Fintech + Insurtech Conference: Charlotte Fintech Week Highlights Innovation

Fintech + Insurtech Conference Highlights Charlotte Innovation

The Fintech + Insurtech Generations (FIG) conference served as the anchor event for Charlotte Fintech Week on June 16, 2026. Hosted by RevTech Labs, the conference adopted the theme “From ‘Hype’ to Reality,” uniting industry leaders to discuss current opportunities in fintech and insurtech.

A central focus was the presentation of pitches from the RevTech Labs Accelerator’s “Class 24” cohort, showcasing diverse solutions across financial and insurance sectors.

Startup Showcases and Pitches

The day began with PitchBreakfast, where local founders presented their startups. Companies included:

• FFERM Technologies: AI-powered risk management for financial institutions.
• Block Convey: Assists banks in evaluating AI models for fairness and explainability.
• Sail: A platform to make HSA and FSA funds more visible and accessible.

The main FIG conference featured a NextGen Startup Expo with companies such as Warrant, GSI Tech, Merble, Voyager AI, Inc., Paydesk AI, ezpymt, and Hydronos Labs.

Key Discussions on AI and Industry Evolution

Speaker sessions and panels covered a range of critical topics:

• An opening keynote with Eric Fender (Truist) and Ervin Brabham (AWS) explored institutional evolution through new technologies and “innovation through partnership,” emphasizing strategic AI use.
• A delegation from Northern Ireland offered international perspectives on large-scale fintech implementation.
• Discussions on “Real-Time Payments Need Real-Time Intelligence” highlighted practical AI applications for consumer expectations.
• The “From Hype to Implementation: AI Tools for Financial Services & Insurance” panel focused on practical deployment and intangible value, predicting AI’s seamless embedding.
• “AI Enhancing the Customer Experience” underscored AI’s role in bridging customer service measurement gaps while maintaining human involvement.

Unicorn Insights and Class 24 Showcase

The conference concluded with “Scaling Fintech: A Chat With Charlotte’s Fintech Unicorn Founders,” featuring Michael Praeger (AvidXchange) and Khristian Gutierrez (Passport). They shared insights on critical inflection points, challenges, and Charlotte’s advantages for startup growth, stressing the importance of paying customers, experienced investors, and valuing culture over just product.

The RevTech Labs “Class 24” Showcase presented 12 startups:

• Facio Labs (cloud-native OS for MGAs)
• Praktikant (OperativeAI for RIAs)
• ibt Technologies (AI-native credit analytics)
• Block Convey (AI model evaluation)
• Vasquez Platform (Voice AI nurse for health insurance agents)
• Sail (HSA/FSA optimization)
• LytteAI (agentic intelligence for banks)
• Twill (AI-native OS for merchant acquiring)
• ROOK (wearable data interpretation for health/insurance)
• My AI (rewards layer for the AI economy)
• TrackStar AI Inc. (AI-powered insights for credit decisions)
• KarbonPay (global payroll infrastructure)