Accion VentureKast

In episode four of VentureKast: Rebuild, Managing Partner at QED Investors and co-Founder of Capital One Nigel Morris describes how his fintech portfolio is navigating the challenges presented by COVID-19. Despite the fallout of the crisis, Nigel reassures us that that the fundamental theses around “investing in consumer-centric, value-creating, [and] digitally oriented” businesses will remain at the core of QED’s investment hypotheses. Nigel leaves us with an encouraging vision for the future relationship between the traditional banking sector and fintechs: one that leads to transparent and fair financial services for the underserved.

In episode three of VentureKast: Rebuild, NOW Money’s Katharine Budd explains how her UAE-based startup is accelerating its offerings to its underserved migrant worker customers to help them cope with the challenges of a contactless world. She explains how reliance on in-person financial services has had severe consequences for the financially underserved, especially during this moment, and how fintechs like NOW Money are stepping in to provide better, cheaper, and more reliable offerings.

In episode two of VentureKast: Rebuild, we spoke with Flourish Ventures’ Tilman Ehrbeck on the repercussions of the COVID-19 crisis for fintech investors and entrepreneurs. Tilman offers an optimistic view of the fintech and impact investing space and explains how the rapid acceleration of digital financial services could ultimately offer a path to a more financially inclusive world.

On the season premier of VentureKast: Rebuild, we spoke with Community Investment Management's Jacob Haar about the challenges that lenders and borrowers are facing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jacob tells us how fintechs are uniquely positioned to respond to these challenges and continue driving inclusive finance in this new environment.

On this special live webinar episode of VentureKast, we’ll discuss how early-stage companies should start designing and implementing data protection strategies. Edward and Corey talk with Earl St. Sauver, co-founder and CTO of Apollo Agriculture, a tech-enabled, input financing solution based in Kenya, and Neil Welman, co-founder and CTO of Lulalend, an all-digital, SME lender in South Africa. Earl and Neil share lessons from building their data protection strategies and take questions from listeners. You’ll learn about how they both anticipate and mitigate data security risks, how they build a culture of data protection across their technical and non-technical teams, and what they wish they had known or done differently with regard to data protection.

On this episode, Vikas sits down with David Gluckman, co-founder and CEO of Lumkani. Lumkani pairs a proprietary, Internet-of-Things heat detector with insurance products that protect life, shelter, and assets from home fires in informal settlements in South Africa. Approximately 10 million South Africans live in informal settlements communities and can be devastated by shack fires which can quickly spread to the surrounding neighbors if they are not alerted. Lumkani both prevents the spreading of fires as well as serves as a lifeline to customers whose homes and property are destroyed.

On this episode, Vikas sits down with James Garvey, Founder and CEO of Self Lender. Self Lender helps customers who have damaged credit or limited credit history to improve their scores through an all-digital “Credit Builder” loan. Over 100 million Americans have either low or non-existent credit scores, impeding their ability to get an auto loan, a mortgage for a new home, or to recover from a financial shock. Through Self Lender, James helps thousands of Americans build credit a history and savings, essential components to financial freedom.

On this episode, Vikas sits down with Rose Goslinga, Founder and CEO of Pula. Pula is the first Venture Lab company that is providing agricultural insurance to smallholder farmers around the world. Rose explains how she identified the crucial need for insurance to help protect farmers from droughts, floods and pests, and ultimately live more secure lives. Through Pula, Rose helps to mitigate risks to farmers and provide them with farming advice so that their customers “can be the best farmers they can be”.

On this episode, Vikas sits down with Tunde Kehinde, Founder and CEO of Lidya. Lidya has created a mobile and online platform which allows small businesses to apply for financing, get assessed and receive capital in 1 day or less. Tunde explains how his background and prior startup experience led him to found Lidya, and how he is building a scalable fintech platform that “can deliver a solution…that makes sense for the small business owner.”

On this episode, Vikas sits down with Patrick Lynch, Founder and CEO of First Circle. First Circle uses an all-digital process to lend at scale to small businesses in the Philippines that have historically been ignored by banks. Patrick explains how technology is allowing him to lower the cost of servicing his clients, and how he is building a scalable and impactful business where “every dollar of revenue made is a function of their clients winning.”