Energy. Ideas. Collaboration. Those three words defined VentureTech 2025 (Nov 3–5, Frisco, TX), where nearly 200 credit union and fintech leaders gathered to explore what’s next for our industry. The atmosphere was electric, from the first session through the final morning, a clear signal that innovation in the credit union space is not slowing down.
Jenny Jackson of CUNA Strategic Services and Nick Evans of Curql Collective, co-founders of VentureTech, served as the event’s hosts and navigators. Their leadership set a purposeful tone, blending excitement with focus and ensuring that every element, from session design to networking opportunities, encouraged real conversation and connection. VentureTech felt less like a conference and more like a carefully designed platform to spark collaboration between fintech innovators and credit union leaders.
A striking mix of CEOs, operations leaders, finance executives, and IT professionals filled the audience, creating a productive blend of strategic insight and operational expertise. Session topics addressed member engagement, digital adoption, risk management, and fintech partnerships, giving every participant actionable insights for their organization.
Monday morning’s opening sessions immediately delivered. “The Collaboration Conversation: The Intersection of Your Members and Fintech” featured candid point/counterpoint debate between fintech and credit union leaders, followed by a generational member panel that explored real member perspectives across Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers. Additional sessions touched on partnership strategies, payments modernization, and ways credit unions can leverage AI and data analytics to enhance the member experience.
The exhibit hall was alive throughout VentureTech. On countless occasions, the person I hoped to speak with was already deep in conversation with someone else, which is exactly how it should be. It was a valuable opportunity to dig into discussions with additional, non-presenting industry solutions providers, many of whom are bringing new, tech-based products to market.
Meanwhile, Artificial Intelligence (AI) dominated the pitch sessions. Nearly every presenting solution incorporated AI in some form, from workflow automation to predictive analytics and generative models. If it wasn’t clear that AI is central to innovation in financial services upon arrival, it certainly was by departure. AI is shaping not only the solutions themselves but also how credit unions evaluate and integrate new technology. Interestingly, the Launch Party pitch winner, Aries Fraud Solutions, succeeded without leaning on AI. This served as a noteworthy reminder that impactful, meaningful innovation often comes from solving a problem of significance through ingenuity and design, rather than simply adding the latest technology.
The Fintech Pitch-Off on Tuesday showcased the top vote-getters from each of three earlier rounds. This brought ScribeUp, Goodbuy, and Reset to the stage for quick, three-minute recaps of their solutions. The final vote was a highlight of the event, with Reset earning the win. Watching not only these, but all the companies pitch throughout Monday and Tuesday reinforced the diversity of innovation and the healthy competitiveness driving the ecosystem forward.
Networking was equally strong. I made several new connections and deepened relationships with existing partners, advertisers, and CUInsight.com content contributors. The energy carried into the evenings, including a standout Pickleball event sponsored by Silvur, where Filip Danielewicz of MSU FCU brought great energy as the courtside announcer. Casual, fun, and inclusive, it was a perfect environment to strengthen connections beyond the formal sessions.
By the time the final session wrapped up, one thing was clear: there were no “crickets” here. The energy, curiosity, and collaboration on display were a powerful reminder of what happens when our community shows up ready to share ideas, challenge assumptions, and celebrate innovation. It was a perfect real-world counterpoint to the challenge I raised in my recent CUInsight article, which noted the Cost of Crickets.
