To get a taste of next week’s fintech extravaganza, Finextra reached out to the conference’s chief strategy and growth officer, Scarlett Sieber with a handful of questions on the event and what to expect.

The Serena Williams & Takis Georgakopoulos fireside chat is a serious agenda highlight. What are the themes, trends and updates you plan to cover during this session? 

This session will no doubt be game-changing. Digital identity, web3, and the creator economy’s entry into the world of e-commerce marketplaces are just a few of the trends driving new business models across the world. These new models are bringing new solutions, experiences, and lots of questions. The companies that are best positioned to establish a competitive edge are the ones that embrace a culture of prioritising a diversity of people and a long-term vision and investment strategy, and a dedication to putting the user experience at the centre of everything they do.

In March of 2022, Serena Ventures launched its inaugural $111 million venture capital fund and currently maintains a portfolio of over 60 companies with a focus on diverse leadership. As a long-time advocate for empowering marginalised business owners, Serena Ventures is writing checks that power change, investing in 76% underrepresented founders, 53% women founders and 47% black founders.

We’ll be hearing from Serena and Takis about what it takes to build a future in which historically overlooked people and markets are empowered for a more inclusive economy.

Who are some of your other favourites gracing the speaker line-up?

Our impressive line-up of speakers is designed to help the industry successfully tackle and face some of its biggest challenges, and there’s so much to look forward to. I’m particularly looking forward to hearing from Amrapali Gan and Lee Taylor from OnlyFans on knowing how to protect creators and their communities, while empowering them with the resources they need. The creator economy made over $4 billion in the past year, so it’s so important we hear from those steering the ship at OnlyFans on how they see the future of the creator economy unfolding.

Another speaker I want to spotlight is Kamran Zaki from Adyen, who’ll be speaking on a panel session on how embedded finance is reimagining fintech as we know it and how platforms and marketplaces will lead this revolution. I published a best-selling book earlier this year - “Embedded Finance: When Payments Become An Experience” - on how embedded finance is revolutionising the future of fintech, so this is a particular fintech sweet spot for me.

Not to bury the lead, but Adyen will also be sharing a large announcement on stage with the potential to change the landscape of the financial ecosystem.

We’re running hot off the back of a wave of welcome-back-to-the-real-world-in-person conferences. How is M20/20 setting itself apart?

Last year we still held our show live and in person in Las Vegas, even when most other conferences didn’t. We will continue to prioritise the exceptional and emotive moments in the industry that can only happen in person. We take hold of the intangible human-to-human experiences that drive innovation and get business done, creating unprecedented and unexpected experiences for everyone who attends.

Looking back to our Europe show in June, The Exchange stage is a great example of how we’re creating experiences that can only be experienced live and in-person. What’s so great about our off-the-record stages is that they gave our speakers the ability to speak more openly and share more than they would in normal circumstances, and this wouldn’t have been possible if it was streamed online.

What won’t we see in Las Vegas? What are the trends that you’re ready to kiss goodbye to?

One of the things that makes Money20/20 really powerful is that we are a mirror of what is happening in the ecosystem. So as part of being at the centre of that ecosystem, we represent and amplify the voices of everyone involved, so there is nothing that you won’t see. There will always be something for everyone and our reputation of always spotlighting the hottest trends in fintech, payments and financial services precedes us.

How is the wider macro climate impacting US fintech? Why is it important to push ahead with conferences like M20/20 in the face of such uncertainty?

With the current economic climate, you can’t not talk about what’s going on in the wider macro landscape. In times of uncertainty, we need fintech more than ever, so the show this year is not only an opportunity for the whole ecosystem to come together to build networks and partnerships that can help us weather the storm, but also to talk about where the industry is going and ensuring everyone who attends leaves with their finger on the pulse on what’s going to happen next.

Right at the heart of this sentiment is America’s Got Access, our brand new interactive pitch competition, giving ten innovative startups that are focused on driving financial inclusion and empowering underserved markets the chance to win $100,000 in funding from venture capital firm Commerce Ventures. This is a great example of why we should be pushing ahead with conferences like Money20/20 in the face of uncertainty because it’s during these times that real innovation and movement in the industry happens, whether that’s your first check, your first hire, or your first client.

Finextra will be on the ground at Money20/20, reporting on the event’s biggest updates and announcements. You can keep up to date with our coverage on Finextra’s Live@ page here.