It’s been 10 years because the Australian Authorities formally prioritised fintech as a key progress sector — and a decade since FinTech Australia was shaped to champion the business.
At Intersekt 2025, that milestone was entrance of thoughts.
From the very first pre-event dinners on the Tuesday night time, there was a palpable buzz of optimism as delegates from around the globe gathered to reconnect, rejoice, be taught, and plan for the long run.
Catching up on the sidelines of Intersekt is at all times standard
I attended carrying a number of hats: as a newly appointed member of the FinTech Australia board, as CEO and cofounder of a scaling fintech, as a panelist — and as a scholar hungry to be taught.
Listed here are a few of the standout themes and golden nuggets from throughout this system.
Day 1
Trying into the Crystal Ball: Who Will Be the Subsequent Fintech Titans?
Moderated by Judy Anderson-Firth (Triple Bubble & Euphemia), this panel featured Marnie Baker, a FinTech Australia director, Dom Pym (Euphemia), Lynn Thompson, (QBE Ventures) and Toby Norton-Smith,(x15ventures).
Marnie opened provocatively, asking: “Should the ecosystem be the titan rather than one or two players?” A reminder that constructing a thriving sector could also be extra vital than chasing unicorns.
Dom challenged the concept that “titan” equals dimension: “Impact and culture are far more important… better to be big and good than big and not good. We need titans, not tyrants.” His personal Up Financial institution was held up as a future titan on these phrases.
Toby spoke about 15x Ventures’ strategy to serving to fintechs develop into “enterprise ready,” whereas Lynn supplied her litmus take a look at: “If your sales cycle is under six months, you’ve got something special. If it’s longer, you’re still figuring it out.”
A easy but sharp benchmark for any startup.
Lynn additionally highlighted Cowl Genius as a standout insurtech to look at.
Constructing a Enough Runway Earlier than Liftoff: Securing Funding in 2025
I had the privilege of becoming a member of Shamus Hodgson (Zai Funds), Caroline Tran (Hi there Intelligent), and Kenneth Lai (RSM) for this panel.
Shamus captured the temper with: “Revenue is vanity, profit is sanity.” Buyers, he famous, at the moment are extra cautious than ever and need a crystal-clear view of how their cash is spent. Caroline, cofounder of Hi there Intelligent, agreed: “You have to know your numbers precisely. Investors want milestones, exit plans, and returns — and you must deliver.”
I shared the non-dilutive funding perspective, highlighting how founders at the moment are weighing their weighted common value of capital, strategically mixing debt and fairness to fund progress. At Tractor Ventures, we’re seeing extra founders run dual-track funding methods than ever earlier than.
Contemporary Off the Press: What You Missed within the Australian Startup Panorama
This session, moderated by Bronwen Clune (Capital Temporary), introduced collectively Ben Buckingham (Major), Alex Simmons (Kashkade), and Kirstin Hunter (Birchal).
Kirstin summed up the second: “Necessity breeds creativity. Founders are looking beyond traditional VC, and alternative capital is now part of the mix.” She additionally challenged native buyers: “We’re a small nation, and VCs lack creativity in early-stage funding.”
Ben pointed to the widening hole between seed, Collection A and B, noting that debt is usually bridging rounds. Bronwen noticed that alt-capital is just simply now beginning to achieve recognition, whereas Alex added: “Private wealth is becoming more active in the ecosystem.”
Or as Bronwen put it in a headline: “Growth is back, baby.”
Day 2
Ladies in Fintech Breakfast: From Competitors to Collaboration
Sponsored by Cuscal, this session introduced collectively Bronwyn Yam, Might Lam, Irene Tsang, myself, and moderator Judy Anderson-Firth.
The Ladies in Fintech breakfast
With 70 ladies within the room over a full breakfast, the dialogue was highly effective and private. Every panelist spoke of dealing with discrimination as ladies — usually ladies of color and migrants — and succeeding regardless.
We acknowledged the worth of women-only areas, however Judy challenged us to not cease there: “Events like this are vital, but they won’t solve the problem on their own.”
True to type, Judy ended with motion: each panelist dedicated to at least one tangible step, and each attendee was requested to notice their very own. My commitments included mentoring extra actively, opening doorways for different ladies, and pushing for family-friendly occasion codecs.
Retention Methods: Creating Workplaces that Maintain Inclusion
Key takeaways from this dialogue included:
Understanding backgrounds is essential (Anish Sinha).
Tradition interviews at Citro guarantee candidates are assessed by friends outdoors their perform (Megan Burgess).
AI will reshape work, and adaptability is now not elective — Cuscal’s hybrid mannequin exhibits intentional design (Freya Smith).
Illustration issues — Zip Co now has 50–55% ladies throughout exec and non-exec roles (Lauren McCormack).
Lauren additionally emphasised weak management as the trail to psychological security — a degree that resonated deeply with me.
Present and Inform: Why We Invested in Our Portfolio
This panel offered a uncommon look inside VC decision-making.
Highlights included:
NAB Ventures’ funding in Trovata, for its real-time treasury administration influence on NAB’s buyer base.
Airtree and Sq. Peg’s joint backing of Constantinople, betting on the crew’s deep buyer perception and full-stack AI-native banking platform.
Sq. Peg’s Ed Barker: “Founders must solve 100% of the problem, not just part of it — that’s how you build defensible moats.”
5 V’s funding in Open Insurance coverage, praised for his or her buyer obsession and testing by way of their very own model “Huddle.”
As soon as Bitten, Twice Spry: Classes from Serial Founders
This session with Stuart Stoyan and Luke Howes was filled with hard-won truths.
Luke: “A dollar from a customer is worth more than a dollar from an investor.”
Stu: “Own 100% of something smaller rather than 1% of a unicorn.”
Each: give attention to outcomes, not headlines — and by no means waste a disaster.
Past the panels
The networking was fixed and energised: handshakes, hugs, and laughter over espresso, buffets, Lune croissants, and even a Messina ice-cream cart courtesy of Mastercard. By night time, the motion shifted to golf equipment and bars, reminding us fintech can celebration as arduous because it pitches.
As at all times, the FinTech Australia crew led by Rehan D’Almeida delivered a world-class competition.
The occasion closed with the high-octane Fintech50 Pitch Extravaganza: 50 founders, 30 seconds every. It was quick, enjoyable, and an exciting glimpse of the sector’s subsequent wave.
Closing ideas
After ten years of fintech in Australia, Intersekt 2025 confirmed simply how far we’ve come — and the way a lot additional we will go. The conversations have been candid, the optimism was infectious, and the variety of capital, management, and concepts felt stronger than ever.
The following decade is ready to be even greater.
FinTech Australia CEO Rehan D’Almeida
Jodie Imam is the cofounder and CEO of Tractor Ventures and a director of FinTech Australia.
