Finscale in English: Recent Episodes
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Find out how to take advantage of innovations taking place in the financial industry and how the actors involved respond to them.
In this podcast, I sit down with people in the financial sector who are transforming the industry with some of the best innovations taking place and who, on a daily basis, are always addressing the needs of their customers.
From entrepreneurs in Fintech & Insurtech to decision-makers of financial institutions, together we sit down to decode what they’re doing: from the idea that sparked things all the way through to their implementation and the results. Each week, I interview a guest to learn lessons and get inspired to help the finance industry progress. Straight talking!
This podcast is available in French and English.
Subscribe, stay tuned and enjoy listening!
Format of the show: more or less 35 minutes.
Credentials music :
- Sneaky Snitch Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
- Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
In this episode, I welcome Raphaëlle d'Ornano, founder of Decoding Discontinuity, both an advisory firm and an investment fund, for a conversation about agentic AI, architectural resilience, and what it really means to invest in a world where business models are being fundamentally rewritten.
We talked about:
- Orchestration as the real competitive moat of AI labs: why only 11% of enterprise builders switched AI providers last year despite the switch being technically trivial, and what that paradox reveals about where lock-in actually lives
- The concept of architectural resilience: why analysing classical competitive advantages no longer makes sense if a company's terminal value is drifting toward zero because of AI
- Warren Buffett's castle metaphor revisited: attacks now come from the sky and from the foundations, not through the front door
- The choice of a hedge fund over a venture capital structure: how her framework, companies going to the moon vs. going to zero by 2030, maps better onto public assets across global markets
- The SaaSpocalypse: why historical SaaS categories (horizontal, vertical, infrastructure) are dissolving in a world of agent fleets, and why many companies' defensive positions are, in her view, short-lived
- The gap between US and European allocators: not a difference in intelligence, but in physical proximity to the AI labs, creating a lag of several months in real-world understanding
- The human side of the transition: how companies that face the truth honestly are beginning to redesign their workflows with intelligence at the core, rather than resisting the inevitable
A sharp, unfiltered conversation that gives concrete tools for thinking about company value in the age of agentic AI.
Raphaëlle's recommendation:
- “Letters” by Albert Camus & Maria Casarès https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/313959/letters-by-casares-albert-camus-and-maria/9780241400425
Useful links:
Raphaëlle d'Ornano: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelle-d-ornano/
Decoding Discontinuity : https://www.decodingdiscontinuity.com/
Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
Finscale is much more than a podcast.
It’s an ecosystem that connects key players in the financial sector through networking, coaching, and strategic partnerships.
Enjoy listening!
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, hosted by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
This is an excerpt of Solenne's conversation with Raphaëlle d'Ornano, Founder of Decoding Discontinuity.
Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
Finscale is much more than a podcast.
It’s an ecosystem that connects key players in the financial sector through networking, coaching, and strategic partnerships.
Enjoy listening!
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, hosted by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
In this episode, I welcome Anne Lucas, Founding Partner of Alt-a, for a conversation about executive search, board building, and leadership transitions in tech companies.
We discussed :
- Why finding alignment between founders and investors before a search even starts is the most critical — and most underestimated — part of a headhunter's job, illustrated by a CTO search where both parties said "we want an AI expert" but meant completely different things
- Three recurring hiring mistakes in tech: giving a C-level title prematurely, recruiting from large corporates without assessing context fit, and launching a search too late — given that a full process takes around six months from start to day one
- Why independent board members in Europe are still treated as a "would-be-nice" rather than a strategic lever, and why that is a governance mistake for companies planning an exit
- The four pillars of an effective board according to Anne: the right complementary skill set around the table, a culture of constructive conflict, strong relationships between founders and board members, and adherence to basic best practices like reading the board pack
- Why looking only for candidates who have "already done it" is a mistake — and how the real question should be "can they do it?", which often leads to more creative and better-fit profiles
- The leadership profile shift across growth stages: a zero-to-one builder thrives on chaos and ambiguity, while scaling from ten to a hundred requires structure and process — and the two profiles are rarely the same person
- How AI is reshaping the headhunting profession not by replacing human judgment, but by accelerating the labor-intensive parts of the job — leaving more time for the advisory and relationship work that actually drives results
Anne's perspective challenges the idea that governance and talent strategy are operational afterthoughts. This conversation is a reminder that the decisions made around people and boards shape a company's trajectory for years.
Anne’s recommendation :
- “The Athena Doctrine” by John Gerzema and Michael D'Antonio
Useful links:
Anne Lucas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-lucas-alta/
Alt-a: https://www.alt-a.co/
Finscale is much more than a podcast.
It’s an ecosystem that connects key players in the financial sector through networking, coaching, and strategic partnerships.
📢 With Finscale Private Talks, I bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and institutions for high-value private exchanges.
🎯 Through my coaching and advisory support, leaders and finance professionals can better structure their vision and accelerate their impact.
🤝 As for partnerships, they create unique opportunities to position yourself at the very heart of the industry’s transformation.
🔗 Discover all the initiatives on the Finscale website : https://finscale.business
Enjoy listening!
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, hosted by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
This is an excerpt of Solenne's conversation with Anne Lucast, Founding partner at Alta
Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
Finscale is much more than a podcast.
It’s an ecosystem that connects key players in the financial sector through networking, coaching, and strategic partnerships.
📢 With Finscale Private Talks, I bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and institutions for high-value private exchanges.
🎯 Through my coaching and advisory support, leaders and finance professionals can better structure their vision and accelerate their impact.
🤝 As for partnerships, they create unique opportunities to position yourself at the very heart of the industry’s transformation.
🔗 Discover all the initiatives on the Finscale website : https://finscale.business
Enjoy listening!
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, hosted by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
In this episode, I welcome Thomas Restout, Groupe CEO of B2C2, for a rigorous and highly technical conversation on crypto « market making » and the structural differences between traditional finance and blockchain-based markets. Unlike many discussions focused on price or retail narratives, this episode goes deep into balance sheet mechanics, risk management, derivatives infrastructure, and capital efficiency.
We discussed:
- How B2C2 works as a « digital asset securities bank » - providing continuous pricing, OTC execution, and derivatives solutions to institutions, exchanges, and token issuers.
- What market making really means in practice: aggregating fragmented liquidity, holding risk temporarily, and matching client flows / just like in FX, but 24/7.
- The full risk stack behind every trade: credit risk, settlement risk, liquidation risk, regulatory risk and why it's more complex than most people think.
- How B2C2 evolved from cross-exchange arbitrage in 2015 into a regulated OTC model built to compete with the world's top HFT firms.
- Why institutional adoption is « overstated » ETF exposure grew fast, but real on-chain adoption (wallets, stablecoins, infrastructure) is moving much slower than expected.
- Why blockchain settlement is a game changer: near-instant settlement reduces credit risk, speeds up balance sheet rotation, and can dramatically cut margin requirements in derivatives.
- How B2C2's trading engine works in practice: streaming prices via API, internalizing flows, and hedging across 50+ venues including ETFs, spot exchanges, perpetual futures, and DeFi.
A dense and highly educational exchange that connects traditional finance expertise with crypto-native infrastructure, and clarifies what truly changes, and what does not, when markets move on-chain.
Useful links:
Thomas Restout: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-restout-b2c2/
B2C2: http://www.b2c2.com
Finscale is much more than a podcast.
It’s an ecosystem that connects key players in the financial sector through networking, coaching, and strategic partnerships.
📢 With Finscale Private Talks, I bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and institutions for high-value private exchanges.
🎯 Through my coaching and advisory support, leaders and finance professionals can better structure their vision and accelerate their impact.
🤝 As for partnerships, they create unique opportunities to position yourself at the very heart of the industry’s transformation.
🔗 Discover all the initiatives on the Finscale website : https://finscale.business
Enjoy listening!
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, hosted by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
This is an excerpt of Solenne's conversation with Thomas Restout, Group CEO of B2C2
Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
Finscale is much more than a podcast.
It’s an ecosystem that connects key players in the financial sector through networking, coaching, and strategic partnerships.
📢 With Finscale Private Talks, I bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and institutions for high-value private exchanges.
🎯 Through my coaching and advisory support, leaders and finance professionals can better structure their vision and accelerate their impact.
🤝 As for partnerships, they create unique opportunities to position yourself at the very heart of the industry’s transformation.
🔗 Discover all the initiatives on the Finscale website : https://finscale.business
Enjoy listening!
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, hosted by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
In this episode, I speak with Robin Wauters, European tech ecosystem builder at EU-Inc, about a topic that goes far beyond startups and venture capital headlines: the structural fragmentation of Europe’s innovation landscape — and the ambitious idea behind EU Inc.
Unlike many Finscale conversations focused on a single company or founder journey, this episode zooms out. It explores whether Europe needs a new legal and financial framework to truly compete on a global scale — and what is structurally holding it back today.
We discussed:
- The origin of the EU Inc initiative: a proposal to create a single, pan-European corporate structure that would allow startups to incorporate once and operate seamlessly across all EU member states, instead of navigating 27 different legal systems.
- The concrete friction points founders face today in Europe — from incorporation and employee stock options to cross-border investment complexity — and how these barriers slow down scaling compared to the US.
- The political and regulatory challenges of building such a framework, including the tension between national sovereignty and the need for deeper integration to foster innovation.
- The role of capital markets in Europe, and why fragmentation in listing rules, taxation and supervision makes it harder to create true European champions.
- The broader competitiveness question: how Europe positions itself between the US and China in technology, capital formation and regulatory agility.
- The realistic path forward — what can be implemented pragmatically, what requires political courage, and why timing matters in the current geopolitical and economic context.
A thoughtful and strategic conversation about Europe’s future as a startup continent — not just in terms of funding rounds, but in terms of structural design.
Robin’s recommendation:
- Podcast “Stuff you should know”: https://stuffyoushouldknow.com/
Useful links:
Robin Wauters: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinwauters/
EU-Inc:https://www.eu-inc.org
Sirris: http://www.sirris.be
Finscale is much more than a podcast.
It’s an ecosystem that connects key players in the financial sector through networking, coaching, and strategic partnerships.
📢 With Finscale Private Talks, I bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and institutions for high-value private exchanges.
🎯 Through my coaching and advisory support, leaders and finance professionals can better structure their vision and accelerate their impact.
🤝 As for partnerships, they create unique opportunities to position yourself at the very heart of the industry’s transformation.
🔗 Discover all the initiatives on the Finscale website : https://finscale.business
Enjoy listening!
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, hosted by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
This is an excerpt of Solenne's conversation with Robin Wauters, European tech ecosystem builder at EU-Inc
Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
Finscale is much more than a podcast.
It’s an ecosystem that connects key players in the financial sector through networking, coaching, and strategic partnerships.
📢 With Finscale Private Talks, I bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and institutions for high-value private exchanges.
🎯 Through my coaching and advisory support, leaders and finance professionals can better structure their vision and accelerate their impact.
🤝 As for partnerships, they create unique opportunities to position yourself at the very heart of the industry’s transformation.
🔗 Discover all the initiatives on the Finscale website : https://finscale.business
Enjoy listening!
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, hosted by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
In this episode of Finscale, I welcome Jorn Lambert, Chief Product Officer at Mastercard, for a deep dive into the transformation of global payment infrastructure and the strategic role played by large technology-driven financial institutions. A conversation that goes far beyond cards and transactions, shedding light on how value actually moves in the financial system.
We discussed:
- Mastercard’s evolution from a payment network to a global technology and data company operating at the heart of financial infrastructure.
- How payments are becoming increasingly invisible, embedded and real-time, while growing in strategic importance for businesses and platforms.
- The role of data, analytics and AI in fraud prevention, risk management and decision-making across the payment value chain.
- The balance between innovation, regulation and resilience in a system that must operate continuously at global scale.
- The transformation of partnerships with banks, fintechs and corporates in an increasingly modular financial ecosystem.
- How digital identity, tokenisation and new rails are reshaping trust and security in payments.
- The challenges of governing and operating critical financial infrastructure in a world of accelerating technological change.
A clear and insightful conversation on the often unseen layers of finance, showing how payment infrastructure is quietly being rebuilt to support speed, security and global interoperability.
Useful links:
Jorn Lambert: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorn-lambert/
Mastercard: https://www.mastercard.com
Finscale is much more than a podcast.
It’s an ecosystem that connects key players in the financial sector through networking, coaching, and strategic partnerships.
📢 With Finscale Private Talks, I bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and institutions for high-value private exchanges.
🎯 Through my coaching and advisory support, leaders and finance professionals can better structure their vision and accelerate their impact.
🤝 As for partnerships, they create unique opportunities to position yourself at the very heart of the industry’s transformation.
🔗 Discover all the initiatives on the Finscale website : https://finscale.business
Enjoy listening!
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, hosted by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
This is an excerpt of Solenne's conversation with Jorn Lambert, Chief Product Officer at Mastercard
Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
Finscale is much more than a podcast.
It’s an ecosystem that connects key players in the financial sector through networking, coaching, and strategic partnerships.
📢 With Finscale Private Talks, I bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and institutions for high-value private exchanges.
🎯 Through my coaching and advisory support, leaders and finance professionals can better structure their vision and accelerate their impact.
🤝 As for partnerships, they create unique opportunities to position yourself at the very heart of the industry’s transformation.
🔗 Discover all the initiatives on the Finscale website : https://finscale.business
Enjoy listening!
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, hosted by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
In this episode of Finscale, I welcome Yoram Wijngaarde, Founder and CEO of Dealroom.co, for a sharp, data-backed conversation on what is really happening in the global tech and venture capital ecosystem.
Beyond headlines and hype, this episode offers a rare, factual look at how innovation, capital and power dynamics are shifting.
We discussed:
• Yoram’s journey from investment banking at Lehman Brothers to founding Dealroom, and how the financial crisis and M&A work with startups shaped his entrepreneurial path.
• How Dealroom evolved from a deal-making idea into a global data platform used by VCs, tech giants and more than 100 governments to understand and benchmark innovation ecosystems.
• The unique methodology behind Dealroom’s data, combining public sources, deep human-led research and contributions from a global community of investors, founders and universities.
• What the last 18–24 months really look like for venture capital, with global investment still far below 2021 peaks despite massive AI rounds, and Europe stabilising around €60bn per year.
• The growing gap between the US and Europe, driven by AI mega-deals, rising valuation multiples in the US, and Europe’s relative absence from the largest funding rounds.
• Sector-level shifts beyond AI, including the return of fintech through incumbents and infrastructure plays, and the explosive rise of deep tech and defense, security and resilience.
• How Dealroom is preparing for the next wave of AI, from transforming its internal development processes to building a shared global data layer for cities and startup ecosystems.
A clear, insightful episode that replaces speculation with data — and offers essential perspective for anyone navigating tech, venture capital or innovation today.
Yoram’s recommendation :
• Odd Lots, the Bloomberg podcast.
Useful links:
Yoram Wijngaarde: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoramdw/
Dealroom.co: https://dealroom.co/
Finscale is much more than a podcast.
It’s an ecosystem that connects key players in the financial sector through networking, coaching, and strategic partnerships.
📢 With Finscale Private Talks, I bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and institutions for high-value private exchanges.
🎯 Through my coaching and advisory support, leaders and finance professionals can better structure their vision and accelerate their impact.
🤝 As for partnerships, they create unique opportunities to position yourself at the very heart of the industry’s transformation.
🔗 Discover all the initiatives on the Finscale website : https://finscale.business
Enjoy listening!
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, hosted by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
This is an excerpt of Solenne's conversation with Yoram Wijngaarde, Founder and CEO at Dealroom.co.
Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
Finscale is much more than a podcast.
It’s an ecosystem that connects key players in the financial sector through networking, coaching, and strategic partnerships.
📢 With Finscale Private Talks, I bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and institutions for high-value private exchanges.
🎯 Through my coaching and advisory support, leaders and finance professionals can better structure their vision and accelerate their impact.
🤝 As for partnerships, they create unique opportunities to position yourself at the very heart of the industry’s transformation.
🔗 Discover all the initiatives on the Finscale website : https://finscale.business
Enjoy listening!
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, hosted by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
2025 has been a dense and deeply structuring year for Finscale.
A year of powerful conversations, new formats, and meaningful encounters — from fintech to private markets, from crypto to financial infrastructure, from governance to the new faces of investing.
But above all, a year of learning: learning to find the right rhythm, to create for the long term, to stay demanding without burning out, and to protect what makes a point of view truly singular.
2025 also saw the emergence of new paths:
- From Within, to explore the inner life of leadership.
- The FinTech Masterclass, to transmit and share.
- Finscale Private Talks, to go deeper.
And one conviction has only grown stronger: depth, nuance, and clarity still very much matter.
2026 opens with clear intentions:
- Less dispersion. More depth.
- More podcasts in English.
- More focus on AI and agents, new financial infrastructures, governance, and the silent transformations of the financial system.
- And the continuation of coaching sessions, intentionally in small cohorts
2026 will be a year of “better.”
Thank you to everyone who listens, shares, and supports Finscale.
Finscale is entering a new phase — more mature, more grounded, yet still just as deep.
Wishing you all a beautiful start in 2026.
This episode is produced and hosted by Solenne Niedercorn, founder of Finscale.
Finscale is much more than a podcast.
It’s an ecosystem that connects key players in the financial sector through networking, coaching, and strategic partnerships.
📢 With Finscale Private Talks, I bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and institutions for high-value private exchanges.
🎯 Through my coaching and advisory support, leaders and finance professionals can better structure their vision and accelerate their impact.
🤝 As for partnerships, they create unique opportunities to position yourself at the very heart of the industry’s transformation.
🔗 Discover all the initiatives on the Finscale website : https://finscale.business
Enjoy listening!
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, hosted by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
In this episode, Bleuzenn Pech de Pluvinel, Managing director for Private Equity at Accenture, Leader within the Global Private Equity Practice, shares how technology and AI are reshaping the private equity industry from the inside out.
We explore how the role of investors is shifting - from financial engineers to value creators - and how operational excellence, data, and digital capabilities are becoming the real differentiators in driving growth and returns.
Key Topics:
- Bleuzenn’s journey from public service to two decades in strategy consulting at Deloitte, BCG, and Accenture.
- How private equity has evolved from a purely financial model to one focused on operational transformation.
- The rise of operating partners inside funds - bridging strategy, execution, and expertise.
- Accenture’s positioning: from due diligence to post-acquisition transformation.
- The growing impact of AI on portfolio company performance.
- How to “operationalize” AI: starting small with use case by use case.
- The integration of ESG criteria as true value levers, beyond compliance.
- The mid-market as a fertile ground for innovation and sustainable impact.
A rich and forward-looking conversation about the new generation of private equity where strategy, technology, and purpose converge to redefine performance.
Recommendation from Bleuzenn:
🎧 Goldman Sachs Podcasts : https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/podcasts .
Useful links
Bleuzenn Pech de Pluvinel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bleuzennpech/
https://www.accenture.com/us-en/industries/private-equity
Finscale is much more than a podcast.
It’s an ecosystem that connects key players in the financial sector through networking, coaching, and strategic partnerships.
