MFTH MENTORING PROGRAM 2026
Partner Solutions Architect • Cloud Alliances & Applied AI • Fintech Mentor • Blockchain Visionary
Operations infrastructure builder who processed $800M+ in cloud marketplace deal registrations while shipping 900K+ lines of production AI systems. Scaled cloud marketplace from $0 to $30M+ in 30 months at Contentsquare (3-person team, global: Americas, EMEA, APJ). Designed OneCRM connecting 6 platforms. Reduced deal registration from 8 min to 30 sec. 14x AWS YoY growth. 2x Microsoft Partner of the Year. Enterprise deals: Salvatore Ferragamo, Dolce & Gabbana, Brunello Cucinelli. Now building at Metaventions AI: 58 MCP tools on Claude, multi-agent orchestration (212 tests, 93.1% routing), GoMotion AI partner sales, UCW (12.15M knowledge graph edges), ResearchGravity (87% error prevention). 4,035 Claude sessions. 8+ arXiv papers implemented in production. 38 repos, 900K+ LOC. BBA Marketing, University of Windsor, Odette School of Business. Frontier Operator Score: 94/100.
Integrates GTM partnerships, program operations, and data integrity into single high-functioning systems. Workflows, tooling, and reporting all aligned for measurable outcomes.
Scaled cloud marketplace $0→$30M+ in 30 months with AWS and Microsoft. 2,500+ deals at 97% approval. 14x AWS YoY growth. 81% larger deals. 26-day shorter cycles. 2x Microsoft Partner of the Year. Enterprise wins: Ferragamo, D&G, Cucinelli. Designed OneCRM (6 platforms in sync). Deal reg: 8 min → 30 sec. 50+ Looker/Salesforce dashboards. $28K+ MDF disbursements. AWS Business & Technical Accredited.
900K+ lines of production AI systems. Built ARCHON meta-orchestrator, GoMotion partner sales platform (shipped in one live session), and 58 MCP tools. Not content to manage — driven to architect from first principles.
BBA, Marketing (Honors) — Odette School of Business, University of Windsor (2015–2019)
Data points surfaced in 55-min call with Chelsie (Mar 30) and 79-min call with Osama (~Mar 27). These are YOUR talking points — refined from how you naturally tell your story.
⛓ Blockchain & Web3 (Skin in the Game)
💰 Finance & Investor Circuit
🏡 Builder Communities
| Nov 2025–Now | Founder, Metaventions AI — 58 automation tools, Antigravity Coordinator (212 tests, 93.1% routing), GoMotion (MEDDPICC + CRM), RAG pipelines (43K vectors), 9,153 autonomous repairs, 30 repos, 10,871 commits |
| May 2023–Nov 2025 | Operational Specialist, Cloud Alliances — Contentsquare — 3-person team at $1B+ platform. $0→$30M+ marketplace. 2,500+ deals, 97% approval, $800M+ TCV. OneCRM (6 platforms). Deal reg 8 min→30 sec. 50+ dashboards. Global: Americas, EMEA, APJ. 2x MS Partner of Year. 14x AWS growth |
| Jun 2020–May 2023 | Product Success Specialist — Rocket Mortgage Canada — 45-person team ops. $222,750 annual savings. 7,425 hrs/yr recovered. 98% accuracy, 91.67% onboarding improvement |
| Jul 2020–Apr 2021 | Operations & Data Quality — Edison Financial — Pipeline governance, 98% accuracy, 30% faster processing |
| Mar 2019–2022 | Director — Up2Youth (Non-Profit) — Raised $255,000 over 3 years. Built org operational structure from scratch |
| 2019 | BBA Marketing — University of Windsor, Odette School of Business. SpaceX Hyperloop 2019 Competition Finalist |
“I’m Dico Angelo, from Windsor, Ontario. I’ve been in the blockchain ecosystem for 3+ years — Detroit Blockchain, Web3 Toronto, BitAngels, Art Basel. Right now I’m building sovereign AI systems at Metaventions — 900K+ lines of code, blockchain forensics with zero-knowledge proof for EU compliance, and a fintech portfolio optimization platform. Before that, I ran cloud alliance operations at Contentsquare — $0 to $30M+ in 30 months with AWS and Microsoft, 2,500 deals at 97% approval, global scope. I mentor 3 students in the Mass Fintech Hub program. I’m looking for my next role at the intersection of AI infrastructure and blockchain. TN visa eligible, based in Texas.”
SCAN FOR LINKEDIN
The largest fintech mentoring program in Massachusetts, connecting students with industry professionals across the fintech ecosystem.
April 1, 2026 • Noon–7 PM • Bentley University
In-person event with mentees, mentors, and leaders across the Massachusetts fintech ecosystem. Keynotes, roundtables, networking reception.
Three talented students paired through the Mass Fintech Hub Mentoring Program. Each brings a unique background and ambition to the fintech space.
MSc Business Analytics @ WNEU · ex-BAT Territory Mgr ($3.5M turnover) · ex-Salesflo CS Lead · Data Analyst & Customer Success
| School | Western New England University (Springfield, MA) — MSc Business Analytics (Jan 2025 – Dec 2026) |
| Prior Ed | BBA Marketing — Institute of Business Management (Karachi, 2017–2021). 14 courses + internships in senior year. IGCSE A-Levels: Math, Economics, Accounts (The City School) |
| Career | BAT (2.5 yrs): Territory Mgr → Key Account Exec. $3.5M territory, 3,000+ retail, 18% MoM growth, launched Vuse (vape) for Sindh & Balochistan, led 130-person campaign, first nationally 100% digitized area. Salesflo (8 mos): CS Lead — 95% onboarding satisfaction, data-driven JBP meetings, managed high-value FMCG portfolio |
| Internships | Ismail Industries (trade marketing), Hyundai Pakistan (Sales/Marketing), Afiniti (AI product testing), Ernst & Young (audit), Express News (social media), Unilever (campus ambassador 2 yrs) |
| Coursework | Enterprise Analytics (SAP + AWS + SQL), Predictive & Text Analytics (NLP, fine-tuning), Statistical Foundations (hypothesis testing, regression, time-series) |
| Skills | Python, R/RStudio, SQL, Power BI, Tableau, SAP Analytics, Jira · Sales, Business Development, Leadership, Customer Success |
| Leadership | President, Strategic HR Society (200+ members, IoBM) · AIESEC VP Corporate Affairs · Led Karachi Green initiative (60+ students with KMC) |
| Origin | Karachi, Pakistan → moved to US for MSBA. Father passed during sophomore year. Brother Yasir is Sr. Reservoir Engineer at Equinor; brother Shariq runs a theatre company (200+ performances) |
| Seeking | Data Analyst / Business Analyst / Customer Success — Boston, Springfield, US |
| 3,221 followers · 500+ connections · Very active poster (129–284 reactions per post) | |
| Events | Attended Fintech Frontiers @ Federal Reserve Bank of Boston (MFTH + Fintech Sandbox) |
| Contact | thara.osama@gmail.com · +1 413-246-1510 |
| Paired | Feb 2, 2026 |
Mentoring Intel (from 79-min call, ~Mar 27): Osama is NOT early-stage professionally — he ran a $3.5M territory at BAT with 3,000+ retail accounts and led digitization campaigns nationally. He’s early-stage in coding/deployment specifically. Night owl like you (peak hours overlap). Walked him through full IDE + GitHub + Claude Code + Vercel setup live on call. Demoed job search automation, Philip Drammeh pipeline, Anomaly Matrix book, Chrome DNA profile — he was “mesmerized.” Proactive networking: Reached out to Aaron at Maven AGI on his behalf. Action items: Build personal website (Vercel), optimize LinkedIn experience descriptions + Open to Work, automate internship search, join Boston AI Week + Boston Healthcare AI groups. Cross-mentee play: Osama’s business/sales/customer success depth could complement Chelsie’s — she needs GTM strategy, he needs GitHub project experience. Natural pairing. His NLP coursework (fine-tuning, evaluation) is directly relevant to fintech AI.FinSight
Chelsie Santos's AI financial analytics platform. $29.99/mo vs Bloomberg $24K/yr. 50+ beta users. Live at finsightintel.ai (demo: finsight-intelligence.streamlit.app). Features: Monte Carlo sims, Greeks, SEC filings, sentiment mapping, Alpha Vantage + Massive APIs. Co-founder Emma Choukroun (Paris). 1st place URI RISE-UP Pitch Night.
Finance × AI · Babson College · Investor in Answer AI · ex-Morgan Stanley, JLL, Boston Financial · Private Pilot in Training
| School | Babson College — BS in Science & Business, graduating May 2026. International student (India), needs visa sponsorship. Vidyagyan Leadership Academy → North Branch HS (Michigan, KL-YES scholarship) → Babson |
| Internships | Morgan Stanley (Wealth Mgmt, 2025) · JLL (RE Private Equity, 5 mos — live Boston deal, 10-yr cash flows) · Boston Financial (Commercial RE) · HCL Enterprise (Finance, New Delhi) · Haydon Chartered Accountants (Dublin — audits, portfolio analysis) · Hands On Angel (VC Intern, Boston) |
| Startup | Answer AI — personal investor + agent trainer. LLM platform sold to colleges in bundles. Babson is a client. Trained agents for finance accuracy |
| Finance | Equity Research Analyst, Babson College Fund (1 yr) · Cutler Center Student Advisor — trains students on Bloomberg, FactSet, Capital IQ, Pitchbook · M&A Modeling cert (Wall Street Prep) |
| Current | M&A Analyst at \$900M+ logistics company (biggest privately held in North America). Through personal intro to CEO |
| Leadership | President, The Women’s Network (largest collegiate women’s networking org in North America, 1.5 yrs) · U.S. Dept of State Youth Ambassador (KL-YES scholarship, Michigan, 2019–2020) · Youth Entrepreneurship Program Teacher (Bosnia & Tanzania, 2.5 yrs) · Global Scholar Orientation Leader · IMUN Campus Ambassador |
| Skills | Bloomberg (BMC certified), Capital IQ, FactSet, Pitchbook, M&A modeling (Wall Street Prep), financial modeling, equity research, Cursor (coding), AI agent training · Languages: Hindi (native), English, Urdu, Spanish, Sanskrit |
| Personal | Adrenaline junkie: private pilot license (in progress), skydiving, basketball, golf, tennis · Vidyagyan Leadership Academy alum |
| Seeking | Fintech role / VC associate / BDR at startup — Boston, SF, NYC. Needs visa sponsorship. Goal: 2 yrs experience then founder |
| Contact | mansari1@babson.edu · muskananneansari1@gmail.com · 781-742-0336 |
| Paired | Feb 2, 2026 |
Mentoring Intel (from 60-min call, ~Feb/Mar 2026): Muskan is the most commercially sophisticated mentee — she’s an investor, not just a student. She gave YOU advice: recommended On Deck Founders Program and East Bay for co-founder matching, told the Traba co-founder story. Understands VC dynamics firsthand (Answer AI fundraising: “VCs want you to pick one niche”). Network: Babson, Harvard startup events, Techstars angel investor experience, Partnership Leaders (you offered full access). Rob matched you two via Chrome browsing DNA — you called it “perfect match.” Can’t attend Bentley (working all day). Post-event: connect her with Timberlake (VC background), Fogel (Struck Capital), Gurandiano (RBC fintech IB). Cross-mentee: Muskan can advise Chelsie on VC pitching & GTM for FinSight. Can help Osama find Boston analytics roles via her startup network. Her finance depth (Morgan Stanley, JLL, M&A modeling) makes her the strongest at reading the room at finance-heavy events.
