Paywhere Selected for FinovateFall 2026 Demo and IMPACT Founders Pitch

Written By Shannon Hewlko

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The programmable banking platform that lets banks’ customers perform everyday banking functions through AI will present to banking and credit union decision-makers in New York, Sept. 9-11

SAN FRANCISCO — Sept. 2, 2026 — Paywhere, the programmable banking platform that lets bank and credit union customers perform everyday financial functions directly through AI, has been selected to present a live demo at FinovateFall 2026, taking place Sept. 9-11 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square in New York. Paywhere has also been chosen to pitch at IMPACT: Funders & Founders, the inaugural forum spotlighting early-stage fintech innovation, taking place during FinovateFall on Sept. 11.

FinovateFall is one of the fintech industry's longest-running showcases, known for its fast-paced, seven-minute live demonstrations delivered with no slides and no pre-recorded video. Paywhere is among more than 70 companies chosen through a competitive selection process to demo across the event's two days of live product presentations, in front of an audience of more than 2,000 senior attendees, including over 1,000 executives from banks, credit unions and investment firms.

Paywhere's demo will be led by co-founder and Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, Brett Vasconcellos and Chief Revenue Officer Nick Lazo, who will show how an institution can stand up a programmable banking channel without replacing its core.

Paywhere is also taking the stage at FinovateFall’s IMPACT: Funders & Founders on Sept. 11. Vasconcellos will present Paywhere as part of a select group of early-stage companies chosen to pitch at the forum's debut, putting programmable banking in front of the wider fintech community gathered in New York for Finovate week.

"We are entering the era of programmable banking. If the previous era was defined by the mobile app and competition from fintechs, the next one will be defined by AI and agents operating autonomously," said Girish Mutreja, Founder and Chief Executive Officer  of Paywhere. "It’s an honor to be selected for both the Finovate demo and Funders & Founders pitch and an early credibility marker for Paywhere as we  set the standard for programmable banking.”

What is Programmable Banking?

Programmable banking is the ability of businesses and individual customers to interact with their bank using AI and code rather than logging into a human-operated portal. Instead of a person keying transactions into a screen, a person’s own AI or a company's own tools can connect directly to its financial institution through Model Context Protocol (MCP) and APIs, letting AI agents, accounting systems, and other applications move money, reconcile accounts and manage cash automatically and in real time.

How does Paywhere work?

Paywhere runs alongside a bank's or credit union's existing core rather than replacing it, exposing the institution's own banking services as secure APIs. Through that bank-sanctioned connection, customers can move money, reconcile accounts and run financial workflows programmatically and in real time, instead of logging into a portal. The financial institution stays in control throughout, setting what each connection is permitted to do, maintaining full visibility into every interaction, and activating only the modules it needs, while built-in compliance and risk monitoring distinguish a legitimate automated workflow from a bad actor at machine speed. No intermediary and no in-house engineering team required and most institutions can go live in weeks. The end result is that the bank keeps the customer relationship, the product roadmap and the economics. 

About Paywhere

Paywhere is the programmable banking platform that enables banks and credit unions to serve customers through AI and code. Paywhere works alongside existing core systems and puts the financial institution in control, with compliance and risk architecture designed from the start for the speed, volume and complexity of automated banking. Implementation takes weeks, not years and Paywhere provides the engine underneath. The bank keeps everything on top. Learn more at www.paywhere.com.

Media Contact

Sam Barber
media@paywhere.com

Shannon Hewlko

Shannon’s passion for design and the creative process was sparked while working abroad with the talented and inspiring team at Heatherwick Studio - a design architectural practice in London, England. Upon returning to Canada, Shannon embraced her interest and natural talent by studying at the Alberta College of Art and Design, where she graduated with a degree in Visual Communications and a double major in Advertising and Graphic Design.

Through her evolving roles at Trigger, CP Rail, Western Sky Creative and Anstice Communications, Shannon honed her ability to create compelling stories through visual design that not only complement communications’ tactics but elevate a brand’s essence. Shannon’s fun-loving, adventurous approach to her work, coupled with her drive for consistent project execution and cultivating cohesive brands, is unique, motivating and inspiring.

On a personal note, Shannon is an aspiring triathlete and there is no doubt that she passes those long hours biking, swimming and running by dreaming up ideas and developing strategies for her many projects. When she’s not training for her next triathlon, Shannon stays in shape by picking up mad dance skills from her two-year-old niece, Tootie, at their weekly dance off in her sister’s living room.

https://www.hewlko.com
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