📢 With Finscale Private Talks, I bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and institutions for high-value private exchanges.
🎯 Through my coaching and advisory support, leaders and finance professionals can better structure their vision and accelerate their impact.
🤝 As for partnerships, they create unique opportunities to position yourself at the very heart of the industry’s transformation.
🔗 Discover all the initiatives on the Finscale website : https://finscale.business
Enjoy listening!
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, hosted by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
This is an excerpt of Solenne's conversation with Bleuzenn Pech de Pluvinel, Managing Director for private equity at Accenture.
Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
Finscale is much more than a podcast.
It’s an ecosystem that connects key players in the financial sector through networking, coaching, and strategic partnerships.
📢 With Finscale Private Talks, I bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and institutions for high-value private exchanges.
🎯 Through my coaching and advisory support, leaders and finance professionals can better structure their vision and accelerate their impact.
🤝 As for partnerships, they create unique opportunities to position yourself at the very heart of the industry’s transformation.
🔗 Discover all the initiatives on the Finscale website : https://finscale.business
Enjoy listening!
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, hosted by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
In this episode, Gerry Afentakis, Managing Director Europe at Zodia Custody, walks us through what it really means to offer institutional-grade custody for digital assets. We discuss Zodia’s origins within Standard Chartered’s futurist lab, the operational and regulatory layers needed to gain trust from banks and asset managers, and how custody today goes far beyond storing keys.
Key Topics:
- What custody means in the crypto world (vs TradFi)
- Who the clients are: banks, funds, family offices, trading houses
- Zodia’s hybrid tech stack: proprietary + partners like DFNS
- Regulation: VASP registration and why it matters
- The difference between service providers like Fireblocks vs regulated custodians
- How custody providers are evolving beyond safekeeping toward utility and scale
- Why “not your keys, not your crypto” doesn’t work for institutions
An essential episode for anyone navigating the complex and often misunderstood infrastructure behind institutional crypto adoption.
Finscale is much more than a podcast.
It’s an ecosystem that connects key players in the financial sector through networking, coaching, and strategic partnerships.
📢 With Finscale Private Talks, I bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and institutions for high-value private exchanges.
🎯 Through my coaching and advisory support, leaders and finance professionals can better structure their vision and accelerate their impact.
🤝 As for partnerships, they create unique opportunities to position yourself at the very heart of the industry’s transformation.
🔗 Discover all the initiatives on the Finscale website : https://finscale.business
Enjoy listening!
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, hosted by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
This is an excerpt of Solenne's conversation with Gerry Afentakis, MD Europe at Zodia.
Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
Finscale is much more than a podcast.
It’s an ecosystem that connects key players in the financial sector through networking, coaching, and strategic partnerships.
📢 With Finscale Private Talks, I bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and institutions for high-value private exchanges.
🎯 Through my coaching and advisory support, leaders and finance professionals can better structure their vision and accelerate their impact.
🤝 As for partnerships, they create unique opportunities to position yourself at the very heart of the industry’s transformation.
🔗 Discover all the initiatives on the Finscale website : https://finscale.business
Enjoy listening!
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, hosted by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
I met Winter Mead earlier this year and was fascinated by his approach to supporting emerging fund managers. As the founder of Coolwater Capital, he is building a unique platform that combines training, operational infrastructure and investment to help the next generation of GPs succeed.
In this conversation, we unpack:
- Why institutional LPs often overlook small funds despite their alpha potential.
- What really defines an “emerging manager” and why it depends on the perspective.
- The hidden operational challenges of launching and scaling a fund.
- How Coolwater helps GPs move from Fund I to a sustainable, long-term platform.
- The evolving dynamics between LPs, spinouts, and non-traditional “diamonds in the rough.”
A must-listen for fund managers, LPs, and anyone curious about the future of venture capital.
Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
Finscale is much more than a podcast.
It’s an ecosystem that connects key players in the financial sector through networking, coaching, and strategic partnerships.
📢 With Finscale Private Talks, I bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and institutions for high-value private exchanges.
🎯 Through my coaching and advisory support, leaders and finance professionals can better structure their vision and accelerate their impact.
🤝 As for partnerships, they create unique opportunities to position yourself at the very heart of the industry’s transformation.
🔗 Discover all the initiatives on the Finscale website : https://finscale.business
Enjoy listening!
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, hosted by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
This is an excerpt of Solenne's conversation with Winter Mead, Founder of Coolwater Capital
Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
Finscale is much more than a podcast.
It’s an ecosystem that connects key players in the financial sector through networking, coaching, and strategic partnerships.
📢 With Finscale Private Talks, I bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and institutions for high-value private exchanges.
🎯 Through my coaching and advisory support, leaders and finance professionals can better structure their vision and accelerate their impact.
🤝 As for partnerships, they create unique opportunities to position yourself at the very heart of the industry’s transformation.
🔗 Discover all the initiatives on the Finscale website : https://finscale.business
Enjoy listening!
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, hosted by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
This episode is brought to you in partnership with Revolut Business. If you’re a business owner or just getting started, Revolut is offering you EUR 20 free when you open a Revolut Business account - exclusively through Finscale here: https://revolutbusiness.onelink.me/jLOt/finscale
In this episode, James Gibson, Partner & General Manager in charge of Revolut Business, walks us through his journey from studying PPE at Oxford to consulting at Oliver Wyman and ultimately diving into the fast-paced world of FinTech.
He shares how joining Revolut in 2017 was less a calculated move and more a response to the energy and ambition of the company. Over the years, he evolved through multiple roles from strategy to product to leadership, learning to adapt, let go of linear paths, and lead through clarity and curiosity.
James also unpacks how Revolut Business is redefining business banking at scale, balancing automation with personalisation and navigating product strategy in a high-growth, global environment.
Throughout, one theme stays central: building real impact by empowering businesses with smart, intuitive tools - and doing it with intentionality.
Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, distributed by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
This is an excerpt of Solenne's conversation with James Gibson, Partner at Revolut in charge of Revolut Business. This episode is brought to you in partnership with Revolut. If you’re a business owner or just getting started, Revolut is offering you EUR 20 free when you open a Revolut Business account - exclusively through Finscale here: https://revolutbusiness.onelink.me/jLOt/finscale.
Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, distributed by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
In this episode, Levent and Solenne dive into the fast-evolving infrastructure powering private markets with the founders of Bunch, a platform transforming fund operations for GPs, LPs and fund administrators.
We unpack the major pain points in private markets : legal complexity, manual capital call processes, fragmented data and how Bunch positions itself as a System of Record for the industry. From handling intricate legal structures to automating capital calls and enhancing GP-LP transparency, Bunch is building the connective tissue for modern fund management.
