Fordham FinTech conference focuses on future innovation

Featured Events | May 05, 2017 | Casey Shenloogian

From right to left: Brett Shear, co-founder and president of the Fordham Fintech Network; Jacob Cadez, chief technology officer; Lydia Qian, chief of content; Ian Cairns, vice president.

What do virtual reality cameras, hoverboards, and Snapchat Lenses have in common? They’re all technologies that were new to their audiences when introduced. In today’s fast-paced business world, innovation can sometimes be key to staying relevant.

The Fordham Fintech Network focused on this theme of innovation for its first annual conference. Guests from a variety of professional backgrounds attended to speak with students on how the industry is changing and developing.

“Tonight is about sharing ideas, learning from the experts, and learning from each other,” said Dean Donna Rapaccioli, who kicked off the event with a welcome message.

Keynote speakers for the evening included Phillip Eng, director and senior digital adviser at Microsoft; Scott Penberthy, the director of applied AI at Google; and James Hickson, group CEO at Euroloan. Each emphasized how different areas of fintech are critical to a business’ success, especially today. Professionals on two panels—one on blockchain and the other, innovation—also spoke with students during and after the sessions.

When it comes to innovation in technology, its potential impact extends far beyond what we might typically expect.

“What is unique about us and our face is hard to describe as a human being,” said Penberthy, highlighting the advancements Google is making with artificial intelligence systems. “To a computer with a five-hundred-thousand-dimensional space that does math with a piece-wise approximation, you can approximate almost any function. It’s now figuring out what the essence of a face is.”

With technology growing at its current rate, predicting the next innovations in the technological sphere may be impossible. What’s for certain? Fintech will play an important role in the discussion.