{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://mcbride.house.gov/media/press-releases/mcbride-gay-mantzavinos-convene-delaware-leaders-american-fintech-council", "McBride, Gay, Mantzavinos Convene Delaware Leaders at American Fintech Council Policy Summit", "2025-11-18", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Sarah McBride", "M001238", "mcbride.house.gov", "mcbride", "https://mcbride.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Yesterday, U.S. Representative Sarah McBride (DE-At Large), Lieutenant Governor Kyle Evans Gay, and State Senator Spiros Mantzavinos convened a Delaware delegation of public, private, and academic leaders at the American Fintech Council\u2019s 2025 Policy Summit for a \u201cState Spotlight: Delaware Roundtable.\u201d The discussion highlighted Delaware\u2019s transition from a traditional financial services hub to a national leader in responsible fintech innovation.\n\nThe roundtable, held over lunch with national fintech stakeholders, featured:\n\nRep. Sarah McBride, U.S. Representative for Delaware,\n\nLt. Governor Kyle Evans Gay,\n\nState Senator Spiros Mantzavinos,\n\nMike Bowman, CEO, Delaware Tech Park,\n\nKristen Castell, Managing Director, Center for Accelerating Financial Equity (CAFE)\n\nDavid Mench, Director of Government Affairs, Delaware Bankers Association,\n\nNoah Olson, Vice President for Innovation, Delaware Prosperity Partnership,\n\nAlbert Shields, Director of Business & Economic Development, University of Delaware.\n\nTogether, the group showcased Delaware\u2019s strengths \u2014 from its legacy financial sector and business-friendly legal environment to its growing research infrastructure, AI leadership, and fintech-focused workforce training programs \u2014 and outlined how the state can help modern financial technology expand access, lower costs, and support families and small businesses.\n\n\u201cDelaware has always punched above its weight \u2014 not because we\u2019re the biggest state, but because we work together and build systems that treat people with respect,\u201d said Rep. Sarah McBride. \u201cToday\u2019s conversation made clear that fintech belongs in Delaware when it\u2019s rooted in our values: expanding access to credit, lowering costs for families, and helping small businesses grow. If innovation is going to shape the future of finance, then Delaware intends to shape innovation in a way that puts people first.\u201d\n\n\u201cFrom Wilmington to Seaford, families want tools that make it easier to save, build credit, and weather financial shocks,\u201d said Lt. Governor Kyle Evans Gay. \u201cDelaware is pairing our long-standing strength in financial services with new investments in AI, data science, and workforce training so that the next generation of fintech is built responsibly \u2014 and built right here. When companies choose Delaware, they\u2019re choosing a partner that understands both innovation and inclusion.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor the last several years, we\u2019ve brought regulators, banks, startups, and universities around the same table to ask a simple question: how do we turn Delaware\u2019s financial legacy into a fintech future?\u201d said Delaware State Senator Spiros Mantzavinos. \u201cThe answer is thoughtful regulation, strong consumer protections, and a clear signal that Delaware welcomes responsible innovation. Today\u2019s roundtable is another step in showing national leaders that Delaware is open for fintech that expands opportunity and plays by the rules.\u201d\n\n\u201cAt Delaware Tech Park, we see every day how proximity to banks, researchers, and policymakers accelerates innovation,\u201d said Mike Bowman, CEO of Delaware Tech Park. \u201cFounders want to be in a place where they can test ideas, find talent, and get real-time feedback from partners who understand the regulatory landscape. Delaware offers that unique ecosystem \u2014 and with new facilities like the FinTech Innovation Hub at STAR Campus, we\u2019re turning great ideas into high-quality jobs.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur work at CAFE is focused on supporting the growth of fintechs to advance financial wellness for low- to moderate-income (LMI) people,\u201d said Kristen Castell, Managing Director of CAFE, a non-profit org with flagship fintech accelerator program. \u201cWhile we work with fintechs across the nation, Delaware is our home because our public and private sectors share a commitment to innovation and equity. When innovators come to Delaware, they find not just capital and bank customers, but also a community that expects products to be fair, transparent, and designed for people who\u2019ve historically been left out of the financial system.\u201d\n\n\u201cDelaware\u2019s banking sector has long been a cornerstone of our economy \u2014 and fintech is a natural extension of that strength,\u201d said David Mench, Director of Government Affairs for the Delaware Bankers Association. \u201cOur banks are eager to partner with responsible fintech firms to improve customer experience, modernize systems, and expand access to credit. By fostering collaboration instead of competition, Delaware is showing that traditional financial institutions and innovators can grow together and deliver better, safer products for consumers.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen fintech companies are deciding where to land, they\u2019re looking for a deep talent pool, a predictable regulatory environment, and partners who can help them scale,\u201d said Noah Olson, Vice President for Innovation at the Delaware Prosperity Partnership. \u201cDelaware checks all of those boxes. We\u2019re seeing growing venture activity in fintech, strong deal values, and companies choosing Delaware because they know they can pilot cutting-edge products here and then grow across the country.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe University of Delaware is aligning our research, teaching, and partnerships with the needs of a modern financial innovation economy,\u201d said Albert Shields, Director of Business & Economic Development at the University of Delaware. \u201cFrom new fintech degree programs to the Data Science Institute and the First State A.I. Institute, we\u2019re preparing students to work at the intersection of finance, technology, and ethics. Our goal is simple: when fintech companies think about where to find their next generation of talent, we want Delaware to be at the top of the list.\u201d\n\nDuring the roundtable, participants highlighted Delaware\u2019s emerging fintech edge:\n\nLegacy financial services strength, including being home to two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies and more than 34,000 financial services jobs.\n\nGrowing research and academic infrastructure, including the FinTech Innovation Hub at STAR Campus, the UD Data Science Institute\u2019s FinTech Consortium, new fintech degree programs, and the First State A.I. Institute focused on responsible AI in financial transactions.\n\nSupportive state leadership, including an AI regulatory sandbox, workforce training partnerships, and collaboration with organizations like the American Fintech Council and CAFE Fintech Accelerator.\n\nRep. McBride\u2019s participation in the AFC Summit builds on her ongoing work to support responsible innovation, strengthen consumer protections, and ensure emerging technologies expand opportunity for Delaware families and small businesses. Photos from the event are available for use here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://mcbride.house.gov/media/press-releases/mcbride-gay-mantzavinos-convene-delaware-leaders-american-fintech-council"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6369270160794258, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}