We also explore Bunch's recent expansion into Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the UK, their localised go-to-market strategies, and their long-term vision of becoming the default infrastructure for alternative assets globally.
Key takeways :
- Bunch streamlines fund operations by acting as a System of Record for private markets, reducing dependency on manual workflows and fragmented tools.
- The platform simplifies legal complexity from LPAs and side letters to equalisation clauses through structured data models and automated compliance checks.
- Bunch’s Capital Call Assistant automates the full lifecycle of capital calls, including edge cases like waterfall recalculations and equalisation interest, dramatically reducing operational risk and errors.
- GPs benefit from improved LP relations thanks to enhanced reporting, greater transparency, and the ability to manage complex fund structures across jurisdictions.
- LPs experience a smoother, more modern interface, with access to tailored dashboards and clearer data, improving trust and engagement with fund managers.
- Bunch’s integration capabilities with legacy systems, auditors, and custodians ensure smoother adoption for established fund managers.
- With recent expansion into Luxembourg, the NL and the UK, Bunch is adapting its go-to-market and legal architecture to fit local regulatory landscapes and investor expectations.
- The team envisions Bunch as the default infrastructure layer for alternative asset managers globally, across PE, VC, real estate, and infrastructure.
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Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
This is an excerpt of Solenne's conversation with Levent Altunel, the CEO and co-founder of Bunch Capital
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Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
In this episode, Solenne Niedercorn speaks with Amer Baroudi, co-founder and CEO of Nsave. They discuss the challenges Amer faced when he left Syria, the importance of banking access for the unbanked, and how Nsave aims to transform the financial industry through a compliance-by-design approach. Amer also shares insights into Nsave’s company culture, fundraising efforts, and expansion plans.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Nsave and Amer Baroudi
02:01 Amma Baroudi’s journey and the challenges he faced
04:25 The importance of banking access for refugees
07:14 The complexity of banking regulations and their impact
10:26 Compliance by design: a new approach
12:41 Developing internal systems at Nsave
14:45 Collaboration with financial partners
16:11 Managing false positives in verification processes
19:41 Internal tools for identity verification
21:20 Nsave’s client profile and customer satisfaction
22:55 Fundraising and investor support
24:41 Company culture and passion for the mission
30:07 Expansion plans and new products
Produced by Gokyo Sàrl-S, distributed by Audiomeans©. Visit the Privacy Policy of Finscale and Audiomeans for more information.
Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
This is an excerpt of Solenne's conversation with Amer Baroudi, CEO and co-foudner of Nsave
Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
In this episode, Solenne speaks with Dr. Jemma Green, co-founder of Powerledger, about renewable energy, the energy market and the role of blockchain in optimising this sector.
Jemma shares her entrepreneurial journey, the evolution of Powerledger since its founding in 2016 and the challenges the company has faced in the renewable energy sector. The discussion covers Powerledger’s key products, its market strategy and the importance of blockchain and tokenisation in improving energy trading and sustainability efforts.
Key insights from the discussion:
- The energy market is complex, with significant regulatory challenges.
- Blockchain technology can solve many inefficiencies in energy trading.
- Powerledger operates in 14 countries, focusing on peer-to-peer energy exchange and community-driven solutions.
- Tokenisation of energy assets is a growing area of interest.
- The company recently migrated to Solana, a strategic move for efficiency.
- Powerledger Ventures is actively investing in Web3 and energy startups.
- Energy demand is increasing, making smart and sustainable solutions critical.
- Regulatory frameworks are crucial for ensuring the long-term viability of innovative energy solutions.
Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
This is an excerpt of Solenne's conversation with Dr Jemma Green, the CEO and co-founder of Powerledger.
A brief look back at 2024.
Thank you for everything! Wishing you all the best for 2025!
Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
And most importantly, comment and share! I’m counting on you, friends!
Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale.
This conversation with Max almost didn’t happen. Poor recording conditions initially forced us to reschedule, but I’m glad we decided to retry. It was great to gain insights into how Lemon Markets is working towards its goal of expanding and strengthening infrastructure to reach 100 million retail investors.
We discussed:
- Client Needs
- The types of clients who benefit most from Lemon Markets' infrastructure and how these needs vary across different use cases.
- The specific requirements of clients like Holvi when integrating with their infrastructure, and the reasons they choose Lemon Markets’ API over developing in-house solutions.
- Platform
- A breakdown of Lemon Markets' technical infrastructure and the primary components that power their API.
- How they ensure scalability and security to meet the demands of financial institutions and start-ups alike.
- Regulatory
- The proactive steps Lemon Markets takes to stay ahead of Europe's ever-evolving regulatory landscape and how they prepare their clients for upcoming changes.
Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale. The episode will be released on Sunday as always :)
This conversation with Max almost didn’t happen. Poor recording conditions initially forced us to reschedule, but I’m glad we decided to retry. It was great to gain insights into how Lemon Markets is working towards its goal of expanding and strengthening infrastructure to reach 100 million retail investors.
We discussed:
- Client Needs
- The types of clients who benefit most from Lemon Markets' infrastructure and how these needs vary across different use cases.
- The specific requirements of clients like Holvi when integrating with their infrastructure, and the reasons they choose Lemon Markets’ API over developing in-house solutions.
- Platform
- A breakdown of Lemon Markets' technical infrastructure and the primary components that power their API.
- How they ensure scalability and security to meet the demands of financial institutions and start-ups alike.
- Regulatory
- The proactive steps Lemon Markets takes to stay ahead of Europe's ever-evolving regulatory landscape and how they prepare their clients for upcoming changes.
See you on Sunday for the full episode here or on YouTube!
In this episode of Finscale, my guest is the Head of AI recruited by EQT to strengthen their Venture arm, with a mission to push the boundaries of data-driven investments at Europe’s largest early-stage VC. He shares how EQT has positioned itself in AI over the years, particularly through their AI platform, "Motherbrain", an essential tool everyone should know about. Still involved with the companies he co-founded : Predli and MasterExchange and, as a Global Program Instructor at UC Berkeley, he provides us with a unique insight into this visionary strategy.
Finscale is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finscale. The episode will be released on Sunday as always :)
In this episode of Finscale, my guest is the Head of AI recruited by EQT to strengthen their Venture arm, with a mission to push the boundaries of data-driven investments at Europe’s largest early-stage VC. He shares how EQT has positioned itself in AI over the years, particularly through their AI platform, "Motherbrain", an essential tool everyone should know about. Still involved with the companies he co-founded : Predli and MasterExchange and, as a Global Program Instructor at UC Berkeley, he provides us with a unique insight into this visionary strategy.