Co-Founder & CEO, FinSight Intelligence · URI Finance (Fintech) & Business Analytics · Fall 2026 MBA
| School | University of Rhode Island — College of Business |
| Degree | BS Business Admin: Finance (Fintech) + Business Analytics Intelligence · Jun 2026 |
| Next | Part-Time MBA @ URI — Fall 2026 (admitted) |
| Startup | FinSight Intelligence — AI financial analytics ($29.99/mo vs Bloomberg $24K). Live at finsightintel.ai (demo: finsight-intelligence.streamlit.app). 50+ beta users. Co-founder: Emma Choukroun (Paris) |
| Wins | ★ 1st Place, URI RISE-UP Pitch Night (Mar 2026) · Showcased at BUNEEC · Praised by Claude Arnell Milhouse (AI VC pioneer) · NEFF Showcase · Dean’s List x5 |
| Skills | Python, R, SQL (Oracle certified), Excel (Microsoft certified), Bloomberg certified, GA4 certified |
| Network | Mentors: Vanessa Alvarez, Nishita Roy-Pope · RIHub · 500+ connections · 1,915 followers |
| Seeking | Data Analyst / Business Analyst / Financial Analyst — Boston, NYC, Providence (hybrid/remote) |
| Contact | santos.chelsie89@gmail.com · 860-448-8286 |
| Paired | Feb 2, 2026 |
linkedin.com/in/chelsiesantos | FinSight Demo (Streamlit)
Mentoring Intel (from 55-min call, Mar 30): Chelsie is a builder, not just a student. FinSight is real — she coded it herself (Python, Monte Carlo sims, Greeks, SEC filings, Alpha Vantage + Massive APIs). 50+ beta users, pitch winner. Key motivations: Mother became blind from medication — Chelsie wants to build AI-powered glasses (medical AI vision, moonshot). Husband has autism, learns by doing — wants to build VR layer into FinSight for neurodivergent financial education. Currently in Social Enterprise Greenhouse Accelerator (Providence). She's pre-seed like you — peer dynamic, not top-down. Shared your convergence hub framework with her, offered dedicated instance. Action items: Help her formalize SOW/equity terms for FinSight (per your partnership lesson). Connect her with technical AI/ML people at Bentley. Cross-pollinate VR methodology (your Stryker surgical VR ↔ her finance education VR). FriendlyFace compliance layer could integrate with FinSight down the road.
The principles I established with each mentee from day one:
The mentee drives the relationship — initiates meetings, manages the schedule, sets the pace. I collaborate and guide.
Come prepared with a bulleted agenda shared in advance. Technical skills, leadership questions, industry articles — all fair game.
What is said in our sessions stays in our sessions. Trust is the foundation for real vulnerability and growth.
I share the stuff textbooks don’t cover — especially failures and obstacles, because that’s where the best learning happens.
A structured case study designed for mentees exploring careers in technology operations, partner ecosystems, and AI systems architecture.
Every complex career is built on a solid foundation. BBA Marketing (Honors) at Odette School of Business combined with hands-on experience: Hyperloop engineering (SpaceX 2019 finalist), Enactus business mentorship, AIESEC international recruiting. Early roles at Up2Youth (still active since 2019) and Edison Financial built core skills in management, process optimization, and impact measurement.
Key lesson: The power of a versatile foundation. Cross-industry knowledge in leadership, process optimization, and resource management proved invaluable for later tech challenges.
At Rocket Mortgage Canada (Jun 2020–May 2023), owned the Application Package Product and led a team of 45 agents. Concurrently at Edison Financial (Jul 2021–Apr 2022). Systematically improved products and processes with precise metrics demonstrating clear business value.
Key lesson: Managing operations at scale. Using data to drive decisions, improve products, and deliver significant financial and operational results within a major corporation.
As Operational Specialist for Cloud Alliances at Contentsquare, scaled the cloud marketplace from $0 to $30M+ in 30 months. Created the PARTNER Framework (Prioritization, Accountability, Revenue Impact, Trust, Network Integration, Executive Sponsorship, Results) for repeatable alliance success. Won enterprise deals with Salvatore Ferragamo, Dolce & Gabbana, and Brunello Cucinelli via AWS Marketplace.
Key lesson: Marketplace-first GTM wins. Selling to CMOs instead of CIOs drove 81% larger deals and 26-day shorter sales cycles. Registration time went from 6–8 minutes to 30 seconds through bulk operations.
Founded Metaventions AI — shipping 900K+ lines of production AI systems across 30 repos. Built ARCHON meta-orchestrator, GoMotion (partner sales orchestration platform built in a single live session), and a Sovereign OS with self-healing capabilities. Attended NeurIPS 2025. Leading Catalyst 2026 Roundtable. Mentoring 3 students at Mass Fintech Hub.
Key lesson: The culmination of deep operational knowledge + frontier AI capability. The fastest path to expertise is building in public with agentic tools — 4,035 sessions, 267K+ messages, 10,871 commits in 4 months.
Each program video theme maps directly to Dico’s career journey:
7 curated videos from the Mass Fintech Hub program — all transcribed and loaded into NotebookLM for AI-powered search and reference.
Program overview, expectations, mentor/mentee guidelines, and success framework from Rob Sarnie and Farrah Narkiewicz.
Deep-dive kickoff session with program mechanics, matching process, and mentor best practices.
Building an entrepreneurial approach to career and fintech innovation. Mindset shifts for students entering the industry.
Collaboration, communication, and emotional intelligence in fintech teams. The human skills that determine career trajectory.
Building an intentional personal brand. Your brand is what others say about you when you're not in the room — craft it deliberately.
The 360/3D resume framework: demonstrate depth, direction, and differentiation. Tell a story of impact, not just duties.
Mass Fintech Hub founder Sarah Biller and Citizens Bank’s Catherine Lynch on digital transformation, human-centered design, and fintech careers.
All 7 videos (transcripts + audio) are loaded into a NotebookLM notebook alongside all email threads and program documents. Ask natural language questions to surface insights across the entire MFTH knowledge base.
Materials and frameworks shared with mentees throughout the program.
Things you can DO for people today — not ask for. Lead with value. The conversation continues when you’re useful.
careers.massfintechhub.com • Filtered for AI / blockchain / cloud / partnerships • Updated Mar 30
“I’m Dico Angelo — I’ve been in the blockchain space for 3+ years — Detroit Blockchain Community, Web3 Toronto, BitAngels, Art Basel/BitBasel. I build sovereign AI systems at Metaventions with blockchain forensics and zero-knowledge proof — 900K+ lines of code, 58 MCP tools. Previously led cloud alliance ops at Contentsquare (3-person team, $0 to $30M+). I mentor 3 students in the MFTH program and I’m looking for my next role at the intersection of AI infrastructure and blockchain.”
