October 20th - October 28th
FINTECH CHALLENGE
Transfoming fintech collectively
How does the Challenge work?
Fintech Challenge 2024
ABOUT
Fintech
Challenge
The financial services industry has undergone significant changes thanks
to fintech. However, the industry continues to face challenges as consumer needs and technological advancements evolve simultaneously.
To tackle these challenges, we are organizing this year’s Fintech Challenge. Our goal is to bring together both fintech and non-fintech communities
to collectively brainstorm and use design thinking to propose innovative solutions for the pressing industry challenges of today.
What you can gain
from this experience
Throughout this one-week competition, you’ll receive:
Prizes
Each challenge comes with a chance to win cash prizes and gain access to Fintech Cadence’s recruitment channels. You will also get featured in FC’s social media networks.
Knowledge
Through your journey, you have the opportunity to learn from those around you – your peers, challenge mandators, and even competitors. With a tailored and immersive experience, dive deep into the world of fintech and uncover its challenges and possibilities.
A Challenge
Step outside of your comfort zone and roll-up your sleeves to research, team up with others, and devise creative solutions to the current real-life fintech challenges that Canadians are confronting.
Connections & Networking
Discover an amazing opportunity to engage with like-minded individuals who share your passions and obtain valuable knowledge from leaders in the fintech field. As part of the program, you will be able to attend instructional workshops and participate in informative office hours to expand your understanding!
THE CHALLENGE
Discover the themes
AMF supervises the Quebec financial sector and provides assistance to consumers of financial products and services.
Winning team prize: $5,000
Finliti delivers customized investment strategies that empower and engage retail investors with a personality-driven financial empowerment tool.
Winning team prize: $5,000
THE METHOD
Design Thinking
Process Methodology
Teams will have the opportunity to select a challenge and embark on a thrilling journey by utilizing various stages of the Design Thinking process. They will work diligently to uncover exciting solutions for their chosen challenge over the following week.
1
Frame a Question
Inspire your team to think about your customers (who you’re designing a solution for) and what they actually need.
2
Gather Inspiration
Go out into the world and seek inspiration by observing and discovering what people really need.
3
Generate Ideas
Use the inspiration you gather to help push past the obvious to come up with fresh solutions to your problem.
4
Make Ideas Tangible
Build rough prototypes and find what’s working and what’s not. Test to Learn. Test your prototypes, gather feedback, and iterate.
5
Share the Story
Once you’ve arrived at the right solution, craft and share the story to introduce it to your colleagues, clients, and customers.
THE STEPS
How it works
You will have an opportunity to network and mingle with other fintech enthusiasts and form teams (unless you are already with a team). Join the mixer on October 16th at noon here.
Format: Online
The program will kick off on October 20th, with an introduction to the competition. After, the competing teams will meet with all the mandators of the two challenges to learn more about them, their motivations, and details of their industry + relevant information to the challenge. A Questions & Answers session will follow. Each team will deliberate to select the challenge they will be working on. A teamwork workshop will also be provided. Time: 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Format: Hybrid
In-person for teams located in Montreal. For teams outside of Montreal, an online format will be available.
On October 21st, the participating teams will have the valuable opportunity to partake in two workshops: one focused on providing an overview of the Design Thinking Process, and the other centered around Problem Definition and Ideation. The day’s activities will culminate in guided teamwork exercises that integrate the insights gained during these workshops. Time: 1 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.
Format: Hybrid
In-person for teams located in Montreal. For teams outside of Montreal, an online format will be available.
On October 23rd, the teams will participate in activities tailored to foster collaboration with key stakeholders, aiding them in identifying the precise challenges related to their selected problems. Meanwhile, on October 27th, the day will commence with a User Experience (UX)/User Interface (UI) Design workshop, followed by collaborative team activities. Both days’ agendas will conclude with an opportunity for participants to network with subject matter experts.
Time: October 23rd | 6 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
Time: October 27th | 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Format: Online
On October 28th each team will present their solution(s) in front of the corresponding mandator’s panel of judges. The presentations will be followed by the announcement of the winners of each challenge. Time: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Format: Online
Participant profile
We strongly believe that diversity plays a crucial role in offering exceptional and unique solutions. That is why we seek out individuals who are innovative and curious, coming from a diverse range of backgrounds to offer their unique perspectives and insights to tackling the challenges.
No matter what your level of experience or knowledge in the fintech space is, the Fintech Challenge competition is open to all. Along with our roster of experts and the Fintech Cadence team, we’ll be at every step of the way to support and guide you on your journey.
*Format: Hybrid or 100% online for teams outside of Montreal.
If you are residing outside of Canada and are interested in partaking in the Competition, you can still participate as long as your team commits to the timing of the sessions.
This initiative is open to:
Students
Industry professionals
Startups and entrepreneurs
Registration Fees
*Individual registration for each team member is required
EARLY BIRD
Until October 5th
Student
$10
Must have and show a valid student ID to the FC team during the dates of the Fintech Challenge.
Professional
$20
REGULAR
From October 5th to October 18th
Student
$20
Must have and show a valid student ID to the FC team during the dates of the Fintech Challenge.
Professional
$40
Testimonials
“This was the boost that we needed to get us to the next stage of our growth as leaders and with our business.”
Jennifer Schell CEO Finliti
“We went into this challenge hoping to have an engaging and educational experience within the fintech community and, despite the difficulty of the challenges, the competition overall went above and beyond our expectations! We are so proud of all of the work that we put into this week and we learned so much, which will be valuable not only to our company but any future endeavors that we pursue!”
Michelle Malcolm COO at GeoClique
FAQ
The fintech challenge will be offered in a hybrid format, catering to teams located in Montreal. For teams outside of Montreal, all program sessions will be available in an online format.
You can participate on your own, although having a team is recommended. If you have a team already formed – great! If not, we will be hosting two mixers (September 20th and October 18th) for participants to meet each other and hopefully form teams!
While the overall Fintech Challenge provides three challenges, each team will select one challenge to work on throughout the 1-week program.
Workshops will be delivered in English. Materials and content will be available in French.
The Fintech Challenge is open to all participants in Canada and abroad. However, you must commit to the mandatory sessions and presentations times. If you are in a team, at least 1 member must be present at each session.
Yes, if you are a student it will be $20 and if you are a professional it will be $40. Take advantage of early-bird pricing at half the price!
Absolutely! We even highly encourage it. The Fintech Challenge is a great way to get hands-on experience and understand the trends and opportunities available in the financial and technology landscapes. Whether you come from the finance and tech backgrounds or not, the Fintech Cadence team welcomes you with open arms!
All members must register individually. You will be able to indicate on the registration form if you already have a team or not.
