In this episode of Momentum: Where FinTech Meets AI, Stan Altshuller sits down with Natasha, founder of Strategic Innovation Advisors, to explore why the best products aren't built around features - they're built around customer workflows. Drawing on her experience leading product teams in capital markets and fintech, Natasha explains how understanding customer behavior, measuring true product adoption, and prioritizing the right problems can dramatically improve product success.

They discuss why many fintech products fail despite strong engineering, how frameworks like Jobs to Be Done help teams build solutions customers actually value, and what founders need to know before adding the next feature. If you're building AI or fintech products, this episode offers practical strategies to increase adoption, strengthen your roadmap, and create products that become part of your customers' daily workflow.

Key Moments: 

05:37 Understanding the customer's workflow

07:49 Understanding Customer Insights

11:22 Features aren't being used

17:18 Prioritizing Business Objectives

21:00 Understanding Customer Problems

24:34 Benefits of external consulting

About the guest : 

Natasha Shamis began her career building fintech products, but quickly discovered her passion for understanding customer needs and motivations. Spending over a decade at LiquidNet, she led the global product organization and collaborated closely with institutional investors, learning that true product success depends on aligning with the customer’s story. After LiquidNet’s acquisition, Natasha launched Strategic Innovation Advisors (SIA) to help a range of fintech and capital markets companies shape their product strategies. Today, she guides clients in answering vital questions about what to build, why to build it, and who it will serve, drawing on her deep experience to ensure products live in the world of their users.

How to connect Natasha : 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-shamis-5721571/

About the host : 

Stan Altshuller is a leading figure at the intersection of fintech and artificial intelligence. As an investor, founder, and advisor, he has collaborated with some of the world’s top hedge funds, asset managers, and data companies, helping them leverage technology for smarter decision-making and growth. Stan hosts the Momentum podcast, where each week he shares practical AI strategies designed to help financial professionals cut through the noise, beat data overload, and build intelligent, data-driven workflows. With a passion for exploring what’s next in finance, Stan empowers his audience to stay ahead of the curve by turning ideas into actionable results.

Connect Stan : 

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanalt/

Website www.acadia.im

In this episode of Momentum: Where FinTech Meets AI, Stan Altshuller sits down with Pouya Taaghol, founder and CEO of Big Data Federation, to explore how AI and alternative data are changing the way investment firms forecast company performance. From satellite imagery and geolocation data to AI-powered financial models, Pouya explains how investors can identify market signals long before traditional financial reports are released.

They also discuss why scientific, data-driven investing outperforms intuition, how to reduce bias in investment decisions, and the challenge of maintaining alpha in increasingly competitive markets. If you're looking to understand how AI is reshaping quantitative investing and the future of alternative data, this episode is packed with practical insights.

Key Moments: 

04:53 Profiles of fintech company founders

08:06 Staying focused amidst market noise

12:23 Analyzing historical company sales data

15:18 Understanding alternative data use

17:58 Starting an investment fund

21:04 Challenges of alternative data in investing

25:17 Discussing data sources for analysis

27:18 Using alternative data strategies

About the guest : 

Pouya Taaghol is the founder and CEO of Big Data Federation. With a background in wireless technology and multiple networking patents, he now helps investment firms use alternative data and AI to predict company fundamentals, uncover market opportunities, and build data-driven investment strategies.

How to connect Pouya : 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pouyataaghol/

Big Data Website: https://www.bigdatafed.com/

Financial AI: https://thefinancial.ai/

About the host : 

Stan Altshuller is a leading figure at the intersection of fintech and artificial intelligence. As an investor, founder, and advisor, he has collaborated with some of the world’s top hedge funds, asset managers, and data companies, helping them leverage technology for smarter decision-making and growth. Stan hosts the Momentum podcast, where each week he shares practical AI strategies designed to help financial professionals cut through the noise, beat data overload, and build intelligent, data-driven workflows. With a passion for exploring what’s next in finance, Stan empowers his audience to stay ahead of the curve by turning ideas into actionable results.

