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In our latest episode of the Wharton FinTech Podcast, Miguel Armaza (WG'21/G'21) is joined by Monica Brand Engel, Co-Founder and Partner at Quona, a venture capital firm that invests in growth-stage financial technology companies in emerging markets. Quona Capital is a venture capital firm that invests in growth-stage financial technology companies in emerging markets. The firm was formed with a simple idea - technology has the power to radically improve the quality, access, and affordability of financial services for underserved consumers and businesses in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Quona invests in disruptive innovations to create a more financially inclusive world. Monica Brand Engel is a Co-Founder and Partner at Quona, where she focuses on global investments. Monica is an investor and entrepreneur, having launched a number of investment vehicles and products aimed at broadening financial inclusion. Before co-founding Quona, Monica was the founder and Managing Director of Accion Frontier Investments Group, a growth stage fintech portfolio. She also launched and managed Accion's Marketing and Product Development Unit, where she oversaw the creation of new financial services to move the industry beyond microcredit, and worked in Mexico with Compartamos Bank, the largest microfinance institution in Latin America which IPO'd in 2007. Monica started and co-taught a graduate level course on financial inclusion and impact investing for over a decade at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, with the goal of disseminating lessons learned and promoting investment approaches that will help mainstream the industry. She has also co-authored a chapter on equity in impact investing in a book, New Frontiers of Philanthropy, and was a founding member of the Impact Investment Advisory Council established by the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association. Monica has served on the boards of Sokowatch, Yoco, Azimo, Zoona, GloboKasNet, Shubham Housing, Paralife, Compartamos Bank, and Pay Rent Builds Credit. Monica chairs the Investor Representative Committee of LeapFrog Financial Inclusion Fund I, the world’s first microinsurance fund. Monica holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, a Master of Arts from Stanford University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Williams College. In this extensive interview, Monica shares: -Her personal background. How growing up in a multicultural and multi-religious family, shaped her belief that what connects us is much more powerful than what differentiates us -Why she is convinced Venture Capital can be a powerful tool for good How she became a big believer in the power of financial services to affect change in underserved markets -The notable challenges of launching a VC firm aimed at financial inclusion in 2014 -The most important lessons she learned from her mentor and former boss, Michael Chu -How to succeed in VC. The importance of building a good team with strong track record and relevant operational expertise, while having a clear and specific thesis -Why "panicking" early is an important philosophy in business and the value of always preparing for the worst -Monica's take on the lessons COVID-19 has brought to light and why Quona could not have existed 15 years ago -Why Quona remains super bullish about the future of financial services and financial inclusion and why she's excited about the Alternative Lending and Neobanking spaces
Ron is the Chairman and CEO of the Wall Street Blockchain Alliance, the world’s leading non-profit trade association promoting the comprehensive adoption of blockchain technology and crypto-assets across global financial markets. Prior to this, Ron served as CEO of DerivaTrust Technologies, a pioneering software and technology firm for financial market participants. Ron also wrote “Blockchain in Financial Markets and Beyond: Challenges and Applications. He is a well-known speaker in the fields of financial technology and innovation, serving as an advisor to multiple startups and corporations focused on fintech innovation & blockchain technology. For more information on WSBA please contact: info@wsba.co Twitter handle: @WallStreetBTC @ronqman
In our latest episode of the Wharton Fintech podcast, Miguel Armaza (WG'21/G'21) is joined by Nicky Goulimis, COO & Co-Founder of Nova Credit, a mission-driven company solving the problem of credit access for immigrants. Join us as Nicky shares her inspiring story. Nicky Goulimis is the co-founder and COO of Nova Credit. Prior to Nova, she was a consultant at Bain & Company where she worked with a number of European Retail Banks. Nicky began her career in the international development space working for Ethiopia's Ministry of Agriculture on its smallholder farmer financial access initiatives. Nicky is originally from Greece and grew up in the U.K. She holds a BA from Cambridge and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where she was awarded the Miller Social Change Leadership Award. Nova Credit is a mission-driven company solving the problem of credit access for immigrants. The company's platform offers cross-border consumer credit services that passes reports onto lenders, property managers and other domestic businesses so that they can make more informed determination on whether to accept or reject a credit application, enabling immigrants to seek financial services, housing and more when moving abroad through a digital credit passport software that helps lenders to view creditor's history. In this extensive interview, Nicky shares: (i)How the challenges Nicky faced as an international student at Stanford drove her and her co-founder, Misha, to build and launch Nova Credit (ii)Why she considers herself an accidental founder, what led her to fall in love with the entrepreneurial process, and how she decided to take Nova Credit from a class project to a full-fledged company (iii)Some of the nuances of launching a startup as an MBA student, including submitting Nova Credit's Y-Combinator application from the Mongolian mountains (iv)The initial steps they took to build Nova Credit and the importance of validating and iterating an idea with potential partners and customers (v)The process and reasons behind their rapid client transition from servicing small credit unions to quickly landing some of the biggest financial institutions in the world (vi)Their value proposition to international credit bureaus and the nature of their strong relationships with multiple regulators around the world (vii)The company's multifaceted recruiting approach to building a world-class team and their conscious effort to attract diverse talent and create a scalable culture of radical ownership (viii)Nicky's advice and words of wisdom for current and aspiring founders