See you on Sunday for the full episode here or on YouTube!
Data management is central to the entire financial industry, but this week I wanted to have a conversation with one of the founders of Governance, whom I've been following for several years. Bert joined me to explain it all in detail and to discuss how recent advancements, particularly the democratisation of large language models, are shifting the landscape. Since stepping down from his role as CEO, Bert has passionately delved into this subject.
We discuss Governance, but more importantly, the impact of AI on FundTech, using onboarding as a key example. You’ll find that far from being a minor issue, it’s shaping up to be a real game-changer.
This is an excerpt from the episode released on Sunday.
Data management is central to the entire financial industry, but this week I wanted to have a conversation with one of the founders of Governance, whom I've been following for several years. Bert joined me to explain it all in detail and to discuss how recent advancements, particularly the democratisation of large language models, are shifting the landscape. Since stepping down from his role as CEO, Bert has passionately delved into this subject.
We discuss Governance, but more importantly, the impact of AI on FundTech, using onboarding as a key example. You’ll find that far from being a minor issue, it’s shaping up to be a real game-changer.
Tillman emphasizes a remarkable alignment in values. From the way Inyova was designed, everything is in harmony, from its core principles to its broader mission. Beyond this, it’s always fascinating to explore how a WealthTech company evolves in a country where wealth management has been a cornerstone industry for generations. We're talking about Switzerland—its deep respect for tradition, the complexity of technological interconnections, and the precision it brings to innovation. You'll also gain insight into what drives this start-up, which is expanding across Europe, particularly through Germany.
We dive into the founder's entrepreneurial convictions around sustainability, why they chose to launch Inyova, how the company has structured itself, and what their ambitions for the future are. Lastly, we discuss governance and the various committees established to guide them in their growth and ensure they remain aligned with their mission.
This episode offers a glimpse into how a modern company blends innovation with heritage to reshape the future of wealth management.
This is an excerpt from the episode released on Sunday.
Tillman emphasizes a remarkable alignment in values. From the way Inyova was designed, everything is in harmony, from its core principles to its broader mission. Beyond this, it’s always fascinating to explore how a WealthTech company evolves in a country where wealth management has been a cornerstone industry for generations. We're talking about Switzerland—its deep respect for tradition, the complexity of technological interconnections, and the precision it brings to innovation. You'll also gain insight into what drives this start-up, which is expanding across Europe, particularly through Germany.
We dive into the founder's entrepreneurial convictions around sustainability, why they chose to launch Inyova, how the company has structured itself, and what their ambitions for the future are. Lastly, we discuss governance and the various committees established to guide them in their growth and ensure they remain aligned with their mission.
This episode offers a glimpse into how a modern company blends innovation with heritage to reshape the future of wealth management.
After a career at Goldman, Gaurav launched his Private Equity firm to scale companies with gold nugget products. Together, we dissect the concrete value contribution of this New York-based investor, whose partners have extensive CVs. Gaurav discusses VeArc, a subsidiary of Long Arc that provides support services to LAC portfolio companies at cost. We revisit the three pillars of scaling in a well-processed manner.
The reason I invited Gaurav is precisely for this scaling process by the book that Long Arc has implemented with its team, as well as its advice from world-renowned industry leaders.
This is an excerpt from the episode released on Sunday.
After a career at Goldman, Gaurav launched his Private Equity firm to scale companies with gold nugget products. Together, we dissect the concrete value contribution of this New York-based investor, whose partners have extensive CVs. Gaurav discusses VeArc, a subsidiary of Long Arc that provides support services to LAC portfolio companies at cost. We revisit the three pillars of scaling in a well-processed manner.
The reason I invited Gaurav is precisely for this scaling process by the book that Long Arc has implemented with its team, as well as its advice from world-renowned industry leaders.
For those who are not familiar, BCB Group is Europe's leading payment service provider for the digital asset economy. A pioneer in the industry, they have gone through the process of becoming regulated as an Authorised Payment Institution in the UK and Europe. We speak with Olly about these regulatory choices, including the decision to operate in France. We detail their offerings and how this UK-born company serves large clients like Gemini and Kraken.
One of the points I also had in mind is the consolidation of custody and governance of its digital asset operations on Metaco, now part of Ripple.
We discuss what this brings in terms of scalability and security, as well as the challenges related to their status as a regulated institution. You'll see that it's quite a project, well managed.
Excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
For those who are not familiar, BCB Group is Europe's leading payment service provider for the digital asset economy. A pioneer in the industry, they have gone through the process of becoming regulated as an Authorised Payment Institution in the UK and Europe. We speak with Olly about these regulatory choices, including the decision to operate in France. We detail their offerings and how this UK-born company serves large clients like Gemini and Kraken.
One of the points I also had in mind is the consolidation of custody and governance of its digital asset operations on Metaco, now part of Ripple.
We discuss what this brings in terms of scalability and security, as well as the challenges related to their status as a regulated institution. You'll see that it's quite a project, well managed.
One of Finscale's Best Of in 2023.
There's nothing I enjoy more than exploring complex and intriguing areas of finance with you. n this podcast, our guest from Switzerland sheds light on fiduciary services, trusts, and their relationship with wealth management, as well as common misconceptions. We discuss the use, benefits, and drawbacks of trusts for holding assets such as rainforest deeds, IP, and digital assets, and the importance of fiduciary duties and governance.
We also touch on the typology of clients using trusts, including pioneers, founders, and experienced investors. Siobhan mentions the evolution of regulation and the interest in building trusts in Switzerland, along with the controversy surrounding the Pandora papers.
During the conversation, she talks about the challenges of building trusts in the context of digital assets, including specific use cases such as the inheritance of NFTs and the creation of a Token Foundation through which DAOs with their own on-chain treasury can interact with the off-chain world. She explains the partnerships Saffery Champness is building with service providers in traditional finance and the crypto ecosystem, such as Coinify.
In the same way that I greatly enjoyed hosting the EIB, the EIF, a deputy, and a finance minister, I am delighted this week to understand the role played by the World Bank in the digitalisation and modernisation of financial systems in emerging countries. Together with Andrea, we explore the example of instant payments and examine the role played by the World Bank in this implementation, particularly through the practical case of their deployment in the Western Balkans. This sheds light on this historic institution based in Washington, DC—a great way to understand the nature of their collaborations with both public and private sectors.
You will understand concretely how the World Bank assists developing economies worldwide in modernizing payment systems and the financial sector in general. By partnering with policymakers and the private sector, it develops a new playbook to drive impactful and resilient development. Modernizing the financial sector is just one aspect of it, as the World Bank has already been supporting more than 12,000 development projects, including infrastructure, schools, and roads.
This is an excrept of the episode published on Sunday.
In the same way that I greatly enjoyed hosting the EIB, the EIF, a deputy, and a finance minister, I am delighted this week to understand the role played by the World Bank in the digitalisation and modernisation of financial systems in emerging countries. Together with Andrea, we explore the example of instant payments and examine the role played by the World Bank in this implementation, particularly through the practical case of their deployment in the Western Balkans. This sheds light on this historic institution based in Washington, DC—a great way to understand the nature of their collaborations with both public and private sectors.
You will understand concretely how the World Bank assists developing economies worldwide in modernizing payment systems and the financial sector in general. By partnering with policymakers and the private sector, it develops a new playbook to drive impactful and resilient development. Modernizing the financial sector is just one aspect of it, as the World Bank has already been supporting more than 12,000 development projects, including infrastructure, schools, and roads.
I had been contemplating this discussion for four years already. I do not regret waiting. I am absolutely delighted to have had a chat with Steffen, who provides us with a wealth of insights into the democratisation of private equity. What is pleasing about this entrepreneur is his profoundly deep knowledge of the industry and his vision. He explains how he executed his plan with his team, from the very first investment of EUR 10 million in an EQT fund to the platform we now know with its myriad of strategies, secondary management, as well as the white label offerings aimed at institutions that want to diversify their private equity offerings for their private clients.
It is quite an extraordinary achievement that I am excited to share with you today. Don’t miss a bit and enjoy the show.
This is an excerpt of the episode published on Sunday.
I had been contemplating this discussion for four years already. I do not regret waiting. I am absolutely delighted to have had a chat with Steffen, who provides us with a wealth of insights into the democratisation of private equity. What is pleasing about this entrepreneur is his profoundly deep knowledge of the industry and his vision. He explains how he executed his plan with his team, from the very first investment of EUR 10 million in an EQT fund to the platform we now know with its myriad of strategies, secondary management, as well as the white label offerings aimed at institutions that want to diversify their private equity offerings for their private clients.
It is quite an extraordinary achievement that I am excited to share with you today. Don’t miss a bit and enjoy the show.
I realised that not everyone knows what stablecoins are and how they differ from each other and from CBDCs. I covered this topic some time ago on my French channel with the entrepreneur Pablo Veyrat, the founder of Angle.
In this episode, we discuss it in more detail with my guest: Sinclair. This founder, who spent some time at Palantir, talks about the Mural Pay venture he created in the US to rationalise instant global payments and invoicing. Mural eliminates delays and fees, allowing vendors and contractors to be paid with stablecoin-based payments.
Various use cases are examined more closely to understand the start-up's strategy and how it evangelises its market, along with how the teams developed their solution: integrations and features.
This is an excerpt of the episode published on Sunday.
I realised that not everyone knows what stablecoins are and how they differ from each other and from CBDCs. I covered this topic some time ago on my French channel with the entrepreneur Pablo Veyrat, the founder of Angle.
In this episode, we discuss it in more detail with my guest: Sinclair. This founder, who spent some time at Palantir, talks about the Mural Pay venture he created in the US to rationalise instant global payments and invoicing. Mural eliminates delays and fees, allowing vendors and contractors to be paid with stablecoin-based payments.
Various use cases are examined more closely to understand the start-up's strategy and how it evangelises its market, along with how the teams developed their solution: integrations and features.
A unique encounter between podcasters. This week, I have the pleasure of speaking with a Climate tech investor who is convinced that investments in this sector will primarily be driven by investor communities.
This bottom-up approach, familiar to crowdfunding, is now being applied to climate initiatives. Yoann hosts podcasts and a YouTube channel and has made it his mission to grow this community to have an even greater impact on climate change. You will learn about the role that TikTok can play in reversing the trend. Climate Insiders focuses on hardware, so we cover numerous innovations, from photocatalysis to mycoremediation.
An episode that will change your perspective and really make you think.
This is an excerpt of the episode published on Sunday.
A unique encounter between podcasters. This week, I have the pleasure of speaking with a Climate tech investor who is convinced that investments in this sector will primarily be driven by investor communities.
This bottom-up approach, familiar to crowdfunding, is now being applied to climate initiatives. Yoann hosts podcasts and a YouTube channel and has made it his mission to grow this community to have an even greater impact on climate change. You will learn about the role that TikTok can play in reversing the trend. Climate Insiders focuses on hardware, so we cover numerous innovations, from photocatalysis to mycoremediation.
An episode that will change your perspective and really make you think.
There is still a long way to go to transform the PE industry, which still relies on Excel for many tasks. These manual processes are a golden opportunity for anyone looking to innovate in the industry and help the constellation of players in this ecosystem improve their efficiency and better serve their clients. I reached out to Chronograph because I am well aware of the work they have been doing for years to streamline data management, analytics, and reporting.
This US-based solution offers a portfolio monitoring software that makes life easier for PE investors across the globe.
Charlie shares with us their story and how the initially LP-focused offering naturally expanded to GPs.
We discuss the solution and the specific problems it addresses. One of the three essential pillars of the PE stack.
This is an excerpt of the episode published on Sunday.
There is still a long way to go to transform the PE industry, which still relies on Excel for many tasks. These manual processes are a golden opportunity for anyone looking to innovate in the industry and help the constellation of players in this ecosystem improve their efficiency and better serve their clients. I reached out to Chronograph because I am well aware of the work they have been doing for years to streamline data management, analytics, and reporting.
This US-based solution offers a portfolio monitoring software that makes life easier for PE investors across the globe.
Charlie shares with us their story and how the initially LP-focused offering naturally expanded to GPs.
We discuss the solution and the specific problems it addresses. One of the three essential pillars of the PE stack.
I've been discussing SaaS on the podcast for years. In his renowned article "Why software is eating the world", Marc Andreessen explained that software would take over large portions of the economy, driven by the proliferation and success of the SaaS model. This model has shifted us from physical and localised systems to global, scalable, and efficient software solutions. Thirteen years after these insights, what do we think about SaaS?
It's a topic I've been eager to explore with an expert. Hillel, who has years of experience investing in B2B SaaS, joined me for this discussion.
