The 8th edition of the Singapore Fintech Festival (SFF) is gearing up to be a global showcase of fintech excellence, and Italy’s participation promises to be a pivotal highlight of the event. Scheduled to take place from 15 to 17 November 2023 at the Singapore Expo Halls 1-6, this internationally acclaimed event will be the epicentre of innovation, technology, and finance.
Organised by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, Elevandi, and Constellar and in collaboration with the Association of Banks in Singapore, SFF will bring together a dynamic global community to engage, connect, and collaborate on issues relating to the development of financial services, public policy, and technology. More than 62,000 participants from over 115 countries are expected to attend, with over 570 exhibitor booths including 25 international country pavilions.
INNOVATION UNLEASHED AT THE ITALIAN PAVILION
The theme for this year, “Inclusive, Resilient, and Sustainable,” underscores the significance of collaboration and highlights the essential prerequisites for shaping the future of the worldwide financial ecosystem. As such, one of the key highlights of this year’s edition is the impressive presence of the best and brightest of Italian fintech startups.
This year, for the second time, SFF will host the Italian Trade Agency that will coordinate an official Italian Pavilion with the support of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and in collaboration with the Italian Association of Fintech & Insurtech (AssoFintech) and the Bank of Italy. The pavilion spans 54 square meters and is located at booth 6F25 in Singapore Expo, Hall 6. Within this pavilion, 9 Italian companies will showcase their fintech innovations to a global audience. The list of participating companies includes EvenFi srl, FAIRTILE srl, HODLIE srl, MyMoney, Notarify, Scaling Parrots – IBCorp srl, SOLID srl, The Nemesis by Undo Studios IT srl, and WAVENURE s.r.l. (Refer to Annex A for the full list of Italian companies and description).
The Bank of Italy has been participating for its fourth consecutive year, and Deputy Governor Alessandra Perrazzelli is scheduled to contribute to relevant sessions at this year’s event. Their presence highlights the strong commitment of Italian institutions to the Italian fintech sector. Singapore is a crucial global player, offering invaluable talent, expertise, and experience for startups as they navigate their growth journey.
AssoFintech will be participating at SFF for the second time, following its significant impact at the previous edition. Their participation had set the stage for compelling interactions with the local authorities, leading to a successful signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Singapore Fintech Association earlier this year in March 2023.
Commenting on the exceptional quality and presence of the Italian companies at SFF 2023, Dante Brandi, Ambassador of Italy to Singapore and Brunei said, “We are once again excited to be a part of the Singapore Fintech Festival, a major global event shaping the future of financial services. Italy is proud to contribute not only with its financial institutions but also with its innovative companies, with the aim to build innovation on the strength of synergies. We firmly believe that effective partnerships can be forged with our Singaporean counterparts. The SFF leverages on the role of Singapore as a world’s leading city in the fintech field, bringing invaluable knowledge and experience to the table. We are therefore eager to be part of an event redefining the future of financial services through the exchange of expertise and innovative solutions.”
Alessandra Perrazzelli, Bank of Italy, Deputy Governor said, “Innovation is a catalyst for change and in order to bring its benefits to the financial sector it should be orderly, sound, sustainable and ethical. We are doing our best to support responsible innovation. In this direction, the Bank of Italy has set up an integrated system of innovation facilitators (Fintech Channel, Milano Hub, Sandbox and Italian Payments Committee), to understand the needs of operators, facilitate interaction and cross-contamination, and to support the various development stages of Fintech projects toward a good innovation.”
Claudia Segre, Vice President of AssoFintech said, “We have always been committed to creating a new culture in financial services through Fintech, which for banks means investing in technology and, above all, reforming organisational processes from within for sustainable innovation in favour of value creation for investors. But Fintech is much more than that, and AssoFintech sees both the key sub-sectors represented within it: digital payments, lending and insurtech, but also the other sectors such as asset & wealth management, regtech, capital market & trading and open banking thanks to a dense network of foreign and academic collaborations.”
ITALY’S FINTECH IMPACT IN SINGAPORE
Italy has been making substantial strides in the fintech sector, especially in lending to Italian SMEs and supply chain finance through fintech platforms and equity crowdfunding. In the first half of 2023 alone, these innovations neared 2.8 billion euros, contributing to a cumulative total of more than 17 billion euros since the inception of the fintech lending market in 2016. The insights and data collected further solidify the consistent market growth over the years, with figures progressively increasing from 5.2 billion euros in 2022, to 3.5 billion in 2021, and 2.4 billion in 2020.
Ilaria Piccinni, Deputy Trade Commissioner for Singapore and the Philippines at the Italian Trade Agency, shared her insights on Italy’s fintech impact in Singapore, saying, “Italy’s presence at the Singapore Fintech Festival exemplifies our commitment to fostering international collaborations and showcasing our nation’s innovative fintech solutions. We believe that the synergy between Italy’s rich financial history and Singapore’s dynamic fintech ecosystem can lead to remarkable opportunities for growth and innovation.”
PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS
Official Opening – 15 November 2023 at 11am
Location: Italian Pavilion (booth 6F25)
The Italian Pavilion’s official opening will take place on 15 November 2023 at 11am, at booth 6F25, starting with a welcome speech by Dante Brandi, Ambassador of Italy to Singapore and Brunei, followed by Alessandra Perrazzelli, Deputy Governor of The Bank of Italy and Claudia Segre, Vice President of AssoFintech.
3rd Day of SFF 2023 – 17 November 2023 at 12.30pm – 1pm
Location: Technology Stage: Emerging Tech (Hall 3)
On the third day of SFF, the 9 Italian companies participating will have a dedicated stage to present their innovative products and services to a diverse and enthusiastic audience. After an introduction on the sector delivered by Claudia Segre, each company will have a 2-minute spotlight to showcase their offerings and the opportunities for the local market.
The 8th Singapore Fintech Festival is set to be a remarkable event, offering attendees a unique opportunity to connect, collaborate, and explore the latest trends and innovations in the fintech sector, with Italy’s participation as a central highlight.
For more information, visit: https://www.ice.it/en/.