Connect Stan : 

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanalt/

Website www.acadia.im

In this episode of Momentum: Where FinTech Meets AI, Stan Altshuller sits down with Ashutosh Agarwal, CEO of Matterfact, to explore how AI is transforming hedge fund research, workflows, and the pursuit of alpha. Drawing from his experience at Millennium and Google, Ashutosh explains why the real power of AI is not just automation - it’s uncovering insights that investment teams would otherwise miss.

They discuss AI prompting, workflow design, the rise of podcasts as an investment research source, and how smaller funds can now access capabilities once reserved for the largest institutions. If you’re looking to build smarter research workflows, improve decision-making, and stay competitive in an AI-driven investment landscape, this episode delivers practical strategies you can apply immediately.

Key Moments: 

04:47 Origin of the SaaS idea

08:15 Common mistakes in AI prompting

10:19 AI's current limitations and needs

12:46 Using AI for car inventory analysis

18:05 Industry discussions and market trends

20:53 Understanding current AI capabilities

25:16 Final thoughts on empowering ideas

25:53 Ken Griffin impressed by AI system

About the guest :

Ashutosh Agarwal is the CEO of Matterfact and a former quant at Millennium and tech lead at Google. He focuses on building AI-powered tools that help investment professionals uncover deeper insights, improve research workflows, and generate alpha more efficiently.

How to connect Ashutosh :  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashutoshagwl/

About the host : 

Stan Altshuller is a leading figure at the intersection of fintech and artificial intelligence. As an investor, founder, and advisor, he has collaborated with some of the world’s top hedge funds, asset managers, and data companies, helping them leverage technology for smarter decision-making and growth. Stan hosts the Momentum podcast, where each week he shares practical AI strategies designed to help financial professionals cut through the noise, beat data overload, and build intelligent, data-driven workflows. With a passion for exploring what’s next in finance, Stan empowers his audience to stay ahead of the curve by turning ideas into actionable results.

Connect Stan : 

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanalt/

Website www.acadia.im 

In this episode of Momentum: Where FinTech Meets AI, Stan Altshuller sits down with Monel Amin, founder of DiligenceVault, to explore how AI is reshaping operational due diligence for institutional investors. From managing overwhelming amounts of data to streamlining workflows between allocators and asset managers, Monel explains how technology is transforming one of the most time-intensive areas of investment management.

They discuss the evolution of diligence processes, the challenges of fragmented information, and how AI-powered collaboration is helping firms make faster, smarter investment decisions. If you’re looking to modernize due diligence, reduce operational inefficiencies, and improve decision-making across investment teams, this episode delivers practical insights into the future of institutional investing.

Key Moments: 

05:05 Discussing varying risk tolerances

08:30 Discussing data room limitations

10:02 Digitizing manager communication process

13:15 Streamlining document collaboration

17:02 Verifying facts with AI

22:16 AI and investment due diligence

About the guest : 

Monel Amin’s journey to founding DiligenceVault began over a decade ago while working at Citi. During her tenure, she held a pivotal role overseeing risk both as an asset manager and as an allocator. This unique vantage point allowed her to observe firsthand the complex dynamics between allocators and asset managers, particularly the due diligence process they undertake when evaluating one another. Witnessing the challenges and inefficiencies in this critical process inspired her to launch Diligence Vault, with the vision of transforming how diligence is conducted across the asset and wealth management industry.

How to connect Monel: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monel-amin/

Website : https://diligencevault.com/

About the host : 

Stan Altshuller is a leading figure at the intersection of fintech and artificial intelligence. As an investor, founder, and advisor, he has collaborated with some of the world’s top hedge funds, asset managers, and data companies, helping them leverage technology for smarter decision-making and growth. Stan hosts the Momentum podcast, where each week he shares practical AI strategies designed to help financial professionals cut through the noise, beat data overload, and build intelligent, data-driven workflows. With a passion for exploring what’s next in finance, Stan empowers his audience to stay ahead of the curve by turning ideas into actionable results.

