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While Silicon Valley and New York ’ s financial quarters are often touted as thriving fintech ecosystems , Los Angeles has no shortage of contenders looking to disrupt this belief . The city has , in recent years , seen a growth in both startup activity and venture capital investments , which has fuelled momentum for several of LA ’ s leading fintechs including Aspiration , Tala and Honey . Those involved in LA fintech , state the city ’ s rich and vibrant culture as a key driver for innovation , with Andrei Cherny , founder and CEO of Aspiration Partners – which offers banking and investing solutions – stating that “ there is a lot of groupthink and inside-the-bubble mentality [...] by not being locked into the pack mentality , it lets you experiment and innovate in new ways .” www . fintechmagazine . com