ABN AMRO hopes that by working together we can solve challenges that some clients do not even know exist. Drawing on new perspectives will accelerate this process. On 8, 9 and 10 June, ABN AMRO will host the second Beyond Banking Days, where the bank’s building blocks will form the basis of shared learning and experimentation.

The challenges in the Beyond Banking Days 2018 include privacy, personal finance and the circular economy. For example, ABN AMRO is looking for a more transparent and traceable process for donating money, and for a viable way for consumers to protect their own data. However, the bank also hopes to identify new financial products and services to match the various ‘smart’ solutions that consumers already use around the house. The hackathon will offer participants the opportunity to realise their ideas for banking in the future.

ABN AMRO’s Chief Innovation & Technology Officer Christian Bornfeld explains, “Everyone is aware that society is facing major challenges, for example climate change and privacy. As a bank, we’re looking at what we can do to find the solutions, beyond our own bank products and services. The event is called Beyond Banking Days, after all. To uncover novel and innovative ideas about those complex challenges, I think we need to listen to clients and society, not be afraid to experiment and be willing to learn from each other. Everyone who’s inspired by this notion is sincerely welcome at the Beyond Banking Days.”

During the Beyond Banking Days 2017 hackathon, data analysts from the financial sector carried out analyses of a genetic dataset of children suffering from cancer. They quickly managed to identify the gene pool that predict whether or not specific treatments of leukaemia in children will be successful. The Princess Maxima hospital then hired a PhD researcher to validate the model that the teams had created. The Erasmus Medical Centre also included some of the analysis methods used by the teams in its doctors’ teaching materials. This year, a new medical dataset will be made available for data analysts to analyse.

The 3-day event will address relevant developments in the financial sector and beyond. With a programme containing inspirational keynote speeches, workshops led by highly regarded experts and a 48-hour hackathon, ABN AMRO challenges you to become inspired and to share your ideas and vision with bankers, fintechs, supervisory authorities, clients, students, technical experts, interest groups, NGOs and other stakeholders. The Beyond Banking Days are hosted in partnership with IBM, KPN, Salesforce, Google, TCS, Microsoft, Github and SIG.