In its second collaboration with Finnosummit, Fuckup Nights brought two stories of failure that resonated throughout the fintech ecosystem.
What if, instead of showcasing growth metrics, we talked about what actually hurts?
What if the real value of a fintech company isn’t in its pitch deck, but in how it gets back up when things don’t go as planned?
For the second year in a row, Fuckup Nights and Finnosummit teamed up to bring something rare on the fintech stage: genuine vulnerability.
Over the past few years, we’ve worked with companies like Visa, Deel, Networth, and Finnovista, and they all share the same underlying need: creating spaces where mistakes become learning opportunities—not sources of shame.
During Finnosummit 2025, on the Beyond Stage, two leaders from the ecosystem dared to do just that. With honesty and courage, they shared what went wrong—and how those failures reshaped the way they lead, innovate, and live.
The Mexican Entrepreneurs Association summed it up perfectly:
“The most honest and valuable session in the ecosystem: Fuckup Nights, because mistakes are the best teachers.”
Back in 2013, STP had everything a startup dreams of: strong product-market fit, a clear purpose, and real traction. Their goal was ambitious— to optimize treasury operations for any company in Mexico through SPEI. Like many tech companies at the time, they made what seemed like the obvious next move: raising capital.
Jaime remembers trying everything—pitch decks, investor meetings, international expansion—with no results.
"Every door closed. We never raised capital. I walked out of those meetings feeling like they weren’t saying no to the project—they were saying no to me."
So what happened? Unclear metrics. Mass, unfocused sales efforts. And an international expansion that crashed into regulatory walls.
"We saw our peers growing and evolving, and we didn’t. I started to feel like I wasn’t enough" Jaime shared on stage.
After hitting rock bottom came the grieving phase: sleepless nights, leadership doubts, and eventually, a decision to go back to basics. That mindset led to the creation of STP University, an internal initiative focused on preparing teams for sustainable growth.
Jorge López founded Millas para el Retiro with a powerful mission: turning everyday consumption into retirement savings. And for a while, it worked.
The model was innovative. The product gained traction. They appeared on Shark Tank. They won international awards.
And then… the fuckup.
Within six months, everything unraveled: their payment provider disconnected without warning, the pandemic killed key brand partnerships, the regulator suddenly changed its stance, and they lost half of their user base.
"For three months, I searched everywhere for a Chapulín Colorado to save us. In the end, we had to sell most of the company—and we lost control."
Jorge openly acknowledged their strategic mistakes: focusing on B2C when their real client was the AFORE system, relying solely on debit payments, and failing to pivot fast enough during the pandemic.
Jorge’s key learnings:
What both speakers made clear at Finnosummit is that failure transforms you. As Jaime put it: “Growth doesn’t always mean moving outward or upward. Sometimes it means understanding who you are and what you can sustain without breaking.”
And Jorge echoed that idea: “Millas para el Retiro has a future today because of what we learned from those failures. Without that fuckup, I wouldn’t have the team I have now.”
Monica Gonzalez Sienra, Events Operations Director at Finnosummit, summarized the collaboration perfectly:
“We truly value the time and preparation you put into your FUN session for the Beyond Stage. We received very positive feedback.”
Because in fintech—and in almost every industry—success is only part of the story.
At Fuckup Nights, we’ve seen it again and again: teams grow stronger when they dare to talk about what didn’t work. When, instead of hiding failure, they share it and transform it..
“Even in fintech, setbacks hold powerful lessons. Mistakes aren’t failures—they’re the engine behind new opportunities.”
— @fuckupnights_esp
At Fuckup Nights, we design meaningful experiences that help teams reconnect through vulnerability, strengthen their culture, and turn mistakes into collective learning.
👉 Ready to bring Fuckup Nights to your organization?
Contact us to discuss your goals, and we'll tailor a unique experience for your team.
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Let's transform our perception of failure and use it as a catalyst for growth.
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