Send us a text

Miguel Armaza interviews Shensi Ding, Co-Founder of Merge, an integrations infrastructure platform that has quickly grown from serving early-stage startups to powering integration layers for some of the largest financial services companies in the world including Revolut, Airwallex, Ramp, Brex and many more. They have raised a total of $75 million from great investors including NEA, Addition, and Accel.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Building credibility with engineers and product teams
• Unique advantages of being a first-time founder. Plus some hard lessons learned.
• How customer obsession and early security investments shaped company strategy
• Why fundraising is a game with rules first-time founders need to learn... and a lot more! 

Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today’s global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.

Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join 75,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!

Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.

Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4Z

Miguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBc

Fintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

Send us a text

[Original air date, February 6, 2024]  Miguel Armaza sits down with David Magerman, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Differential Ventures, an early-stage fund that invests in data-focused entrepreneurs building enterprise technology.

In a past life, he spent 22 years in leadership roles at Renaissance Technologies (RenTech), a legendary hedge fund with over $100 billion in AUM and probably the most successful fund in history.

David is also a contrarian thinker and a non-conformist, which made our conversation even more interesting.

We discuss:

• How David and a small group of engineers helped introduce quantitative data science to trading and public capital markets investing
• Why he is highly skeptical of the new wave of GenAI
• A very convincing argument to introduce friction in online communication processes to restore balance and reduce its negative effects on society… and a lot more! 

Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today’s global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.

Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join 70,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!

Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.

Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4Z

Miguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBc

Fintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

Send us a text

Miguel Armaza interviews Ryan Graciano, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Credit Karma, one of the most successful fintech companies serving over 130 million customers. Credit Karma was bought by Intuit for $7.1bn in 2020, marking one of fintech’s largest acquisitions ever. Ryan began his journey as CTO after a brief stint at IBM and helped build Credit Karma from the ground up since 2007.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Key technical decisions that shaped Credit Karma's success
• Ryan's vision for the future of AI in personal finance
• Lessons from raising capital and building the company during the global financial crisis
• How to create excitement and drive organizational transformation... and a lot more!

Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today’s global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.

Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join 70,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!

Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.

Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4Z

Miguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBc

Fintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

Send us a text

Miguel Armaza welcomes back Jackie Reses, CEO and Co-Founder of Lead Bank, a pioneering bank reimagining modern financial infrastructure and fintech partnerships. Jackie previously held leadership roles at Square and Yahoo, and served on the board of Alibaba, working alongside visionaries like Jack Dorsey and Jack Ma.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How Lead Bank achieved instant product-market fit before even acquiring their bank charter
• Why banking regulation needs a "first principles" rethinking approach and why the CFPB may need significant reform
• The evolution of AI in financial services and why regulators are becoming more open to algorithmic innovation
• Invaluable leadership lessons from working with Masayoshi Son, Jack Ma, and Jack Dorsey... and lots more!

Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today’s global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.

Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join ~70,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!

Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.

Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4Z

Miguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBc

Fintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

Send us a text

Miguel Armaza interviews John Waldmann, Founder & CEO of Homebase, a company on a mission to help modernize local business teams in the US. Since launching in 2014, Homebase has grown to support over 150,000 businesses and 3.8 million workers, processing hundreds of millions of shifts annually.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why founders should have more courage and conviction in their early cultural choices
• Creating a culture of ownership and high-velocity decision-making
• The dangers of consensus decision-making and the power of individual ownership
• How to maintain operational velocity as you scale… and lots more!

Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today’s global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.

Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join ~70,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!

Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.

Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4Z

Miguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBc

Fintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

Send us a text

Miguel Armaza interviews Howard Lindzon, a seasoned investor, entrepreneur, and founder of StockTwits, the largest social network for investors and traders. Howard is also the founder of Social Leverage, a venture capital firm that has backed great companies like Robinhood and eToro.

Often called "The Larry David of Finance" for his candid, no-nonsense takes on markets and investing, his newsletter and sharp social media commentary have earned him a loyal following among investors and entrepreneurs alike – not for sugar-coating reality, but for calling it exactly as he sees it.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why public market investing experience makes better early-stage investors
• His philosophy and approach to missing big opportunities, including Twitter, Zynga, and Carta
• The evolution of markets from Web2 to the all-consuming "degenerate economy"
• Markets may be rigged, but once you know the rules of the game, you can still win big... and a lot more!

Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today’s global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.

Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join ~70,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!

Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.

Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4Z

Miguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBc

Fintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

Send us a text

Miguel Armaza interviews Ali Hamed, Co-Founder of Treville (formerly CoVenture), a $2 Billion investment firm that's breaking traditional asset class boundaries. Hamed has built one of the most distinctive firms in the industry, combining venture capital, credit, and asset-backed strategies with a uniquely rigorous approach - all starting from cold emails during his college days.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The "founder fair" philosophy and lessons from partnering with Michael Ovitz
• How to maintain control of your time while building authentic relationships and a powerful network
• Why investing across multiple asset classes creates a competitive edge
• Creating a culture of speed, intensity and conviction... and a lot more!

Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today’s global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.

Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join ~70,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!

Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.

Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4Z

Miguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBc

Fintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

Send us a text

Miguel Armaza interviews Savneet Singh, CEO of PAR Technology (NYSE: PAR), a company he helped transform from a struggling legacy hardware with a small market cap into a thriving restaurant technology leader now worth nearly $3 billion in the public markets.

When Savneet joined PAR's board in 2018, he found a company facing multiple crises - from DOJ investigations and activist investors to negative customer satisfaction scores and just $3.4 million in cash reserves. What started as a temporary CEO role to help sell the company evolved into a remarkable turnaround story.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The art of corporate triage and how to prioritize when everything is on fire
• Building conviction to make non-consensus bets as a leader
• Key lessons from M&A strategy and product integration
• The reality of transforming a public company while "changing the wheels in motion"... and a lot more!

Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today’s global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.

Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join ~70,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!

Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.

Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4Z

Miguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBc

Fintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

Send us a text

We bring you a compilation of some of the best and most popular episodes of 2024. The guests of this episode have either founded or held key leadership roles in companies with a $200 Billion combined market cap, including Capital One, Kaspi, Mercado Libre, and Xero.

It was an amazing year for Fintech Leaders with 42 new guests from 13 countries. Our interviews were viewed almost 3 million times across all platforms and we reached people in 184 countries. Thank you for tuning for what was an amazing year and I’m excited to bring you a 2025 full of rockstar business leaders.

In this episode, you'll hear from:

1. Mikhail Lomtadze, CEO of Kaspi.kz (Nasdaq:KSPI)
2. Diya Jolly, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Xero
3. Pedro Arnt, CEO of dLocal (NASDAQ:DLO)
4. Eric Poirier, CEO of Addepar
5. Nigel Morris, Co-Founder of QED & Capital One
6. Rujul Zaparde, CEO & Co-Founder of Zip
7. Jack Zhang, CEO & Co-Founder of Airwallex

Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today’s global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.

Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join ~70,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!

Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.

Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4Z

Miguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBc

Fintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

Send us a text

[Original air date, March 21, 2023]  For this Christmas Eve episode, I revisit my 2023 interview with Adam Nash, Co-Founder and CEO of Daffy, a special fintech platform that encourages charitable giving.

Giving to charity is a powerful way to create change; even a small contribution to the right cause can transform lives and it’s a chance to make a real difference. As the year comes to an end and you get a chance to reflect back, I encourage you to learn more about Daffy. Adam was nice enough to provide a $25 bonus for Fintech Leaders subscribers → sign-up today to get an extra $25 for charity when you join Daffy. Claim your $25 here!

Adam is also a fintech veteran and prolific angel investor, who has been on the boards of Shift and Acorns, and was previously CEO of Wealthfront. He previously held leadership roles at Dropbox, LinkedIn, eBay, and Apple.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Adam’s journey at Silicon Valley and what it was like to work with Steve Jobs at Next & Apple
• Building the first fully functioning donor-advised fund in the app store and how Daffy is helping people give more to charity
• Lessons from the role of the CEO and why it’s the only role that truly understands how a company’s pieces are going to fit together
• Why Adam remains excited and bullish on consumer-focused fintech businesses, the importance of building a great team… and a lot more!

Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today’s global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.

Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join ~70,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!

Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.

Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4Z

Miguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBc

Fintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp