A New Stage for Big Conversations: The Story Behind CHNGNetwork

Professionals in payments, FinTech and the digital economy already face crowded calendars and a nonstop flow of industry information.

Conferences often promise insight but often deliver conversations heavy on sales and marketing pitches and light on the content that inspires thought-provoking conversations about how to drive real change.

The CHNGNetwork, coming to New York City May 5 and 6, aims to break that mold. Created by PYMNTS CEO Karen Webster and Emmy Award-winning producer Vinnie Potestivo, the event has been designed from the ground up to serve a different purpose. It’s not a traditional conference; it’s not even being billed as a conference. It’s a two-day series of main stage conversations for leaders who want to understand change, shape it and move faster because of it.

PYMNTS checked in with Webster to talk about the progress for the event, why CHNGNetwork is happening now, who it’s for and what leaders should expect from two days in a room built for change, not presentations.

Sponsorships for the CHNGNetwork event are now available. To request the prospectus or get more information, contact us here.

PYMNTS: Karen, this all looks like a very exciting and different event. But we could argue that executives already have more than enough events on their calendars. Why does the CHNGNetwork deserve a spot on theirs?

Webster: You’re right. If someone wanted to, they could be at an industry event every single day. There really isn’t room for “just another event.” That’s why CHNGNetwork isn’t being designed as one. It’s a two-day conversation about change.

We’re bringing together a highly curated group of executives, change makers, builders and innovators. These are people actively shaping what’s next for payments and the digital economy. PYMNTS has always been about “what’s next” since our founding more than 16 years ago. CHNG is an opportunity to convene people who are inspired by the opportunity to create change and who want to be in a room with others equally motivated to deliver it and to talk candidly about what that means and how to get it done.

PYMNTS: What makes this the right moment to launch CHNGNetwork?

Webster: Physical events aren’t new to PYMNTS. In 2012, we launched the Innovation Project, which we held every March at Harvard. People loved it. Not for the weather, that’s for sure. Three out of the five years we had snow in Boston in March. They loved it because it convened executives from across disciplines, blended with public intellectuals who could help motivate conversations about the future of payments and commerce.

After five years, we decided to pause and reassess what “what’s next” really meant for payments and commerce. Then COVID hit, and like everyone else, we shifted our focus to more digital formats.

Now we’re at a different inflection point. The confluence of AI, data, payments and new regulation is reshaping what we think of as the next version of the economy. It’s AI-powered, technology-driven, and fundamentally changing how people engage and get business done. Business models, the architecture of change and the ability to apply new technologies at scale are all maturing. That’s why it’s the right time to reengage a physical convening, but at an entirely new level.

PYMNTS: You’ve been very clear that CHNGNetwork is not a traditional conference. What will make it feel different once people are in the room?

Webster: First, it’s an experience, not a series of panels. We think of it as one continuous conversation over two days, driven by seven core “planks” that anchor the program. Those planks pull together cross-disciplinary, cross-industry perspectives, including those from outside the industry who bring specific expertise and relevant points of view. That mix is what makes the discussions more interesting, more insightful and more inspiring.

We’re also designing CHNG to be immersive. There will be extensive digital and video elements, and we’re planning to create a documentary that captures the thesis and intent of what the room uncovers. We think these are ideas that could shape the next version of the economy. The convening itself is off the record, so people can share what they’re really working on and the obstacles in their way. The documentary becomes the on-the-record artifact that shares the commitment and direction of the leaders who participate.

PYMNTS: You describe the attendees as “change makers.” How do you define that? Is it different from being a disruptor?

Webster: Change makers can absolutely be disruptive, and disruption can be positive or negative. For us, a change maker is someone who sees an opportunity to shape what’s next.

That might mean building on what exists or building something entirely different from what exists, but always with a clear outcome in mind that’s meaningfully better than the status quo. Change makers are willing to invest the energy, the resources, the time and the collaborative partnerships required to make that outcome real. They don’t just admire the problem. They commit to building the solution. That’s the lens we’re using to curate who’s in the room.

PYMNTS: You’ve said CHNG isn’t about theory. What kind of conversation about change will happen in May?

Webster: We’re very intentionally not spending two days talking in the abstract about what could be. The foundations are now in place, after decades of work, to really accelerate the pace of innovation. That’s true in payments infrastructure, in data capabilities and now in advanced applications of AI that touch every aspect of the economy.

So, in May, we’ll focus on what it takes to drive outcomes. We’re focusing on the concrete decisions, partnerships, architectures and execution that actually move the needle. We’re bringing together people who understand that change is about delivering measurable outcomes, not simply predicting the future from a stage. The goal is to help leaders leave with a clearer view of what it will take to make change happen inside their own organizations and ecosystems.

PYMNTS: You’ve even heard it described as a “FinTech film festival.” Where does that come from?

Webster: Someone I was speaking with recently used that phrase after I walked through the digital and video elements, especially the documentary work that Vinnie Potestivo is leading. It made me smile because it captures something important. CHNG is not just about what happens in the room. It’s about documenting the ideas and commitments that emerge there in a way that can travel.

So yes, there will be cameras and storytelling. But the film work is in service of the same goal: capturing how leaders in payments, FinTech and the broader digital economy are thinking about the next version of the economy, and how they plan to build it.

PYMNTS: For someone reading this and thinking, “I need to be in New York May 5 and 6,” what should they expect from those two days?

Webster: They should expect to be inspired and to think differently. The people who come are already part of change; CHNG is about giving them a focused environment to lean into that role.

We’ve deliberately chosen a venue with a hard cap of 550 people. That limit is a feature, not a limitation. It creates access to the people on the main stage and to one another. It creates space for real networking and real conversation during breaks and working sessions, not just quick hallway hellos.

The expectation is that attendees will engage, share ideas and perspectives, and leave with new connections and concrete takeaways for what’s next. If you want to be part of change, we believe you need to be in that room.

PYMNTS: How does CHNGNetwork build on the legacy of the Innovation Project, and how is it different?

Webster: I still get asked, even eight years later, “When are you doing the Innovation Project again?” And those questions come from people who attend conferences all the time, who are constantly on stage or in the audience. The fact that they still refer to it tells me there’s enduring demand for something different.

CHNGNetwork is that “something different” for this moment. It keeps the core thesis of the Innovation Project, which is a cross-disciplinary convening of people with varied perspectives who can all learn from one another. But we’ve layered in a new set of “bells and whistles” that reflect where the economy is now: the AI-driven context, the importance of digital storytelling, the tighter focus on outcomes and on shaping the next version of the economy.

So, when people ask when we’re doing the Innovation Project again, my answer is: We’re not. We’re doing CHNGNetwork in New York on May 5 and 6. We hope you’ll join us.

Be a CHNG Maker. Sponsorships for the CHNGNetwork event are now available. To request the prospectus or get more information, contact us here.