Fintech Summit to highlight banking industry innovation
Global leaders in technology and banking are returning to Little Rock this week for two days of speed-dating-like meetings and open sessions that connect bankers with financial technology companies offering innovative services.
The Little Rock Venture Center’s second VenCent Fintech Summit will begin Monday, conclude Tuesday and feature more than 25 national and international banking leaders and fintech entrepreneurs.
Sessions at the downtown Little Rock Statehouse Convention Center will highlight advancements in banking as a service, policy changes in the industry — and their effects on digital assets — and provide cybersecurity insights. Fidelity National Information Services (FIS), one of the world’s largest fintech providers and founded in Little Rock, sponsors the event.
“An event of this scale provides a powerful national spotlight, underscoring our city’s capacity and commitment to shaping the fintech narrative,” said Jay Chesshir, chief executive officer and president of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce. “The VenCent Fintech Summit provides national and global companies a glimpse at why Little Rock continues to be a fertile hub for groundbreaking ideas and business ventures — a place that’s ready to create and redefine unique solutions in financial technology.”
VenCent opens with remarks from Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Commerce Secretary Hugh McDonald. About 300 bankers, entrepreneurs, regulators and policymakers are registered for the event.
FIS and the Venture Center have partnered since 2016 on the annual Fintech Accelerator program in Little Rock, a 12-week bootcamp that has attracted hundreds of worldwide applicants for the initiative that was established to accelerate innovation in the banking industry.
Several companies, including Bond.AI, have participated and then set up permanent operations and headquarters in Little Rock. Bond.AI President Rajesh Chokhani is now the chairman of the regional
chamber and has a key role in promoting technology development in Central Arkansas.
Convincing start-up companies like Bond.AI to remain in Little Rock has helped cement the region’s leadership in fintech development, McDonald said.
“The Venture Center’s fintech accelerator has elevated Little Rock as a global fintech hub, bringing companies from around the world to our state,” he said. “This serves as an ongoing catalyst for entrepreneurial growth in Arkansas.”
This year’s event adds a new twist: matchmaking sessions to facilitate speedy networking for bankers and fintech founders to establish face-to-face connections.
The Arkansas Economic Development Commission, and several private sponsors, contribute funding for the summit. More information is available at https://www.vencentsummit.com/agenda.
EVENT FOCUSES ON
DOWNTOWN LR
Sparking development of downtown Little Rock, which plays a vital role in the economic health of the city and region, is the focus of a leadership discussion Wednesday.
Public-sector leaders representing the Downtown Little Rock Partnership, the city’s Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce will be joined by Merritt Dak of One Health for a noon discussion at the Clinton Presidential Center. Rex Nelson, senior editor and a columnist with this newspaper, will moderate the panel.
The chamber’s Power Up session will center on building a thriving downtown and will include discussion about the downtown master plan, the tourism master plan and the potential for a 15-acre park over Interstate-30 between Sixth and Ninth streets.
Power Up Little Rock is a quarterly series hosted by the Little Rock Regional Chamber and presented by Arvest Bank. Wednesday’s session is $50 per person and open to the public. More information is available at littlerockchamber.com
RITTER EXPANDS IN NEA
Marion residents are in line to receive faster data delivery with plans by Ritter Communications of Jonesboro to invest $3.5 million to expand fiber communications to some neighborhoods in the Crittenden County community.
Ritter, one of the largest privately owned telecommunications providers in the Mid-South, will extend its RightFiber service to deliver high-speed internet, TV and phone offerings. Ritter uses 100% fiber-optic technology to reach speeds up to 5 gigabytes.
The RightFiber services is ideal for smart homes and families with smart devices, Ritter’s Chief Executive Officer Alan Morse said in announcing the expansion. “On average, U.S. households now have 22 connected devices in their homes,” Morse said, noting users expect data “with no lagging or buffering.”
Ritter plans to use door tags, personal door-to-door visits along with traditional mail and signs to notify eligible residents in service areas.
ENTERGY BOOSTS SUSTAINABILITY
The Public Service Commission has approved Entergy Arkansas’ plans to offer a clean-energy program for industrial and commercial customs to help them reach sustainability goals.
The electric utility’s Go ZERO program opens customer access to existing emissions-free resources and new renewable resources as they become available, Entergy said. Large customers, particularly those in the energy-reliant steel industry, are interested in the initiative.
Entergy Arkansas and the U.S. General Services Administration developed Go ZERO to boost federal government goals to source all electricity from carbon pollution-free sources by 2030.
“Go ZERO will help customers meet their sustainability goals 24/7 by using our nuclear and hydroelectric plants and our growing portfolio of renewable energy resources,” said Laura Landreaux, president and chief executive officer of Entergy Arkansas. “It was designed with input from our customers, who need sustainability solutions to reduce their emissions.”
Go ZERO also will be an economic development tool for Arkansas to recruit new businesses and support the expansion of existing ones, the company said.
There is a cost to participate in the program. Specific customer pricing is available at renew.entergy.com. Entergy Arkansas serves 730,000 customers in 63 counties.
Power Up Little Rock is a quarterly series hosted by the Little Rock Regional Chamber and presented by Arvest Bank. Wednesday’s session is $50 per person and open to the public. More information is available at littlerockchamber.com