April 1, 2026 • 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM ET • Bentley University, Waltham MA
Digital Assets & Next Gen Fintech • 327+ attendees • Lacava Executive Dining Room, 3rd Floor
69°F / 45°F
Overcast, dry • SW 8–20 mph, gusts to 33
☑ 0% rain — no umbrella needed
Lot L2 (free)
Overflow: Lot L1E
Lacava, 3rd Floor
175 Forest St, Waltham
327+ registered
Free • All welcome
Three career threads collide at one event:
Research competition + keynotes center on digital assets — Dico’s earliest fintech conviction and foundation
Panel on fintech infrastructure maps to Contentsquare cloud work — $0→$30M marketplace, AWS/Microsoft ecosystems
20 expert roundtables = direct stage to demonstrate AI operational expertise — 900K+ LOC, 58 MCP tools, cognitive systems
| Time | Session | Dico’s Play |
| 12:00–1:00 | Digital Assets Research Competition Top 5 finalists pitch live • $1,500 prize pool | Watch with mentees. Note thesis quality. Connect blockchain experience to students’ research angles. |
| 1:00–1:15 | Opening Remarks | Identify organizers in room. Note Rob Sarnie’s framing. |
| 1:15–1:45 | Keynote #1 | Listen for investment thesis signals. Map to Metaventions AI vision. Take notes for mentee debrief. |
| 2:00–2:45 | Panel: Fintech Infrastructure | HOME TURF — Cloud alliances, marketplace GTM, partner ecosystems. Ask a question if Q&A opens. Reference $30M scale experience. |
| 3:00–4:00 | Interactive Roundtables 20 expert-led tables | Target AI/blockchain/operations tables. Offer practitioner perspective. Split mentees across tables for max coverage. |
| 4:00–4:30 | Keynote #2 | Strategic intel gathering. Cross-reference with mentee interests for debrief. |
| 4:45–5:30 | Panel #2 | Identify panelists to approach during networking. Prep 1-2 questions linking panels to mentee goals. |
| 5:30–7:00 | Startup Showcase & Networking Food + beverages | PRIME TIME — Walk floor with mentees. Make introductions. Scout startups for Metaventions ecosystem alignment. Exchange contacts. |
These 7 startups present at Fintech Sandbox Demo Day (Apr 28). Gemsen was at BU Bootcamp — high chance of presence today. MassChallenge startups may also appear.
| Who | Why | Approach |
| Rob Sarnie | Existing relationship — deepen as mentor peer | Thank him for the program. Discuss mentee progress. Offer to help with future cohorts. |
| Kathy Fogel PhD, CFA, VC | Co-organizer. Struck Capital crypto VC ($100M+ AUM). fShareX pre-seed nonprofit. Zero Hash unicorn investor. May have left Suffolk. | Ask: “What’s Struck Capital’s thesis on AI x Web3 convergence?” Mention UCW cognitive equity angle. Explore fShareX for early-stage support. |
| Nic Saliou Blackstone-bound | BBA President. Incoming Analyst at Blackstone GP Stakes (Summer 2026). Built AgentBooks at ETHDenver — AI agents + finance. | Ask about AgentBooks — direct overlap with sovereign AI systems. Congratulate on Blackstone. Offer Metaventions AI perspective on AI-crypto convergence. |
| Fintech Sandbox Lucas Timberlake, new ED | 41 data partners, 450+ startups. $25M deployed, $2.7B follow-on. Demo Day Apr 28 (12 startups). Lucas is new ED — 18 days in. | Ask Lucas: “How are you thinking about AI startups in the Data Access Residency?” Name-drop Demo Day companies (Agxes, Gemsen, sumtyme.ai). |
| Panel Speakers | Fintech infrastructure leaders | Approach after panels. Lead with cloud marketplace + partner ops experience. |
| Roundtable Facilitators | 20 experts = 20 connections | Target 3–5 most relevant tables. Exchange LinkedIn. |
| Startup Founders | Showcase companies | Scout for Metaventions AI ecosystem alignment. Investment intel. Partnership fit. |
“I mentor 3 students in the MFTH program, and I led cloud alliance operations on a 3-person team that grew marketplace revenue from $0 to $30M+ at Contentsquare — working across both AWS and Microsoft ecosystems.”
“Now I’m building AI infrastructure at Metaventions AI — sovereign cognitive systems that turn every interaction into compounding intelligence.”
“What’s your take on how AI will reshape fintech operations? I see a massive opportunity at the intersection of partner ecosystems and machine intelligence.”
“This is Chelsie — she built an AI-powered Bloomberg alternative for $30/mo with 50+ beta users. She’s looking for a Data Analyst role and also seeking investors for FinSight Intelligence.”
“This is Osama — he managed a $3.5M territory at BAT, led customer success at a SaaS company, and is doing his analytics masters. He’s looking for a data/analytics internship in Boston.”
Walk the floor WITH them. Make introductions actively. Debrief after each panel. These playbooks map each mentee’s specific profile to specific speakers.
URI Finance (Fintech) + Business Analytics | Co-Founder FinSight ($29.99/mo Bloomberg alternative) | 50+ beta users | Pitch winner | Fall 2026 MBA
Why: His FinAgents framework + LLM sentiment for crypto trading is the EXACT technical space FinSight lives in. His SecureFinAI lab does what Chelsie aspires to.
Intro: “Xiao-Yang, this is Chelsie — she’s built an AI financial analytics platform from scratch as an undergrad. She coded Monte Carlo sims, Greeks, SEC filing analysis, and sentiment mapping into a $30/mo Bloomberg alternative with 50+ beta users.”
Her ask: “How do you think about data provenance as FinAgents move from research to live trading?”
Why: His verification thesis applies directly to FinSight — proving data quality for retail investors. UMA payment rails could integrate with FinSight down the road.
Intro: “Christian, meet Chelsie — she’s democratizing Bloomberg for students. Her app does AI-powered portfolio analysis at $30/mo and she’s already won URI’s pitch competition.”
Her ask: “What advice would you give a student founder trying to make financial tools accessible to everyone?”
Why: program (July 2026) — Chelsie is exactly the founder profile they want. 25 spots. FinSight + blockchain integration plan = strong fit.Dealroom
Ian Cain's (QUBIC Labs) capital formation program for 25 founders. Opens July 27, 2026. Connected to Boston Blockchain Week (Sep 8-10). "Digital Infrastructure Stack" theme. Apply at the event — mention your blockchain credibility.
Intro: “Ian, Chelsie built a fintech app that’s live with 50+ users. She’s pre-seed and planning blockchain integration. Dealroom would be perfect for her.”
Her ask: “I’m planning to integrate blockchain into FinSight — would the Dealroom program be a good fit for pre-seed fintech founders?”
Why: Data Access Residency could provide financial datasets to train FinSight’s AI models. He just started Mar 12 — building relationships now.
