Flourish Ventures

What does email architecture and #blockchain based payments have in common? Zone Co-founder and CEO Obi Emetarom offers an analogy on how Africa’s #PaymentInfrastructure will evolve in the coming decades. Check out the short clip below and be sure to catch the full interview on demand when, together with Flourish Africa Investor Ameya Upadhyay, they discuss how blockchain can redefine the payment infrastructure in Africa. https://bit.ly/469Aq2l

What does it mean to be a fintech venture fund with purpose? Flourish Principal Efayomi Carr joins the Unlocking Africa Podcast with Terser Adamu to discuss our efforts to support mission-driven #fintech founders throughout Africa as they build towards a more fair finance system. He also dives into other current issues impacting African founders including navigating regulatory frameworks and policy landscapes, and offers advice for avoiding the pitfalls founders face as they scale their businesses. Tune in to the full podcast episode here: https://bit.ly/3y3ZwD5 

Please join us in welcoming Shivam Satija, FMVA®, our new Senior Investment Analyst. Shivam brings solid expertise in #fintech as well as leadership skills in #SocialEntrepreneurship in Delhi, India. He’ll be valuable in helping us discover and support purpose-driven fintechs throughout Southeast Asia and India. We’re excited about his perspectives and are thrilled to have him as part of the Flourish team.

We’re excited to see three of our global digital fintech portfolio companies be named to CNBC’s World’s Top 250 Fintechs! Join us in congratulating these #fintech standouts based in the US, Brazil and Africa, respectively Chime: Neobank Category Neon: Neobank Category Flutterwave: Payments Category We’re thrilled to be their partner and support the growth and impact they've had on the #FinancialHealth of the customers they serve.  #Fintech #CNBCTop250 #Neobank #Payments

In our latest #FlourishFocus, we explore how global #Fintech Zone is blending #blockchain with traditional finance to improve the payment infrastructure in Nigeria. Obi Emetarom, Co-founder and CEO of Zone, joins Flourish Africa investor, Ameya Upadhyay to discuss how the startup’s fully licensed and compliant approach is enabling payments, issuing currencieces and gaining trust from established financial institutions in Africa. Check out the short clip and catch the full Flourish Focus interview on how blockchain is redefining the #PaymentInfrastructure in Africa here: https://lnkd.in/ew7hMU2c 

Please join us in congratulating Pranav Mittal and wishing him the very best as he pursues his MBA degree at Harvard Business School. While we’re excited for his next chapter, we already miss his presence, contributions and wonderful smile! Pranav played an instrumental role in supporting our SE Asia and India fintech portfolio and helping their customers achieve financial health and prosperity. His dedication, insights, and commitment to our Fair Finance principles left a lasting impression on all of us. Best of luck Pranav! We can’t wait to hear all about your achievements and look forward to getting regular updates!

Female fintech co-founder & CEO Sucharita Mukherjee shared insights with Hans Koning at the Global SME Finance Forum on how Kaleidofin is changing the financial landscape for under-banked SMEs. She discussed the power of their data-driven platform and the critical role of digitizatizing SME financing in India. Catch the replay here: https://bit.ly/3KRk7xe

Today, #EmbeddedFinance helps millions of small businesses and individuals get paid faster, obtain better financing terms, and take control of their money. Yet, with recent consent orders for banks that participate in #BaaS, some in the industry are saying it could be the beginning of the end for #fintech. Unit CCO Amanda Swoverland thinks otherwise and demonstrates with historical context of past consent orders how they actually can provide an opportunity for innovation & expansion. Here’s why:

The past two years have been tough for #fintech founders. They’ve endured many changes brought on by the pandemic while navigating a market over-correction that, in many cases, led to funding challenges, layoffs, and compounding personal stress. These challenges have caused many, even those running profitable and impactful companies, to reach a breaking point. Flourish Managing Partner Emmalyn Shaw and Global Head of Human Capital, Lisa Mikkelsen explore the impact of these challenges and offer ways that investors can support #FounderWellbeing. (Hint: #PsychologicalSafety is key.) Check out the article on The Financial Revolutionist and learn what psychological safety is, why it’s so important for investors to nurture it, and how doing so creates high-performing teams. https://lnkd.in/gycdgiBm #MentalHealth #WorkLifeBalance

Nigeria's payment infrastructure struggles with frequent transaction failures. #Blockchain technology, licensed by the country’s Central Bank, is changing the narrative. Join us tomorrow for a Flourish Focus with Africa investor Ameya Upadhyay and Obi Emetarom, Co-founder and CEO of rising fintech Zone for an in-depth look at how blockchain technology is directly connecting banks and fintechs in Nigeria, removing the role of a central intermediary and consequently, boosting transaction success rates. Learn about Zone’s approach to scaling, the importance of building strong relationships with regulators, and repeat founder’s advice for building a strong workplace culture. You still have time to register. Learn more and RSVP here: