Finopotamus is a proud media partner for the Finovate conference series. With FinovateFall in New York just around the corner, we invited the host of the show Greg Palmer into the studio to talk about what makes Finovate different and why credit union technologists should attend this important event, as well as to discuss the current state of financial technology.

This episode of TechSolutions4CUs opens with Finopotamus publisher John San Filippo talking with Palmer about the evolution and impact of the Finovate conference series. Palmer shares what sets Finovate apart from traditional mega-conferences—highlighting its fast-paced, 7-minute live-demo format where slides and pre-recorded videos are banned in favor of working technology.

The discussion explores:

• The Finovate Difference: Why the 7-minute live demo format creates a hyper-efficient environment for financial institution executives to evaluate new technology.
• Dedicated Credit Union Focus: Details on the Credit Union Spotlight session taking place on Tuesday, September 8th, designed specifically to bring credit union leaders and fintech innovators together in a collaborative, dedicated space.
• State of Fintech: Palmer's perspective on how venture capital trends post-2020 have produced more battle-tested, business-minded fintech startups focused on immediate value and clear paths to profitability.
• Keys to a Winning Demo: What separates "Best of Show" winners from the crowd, including clear messaging, ease of implementation, and starting a meaningful conversation rather than delivering a high-pressure sales pitch.
• AI and the Consumer Backlash: Palmer’s prediction on why credit unions must balance AI implementation with member-first service to avoid damaging customer satisfaction scores through frustrating automated interactions.

Listeners can save 20% on their registration for FinovateFall by using the promo code FINOPOTAMUS20.

What happens when credit union leaders get too comfortable? They miss the subtle, rapid shifts that are quiet core-disruptors.

In this episode of TechSolutions4CUs, host John San Filippo sits down with Jim Perry, Senior Strategist at Market Insights, for a wide-ranging, candid conversation about why complacency is the single greatest threat to the industry today. Jim brings 21 years of industry experience to the table to dismantle assumptions and look closely at the hard evidence driving modern consumer behavior.

John and Jim dive deep into the converging trends that credit union executives can no longer afford to put on the back burner.

What We Discuss:

• The Reality of Agentic AI: Why "human in the loop" is losing its meaning, and why credit unions must demand vendor accountability instead of just collecting buzzwords.
• The Stablecoin Wake-Up Call: Why a new 140-business payment platform—featuring major players but zero credit unions—means CUs need a real digital asset strategy right now.
• Cleaning Up the "Dirty Data Lake": How real-world transactional data can prevent massive relationship-building misses (including Jim's personal mortgage-payoff story).
• Reaching Gen Z Beyond Tech: Why trying to out-tech mega-banks is a losing game, and how credit unions can win by aligning with Gen Z's passion for community causes.
• A Bold Decade-End Prediction: Why we could see up to 500 fewer credit unions in the next four years if leaders refuse to step outside their comfortable boundaries.

Step out of the comfort zone and tune in for an episode packed with actionable strategy, sharp insights, and a much-needed reality check for credit union leadership.

In this episode of TechSolutions4CUs, host John San Filippo spoke with Clair Finkenbinder, the co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Veritium. The conversation focused on how managed service providers (MSPs) operate within the financial sector and how Veritium is disrupting the traditional MSP market through its co-managed cloud model.

Redefining the MSP Model

Finkenbinder explained that traditional MSPs typically require a credit union to fully outsource a specific tech stack or function, which often leads to vendor lock-in and a loss of technology ownership. Veritium differentiates itself by ensuring that clients retain full ownership of their environments. Finkenbinder noted, "We're really trying to co-manage these environments with our customers and enable them, if they should want to develop the appropriate skill sets with the solutions we provide."

For instance, under their cloud networking solution, Veritium helps clients directly acquire their own data circuits and hardware infrastructure rather than leasing them through the provider. This approach allows institutions the flexibility to swap out specific services or vendors without having to replace their entire technical setup.

Zero Installation Fees and Outcome-Based Pricing

A primary element of Veritium’s business model is the complete elimination of upfront integration and installation fees. Instead of billing for hours spent on architecture and migration, the company charges a flat percentage based on the client's cloud spend. Finkenbinder stated, "We think you should pay for outcomes, not billable hours."

This fee structure ties Veritium's revenue directly to the client's financial performance. When Veritium actively monitors and optimizes an environment to decrease cloud spend, the amount the client pays to Veritium decreases as well. Finkenbinder highlighted this risk-sharing philosophy by offering an example of a client who chose to turn off an AWS cloud solution after a leadership change. Because the cloud spend dropped to zero, Veritium received no payment for the upfront setup work. However, this transparency avoided locking the client into a restrictive contract, preserving a partnership that eventually led to other projects.

Navigating AI and Compliance

Finkenbinder discussed how mid-tier and smaller credit unions frequently struggle to staff specialized technical roles for advanced projects like artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics. Veritium mitigates this by providing access to its own global workforce to act as an extension of the credit union's staff.

When implementing AI internally or assisting clients with governance, Finkenbinder emphasized that human oversight remains critical. He stated, "Whoever is leveraging it is it needs to be the person responsible for the output."

Furthermore, the podcast touched upon regulatory compliance. Veritium maintains SOC compliance, undergoing annual audits and utilizing continuous AI-driven testing to monitor its internal systems. Finkenbinder concluded with the prediction that the financial industry is only at the beginning of the AI journey, comparing its ultimate societal impact to the introduction of the Internet.