Intro: “Lucas, this is Chelsie — she’s using Alpha Vantage + SEC filings for her AI platform. Your data partnerships could 10x what she’s building.”
Her ask: “Does the Data Access Residency support student-founded startups? We’re integrating real-time market data and AI portfolio analysis.”
Why: Crypto VC who understands tokenized equity. Chelsie’s vision for blockchain in FinSight aligns. Could be future investor connection.
Intro: “Kathy, Chelsie is building AI-powered analytics that makes Bloomberg-level insight accessible at $30/mo. She’s planning blockchain integration.”
Her ask: “From a VC perspective, what signals do you look for in pre-seed fintech founders?”
Why: Venezuelan origin, Bentley alum. VP of AI. Understands non-traditional paths. 2B+ transactions screened — Chelsie can learn about scale.
Intro: “Guillermo, Chelsie is a first-gen fintech founder from URI who built an AI platform from scratch. She’d love to hear how you scaled LedgerLink’s AI.”
Her ask: “How did you approach scaling AI analytics from prototype to billions of transactions?”
💡 Chelsie’s Power Move: She arrives ~4:30 PM (driving from Providence after SEG Accelerator + meetings). Focus her on the startup showcase + networking reception. Her 30-sec pitch: “I built an AI financial analytics platform that gives students Bloomberg-level insights for $30/mo instead of $24K. We have 50+ beta users, won URI’s pitch competition, and I’m planning blockchain integration next. I’m Chelsie, co-founder of FinSight Intelligence.”
MSc Business Analytics @ WNEU | ex-BAT (\$3.5M territory, 3,000+ retail) | ex-Salesflo CS Lead | Python, R, SQL, Power BI, SAP | NLP coursework
Why: Allium does blockchain data infrastructure for Visa, Stripe, Uniswap. Just raised \$16.5M. They NEED data analysts who understand both FMCG-scale operations and analytics. Osama’s BAT experience (3,000+ retail data points) + MSBA + NLP = strong fit.
Intro: “Aaron, this is Osama — he managed a \$3.5M territory with 3,000+ retail accounts at BAT, then led customer success at a SaaS company. He’s doing his MSBA now with a focus on NLP and predictive analytics.”
His ask: “Allium’s data pipeline for Visa and Stripe is fascinating. Are there analyst roles where my FMCG data experience would translate?”
Why: VP of AI at LedgerLink. 2B+ transactions. Osama managed 200+ key accounts and drove 18% MoM growth at BAT — he understands commercial scale. LedgerLink needs people who bridge business and data.
Intro: “Guillermo, Osama comes from BAT where he led the Vuse vape launch across Sindh & Balochistan and managed 200+ key accounts. He’s now doing his analytics masters. He bridges sales leadership and data science.”
His ask: “How does LedgerLink think about customer success for institutional clients? I led CS at Salesflo and I’m curious how it differs in fintech.”
Why: Global Head FinTech IB at RBC. Osama has FMCG + SaaS + analytics — RBC’s fintech banking practice needs people who understand both commercial operations and data. Plus Osama’s international background (Pakistan → US) adds perspective.
Intro: “Jason, Osama managed \$3.5M in annual turnover at BAT, led customer success at a SaaS company, and is now studying business analytics. He’s looking for where FMCG operations experience meets fintech.”
His ask: “In your fintech IB practice, do you see value in analysts who come from FMCG operations vs. pure finance backgrounds?”
Why: Osama’s NLP coursework (fine-tuning pretrained models, evaluation) directly connects to Liu’s SecureFinAI lab. Academic connection for potential research or RA opportunity.
Intro: “Xiao-Yang, Osama just finished an NLP course where his team fine-tuned pretrained models for text analytics. He’s doing his MSBA and interested in the intersection of NLP and financial data.”
His ask: “Does your SecureFinAI lab take graduate research assistants? My NLP project involved fine-tuning and evaluation of language models.”
Why: Fidelity is in Boston. They need data analysts. Osama’s Power BI + SAP + SQL + customer success background is directly relevant to their operations analytics teams.
Intro: “Osama managed a high-value FMCG portfolio at Salesflo with 95% satisfaction. He’s doing his analytics masters with SAP, Power BI, and Python. He’s looking for a data analyst role in Boston.”
His ask: “Does Fidelity have analytics internship or entry programs for MSBA candidates with industry experience?”
Why: Pre-seed VC background, now running Fintech Sandbox. Could connect Osama to portfolio companies needing data/analytics talent. Demo Day 12 on April 28.
Intro: “Lucas, Osama has 3 years of commercial operations at BAT and customer success at a SaaS startup. He’s doing his MSBA and looking for analytics roles in fintech.”
His ask: “Do any of your Sandbox portfolio companies need data analysts or customer success managers with operations experience?”
💡 Osama’s Power Move: He’s driving from Springfield (~1.5 hrs). His strength is NOT technical demos — it’s his business narrative. 30-sec pitch: “I managed a \$3.5M territory at British American Tobacco with 3,000+ retail accounts, then led customer success at a SaaS startup. Now I’m getting my analytics masters at WNEU — Python, NLP, Power BI — because I want to bring commercial operations expertise into fintech data. I’m Osama Thara.”
Investor in Answer AI | ex-Morgan Stanley, JLL, Boston Financial | M&A Analyst at \$900M+ company | Cutler Center (Bloomberg trainer) | Private pilot in training
⚠ Can’t attend Bentley (working all day). Act as her proxy — collect contacts for post-event intros.
Why: VC background, now running Fintech Sandbox. Muskan wants a VC associate role and has Techstars + angel investor experience. Natural fit.
Intro email: “Lucas, my mentee Muskan is an investor in an AI startup, interned at Morgan Stanley and JLL, and wants to work in VC/fintech. She trains Bloomberg at Babson’s Cutler Center. Can I connect you two?”
Why: Crypto VC. Muskan already invests (Answer AI) and understands fundraising dynamics. Could be mentorship or future role path.
Intro email: “Kathy, I have a mentee who’s already an investor in an AI startup and did equity research at Babson’s fund. She’s graduating and wants to combine VC and fintech. Would you have 15 minutes for her?”
Why: Global Head FinTech IB. Muskan has M&A modeling (Wall Street Prep), RE PE experience (JLL), and Morgan Stanley on her resume. IB analyst role potential.
Why: \$16.5M Series A. Muskan trains AI agents for finance accuracy at Answer AI — directly relevant to Allium’s blockchain data business. Could be analyst or agent training role.
