Fintech Insider By 11:fs

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 Capita