“Creating a Vibrant Fintech Hub: Reflecting on the Past to Build the Future”

As we dive into 2025, it’s critical to look back at our successes and learnings from 2024 in order to help shape the future of the region as a top fintech destination.

Given our vibrant community of VCs, startups, academia, corporates, accelerators and the public sector, Massachusetts is well-positioned to lead in this space – something that our research with KPMG has affirmed. Last year, we continued to work towards realizing our vision of making Massachusetts the global fintech leader, leveraging the diverse makeup of the Hub’s ecosystem. Bringing together this community is what helps to set our region, and the Mass Fintech Hub, apart.

In 2024, we built on the successful programming we’ve created since the launch of the Hub. Our emphasis on scaling programming enabled us to strengthen the Massachusetts and broader New England fintech ecosystem in order to be the #1 destination for fintech innovation.

We remain confident that the ingredients to make Massachusetts the global Hub are all here. With that belief at the center of everything we do, the Mass Fintech Hub will take advantage of the region’s differentiators and strengths, empowering greater collaboration, partnerships and innovation capacity along the way.

Below are some highlights from the past year, as well as a look at what you can expect from us in the new year.

Mass Fintech Hub’s 2024 Achievements

• Grew our membership to stimulate connections and foster community:

  • Realized tremendous traction in the banking sector, as well as the broader fintech space, engaging nearly 2,000 professionals, students and educators in our region

  • New members included the Mass Bankers Association, University of Massachusetts Boston, University of Rhode Island, Sandbox Banking, Fispoke and Penny Finance - showcasing a diversity of perspectives

• Brought together talent, education and the broader fintech ecosystem:

  • Held a career fair at the University of Massachusetts Boston with over 300 students from more than 17 colleges and universities

  • Hosted a bootcamp at Stonehill College with over 65 students participating from more than 20 schools and expanded our mentoring program with over 40 student mentee/mentor pairs

• Provided networking and educational opportunities to the region:

  • Bolstered our Angel Education Series in order to connect players in the industry, which leads to innovation and problem solving

  • Developed and hosted three Corporate Startup Collaboration events which saw more than 150 participants

  • Increased Mass Fintech Hub’s presence at Boston Fintech Week with five events that attracted over 300 participants

Looking ahead to 2025 

We will continue to build on the Hub’s successes through a number of new and ongoing initiatives, including:

• Attracting, developing and retaining talent:

  • Inspire and provide opportunities for the next generation of leaders, through our Mentorship Program, Fintech Bootcamps and Career Fairs

  • Educate and deliver perspective on important innovations and change in fintech and financial services

• Expanding a robust support structure for innovative startups:

  • Showcase fintech’s resilience across our startups, VCs, academic, public, private and nonprofit sectors

  • Expand programming by delivering events that build organic relationships, foster networking and collaboration and raise up voices

  • Organize meetups that will provide networking opportunities to members and enable impactful connections

• Amplifying our brand and increasing our membership:

  • Have a vibrant presence at national and regional fintech and financial events–including at Boston Fintech Week

  • Continue to promote our community and members through events, media relations, content and social media

Join Us

We invite you to join us as we enhance our upcoming programming to achieve our vision and make Massachusetts the global fintech Hub.

Best wishes,

The Mass Fintech Hub Co-Chairs

Sears Merritt, MassMutual

Julie Thurlow, Reading Cooperative Bank

About the Co-Chairs: 

Mass Fintech Hubs Co-Chairs lead the Hub’s Advisory Board, guiding the collaborative’s strategic vision with programming that builds community, attracts investment, develops talent and seeds collaboration.

Stay Connected 

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