Clay Wilkes

Clay Wilkes had already been retired for six years when he launched Galileo Financial Services in 2000. The serial entrepreneur, who had been an early pioneer in telecommunications technologies (like voice over internet protocols), saw the need for better connectivity between secondary services and financial institutions 19 years ago, just as new digital services around payroll processing, transit vouchers, store cards and other services were launching. Now the company runs the backend integrations with financial institutions for some of the biggest names in financial technology and has just raised $77 million in financing from Accel Partners. The Salt Lake City-based startup is planning to greatly expand its geographical reach beyond North America. Clay is the visionary behind Galileo’s sophisticated payments platform and the company’s long list of innovations and industry firsts, including the Galileo Securities Solution, Galileo Money+ and Galileo Instant Issuing. Under his leadership, Galileo has developed the tech that powers the world’s leading fintechs, financial institutions and investment firms. Clay’s love of technology started early and he spent his formative years hunkered down in high school and university computer labs in his native Oregon. He launched his professional career developing communications and operating systems for Sperry, IBM and Novell. In 1994 Clay founded I-Link, which developed Voice Over IP and the world’s first switchless voice network. As CEO, he took I-Link public and authored patents for VOIP. With his wife, Clay founded The Galileo Foundation, which provides opportunities for Galileo employees, clients, partners and their families to engage directly with people in Salt lake City, South America and Southeast Asia who are suffering from a lack of economic opportunity.