Kristen Castell — SPARQNOW

At-a-Glance

Managing Director of Center for Accelerating Financial Equity (CAFE)
Led a fintech accelerator program dedicated to improving financial outcomes for low- to moderate-income individuals
Served as Executive Director at JPMorgan and held a role at BlackRock
COO and part of the Founding Team of fintech startup Seeds
Board member and Advisor for MicroDreams Foundation, Blended, ShareChange, and Telosa

Biography

Kristen Castell is a leader with over 20 years of experience spanning financial services, fintech, and startups. She currently serves as Managing Director of the Center for Accelerating Financial Equity (CAFE), where she built and leads a fintech accelerator program. This program connects mission-driven fintech startups with investors, banks, regulators, academia, and industry leaders, with the goal of improving financial outcomes for low- to moderate-income individuals.