💡 Muskan’s 30-Sec (for when you intro her): “My mentee Muskan is at Babson — she’s interned at Morgan Stanley, JLL, and Boston Financial, she’s an investor in an AI startup, she trains students on Bloomberg at Babson’s Cutler Center, and she just completed Wall Street Prep M&A modeling. She’s graduating in May and looking for a fintech or VC associate role. Oh, and she’s getting her private pilot license.”
Chelsie + Osama are a natural pairing:
8 organizations at the roundtables. Tiered by enterprise viability, funding potential, and networking value. Each has a tailored conversation starter.
Claire Verville (SVP Ventures) or Dan Struebel (AI Leader, Enterprise Data)
Running Layer-2 ZK-rollup () + Amperity AI cloud simultaneously. 7 nine-digit transformation projects. Cloud migration by end 2026. Mass Fintech Hub member. Open role: Innovation Advisor, Emerging Tech.Cari Network
Consortium of 5 regional banks (including M&T Bank) deploying a permissioned Layer-2 blockchain on Ethereum via ZKsync-based zero-knowledge rollup (Prividium). Enables immediate settlement of FDIC-insured tokenized deposits. M&T is the biggest player here.
“M&T’s concurrent rollout of the Cari Network and Amperity AI is incredible — how are you bridging deterministic on-chain tokenized deposits with probabilistic off-chain behavioral profiles?”
Cristina Palladino (Digital Assets Compliance) or Matt MacDonald (FinTech Practice Leader)
Blockchain assurance & SOC reporting for crypto exchanges, wallets, BaaS. Hiring: Director of Blockchain Assurance Technology ($165K–$190K) — TN visa eligible role. Palladino is active in MFTH ecosystem.
“Given Wolf’s expansion into blockchain assurance, how are you resolving data ingestion bottlenecks when auditing high-frequency Layer-2 tokenized assets?”
Pat Larkin (Director, Innovation Institute) or Megan Marszalek (TechHubs Program Mgr)
. Matching grants. Funded QUBIC Labs ($4.5M) and WNE fintech incubator ($1.37M). Your MFTH mentor status = instant credibility here.$100M Grand Challenge
Massachusetts state initiative via MA>AI Hub / MassTech. Promotes "Made in MA AI" globally, funds AI Centers of Excellence, career switching programs. Non-dilutive grants. Your MFTH mentor status = instant credibility. aihub.masstech.org
“With the $100M Grand Challenge, how is the AI Hub supporting sovereign infrastructure that guarantees local data privacy and prevents IP leakage to hyperscalers?”
Julieann M. Thurlow (CEO, MFTH Co-Chair)
$730M assets. Founding member of Alloy Labs Alliance & (open-loop P2P/B2B/C2B). Shared MFTH mentor status = common ground. Gateway to the entire community bank consortium.CHUCK
Open-loop payment infrastructure created by Alloy Labs Alliance community banks (including Reading Cooperative Bank). Handles P2P, B2B, and C2B instant payments. Built with Payrailz. Challenges closed-loop systems like Zelle while maintaining community bank trust. NEACH guide
“As a founding CHUCK member, how is Reading Cooperative leveraging open-loop payment data to personalize digital banking without overwhelming your core infrastructure?”
Yasmin Cruz Ferrine (GP — Babson, AI/fintech mandate, Brown Advisory background)
Pre-seed fund. Fund I: $10.5M, 60+ investments, 36 follow-on rounds ($50M+ raised). $25K–$150K checks at <$10M post-money. Focused on underrepresented founders. Your profile fits: Sudanese-Canadian, TN visa eligible, 900K LOC, $0→$30M enterprise scaling. Bypass the fellowship — go for direct equity.
“Yasmin, I’m building sovereign AI infrastructure with blockchain forensics — 900K lines of code, 58 MCP tools, and I previously led cloud alliance ops at Contentsquare (3-person team, $0 to $30M+). I’m a Canadian founder, TN eligible, and I’m looking for a pre-seed partner who understands capital-efficient enterprise AI. Can we talk about a direct investment?”
Anthony Serio or Steve Kenneally (ABA)
International payments consultancy. ISO 20022 migration, instant payments, B2B modernization. Channel partner play: get UCW into their consulting playbooks.
“How are you advising FIs to modernize data architecture for real-time liquidity analytics and ISO 20022 metadata?”
Lynne Marlor (Chair) or Anja von Rosenstiel (known contact)
3,500+ meetup members, 2,500 subscribers. Validator for institutional blockchain adoption. BBA doesn’t buy — they validate and distribute across their network.
“Where are TradFi players struggling most with on-chain data observability and multi-chain entity resolution?”
Jagathi Gururajan (Founder)
Advocacy + talent pipeline. First college chapter at Suffolk. Your mentoring 3 students = instant alignment. Introduce Muskan (Women’s Network president) post-event.
“How can deep-tech founders better support bringing diverse talent into AI and blockchain protocol engineering?”
You’re TN visa eligible (Canadian, BBA from Odette/Windsor). Two TN categories fit: Computer Systems Analyst (requires degree or 3 yrs experience) and Management Consultant (5 yrs experience, no degree required). Both apply to your profile.
$165,000–$190,000 · Boston · Posted Mar 18, 2026
Shape audit strategy for digital assets. Work with assurance professionals, blockchain SMEs, and external software providers. TN category: Computer Systems Analyst.
Listed on: MFTH Job Board + Glassdoor + ZipRecruiter
At the event: Talk to Cristina Palladino or Matt MacDonald at the roundtable. Mention you saw the Director role.
Office of Innovation · Boston/Buffalo
M&T filed 111 H-1B petitions in FY2025 (111 approved, 0 denied) — they actively sponsor. Running 7 nine-digit transformation projects. Layer-2 ZK-rollup (Cari Network) + Amperity AI cloud. TN category: Computer Systems Analyst or Management Consultant.
At the event: Talk to Claire Verville (SVP Ventures). Ask about the Innovation Advisor role + emerging tech team hiring.
Multiple roles · Boston · Active hiring
FCAT welcomes 2026 research proposals in quantum computing, blockchain, AI, immersive tech. Active role: Squad Leader — Blockchain & Trading (Fidelity Digital Assets). Also: Head of Digital Asset Operating Platform — visionary executive to architect end-to-end infrastructure for digital assets.
