In this episode of the Wharton Fintech podcast, Djavaneh sits down with Robbie Figueroa, co-founder and former COO of Maza, now Chief Business Officer at Flex following Maza and Flex’s merger in late 2024.

Robbie shares how growing up in Queens with immigrant parents from Brazil and Ecuador inspired him to tackle financial exclusion. What started as a Spanish-first neobank for underbanked consumers evolved into a platform tailored to solopreneurs operating in the informal economy. From onboarding thousands of users to building ITIN application tools and automating entity formation, Maza met customers where they were, and grew alongside them.

We discuss:

How Maza identified and served Spanish-speaking solopreneurs

Why distribution often beats product innovation in fintech

The strategic fit between Maza and Flex and what’s next

Robbie also shares hard-won advice for early-stage founders and reflects on what it takes to build products that truly resonate with underserved users.

Whether you’re passionate about inclusive fintech, curious about startup pivots, or exploring founder-to-operator transitions, this episode is full of insight.