Blockchain, Stablecoins, & Web3: What it Means for Financial Services and People's Lives
Blockchain, stablecoins & Web3 are moving from buzzwords to real infrastructure and reshaping how money moves, how value is created, and how people participate in the financial system. Join fintech founders, banks, academics, policymakers, and industry leaders, for an accessible, real-world conversation about what these technologies actually mean for financial services, economic opportunity, and people's lives.
Hosted in-person in the Fintech Hub by CAFE, HUMN, & Stand With Crypto. We will have networking, intros, and a special keynote presentation:
🎤 Karla Ballard, CEO and founder of HUMN
A leading voice at the intersection of Web3, economic opportunity, and financial systems Karla will break down:
▪️What blockchain, stablecoins, and Web3 really are (without the hype)
▪️Why they matter for banks, fintechs, and financial institutions
▪️How these technologies can expand access, ownership, and are changing the gig economy (and how we live and work)
▪️ What's coming next - in particular, the tokenization of social capital and economic development opportunities
WHY ATTEND
▪️ Financial Institutions: Understand how blockchain and stablecoins are becoming a part of modern financial infrastructure
▪️Fintech Founders: Learn where real opportunities exist beyond speculation
▪️Academia & Students: Gain clarity on how financial systems are evolving
▪️Industry Leaders & Policymakers: Engage in informed, practical dialogue about the future of finance
MEET THE TEAM!
Karla Ballard, Founder of HUMN, the first “social” gig network offering a group P2P skill sharing platform available via the IOS and Android app markets. HUMN helps members within groups and communities facilitate on demand exchanges fostering a task oriented economy between members. Karla is also a Senior Business Advisor for SDR Ventures helping to lead and build out their Blockchain, AI and fintech offerings for entrepreneurs around the world. In 2020 Ms. Ballard, ran on the Independent ticket as a VP candidate alongside fintech blockchain mogul and philanthropist Brock Pierce for the 2020 Presidential election.
Kristen Castell, Managing Director of the Center for Accelerating Financial Equity (CAFE), she leads one of the only fintech accelerator programs dedicated to improving financial outcomes for low- to moderate-income individuals by connecting mission-driven founders with investors, banks, regulators, academia, and industry leaders. A former executive at JPMorgan and BlackRock and COO of a fintech startup, Kristen brings a rare blend of institutional expertise and entrepreneurial vision.
Marcus Smith is the Founder and CEO of Moooves, Inc., a platform creating location-based AR experiences that lets people anchor holographic messages (holotexts) anchored to the real world. Marcus is also the Delaware President of Stand With Crypto, where he leads statewide advocacy and mobilizes a grassroots network to shape the future of digital asset policy.
MEET YOUR SPONSORS!
CAFE is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing financial equity by supporting fintech founders building technology that expands access, opportunity, and financial wellness for LMI people. Through accelerator programs, founders circles, and ecosystem partnerships, CAFE helps early-stage and growth-stage companies navigate scaling, capital access, and responsible innovation. As emerging technologies like blockchain and stablecoins become part of modern financial infrastructure, CAFE is deepening its focus on how these tools can be leveraged thoughtfully to improve people’s financial lives.
Stand with Crypto is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization uniting crypto advocates worldwide. They are empowering the blockchain community through advocacy, education, and grassroots engagement.
Moooves is building the next layer of spatial communication for the real world. Through an AR-powered platform, Moooves enables people and brands to leave persistent holographic messages (holotexts) anchored to real-world locations, transforming physical spaces into living digital canvases.