In this fireside chat, Payactiv CEO and Earned Wage Access inventor Safwan Shah explores how EWA has rapidly evolved from a novel concept into an essential workplace expectation. The conversation examines why empowering employees with responsible control over their financial trajectory acts as a fundamental gesture of trust that benefits both employees and employers.
Designed for leaders interested in the intersection of employee well-being and business results.
You’ll learn:
-
How EWA became a workplace standard
-
Why financial access reduces workforce stress
-
How employee financial control drives retention, focus, engagement, and mutual business growth
Speakers:
Safwan Shah
Founder and CEO
Safwan Shah is the founder and CEO of Payactiv, the company that pioneered Earned Wage Access (EWA) by challenging a deeply embedded assumption in modern work: why should people wait weeks to be paid for work they have already done? That single question helped spark a movement in the United States and gave rise to a new global category at the intersection of payroll, fintech, and human dignity.
Through partnerships with leading payroll and HCM platforms, Payactiv has delivered more than $20 billion in interest-free, on demand access to earned wages, enabling millions of workers to manage their livelihoods with greater control, stability, and without taking on additional debt.
Safwan holds a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he conducted early research in neural networks and AI and worked on NASA space-shuttle experiments. He is a recipient of the George Norlin Award, the university’s highest alumni honor for service to society. He serves on the board of Conscious Capitalism and has taught at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and UC Santa Cruz’s Baskin School of Engineering.
Based in Silicon Valley, Safwan continues to explore the intersection of technology, humanity, and time, asking not only what is possible, but what is right.
Peter Canter
Principal Partner Relationship Manager