Andrée is the President and Chief Executive Officer of FINCA Impact Finance, or FIF, a global network of microfinance banks and institutions. FIF’s network of 20 community-based banks provides responsible financial services such as affordable loans and saving products that empower more than two million low-income women and men to take control of their financial futures in countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, Afghanistan and more. Previously, she served as Co-CEO of FINCA Microfinance Holding Company as well as VP and COO of FINCA International, returning to the organization after serving for several years as the President and COO of Women for Women International - a humanitarian organization dedicated to financial, educational, and interpersonal support of women survivors of war, poverty, and injustice. Prior to Women to Women, Andrée served as Deputy to the President & CEO of FINCA, where she was critical in redesigning the organization’s business model from a donor-based non-profit to a for-profit operating structure still doing good. She earned her undergraduate degree in international relations from the University of Virginia, an M.A. from The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and her M.B.A. in Finance right here at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School as part of the Class of 1999.
Omri serves as Marqeta’s chief revenue officer and is accountable for the company’s growth and financial performance. After joining Marqeta’s early team, he helped pioneer the organization’s customer acquisition and growth strategies which, along with Marqeta’s award- winning technology, catapulted Marqeta’s modern card issuing platform into a global, industry-defining business. Omri began his career within the White House, eventually transitioning to the private sector, where he established a reputation for building world-class teams who develop transformational ideas into high-growth businesses. As a partner at The Trium Group, he advised CEOs and executive teams of multinational organizations including AXA, Barclays, and Virgin Atlantic, helping the firm to grow into a leading global strategy consultancy. Omri is a frequent speaker at international and domestic conferences and is a featured guest lecturer at the Columbia Business School’s Institute for Personal Leadership. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California at Berkeley and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Rachna Ahlawat is co-founder and executive vice president of Ondot systems, a leading mobile payment service provider. Ondot Systems is the creator of Mobile Card Services, a white-label solution that gives consumers control over payment cards. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Ondot brings together an experienced management team from mobile, security, and payment card industries who share a vision of transforming how consumers interact with their financial institutions. Rachna shares her experience founding a company, Ondot's mission, key features such as data enrichment and the increasing role of smartphones in the banking system.
In our latest podcast, recorded late last summer, Shompa Choudhury (WG ’20) is joined by Arpit Ratan, Co-Founder and Head of Business Development of Signzy (https://signzy.com/). Signzy is a FinTech startup offering digital onboarding solutions to enable secure digital compliance via artificial intelligence and blockchain. In this interview, Arpit explains how he chose to embark on a career in FinTech after studying and practicing the law. India’s ever-growing FinTech landscape features a plethora of players – from incumbents to digital players to the government. With Signzy’s role as a data and technology-based enabler for financial services, Arpit provides valuable insights into the dynamics between various players as well as the role of data and regulations in the future of Indian FinTech. Amidst the economic and social challenges that have arisen from the current crisis, it has become even more important to evaluate how data and technology can enable various FinTech players without sacrificing the security of customers. Established in 2015, Signzy aims to build a global digital trust system with three components: (1) the ability to uniquely identify and authenticate entities, (2) the ability to access background information on these entities, and (3) the establishment of a system of rewards and punishments to reinforce trust. Today, Signzy offers a digital on-boarding solution for banks, NBFCs and other financial institutions. While most banking services in India are transitioning to digital, regulatory compliance remains largely offline and hampers consumer experience. Changing consumer preferences demand a shift to digital regulatory processes (including KYC or Know-Your-Customer), however moving to digital can expose higher risks. Signzy believes that through a combination of artificial intelligence and blockchain, they can ensure that digital compliance is convenient yet secure. Arpit studied and practiced law before founding this startup with his brother – and has ever since embarked on the journey to make digital financial services more secure and accessible through what he calls a global digital trust system. He co-founded Signzy in 2015 with his brother Ankit, who is currently the Head of Product. Along with the various accolades that Signzy has received for its innovative approach to solving regulation with data, Arpit himself has been recognized as Forbes 30 Under 30.
