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Event will take place on 31 Oct at MusicHall, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray
Dubai: Fintech Galaxy, the MENA region’s only fintech digital crowdsourcing platform, has announced that its FinX 2018 event will be making its debut in Dubai on 31 October 2018. The event will bring together more than 200 bank CEOs, regulators, global fintech hubs, academic professionals and fintech startups from around the world to recognize and honor individuals and institutions that are shaping the future of the financial ecosystem in the MENA region.
Featuring the “Excellence in Fintech” awards across 16 categories and the launch of the FinX Fintech Experts Marketplace, the invitation-only event will take place at MusicHall, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray Hotel.
"Research shows that fintech firms are now penetrating every segment in the financial services sector in the MENA region, driving innovation, transformation and disruption. This rise is primarily driven by the high percentage of the population that is unbanked, low SME lending levels, a growing e-commerce sector, and an increased customer appetite for digital services.” said Mirna Sleiman, Founder & CEO, Fintech Galaxy.
While global fintech investment roared ahead at a record pace in the first half of 2018, with $57.9B invested across 875 deals, a significant increase from the US$38.1B invested in all of 2017(KPMG, 2018), the financial technology market in MENA is currently estimated at $2 billion and expected to witness an annual growth of $125 million until 2022, according to MENA Research Partners (MRP). Wamda Capital expects around 250 new fintech startups to be launched by 2020.
“When it comes to investment in the fintech space, the region is at least five years behind global markets, and so we all have a significant role to play as we try to catch up. It is only right that we take the time to not only shed light on the region’s accomplishments in the space but also spark a conversation around the challenges we face. A prosperous fintech ecosystem needs the right level of talent, capital, demand, technology and regulation. That’s the vision driving Fintech Galaxy”, continued Sleiman.
Key Speakers at the event include:
H.E. Rasheed Mohammed Al Maraj, Governor, Central Bank of Bahrain
David Shrier, CEO, Distilled Analytics and professor of Fintech at MIT and Oxford
Lina Hediah, Executive Director, Middle East and North Africa, ConsenSys
Varun Mittal, Global head of Fintech at EY
"As one of the world's most active hubs for Ethereum development and deployment, ConsenSys is at the forefront of ecosystem expansion. We currently support more than 50 projects up and down the stack, from liquidity management to crypto custody to blockchain analytics. With our presence in 29 countries, we have been instrumental in assisting government agencies, financial institutions and banking networks with building, testing and deploying numerous blockchain innovation projects from secure identity management platforms, payment systems to digital asset exchanges.
Here in the MENA region, our tremendous growth since 2017 has been buoyed by the massive demand for blockchain innovation, and the adoption of Ethereum be it from government entities or regional conglomerates. We strongly believe 2019 will witness continued growth and expansion into many verticals, with financial services and fintech surely taking centerstage,” commented Lina Hediah, Executive Director, Middle East and North Africa, ConsenSys.
Professor Steve Thomas, Associate Dean, MBA Programmes at Cass Business School, commented: “Cass Business School, part of City, University of London is delighted to partner with Fintech Galaxy in promoting the achievements of startups and institutions in MENA’s fintech sphere. Their tremendous success is a reflection of the transformative power of technology on the financial industry. As a leading global business school with a presence in Dubai, Cass is committed to supporting the development of the regional fintech sector - partnerships with ventures such as Fintech Galaxy are very much in line with that commitment.”
Supported by a global panel of judges, Fintech Galaxy will acknowledge players who are both involved in and indirectly empowering the fintech ecosystem in the MENA region, whilst contributing towards financial inclusion and the growth of our region’s economic development. The crowdsourcing platform will provide a forum for business networking opportunities, with these initiatives serving as a catalyst for the evolution of new ideas, entrepreneurs, and leaders, to stimulate growth and stir the region’s economy, and celebrate excellence in the financial technology sphere.
Fintech Galaxy works as an open innovation marketplace for organizations to post their innovation challenges, inviting a global network of startups to take a crack at solving them. The company advises startups on fundraising, operational growth and business development. The platform also brings to the market a virtual marketplace of on-demand fintech experts in areas like blockchain, artificial intelligence, mobile payments, robotics and data science.
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For more information on the programme, speakers, and awards, please visit http://www.fintech-galaxy.com/finxawards/
Follow the conversation on Twitter via @FintechGalaxy.
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About Fintech Galaxy
Fintech Galaxy is a digital crowdsourcing platform that empowers fintech entrepreneurs and connects them to financial institutions, consultants, tech companies, mentors and investors.
Fintech Galaxy works as an open innovation marketplace for organizations based in the MENA region to post challenges for our global network of startups to take a crack at solving them in order to gain business contracts or cash rewards. The company advises startups on fund raising, operational growth and business development. The platform also brings to the MENA market a network of global fintech experts in areas like blockchain, AI, payments, robotics and data science.
With a wealth of content and a virtual gallery of the best success case studies in the financial technology space, Fintech Galaxy supports the world’s most promising entrepreneurs throughout their journey from inspiration to global growth. Sign up on www.fintech-galaxy.com and join us on our journey!
Awards categories:
Most Innovative Arab Bank of the Year
Most Innovative Islamic Bank of the Year
MENA Digital Bank of the Year
Digital Transformation Leader of the Year
Financial Inclusion Champion of the Year (Bank)
Financial Inclusion Champion of the Year
Financial Inclusion Startup of the Year
Most Innovative MENA Fintech Regulator of the Year
MENA Fintech Hub of the Year
Best MENA Accelerator of the Year
MENA Fintech Startup of the Year
Global Fintech Startup of the Year
MENA Fintech Mentor of the Year
MENA Fintech Investment of the Year
MENA Fintech Entrepreneur of the Year
MENA Fintech Person of the Year
Global Fintech Person of the Year
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