At the event: Fidelity is a roundtable sponsor. Ask about FCAT research proposals and Digital Assets team hiring.
$25K–$150K checks at <$10M post-money. Yasmin Cruz Ferrine (GP). Your Sudanese-Canadian background + $30M scaling + 900K LOC = exact thesis fit. Bypass fellowship, pitch direct equity. VHBOS requires Greater Boston residency.
$100M AI Grand Challenge. Previously funded QUBIC Labs ($4.5M) and WNE fintech incubator ($1.37M). Your MFTH mentor status = instant credibility. Position as “Made in MA AI” sovereign infrastructure. Pat Larkin at the roundtable.
Corporate partner matchmaking with MassMutual. Startups meet leaders across the company. MassMutual acquired Flourish (fintech platform for RIAs). Could match Metaventions with MassMutual for enterprise pilot.
Opens July 27, 2026. 25 founders. BBW Sept 8–10. Apply directly at the event. Your blockchain credibility (3+ yrs) + enterprise scaling = strong application.
Drop these in conversation to signal you’re plugged in. Updated via research loops.
MFTH’s first multi-university pitch battle. 11 universities competing. Mention this to Rob Sarnie: “Are you involved in the Stonehill pitch event next month?” — shows you track the full MFTH calendar.
MFTH launched new working groups on AI in financial services, financial equity, and responsible innovation. Ask: “I saw MFTH started an AI working group — how can I get involved?”
From MFTH Winter newsletter. Use with mentees: “The data says MA fintech hiring is up 40% — you’re in the right room.”
ABA is the newest MFTH member. Signals serious institutional backing. Use: “With ABA joining, feels like MFTH is becoming the connective tissue for fintech in the Northeast.”
12 startups presenting. Mention to Lucas Timberlake: “Looking forward to Demo Day later this month — any of these startups here today?” Companies to name-drop: Agxes, Gemsen, sumtyme.ai.
200+ registrants. Panelists from FinTechWomen, Gemsen, Crebit, Fidelity, MassMutual, BU. Expect similar caliber at Bentley. Speakers likely announced day-of.
Christian Catalini (Lightspark/Diem) • Guillermo Fernandes (LedgerLink/Blockpliance)
2:00–2:45 PM • Roman Beck (mod), Patrick O'Meara, Anja von Rosenstiel, Travis Carpenter, Aaron Geller
4:45–5:30 PM • Kathy Fogel (mod), Xiao-Yang Liu, Lucas Timberlake, Travis Carpenter
3:00–4:00 PM • 20 expert-led roundtable sessions
| Date | Event | Action |
| Apr 28 | Fintech Sandbox Demo Day 12 (Virtual, 11am) — 7 AI/ML startups: Agxes, CleverChain.ai, DigsFact, Gemsen (Boston — was at BU Bootcamp), Menos AI, Stewards AI, sumtyme.ai | Register at fintechsandbox.org/demo-day |
| Apr 29 | Stonehill Pitch Contest — 11 universities | MFTH’s first multi-university pitch battle. Attend or send mentees. |
| Apr 22-23 | FIMA US 2026 (Boston) — Sarah Biller speaking. Financial services data & AI conference | Check fimaus.wbresearch.com |
| Sep 21–25 | Boston Fintech Week | 5-day industry conference. Mark calendar. Plan to attend + present. |
Full intel on every key person at the event. Spot them, approach them, know their story.
| Day Job | Full-time Faculty, WPI Business School — Finance, FinTech, MIS. Director, WPI Wall Street FinTech Project Center |
| Prior | 23 years at Fidelity Investments — VP Strategy & Planning, VP HR Systems, VP Finance/Procurement/Accounting Systems |
| Podcast | “What the Heck, Fintech” — 37 episodes with fintech leaders |
| Achievement | Built WPI into 1st US university with FinTech undergrad + masters + PhD |
| RobertPSarnie@gmail.com | |
| linkedin.com/in/rob-sarnie |
Opener: “Rob, thank you for giving me 3 amazing mentees. The program has been transformative — for me as much as for them.”
Deepen: Ask about his Wall Street FinTech Project Center — could Metaventions AI sponsor a student project? Mention his Scan-Try-Scale framework from the Entrepreneurial Mindset video.
Ask: “Who should I meet today that I wouldn’t already know?” — Rob knows everyone.
Leave-behind: Offer to be a guest on “What the Heck, Fintech” — AI + cloud marketplace + fintech convergence.
“Your questions tell me more about you than your answers.”
“If you solve an unmet need, you’ll have a customer for life.”
“Failure is your best friend. Fail fast — that’s how you get the best product.”
| Academic | Associate Professor of Finance, Suffolk University, Boston. PhD University of Alberta. NBER-affiliated researcher. |
| Startup | Founder, Founders Share Exchange (fShareX) — nonprofit supporting pre-seed startups in Boston & SF |
| Venture | Founder, Eupheus One (Westwood, MA). Joined Struck Capital Crypto — $100M+ AUM, 15+ Web3 portfolio companies incl. Zero Hash (unicorn) |
| Editorial | Associate Editor, Annual Review of FinTech |
| Credentials | PhD + CFA Charterholder + NBER |
| ⚠ Note | May have left Suffolk faculty — not on current dept page. Clarify in person. May be full-time founder/investor now. |
| kfogel@suffolk.edu | |
| linkedin.com/in/kathysfogel |
Opener: “Kathy, I’ve been following fShareX’s work supporting pre-seed founders. As someone building an AI company, I’d love to hear what patterns you see in the earliest stage.”
Bridge: Her Struck Capital crypto thesis + UCW’s data sovereignty model. Ask: “How is Struck Capital thinking about the intersection of AI and Web3?”
Metaventions angle: UCW Wallet captures cognitive equity from AI interactions — maps to her research on fintech innovation and data economy disruption.
Leave-behind: “Could I send you a one-pager on what we’re building? I think it sits at the intersection of your academic and venture work.”
| Academic | 4th-year Finance & Technology, Bentley University |
| Role | President, Bentley Blockchain Association — 7 E-Board members, 100+ event attendees |
| Research | 2 published papers on blockchain/DeFi. Proof of Reserves (PoR) research. Web3 data economy report. |
| Next Role | Incoming Analyst, Blackstone GP Stakes (Summer 2026) — elite alt asset division |
| Hackathon | Built AgentBooks (financial OS for AI agents) at ETHDenver 2026 — AI-crypto convergence |
| Interests | Web3, DeFi, blockchain infrastructure, data economy |
| linkedin.com/in/nicolas-saliou |
Opener: “Nic, congrats on organizing this — 327+ registrations is impressive. I saw AgentBooks from ETHDenver — a financial OS for AI agents is exactly where I think this space is going.”
