.png){kind=small}
June 11, 2026
09:30 – 19:00
The Hague University of Applied Sciences
Johanna Westerdijkplein 75, 2521 EN The Hague, New York Room, OV K.69
Final Pitch Event: Building the Future of Payments
A day of student pitches, open discussion on the technology, regulation, and economics shaping the future of financial infrastructure.
Why It Matters
Payment systems shape how people send money, how businesses get paid, and how communities access financial services. Yet today's landscape remains fragmented, expensive, and hard to access, especially across borders and for underserved communities.
Open payment technologies offer a different vision. But for them to scale, they need to work within real regulatory frameworks, business models, and market incentives.
What To Expect
MORNING
Student pitches
Six student teams pitch their open payments solutions to financial inclusion challenges, covering the problem, business model, architecture, inclusion impact, and regulatory compliance.
.png)
​AFTERNOON
Expert roundtable
This expert session will bring together legal, social impact, and finance professionals to discuss the regulatory and economic realities of open payments.
EVENING
Networking drinks
​Informal networking with students, academics, practitioners, and innovators working across payments, law, and financial inclusion.
Programme
09:30
Opening & welcome
-
Deborah Mevissen, Dean of Faculty of Business, Finance and Marketing,
The Hague University of Applied Sciences
09:45
Jury panel introduction & pitch rules
-
Max Kurapav, Engineering Manager, Interledger Foundation
-
Jason Bruwer, Integration Specialist, Interledger Foundation
-
Dr. Linda Louis, Lecturer Law & Technology, The Hague University of Applied Sciences
10:00 – 11:30
Student pitches — teams 1–3
-
Team 1: Jessica Faulitta, Doreen Nantamu, Julia Kaźmierczak, Maja Zukowska
-
Team 2: John Roy, Viktor Ninov, Kamil Milo, Alexandru Dascălu, Maika Lejdens
-
Team 3: Iza Piacentini, Zdravka Shturkova, Radina Velichkova, Shanique Elizee
11:30
Coffee break
​
11:45 – 13:15
Student pitches – Team 4-6
-
Team 4: Fabiana Hironimus, Fiona Martis, Natalia Malecka, Gellert Pal, Amal Mohamed
-
Team 5: Victoria Pham
-
Team 6: Angelina Wip, Lola de Haard, Maria Moreira, Kyle Fernandes
13:15
Lunch
​
14:30
Opening Remarks & Winner Announcement
-
Julaire Hall, Program Officer, Interledger Foundation
15:00 – 16:15
​Roundtable: Opening Up Payments: Regulation, Competition, & Financial Inclusion
This roundtable brings together legal, financial, and policy experts to examine what it would take for open, interoperable payment systems to scale responsibly. The discussion will combine regulatory, strategic, and social perspectives, asking how open payment protocols can develop within existing legal frameworks while also challenging the dominance of closed payment networks. The roundtable will also consider the broader market implications of open payments. Who stands to gain or lose if closed payment networks give way to open protocols?
16:15- 16:30
​Closing remarks
16:30 – 19:00
Networking drinks
-
Cafe de Pakschuit Dunne Bierkade 21 2512 BD Den Haag
Who Should Attend
For Students
See ideas stress-tested in real time
Hear from experts at the intersection of law, finance and technology to explore how financial infrastructure actually gets built.
For Professionals
Engage with the questions that matter
Connect with peers across law, regulation, academia, and fintech and get a first look at emerging student ideas on open payments and inclusion.
About The Project
Building the Future of Payments is the closing event the Open Payments Innovation Lab is the closing event of the Open Payments Innovation Lab Project at The Hague University of Applied Sciences, funded by the Interledger Foundation. The project introduces students to the opportunities and challenges of open payment technologies, with a focus on interoperability, financial inclusion, regulation, and real-world implementation.
The Hague University of Applied Sciences
Johanna Westerdijkplein 75, 2521 EN The Hague, New York Room, OV K.69
Ready To Join Us?
Register now to secure your place at the event