🔥 Inside the Techstars Unicorn Journey: Building Self with James Garvey, Founder of Self Financial
​Join us for an exclusive fireside chat with James Garvey, founder and former CEO of Self Financial, a Techstars unicorn that has helped millions of Americans build credit and access better financial opportunities. James will share the journey of building Self from a Techstars-backed early-stage startup into a fintech powerhouse with a billion-dollar valuation, serving customers across the United States.
​In this conversation, James will pull back the curtain on what it takes to scale a mission-driven fintech company in a highly regulated industry. From raising over $120M in venture capital to building strategic bank partnerships and scaling a 600-person team, founders will gain practical insight into navigating rapid growth while staying focused on customer impact. Expect candid lessons on leadership, fundraising, product innovation, and the realities of building a company designed to improve financial inclusion at scale.
​What you'll learn:
​Understand the Techstars-to-Unicorn Fintech Journey → Learn how Self scaled from a Techstars portfolio company to a billion-dollar fintech platform helping millions build credit.
​Navigate Fundraising at Scale → Hear lessons from raising $127M across multiple rounds with leading venture investors.
​Build Strategic Partnerships → Discover how bank partnerships and regulatory relationships can become a powerful growth engine in fintech.
​Lead Through Rapid Growth → Gain insight into building and managing a team of hundreds while maintaining culture, focus, and execution.
​Stay Mission-Driven While Scaling → Learn how to grow a high-impact company while staying deeply aligned with customer outcomes and social impact.
​About James: James Garvey is the founder and former CEO of Self Financial, a Techstars unicorn dedicated to helping consumers build credit and strengthen their financial futures. Since founding the company in 2015, James led Self from inception to a billion-dollar valuation, scaling the business to nine-figure revenue and a team of more than 600 employees. Under his leadership, Self raised over $127M from investors including Silverton Partners, Altos Ventures, and Meritech Capital, while building innovative bank partnership models that expanded access to credit for millions of customers. Today, Self maintains a 4.9-star rating across major app stores with over 250,000 reviews, reflecting its mission to make financial progress accessible to everyone.