To open our eyes and network with a wide range of people, off the Vestigo team went to SXSW in March. Myself, Ian, Mike and our wives spent four days absorbing new ideas and experiences. Austin puts on an impressive show of force for this event.

We had meetings with potential investors, founders, and smart technologists from all over the world. I walked away with a reinforced view that FinTech is in the early stages of its life. We heard this message over and over again at sessions and informal gatherings.  

Idea after idea came to the fore in so many areas of technology and FinTech. The gathering of small FinTech VC's in Austin was illuminating. There were too many robo's there for my taste, but we are beginning to see the next generation of FinTech platforms and analytics starting to emerge.

We attended the FinTech Luminaries event which included friends from the Boston start-up scene, as well as most of the national players. The contacts made at SXSW will be extremely helpful in the months and years to come.  

I was happy to personally cover the costs for the team as part of my thanks to Ian and Mike for a job well done and to avoid any expense to the fund. SXSW reinforced many of our views on FinTech and opened our eyes to some new ones. Overall, it was a great experience with our time and money well spent.

Mark Casady
General Partner Vestigo Ventures