OSV Blog

Finance & Accounting Technology Expo (FATE) 2024 Recap

Written by OneSource Virtual | 10/31/24 2:57 PM

Held in New York City’s Javits Convention Center from October 29-30, the Finance & Accounting Technology Expo (FATE) brought together finance leaders and technology innovators for two days of learning, networking, and discovery.

With over 1,000 attendees and 70 exhibitors, FATE is the premier event for professionals in finance and accounting technology. This year’s conference was packed with powerful keynote speakers, immersive learning opportunities, and a vibrant exhibit hall, where OneSource Virtual was thrilled to share insights on how to streamline accounts payable processes and uncover hidden cash to fund strategic projects.

Who attended FATE

FATE welcomed a diverse array of professionals, including CFOs, controllers, financial analysts, IT leaders, and more — anyone looking to keep up with finance technology innovations. Attendees came to connect, network, and engage directly with top industry vendors and experts to explore solutions for efficiency and productivity challenges.

Conference highlights

The event opened with an inspiring keynote from Daymond John, founder and CEO of FUBU Clothing, who shared insights on entrepreneurship and innovation. Other sessions and panels explored emerging technology themes that are reshaping finance, from AI in financial planning to the evolving tech stack of sports. Notable sessions included:

  • The TechStack of Sports: CFOs from major sports leagues discussed innovations in AI and data shaping the sports industry.
  • AI: Funding, Budgeting, and Investment Insights: Panelists tackled the challenges of funding AI use cases and shared practical investment strategies for AI innovation.
  • The State of AI Today: Glenn Hopper, head of AI research & development at Eventus Advisory Group, LLC, demonstrated AI's transformative role in finance, focusing on predictive capabilities for better forecasting and risk management.

Learning theaters, demos, and the Pitch Stage

Attendees were able to explore tailored sessions and product demos designed to offer practical insights into today’s technology landscape. The learning theaters provided guidance on topics such as scalability and cost challenges, while demo sessions and the Pitch Stage allowed attendees to directly interact with cutting-edge solutions in accounts payable, spend management, financial planning, and more.

OneSource Virtual at FATE

We had a wonderful time at FATE providing insight during our theater and demo sessions, networking at a variety of ancillary events, and chatting with attendees in our booth about accounts payable challenges and solutions.

Finding Hidden Cash in Accounts Payable

On Wednesday, Tomoko Yanase, director of accounting at OneSource Virtual, and Kaylan McDuff, director of solution consulting at OneSource Virtual, led a theater session. During this 30-minute session, they explored ways to optimize accounts payable processes and uncover untapped cash without increasing risk or complexity.

Accounts payable demo session

On Tuesday, Kaylan McDuff also hosted a 15-minute demo to showcase how we combine technology and service to elevate our customers’ accounts payable processes.

The OneSource Virtual booth

Our booth featured a skee-ball-inspired golf game to illustrate the challenges of achieving high accuracy in invoice scanning — a common issue for finance professionals. We were happy to share we’ve found a solution to this problem! Our customers enjoy 99.6% invoice ingestion accuracy, which helps to reduce costs, speed up processes, and improve financial reporting.

Networking happy hour

Together with Workday, we hosted an evening happy hour on October 29, providing a valuable opportunity for attendees to network, connect, and enjoy relaxed conversations about their goals and the latest advancements in finance technology.

Wrapping up FATE

FATE was a fantastic opportunity for finance and accounting professionals to connect with peers and gain firsthand insights into the latest in finance technology. We’re proud to have shared our expertise and solutions at such a well-regarded event and look forward to helping more organizations streamline accounts payable and unlock more value across their finance processes. For those who couldn’t attend, you can learn more about OneSource Virtual services for finance and accounting.