Bridge: His data economy research connects directly to UCW’s thesis — that users should own the value their AI interactions create.
Introduce: Connect Nic with Chelsie (blockchain interest) and Osama (data analytics).
Leave-behind: “Let me know if BBA ever wants an industry speaker on AI + blockchain convergence.”
| Founded | Co-Founder, Fintech Sandbox (2014) & Mass Fintech Hub. Now on Governance Board, not daily ops. |
| Current | Executive Director, Vantage Ventures (co-founded w/ John Chambers, ex-Cisco CEO) — Appalachian tech startups |
| Prior | COO for Innovation, State Street Bank. Before: Capital Market Exchange (co-founder), MCI |
| Impact | 450+ startups, $2B+ in funding raised by alumni. 41 data partners incl. Equifax, FactSet, S&P, Plaid |
| Programs | Data Access Residency (saved startups $50M+), Boston Fintech Week, Demo Day |
| Podcast | Guest on Rob Sarnie’s “Slice of Finance” w/ Catherine Lynch (Citizens Bank) |
| Fintech Sandbox |
Opener: “Sarah, the Data Access Residency model is brilliant — saving startups $50M in data costs while building the ecosystem.”
Bridge: Metaventions AI as a potential Data Access Residency participant or partner — we need financial data for cognitive AI systems.
Intel: New ED is Lucas Timberlake. Demo Day 12: April 28 (virtual). Boston Fintech Week: Sep 21–25.
Leave-behind: “Can Metaventions AI apply for the Data Access Residency? Our cognitive systems need real financial data to train on.”
| Title | Program & Marketing Manager, Cutler Center for Investments & Finance, Babson College |
| MFTH | Co-Lead, Mentoring Program — MFTH Ambassador 2+ years |
| Background | UMass Amherst. Former ad sales marketer. Manages all Cutler Center programming & events. |
| fnarkiewicz@babson.edu | |
| Phone | 339-206-3360 |
Opener: Thank her for the program coordination. Mention Muskan is from Babson — her school.
Ask: About future mentoring cohorts and how to stay involved beyond April.
| Role | Executive Director, Fintech Sandbox (since Mar 12, 2026 — 18 DAYS NEW) |
| Previous | Co-founder & GP, Fintech Ventures Fund — $25M deployed across 20 pre-seed/seed fintech startups over 10 years |
| Before That | PE & Investment Banking at Bank of America Merrill Lynch — $2B+ in advisory/capital markets transactions (municipal + private sector, northeast) |
| Education | Columbia University (Economics & Political Science) |
| Demo Day | Apr 28 — 7 AI/ML startups presenting. He’ll likely reference these |
| linkedin.com/in/lucastimberlake |
If present: Introduce self as MFTH mentor + AI startup founder. Ask about his vision for scaling the Data Access Residency.
Connection: His VC/investing background = potential Metaventions AI investor pipeline. His fintech ecosystem building = partnership opportunity.
| Title | EVP, Head of Digital Experience & Human-Centered Design, Citizens Bank |
| Innovation | Runs Green Pixel Studios — Citizens’ internal design innovation lab |
| Career | 20+ years in banking. Built Citizens’ entire UX team from scratch. |
| Partners | Works with MassChallenge, Plug and Play, Queen City Fintech |
| MFTH | Instrumental in developing MFTH’s talent stream and supporting the mentor program |
| Podcast | Featured on “Slice of Finance” with Sarah Biller — digital banking & human-centered design |
If present: She leads digital UX at a major bank — perfect audience for AI + UX convergence discussion.
Bridge: Contentsquare experience (digital analytics) maps to her human-centered design work at Citizens.
Founded 2014 by David Jegen, Sarah Biller, John Fawcett, Ty Danco. 450+ startups, $2B+ funding raised. 41 data partners.
Key upcoming: Demo Day 12 (Apr 28, virtual) • Boston Fintech Week (Sep 21–25)
Student org at Bentley. Bi-weekly meetings, 2 large events/year. Published blockchain/DeFi research. E-Board: Nic Saliou (Pres), Christopher Guyette, Jackson Travis, Samuel Capobianco.
Initiative under Fintech Sandbox. Co-chairs: Julie Thurlow & Sears Merritt. Programs: bootcamps, mentoring, career fairs, talent pipeline for MA.
Agxes (Cambridge) — AI for agricultural lending risk
Gemsen (Boston) — Privacy-preserving ML predictions
sumtyme.ai (London) — Universal framework for complex systems
+ 4 more TBA
Mass Fintech Hub Event • April 1, 2026 • Waltham, MA
| Airline | JetBlue (Blue fare) |
| Confirmation | DSQWHY |
| Route | DTW ↔ BOS (nonstop) |
| Outbound | Mar 31 • 11:18 AM → 2:47 PM |
| Return | Apr 2 • BOS → DTW |
| Baggage | Carry-on + personal item included |
| Cost | $676.80 USD (∼$940 CAD) |
| Company | Alamo (via TrueBlue) |
| Confirmation | #2101832693 |
| Vehicle | Toyota Camry Hybrid (or similar) |
| Pickup | Mar 31 • 3:00 PM • BOS Airport |
| Return | Apr 2 • BOS Airport |
| Cost | $136.15 USD (∼$189 CAD) |
| Status | BOOKING ON ARRIVAL |
| Area | Waltham, MA (near Bentley) |
| Top Pick | Extended Stay America, 32 4th Ave |
| Check-in | Mar 31 |
| Check-out | Apr 2 (2 nights) |
| Est. Cost | ∼$180 USD (∼$250 CAD) |
| Item | USD | CAD | Status |
| 🛫 Flights (JetBlue) | $676.80 | ∼$940 | BOOKED |
| 🚗 Car (Alamo) | $136.15 | ∼$189 | BOOKED |
| 🏠 Hotel (2 nights) | ∼$180 | ∼$250 | ON ARRIVAL |
| ⛽ Gas + Food | ∼$60 | ∼$83 | EST |
| TOTAL | ∼$1,053 | ∼$1,462 |