Stephane Lintner
CEO and Co-Founder Jiko
Stephane graduated from Caltech with a PhD in Applied and Computational Mathematics and holds degrees in Machine Learning and Computer Science from École Normale Supérieure.
Prior to Jiko, he was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs’ Securities Division for ten years, leveraging technology to modernize the bank. While at Goldman Sachs, he witnessed the banking system’s inequities, including risks to deposits during the 2008 financial crisis.
Stephane is also the co-founder of HelicitySpace, a nuclear fusion propulsion company spun off from Caltech in Pasadena.
2026 Agenda Sessions
To Buy or apply? That is the burning question
Forget the charter chase - some fintechs are skipping the queue and buying the whole bank. But once the champagne’s flat and the deal’s inked, reality sets in: legacy tech, compliance curveballs, and a whole lot of regulators on speed dial.
This panel pulls back the curtain on the M&A shortcut that’s suddenly back in vogue. Expect spicy takes on what it really means to own the rails - from staffing surprises to system spaghetti - and why this strategy might be the fastest way to go full-stack.
Perfect for your end-of-day wind-down: part therapy, part strategy, and just enough sass to keep the energy up.
Takeaways:
• Why fintechs are saying “skip the licence, buy the bank”.
• What ownership unlocks—from regulatory reach to product velocity.
• How to survive the legacy hangover (and maybe even thrive).
Wednesday 01 April 10:20 - 11:00 Banking
This panel pulls back the curtain on the M&A shortcut that’s suddenly back in vogue. Expect spicy takes on what it really means to own the rails - from staffing surprises to system spaghetti - and why this strategy might be the fastest way to go full-stack.
Perfect for your end-of-day wind-down: part therapy, part strategy, and just enough sass to keep the energy up.
Takeaways:
• Why fintechs are saying “skip the licence, buy the bank”.
• What ownership unlocks—from regulatory reach to product velocity.
• How to survive the legacy hangover (and maybe even thrive).
Banking US/Pacific
