Australia and New Zealand’s top 32 financial technology innovators will come together to highlight the latest technologies and trends at the 2015 Afiniation Showcase event in Sydney this month.

Australia and New Zealand’s top 32 financial technology innovators will come together to highlight the latest technologies and trends at the 2015 Afiniation Showcase event in Sydney this month.

By connecting innovators, investors, finance industry professionals and supporters, Afiniation was formed to help cultivate opportunities for startups and established firms in the finance sector.

The Showcase event aims to support the development and growth of fintech in Asia Pacific by giving rise to greater industry “investment, innovation and international expansion”.

Among the confirmed participants are customer engagement management specialist Avoka, portfolio manager Sharesight and sharemarket investing app Stocklight.

Stocklight’s Technical Director, Jason Kotchoff, said that historically it has been hard for fintech startups to launch products given the licensing and regulatory hurdles that Australia “justifiably” has.

“Technology today enables such rapid iteration and product development like we’ve never seen before. Two guys in their bedroom can today create software that in the past would have cost tens of millions of dollars to produce,” Kotchoff said.

“I think this convergence of technology toolsets and social media [together with the] general excitement about fintech has combined to create a perfect storm of opportunity for fintech business here in Australia.”

Doug Morris, General Manager of Sharesight, said that Sharesight’s offering sought to challenge the “hamstrung” cloud capabilities of traditional financial services institutions.

 “We represent an opportunity for traditional banks because we offer a complementary product that encourages more investing [and] we’re tapping into highly-engaged investors across the sophisticated spectrum,” said Morris.

The NSW Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation, Victor Dominello, has also been confirmed as a keynote speaker at the event.

“Afiniation is not just a very effective organisation but a unique one,” Dominello said.

“It is providing an environment for innovators, investors, industry professionals and partners to come together and grow fintech in Australia and New Zealand.”

The Afiniation Showcase will be held on Thursday, 24 September at the Ivy Ballroom in Sydney.