Connect Stan : 

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanalt/

Website www.acadia.im

In this episode of Momentum: Where FinTech Meets AI, host Stan Altshuller sits down with Kirk McKeown, CEO and Founder of CarbonArc, to explore how AI is reshaping the economics of data access—and redefining where alpha comes from.

For years, alternative data was expensive, fragmented, and largely reserved for hedge funds and institutional investors with deep pockets. Kirk built CarbonArc to challenge that model by making high-value data more accessible through modern, consumption-based pricing and AI-driven analytics.

Stan and Kirk break down how traditional financial research evolved into today’s alternative data ecosystem—and why the next wave will be powered by AI agents that can analyze information faster than ever before. They also discuss the friction that has historically slowed adoption, why accessibility matters, and how industries beyond finance are beginning to leverage these tools for smarter decisions.

From Wall Street to enterprise strategy, this conversation explores what happens when access to intelligence becomes cheaper, faster, and more scalable.

If you’re an investor, operator, data leader, or simply curious about the future of AI-powered decision-making, this episode offers a compelling look at where the market is heading.

Key Takeaways :

Key Moments: 

04:57 Building a frictionless data market

08:38 Transforming the license structure

13:37 Rev share and flexible solutions

17:25 Exploring data and analytics

19:34 AI economy and data structure

24:51 Understanding alpha in trading strategies

26:55 Understanding data accessibility challenges

30:58 Evaluating company decisions

33:35 Expanding developer community

About the guest : 

Kirk McKeown is the CEO and Founder of CarbonArc, a company focused on democratizing access to alternative data through modern pricing models and AI-driven infrastructure. With over two decades of experience in financial data and investment research, Kirk has helped reshape how institutions source and consume intelligence for better decision-making.

Connect Krik : 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirk-mckeown-400607214/

Website: https://www.carbonarc.ai/

About the host : 

Stan Altshuller is a leading figure at the intersection of fintech and artificial intelligence. As an investor, founder, and advisor, he has collaborated with some of the world’s top hedge funds, asset managers, and data companies, helping them leverage technology for smarter decision-making and growth. Stan hosts the Momentum podcast, where each week he shares practical AI strategies designed to help financial professionals cut through the noise, beat data overload, and build intelligent, data-driven workflows. With a passion for exploring what’s next in finance, Stan empowers his audience to stay ahead of the curve by turning ideas into actionable results.

Connect Stan : 

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanalt/

Website www.acadia.im 

Resource Mentioned  - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15RN0Aee72Y

In this episode of Momentum: Where FinTech Meets AI, Stan Altshuller sits down with Ben Tannenbaum, founder and CEO of AISO, to break down how brands can win visibility in the age of AI search. They explore why SEO isn’t dead but evolving, how ChatGPT actually selects brands, and what “fan-out search” means for your marketing strategy.

Ben shares practical strategies to help you get mentioned inside AI tools -  from identifying the right questions users are asking to optimizing content for AI-driven discovery. If you’re a marketer, founder, or growth leader trying to stay relevant as search shifts from Google to AI assistants, this episode gives you a clear, actionable roadmap.

Key Moments:
02:00 – Is SEO dead or just evolving?
04:30 – Why clicks are decreasing but revenue may not be
06:30 – Understanding AI as a research assistant, not a search engine
08:30 – What is “fan-out search” and why it matters
11:00 – How ChatGPT chooses which brands to mention
13:30 – Why you don’t need to rank #1 on Google anymore
16:00 – The simplest way to get mentioned by AI tools
19:00 – How to find what users are actually asking ChatGPT
22:00 – Turning AI conversations into actionable content strategy
25:00 – Medium, LinkedIn, and off-site strategies that work
27:00 – Why Reddit can damage your brand if done wrong
30:00 – How AISO collects real AI conversation data
34:00 – From raw data to actionable marketing insights
38:00 – The fastest way to increase AI mentions (2x to 10x)
41:00 – The future of AI-driven market research and customer insights

About the Guest : 

Ben Tannenbaum is the founder and CEO of AISO, where he helps brands understand how people use AI tools like ChatGPT and how to get discovered within them.

With a background in data platforms and alternative data, Ben specializes in turning real AI conversations into actionable insights that help companies improve visibility, content strategy, and growth.

Website : https://www.getaiso.com/

Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/bentann/

About the host : 

Stan Altshuller is a leading figure at the intersection of fintech and artificial intelligence. As an investor, founder, and advisor, he has collaborated with some of the world’s top hedge funds, asset managers, and data companies, helping them leverage technology for smarter decision-making and growth. Stan hosts the Momentum podcast, where each week he shares practical AI strategies designed to help financial professionals cut through the noise, beat data overload, and build intelligent, data-driven workflows. With a passion for exploring what’s next in finance, Stan empowers his audience to stay ahead of the curve by turning ideas into actionable results.

Connect Stan : 

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanalt/

Website www.acadia.im

In this episode Stan Altshuller sits down with Sarah McKenna to explore how AI and alternative data are reshaping decision-making across finance and enterprise. From Google Trends to web data extraction, they discuss how modern data sources are helping organizations uncover signals, track market shifts, and gain a competitive edge.

They also break down the challenges behind data collection, including compliance, governance, and the difference between probabilistic and deterministic data. If you’re building data-driven strategies in a regulated environment, this episode shows how to combine AI, automation, and human oversight to make smarter, more confident decisions.

Key Moments: 

06:18 How risk alerts are used

10:10 Hedge funds and data analysis

13:23 Balancing AI creativity and accuracy

14:19 Using AI for data trust

17:56 Growing demand for web data

23:00 Considerations for automating captchas

26:20 Sequentum platform features explained

28:30 Introducing the agent builder tool

Connect Sarah McKenna : https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahransommckenna/

About the host : 

Stan Altshuller is a leading figure at the intersection of fintech and artificial intelligence. As an investor, founder, and advisor, he has collaborated with some of the world’s top hedge funds, asset managers, and data companies, helping them leverage technology for smarter decision-making and growth. Stan hosts the Momentum podcast, where each week he shares practical AI strategies designed to help financial professionals cut through the noise, beat data overload, and build intelligent, data-driven workflows. With a passion for exploring what’s next in finance, Stan empowers his audience to stay ahead of the curve by turning ideas into actionable results.

Connect Stan : 

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanalt/

Website www.acadia.im 

In this episode of Momentum: Where FinTech Meets AI, Stan Altshuller is joined by Danny Dias and Dean Schaffer from Lightkeeper to explore how AI is reshaping portfolio intelligence for modern investment firms. They discuss the growing complexity of investment data, rising LP expectations, and why traditional tools like spreadsheets are no longer enough.

The conversation breaks down how AI-driven analytics and new data frameworks are helping firms improve reporting, decision-making, and responsiveness. If you’re looking to move beyond fragmented data and build a more intelligent, scalable investment process, this episode offers practical insights to help you stay competitive.

Key Moments: 

01:12 "Fintech Background and Portfolio Intelligence"

04:13 "Investment Challenges in AI Era"

09:35 "AI's Impact on Data Evolution"

13:30 Evolving Hedge Fund Data Demands

17:10 "Probabilistic Answers and Complexity"

18:40 Tech Leveling Fund Competition

22:23 "AI in Asset Management Future?"

24:47 Evolving Impact of AI Models

28:20 Optimizing Data with Lightkeeper

Know More about  Lightkeeper: 

Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightkeeperllc/

Website : https://lightkeeper.com/

Connect Dean : https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-schaffer-9a16653/

About the host : 

Stan Altshuller is a leading figure at the intersection of fintech and artificial intelligence. As an investor, founder, and advisor, he has collaborated with some of the world’s top hedge funds, asset managers, and data companies, helping them leverage technology for smarter decision-making and growth. Stan hosts the Momentum podcast, where each week he shares practical AI strategies designed to help financial professionals cut through the noise, beat data overload, and build intelligent, data-driven workflows. With a passion for exploring what’s next in finance, Stan empowers his audience to stay ahead of the curve by turning ideas into actionable results.

Connect Stan : 

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanalt/

Website www.acadia.im 

In this episode of Momentum: Where FinTech Meets AI, Stan Altshuller speaks with Jack Killea, Head of Data Strategy and Sourcing at Maiden Century, about how AI is changing the way hedge funds discover and use alternative data. They explore how the rapid growth of data sources and AI-powered tools is making sophisticated data strategies accessible not just to large quant funds, but also to smaller fundamental managers.

Jack shares insights on the evolution of alternative data, the rise of AI-driven workflows, and how investment teams can cut through overwhelming data noise to extract meaningful signals. If you’re looking to understand how AI agents, context engines, and new data sources are shaping the next generation of investment research, this episode offers practical perspective from the front lines of the industry.

Key Moments: 

04:12 "Adaptable Data Solutions Platform"

08:09 "Navigating Early Data Journeys"

11:03 "Navigating Data Risks with AI"

15:38 Future of Data and AI Integration

19:00 "AI's Impact on Data Strategy"

22:48 "Reflections on AI Adoption Challenges"

25:14 "From Sales to Aha Moment"

29:55 "Agentic Workflows and Customization"

33:03 AI Workflow and Democratization Insights

About the guest : 

Jack Killea is Head of Data Strategy and Sourcing at Maiden Century, where he helps investment managers discover and use alternative data more effectively. He has spent over a decade working at the intersection of hedge funds, data providers, and AI-driven investment research.

How to connect Jack :  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-killea-5582531a/

About the host : 

Stan Altshuller is a leading figure at the intersection of fintech and artificial intelligence. As an investor, founder, and advisor, he has collaborated with some of the world’s top hedge funds, asset managers, and data companies, helping them leverage technology for smarter decision-making and growth. Stan hosts the Momentum podcast, where each week he shares practical AI strategies designed to help financial professionals cut through the noise, beat data overload, and build intelligent, data-driven workflows. With a passion for exploring what’s next in finance, Stan empowers his audience to stay ahead of the curve by turning ideas into actionable results.

Connect Stan : 

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanalt/

Website www.acadia.im

In this episode of Momentum: Where FinTech Meets AI, Stan Altshuller sits down with Sandeep Varma and Benjamin Lieblich from Equity Data Science to explore how AI is transforming hedge fund research, portfolio construction, and risk management. They break down how modern funds are moving beyond spreadsheets to integrated data platforms that combine quantitative models with qualitative research.

From managing data overload to meeting institutional investor expectations, the conversation reveals how AI-driven workflows help managers make faster, more confident decisions. If you’re looking to institutionalize your research process, improve factor analysis, or compete with larger funds using smarter technology, this episode delivers practical insights you can apply immediately.

Key Moments: 

06:09 "Adapting to Diverse Management Styles"

07:41 "Data-Driven Investment Analysis Process"

11:38 Evolution of Hedge Fund Strategies

16:20 "Redefining Quant Roles in Hedge Funds"

17:25 AI's Role in Equity Manager Growth

23:41 "AI vs Humans in Trading"

26:59 "Approaches to Hedge Fund Strategy"

28:22 "Killer Hedge Fund Pitch"

Connect Sandeep Varma : https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandeepvarma81/

Connect Benjamin Lieblich  : https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-lieblich/

About the host : 

Stan Altshuller is a leading figure at the intersection of fintech and artificial intelligence. As an investor, founder, and advisor, he has collaborated with some of the world’s top hedge funds, asset managers, and data companies, helping them leverage technology for smarter decision-making and growth. Stan hosts the Momentum podcast, where each week he shares practical AI strategies designed to help financial professionals cut through the noise, beat data overload, and build intelligent, data-driven workflows. With a passion for exploring what’s next in finance, Stan empowers his audience to stay ahead of the curve by turning ideas into actionable results.

Connect Stan : 

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanalt/

Website www.acadia.im