From Corporate to Fintech: Five Founders Share Their Stories
What does it really take to leave a successful corporate career and bet on yourself? Join us for an intimate panel conversation with five fintech founders who did exactly that, trading boardrooms for startups and building companies at the intersection of finance and technology.
WMNfintech is 1871 & BMO Financial Group’s award-winning program designed to empower startup founders as they scale their services and solutions in the fintech industry. Presented in partnership with the Graduate Women in Business Group and Fintech@Booth at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, this event brings together an accomplished group of founders to share their journeys, the pivots that led them to entrepreneurship, and the lessons learned along the way. Whether you're a current MBA student weighing your next move, early in your corporate career and curious about the entrepreneurial path, or already building something of your own, this conversation is for you.
Come ready to listen, ask questions, and connect with a community of founders, students, and innovators shaping the future of fintech.
Meet the Founders:
Alex Edquist — Founder & CEO, Good Agriculture
Yvette Wu — Co-founder & CEO, Yield Exchange
Alix Maurin — Co-founder & CEO, RentFlow
Sheri Atwood — Founder & CEO, SupportPay
Martha Underwood — Co-founder & CEO, Prismm
Shella Sylla — Co-founder & COO, Prismm
Cohort Facing Context
Share Your Story with Aspiring Founders at UChicago Booth
You've made the leap — now help someone else find the courage to do the same.
As part of the 1871 WMNfintech program in collaboration with BMO, we're partnering with the Graduate Women in Business Group (Evening/Weekend) and Fintech@Booth at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business to host a founder panel and networking event on campus.
You'll join four fellow WMNfintech founders for a moderated panel discussion, where you'll share your journey from corporate to founder, the pivots that got you here, and the lessons you've learned building in fintech. The audience will be MBA students — many with backgrounds in banking and consulting — who are wrestling with the same decision you once faced.
This is your opportunity to give back, inspire the next generation of founders, and represent what's possible for women building in fintech.
What to expect:
60-minute moderated panel discussion + audience Q&A
Networking with students, university partners, and fellow founders
Hosted on the University of Chicago campus