Fintech is an industry that blows any projections out of the water every year. The innovations that come from fintech companies and their leaders seem to come straight out of sci-fi novels and make us all wonder what could possibly be around the corner.

We’ve compiled a list of 10 incredible thought leaders in this sector who are taking the financial industry by storm and making us all rethink what we thought was possible when it comes to the financial markets, small business funding, personal debt management, and more.

10 Innovators of Fintech

1. Stephanie Cohen – Chief Strategy Officer, Goldman Sachs – Not only a champion when it comes to M&A but Stephanie is also one of the most innovative partners for Goldman Sach’s employees as she heads up their internal innovation program which provides funding and backing from the firm.

2. Charlie Javice – Founder & CEO, Frank – Originally intending to reinvent credit scores to include more contemporary factors than FICO, Charlie realized that it wasn’t the Goliath she was ready to tackle. Pivoting towards helping students acquire financial aid, Frank has projected they’ve helped over 300,000 students get over $7 billion in aid. She’s also at the helm of creating a bill that would disrupt traditional student loan disbursement methods, potentially saving students billions of dollars in interest fees.

3. Brandon Krieg – Co-Founder & CEO, Stash – Brandon is no stranger to “Top 10” lists. He’s been recognized by Goldman Sachs as one of the “100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs” while his company Stash has been repeatedly recognized as a disruptor in the fintech space. His aim with Stash is to revolutionize the way Americans save and invest for their futures by offering innovative products that include Personal Brokerage, Retirement Accounts, Custodial Accounts, and Banking Services.

4. April Rudin – Founder and President, The Rudin Group – One of the most innovative marketing strategists to date, April seems to have a sixth sense when it comes to forecasting or leveraging critical trends to her client’s advantage. Her company, The Rudin Group, designs customized marketing campaigns for wealth management firms that are value-based and that drive new client acquisition.

5. Jason Wilk – CEO & Co-Founder, Dave – A frequent mentee of Mark Cuban, Jason has built and sold impressive startups but has most recently focused his efforts towards making banking friendlier and more intuitive. His company Dave has seen an impressive trajectory, going from zero to five million customers in only three years.

6. Jason Gardner – Founder & CEO, Marqeta – Jason saw the need for simplifying the way businesses handled payments and built Marqueta to become the world’s first open API modern card issuing platform. Now a favorite of developers who want to launch new financial programs with speed and scale in mind.

7. Rishi Khosla – Co-Founder, OakNorth – One of the strongest credit platforms that has thrived during the pandemic, OakNorth and its CEO Rishi Khosla see disruption as a challenge worthy of overcoming. OakNorth is the next-generation credit platform that redefines lending to businesses that are seeking $0.5m – $25m in funding.

8. David Green – Chief Product Officer, Earnest – Taking on the impressive goal to tackle the $1.6 trillion student debt balance facing the US, David Green and his company Earnest are innovating the options for student loan carriers to gain control of their finances by making available the capital needed to lead better lives.

9. Rob Frohwein – Co-Founder and CEO, Kabbage – Targeting small businesses, Rob Frohwein founded Kabbage to help level the playing field for growth. Kabbage creates financial solutions specifically built for entrepreneurs and small business owners that range from checking accounts to funding options.

10. Mariel Beasley – Co-Founder and CEO, Common Cents Lab – As the co-founder of Duke University’s “Common Cents Lab”, Mariel oversees a prestigious program that helps companies design financial products or services which leverage human behavior to provide better financial outcomes.

Interested in how you can gain a better understanding of the FinTech industry and how you might be able to take advantage of disruptive concepts like blockchain and electronic trading? Joins us in our The FinTech Revolution in Financial Markets course where we cover a thorough exposition of these industries and more.

Related Courses: Chartered Investment Banking Analyst

The CIBA program develops the complete set of desk-ready skills to succeed in the competitive world of corporate finance and investment banking. Candidates will develop familiarity with US GAAP and IFRS accounting standards, learn how to value investment projects under conditions of uncertainty, acquire essential financial modeling skills, be able to assess the credit quality of companies and gain a thorough understanding of the M&A process from target company identification to funding strategies and deal structuring.

The CIBA curriculum comprises five Professional Certificates. Four of the Certificate programs are week-long in-person offerings offered over 4 contiguous weeks, while the fifth Certificate is offered as a week-long in-person class or a digital class that can be completed remotely at your own pace.

About The New York Institute of Finance

The New York Institute of Finance (NYIF) is a global leader in professional training for financial services and related industries. NYIF courses cover everything from investment banking, asset pricing, insurance and market structure to financial modeling, treasury operations, and accounting. The New York Institute of Finance has a faculty of industry leaders and offers a range of program delivery options, including self-study, online courses, and in-person classes. Founded by the New York Stock Exchange in 1922, NYIF has trained over 250,000 professionals online and in-class, in over 120 countries.

See all of NYIF’s training and qualifications here.