it continues to scale and launch new offerings. Tom will be joining us as a speaker during the MIT Fintech Conference on February 25. The MIT Fintech Conference is a student-led initiative by MIT Sloan Students. For more information visit www.mitfintech.com