How Edge Focus Is Bringing Quant Trading Precision to Consumer Lending With CEO Elliott Lorenz
In this episode, Edge Focus CEO Elliott Lorenz explains how his firm applies high‑frequency trading‑style quantitative models to consumer lending through the Origin credit engine, expanding lenders' credit boxes and delivering better underwriting outcomes. He details the platform’s ability to ingest over 100 billion data points, incorporate ultra‑recent payment history, and rapidly adjust models in response to macro‑economic shifts. Lorenz also describes Edge Focus’s ABS shelf, partnerships with institutional investors like Fortress, and the Lens analytics tool that helps capital partners monitor portfolio performance. His background in engineering, applied math, and HFT underpins the firm’s data‑driven edge in private credit.
How Figure Is Cutting Mortgage Costs From $12,000 to $1,000, with CEO Michael Tannenbaum
In this episode, Figure CEO Michael Tannenbaum explains how his blockchain‑based platform slashes mortgage origination costs from roughly $12,000 to $1,000 and speeds closing from 45 days to five. He describes Figure’s end‑to‑end solution—automated underwriting, instant appraisal, and a capital‑markets...
Fixing the Broken Appraisal Model in Asset-Backed Lending With Thomas Galbraith, CEO of Barkr
In this episode, Peter Renton talks with Thomas Galbraith, CEO and co‑founder of Barkr, about the broken appraisal model in asset‑backed lending and how Barkr’s AI‑driven valuation platform, backed by a contractual warranty from Munich Re, solves it. Galbraith explains...
Building the Bank-Grade Ledger That Payments Infrastructure Was Missing With Patricia Montesi, CEO of Qolo
In this episode, Patricia Montese, CEO and co‑founder of Colo, explains how her company built a bank‑grade, API‑first ledger that unifies card issuing, money movement, and multiple payment rails on a single platform. She describes Colo’s three‑product suite—Quantum Ledger, Cascade...
Building a Profitable Neobank by Doing Everything the Hard Way With Ali Niknam, CEO of Bunq
In this episode, Ali Niknam, founder and CEO of the Dutch neobank bunq, explains how he built a profitable, user‑centric bank by self‑funding it with nearly €100 million (≈ $108 million) and launching with a paid subscription model instead of free plans. He...
Jess Conroy, CEO of ROH, on Building the Financial Core Hotels Never Had
In this episode, Peter Renton interviews Jess Conroy, CEO and co‑founder of Roe, about the massive gap in financial infrastructure within the hospitality industry. Conroy explains how hotels still rely on manual, error‑prone processes to capture, reconcile, and track payments—from...
Building the First Agentic Brokerage with Leif Abraham, Co-CEO of Public
In this episode, Public’s co‑CEO Leif Abraham explains how the firm is building the first truly agentic brokerage, where AI agents help users construct and manage multi‑asset portfolios, from fractional stocks to bonds, crypto and options. He discusses Public’s shift...
Open Banking, 1033, and the Agentic AI Catalyst - Steve Boms, Executive Director of FDATA
In this episode, Steve Boms, Executive Director of FDATA North America, outlines the current landscape of U.S. open banking, focusing on the pending amendments to the CFPB's Section 1033 rule and FDATA’s position that banks should not charge fees for...
From 70 Hours to Minutes: Vestwell CEO Aaron Schumm on Simplifying and Automating Savings
In this episode, Vestwell CEO Aaron Schumm explains how America's savings system is broken, recounting his own frustrating experience setting up a 401(k) that sparked Vestwell's creation. He details how Vestwell has streamlined retirement plan setup from 40‑70 hours to...
Utah's Hidden Fintech Powerhouse: Ryan Christiansen on Building Bridges Between Academia and Industry
In this episode, Ryan Christiansen recounts his journey from managing credit portfolios during the 2008 crisis to pioneering open‑banking platforms at Finicity and now leading the University of Utah’s Fintech Center. He explains the Center’s multidisciplinary model that blends business,...
The Embedded Tax Revolution: Ben Borodach, CEO of April, on Building Tax Infrastructure From Scratch
In this episode, Ben Borodach, founder and CEO of april, explains how his company built the first nationally licensed tax engine in over 15 years to embed real‑time tax intelligence into banking, fintech, and payroll platforms. He discusses the technical...
Daren Guo, Co-Founder of Reap, on Building Stablecoin-Powered Infrastructure for Global Finance
In this episode, Daren Guo, co‑founder of Reap, discusses how stablecoins are evolving from faster cross‑border payments into the backbone of a tokenized financial system, enabling on‑chain FX, securities, and novel products like payroll streaming. He shares his journey from...
Darragh Buckley, CEO of Increase, on Building the Next Generation of Banking Infrastructure
Darragh Buckley, former Stripe employee #1 and now CEO of Increase, explains how his experience scaling Stripe’s payments infrastructure inspired him to build a new fintech layer that connects directly to the Federal Reserve via its own banking core, exposing...
Jason Lee, Head of Chime Enterprise, on the Transformation of Employee Financial Health
In this episode, fintech veteran Jason Lee discusses how employee financial wellness is becoming as essential as health insurance, emphasizing that it drives productivity and business performance. He explains the evolution from DailyPay to Salt Labs and its acquisition by...
Clive Kinross, CEO of Propel Holdings, on Building a Profitable Fintech Lender with Just $4 Million
Clive Kinross, CEO and co‑founder of Propel Holdings, explains how his accounting background drove a disciplined, unit‑economics focus that enabled the fintech lender to become profitable from its early days with just $4 million in seed capital. He details Propel’s AI‑powered...