Start local, prove product, then scale

About this episode:

Recorded live from J.P. Morgan’s e-commerce and fintech forum, 11:FS CEO David M. Brear is joined by an all-star panel to tackle a deceptively simple question: can you still launch a startup in 2026?

With AI reshaping how companies are built, capital becoming more disciplined, and geopolitics influencing everything from regulation to expansion, the old startup playbook is being rewritten in real time.

We explore what founders should prioritise from day one, whether starting narrow still works in a platform-dominated world, and how AI is redefining team size, speed, and scale. The panel also dives into what “winning” really looks like in 2026 - from sustainability and defensibility to trust and operational leverage.

This week’s guests:

Philipp Povel - Co-Founder and Co-CEO at Mondu

Martin Gilbert - Executive Chairman at River Global PLC 

James Fraser - Head of EMEA Payments and Global Head of Trade & Working Capital at JP Morgan 

Mina Mutafchieva Van Ingelgem - Partner at HV Capital

Links to check out:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠After Dark tickets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join our WhatsApp community, where you can get the inside track on all all things 11:FS, as well as having your say on the things we should be paying attention to.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://chat.whatsapp.com/KpA4gFbbWDlLFm7kx39raf

Support our sponsors:

Use code FINTECHINSIDER at the link below to get an exclusive 60% off an

annual Incogni plan: https://incogni.com/fintechinsider

--

Grab your EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal by going to

nordvpn.com/fintechinsider to get a Huge Discount off your NordVPN Plan

+ 4 additional months on top! It’s completely risk-free with Nord’s 30-day

money-back guarantee!

About Fintech Insider:

Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast that covers everything from finance and banking to technology and the latest trends in financial services.

Our expert hosts, with hands-on industry experience, are joined by key decision-makers, VCs, and top reporters from across the financial landscape, including guests from companies like Stripe, Revolut, Plaid, PayPal, and Monzo. Together, they break down the biggest news and innovations shaping the space.

Our weekly news show drops every Monday, covering major stories like mergers, new product launches, regulatory shifts, and emerging tech trends. On Thursdays, our Insights show goes deeper into the hottest topics driving the future of finance, including AI in banking, decentralised finance, and the evolving landscape of embedded finance.

Whether you're already in the fintech game or just starting to explore, this is the #1 podcast for you.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review!

Got a question for us? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcasts@11fs.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices