​An independent non-executive director with CBZ Holdings in Zimbabwe, Africa, Rebecca Gaskin Gain draws upon a history in finance that includes four years as principal of Nexant in Washington, DC. Rebecca Gaskin Gain counts SME finance among her areas of expertise.

SMEs, or small and medium enterprises, are companies that are too small to enjoy the extensive resources and competitive advantages that are common among major corporations. For this reason, SMEs have been turning to alternative forms of business funding.

In 2019, with SMEs using non-bank funding sources in record numbers, the intergovernmental Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development reported a dramatic rift in finance strategies between large companies and SMEs. This trend is extending into 2023 as SMEs continue to encounter funding challenges in the traditional lending sector. Popular forms of alternative funding for SMEs in the current market include angel investments, government-backed loan schemes, merchant cash advances, and crowdfunding.

​An accomplished business and legal advisor with two finance degrees and a juris doctor from the Emory University School of Law, Rebecca Gaskin Gain has been an independent non-executive director of CBZ Holdings since 2020. Among her other public and private sector engagements, Rebecca Gaskin Gain is a former participant in Finovate.

Finovate has been hosting conferences with a focus on innovative financial and banking technology since 2007. These conferences have taken place all over the world.

FinovateSpring 2023 will be held from May 23 through May 25 at the Marriott Marquis San Francisco. The event will feature 60 fintech innovators who are eager to demo their products. It will also give attendees ample opportunities to connect and learn from one another.

FinovateSpring 2023’s general sessions range from “Analyst All-Stars: How Financial Services Have Been Changed Forever” to “Data Analytics: What Does it Really Mean for Community FIs?” It will also feature panel discussions on subjects such as banking in the metaverse, anti-financial crime tech, and developing personalized CX (customer experience).