Agentic AI in FinTech: Highlights from Our Social Mixer on Innovation and Trust

We had the pleasure of co-hosting an Agentic AI in FinTech Social Mixer alongside Asia Startup Network, Wantedly, and Monk’s Hill Ventures. The event brought together industry leaders, AI developers, startups, and venture capitalists for dynamic discussions on how agentic AI is transforming the FinTech landscape—and what this means for the future of financial services. 

Introduction to First Rate and First Rate Connect by Elysia Chan, Wantedly by Andrew Tan and Monk’s Hill Venture by Arun Pai 

Keynote Demo: Transforming Wealth Management with Agentic AI 

We kicked off the evening with an inspiring keynote from Nayan Madhamshettiwar, Managing Director at First Rate. Nayan shared a groundbreaking agentic AI-enabled approach designed to revolutionize financial advisory. By leveraging profiles from 12 real-life advisors, his solution creates AI agents capable of handling complex, nuanced decisions—powered by AI’s ability to process vast information at scale. 

Drawing from decades of WealthTech expertise, Nayan demonstrated how his solution addresses common challenges like hallucinations and black-box behaviors that plague many Gen AI models today. 

He highlighted five critical differentiators that set his solution apart in the market: 

• Security: Robust data protection and privacy safeguards 

• Explainability: Transparent, understandable AI-generated recommendations 

• Reliability: Consistent, dependable performance 

• Compliance: Full adherence to financial regulations and standards 

• Integration: Seamless compatibility with existing financial systems 

  
  

Nayan’s key advice to founders was especially valuable: rather than simply adopting open-source models, entrepreneurs must understand and meet the five essential requirements financial institutions demand before deploying any AI solution. 

Keynote Presentation from Nayan Madhamshettiwar (Managing Director, First Rate) 

Fireside Chat: Opportunities and Challenges of Agentic AI in FinTech 

Our fireside chat, moderated by Charis Chia from First Rate Connect, featured a powerhouse panel: Arun Pai (Principal at Monk’s Hill Ventures), Nayan Madhamshettiwar (Managing Director at First Rate), and David Liew (Founder of Agentic Brewery). Together, they explored critical themes including building institutional trust, leveraging language models for efficiency, and the importance of cultivating investor relationships early. 

Fireside chat: Approaching FinTech with Agentic AI: Opportunities and the Road Ahead  

The Trust Challenge for AI-Enabled FinTech Solutions 

Arun Pai offered a sobering reality check on the trust hurdle AI startups face. Competing with giants like JP Morgan, which has spent over a century building trust, is daunting. 

“Whenever there is new technology, there is fear.” 

He reminded the audience that while trust-building is not unique to AI, it remains a fundamental barrier to closing deals and gaining market acceptance. 

Nayan offered actionable guidance for startups embarking on trust-building: focus on understanding institutional needs, and train AI models with data tailored to specific organizations. David added that trust grows through actual usage—highlighting his own experience as a solo developer leveraging language models to create value efficiently. 

Strategic Focus and Early Investor Relationships 

The panel emphasized the importance of a strategic approach to finding the right investor and solution. Arun cautioned founders to maintain laser focus and secure key buy-in before shifting directions: 

“Don’t start raising money when you need it.” 

Building investor relationships early and choosing the right partners intentionally was a recurring theme. Nayan echoed this advice, stressing that innovation alone isn’t enough.

Founders must “learn to win at the right time and at the right price.” 

For startups with limited resources, David recommended the PACE framework: Prioritize, Assess, Coordinate, and Evaluate outputs regularly. He also warned against bloated AI stacks that drain resources without delivering proportional value. 

Looking Ahead: The Future of Agentic AI in FinTech 

Our social mixer underscored a crucial insight: while agentic AI unlocks unprecedented opportunities in FinTech, true success demands more than just cutting-edge technology. It requires a winning combination of solid technical foundations, a deep understanding of institutional needs, strategic focus, and authentic trust-building grounded in proven results. 

As the FinTech landscape continues to evolve rapidly, the wisdom shared by our speakers offers a valuable roadmap for founders and innovators. Whether you’re developing AI-powered financial solutions or exploring partnerships in this space, sustainable success depends on balancing innovation with the fundamental pillars of security, compliance, and reliability that financial institutions look for. 

Networking among the attendees and speakers 

Stay tuned for more insights from our upcoming events. If you’re a founder committed to building sustainable, AI-driven businesses that tackle real-world challenges, we’d love to connect! Reach out to us at connect@firstrate.com