In this podcast, recorded late last summer, Shompa Choudhury (WG ’20) is joined by Alok Mittal, Co-Founder and CEO of Indifi (https://www.indifi.com/). Indifi is a leading online lending platform for businesses in India. In this extensive interview, Alok explains how Indifi is leading the way in India’s competitive but growing small-business lending space. Alok also lays out the landscape for lending in India including the competitive dynamics between incumbents and new players, as well as new opportunities and challenges as technologies, regulations and consumer behavior evolve. Amidst the economic and social challenges that have arisen from the current crisis, it has become even more important to evaluate the role of FinTech innovation in sustaining growth.
In our latest podcast, Keane Ehsani (WG ’20) is joined by Terry Angelos, SVP and Global Head of FinTech at Visa (NYSE: V) (https://usa.visa.com). In this interview, Terry explains how Visa uses its global network to help the world’s most innovative FinTechs by collaborating to develop new modes of commerce and new ways to pay. Terry also discusses the Visa Fast Track program (https://usa.visa.com/partner-with-us/info-for-partners/info-for-fintechs.html) for FinTech partners, exciting trends in the payments space, and how Visa is building a network of networks to facilitate more payment flows. Visa is the world’s leader in digital payments. Visa’s mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Their advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. Visa’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of connected commerce on any device, and a driving force behind the dream of a cashless future for everyone, everywhere. Terry Angelos is SVP and Global Head of FinTech at Visa. At Visa, Terry is responsible for leading global strategy and programs focusing on how Visa engages with, invests in, and partners with innovative FinTechs that are creating new payment solutions and capabilities that drive the payments ecosystem. Previously, Terry was Global Head of Commerce & Merchant Data Products at Visa, helping merchants grow their businesses and build customer loyalty through a suite of data-driven products and services built on the world’s largest electronic payment network. Prior to his role in Commerce & Merchant Data Products, Terry led Visa Commerce Network. In 2006, Terry co-founded and served as CEO of TrialPay, which was acquired by Visa in 2015. Terry has over 15 years of experience in product strategy, development, and management. He holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from WITS University, an SM in Engineering Science from Harvard University, and an MBA from MIT Sloan.
In this podcast, Ines Gonzalez del Mazo speaks with Nitai Bran, CEO of Tradeblock and John Todaro, Director of Research. Tradeblock is a company leader in the provision of institutional trading tools and research for digital currencies. It was founded in 2013 and has its headquarters in NYC. More specifically Tradeblock: - Provides a professional platform for institutional bitcoin traders, featuring market analytics, blockchain insights, order management, trade execution, team communication, and compliance automation. - Creates and publishes a robust bitcoin index, uniquely designed to prevent manipulation, serving as the reference rate for tens of millions of dollars of registered derivative products. - Provides data services: analyses on market data relating to cryptocurrencies, trading, regulations, mining, protocol updates, blockchain analysis, and economic developments. Nitai Bran Bio: Nitai Bran is the CEO of TradeBlock. Prior to joining TradeBlock, Nitai worked for a technology consultant leading ERP implementations for Fortune 500 companies operating across Latin America. Soon after, he designed a platform to visualize SAP data on mobile devices. Based on initial success, the product was spun-off into a dedicated Business Intelligence company that was established in NYC and operated for four years. John Todaro Bio: John Todaro is the head of digital currency research at TradeBlock. TradeBlock reports have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Reuters, CNBC, Coindesk, Cointelegraph, and other media outlets. Prior to joining TradeBlock, John founded and managed a digital currency fund and began his career in the sales & trading division of Citigroup. John is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania
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