We covered many topics, including the evolution of pricing models, the value proposition, the transformation of incumbents, the shift to cloud-based services, and more recently, topics related to AI.
This was an opportunity for me to introduce you to Kennet, whom I know well. We discussed the funds, the thesis, and certain investments, such as Eloomi, which have exited. This investment allows us to talk about KPIs and the role of sustainable growth in investment decisions.
Excerpt of the episode released on Sunday.
I've been discussing SaaS on the podcast for years. In his renowned article "Why software is eating the world", Marc Andreessen explained that software would take over large portions of the economy, driven by the proliferation and success of the SaaS model. This model has shifted us from physical and localised systems to global, scalable, and efficient software solutions. Thirteen years after these insights, what do we think about SaaS?
It's a topic I've been eager to explore with an expert. Hillel, who has years of experience investing in B2B SaaS, joined me for this discussion.
We covered many topics, including the evolution of pricing models, the value proposition, the transformation of incumbents, the shift to cloud-based services, and more recently, topics related to AI.
This was an opportunity for me to introduce you to Kennet, whom I know well. We discussed the funds, the thesis, and certain investments, such as Eloomi, which have exited. This investment allows us to talk about KPIs and the role of sustainable growth in investment decisions.
I'm excited to speak with Ronit this week. He has a talent for simplifying finance from a macro perspective and can think conceptually about the industry's future. Recently, this brilliant mind from Citi published a new book on the industry's future. He presents a comprehensive overview of money throughout history, spanning from ancient times to the present day and beyond.
This episode provides us with a great opportunity to gain perspective and focus on some incredible aspects that tech in finance enables, such as promoting greater inclusion and providing access to banking services for women. These use cases demonstrate that change is indeed underway and is accelerating.
I share Ronit's passion for discussing the future. So, I'll let you enjoy this beautiful retrospective guided by his book.
Excertp of the episode released on Sunday.
I'm excited to speak with Ronit this week. He has a talent for simplifying finance from a macro perspective and can think conceptually about the industry's future. Recently, this brilliant mind from Citi published a new book on the industry's future. He presents a comprehensive overview of money throughout history, spanning from ancient times to the present day and beyond.
This episode provides us with a great opportunity to gain perspective and focus on some incredible aspects that tech in finance enables, such as promoting greater inclusion and providing access to banking services for women. These use cases demonstrate that change is indeed underway and is accelerating.
I share Ronit's passion for discussing the future. So, I'll let you enjoy this beautiful retrospective guided by his book.
The topic of Climate Risk is one that deeply concerns me, as it does many individuals I engage with. In the financial world, it's a subject that's perceived in vastly different ways, depending on whom you speak to. I was keen to have this conversation because Climate X's method strikes me as pragmatic, sensible, and attuned to business realities, a rarity in the climate risk analysis arena.
Lukky, the CEO of Climate X, is an intriguing figure with a profound grasp of his field. He has consistently impressed me since our initial meeting. Our discussion delves into their business methodology and the development of their Spectra model—an impressive and user-friendly tool.
We explore how this UK-based start-up achieves global reach in providing climate risk data by fusing scientific research with econometrics to produce comprehensive climate risk analytics. I assure you, the conversation is not just enlightening but genuinely captivating.
This is an excerpt of the episode published on Sunday.
The topic of Climate Risk is one that deeply concerns me, as it does many individuals I engage with. In the financial world, it's a subject that's perceived in vastly different ways, depending on whom you speak to. I was keen to have this conversation because Climate X's method strikes me as pragmatic, sensible, and attuned to business realities, a rarity in the climate risk analysis arena.
Lukky, the CEO of Climate X, is an intriguing figure with a profound grasp of his field. He has consistently impressed me since our initial meeting. Our discussion delves into their business methodology and the development of their Spectra model—an impressive and user-friendly tool.
We explore how this UK-based start-up achieves global reach in providing climate risk data by fusing scientific research with econometrics to produce comprehensive climate risk analytics. I assure you, the conversation is not just enlightening but genuinely captivating.
About three years ago, I began to explore the story of Florian, an early cryptocurrency advocate and tax expert with experience at one of the Big Four accounting firms.
Nearly a decade ago, Florian grappled with the tax declaration challenges that all crypto holders face. Currently, a minority accurately report their crypto earnings, but this may shift in 2026 due to the impending introduction of DAC 8.
This directive aims to give tax authorities the information they need to track and assess the tax implications of crypto-generated income by creating a standardised framework for cross-border reporting.
The potential market for Blockpit is vast. Our conversation spans Blockpit's technological core, their client base, and their global expansion efforts. I find the complexities of audit trails and risk management, especially regarding cyber risks, particularly challenging. You'll see just how seriously this Austrian start-up takes these challenges.
This is an excerpt of the episode published on Sunday.
About three years ago, I began to explore the story of Florian, an early cryptocurrency advocate and tax expert with experience at one of the Big Four accounting firms.
Nearly a decade ago, Florian grappled with the tax declaration challenges that all crypto holders face. Currently, a minority accurately report their crypto earnings, but this may shift in 2026 due to the impending introduction of DAC 8.
This directive aims to give tax authorities the information they need to track and assess the tax implications of crypto-generated income by creating a standardised framework for cross-border reporting.
The potential market for Blockpit is vast. Our conversation spans Blockpit's technological core, their client base, and their global expansion efforts. I find the complexities of audit trails and risk management, especially regarding cyber risks, particularly challenging. You'll see just how seriously this Austrian start-up takes these challenges.
Is it accurate to say "A forewarned man is worth two"? Let's think about this as we delve into the transformative effects of technology, LLMs, and AI on the investment sector. It was this curiosity that led me to a conversation with André, with the aim to uncover how these advancements might reshape the entire investment value chain.
Between you and me, there hasn’t been a week when I haven’t reflected on this topic. This engineer, turned VC, shared what they've deployed Earlybird to refine processes, including sourcing, analysis, due diligence, and even how they interact with entrepreneurs and strategise divestments.
It’s particularly intriguing to examine the role automation plays in a field traditionally celebrated for its human touch. André advocates for what he calls "augmented VC" - the perfect blend of personal investment intuition and a methodical approach to minimise biases and inefficiencies.
You're about to get a glimpse of how these technologies could revolutionise the industry. My advice - dive deeper, stay informed, and brace yourself for the changes ahead. They promise to redefine the landscape.
This is an excerpt of the episode published on Sunday.
Is it accurate to say "A forewarned man is worth two"? Let's think about this as we delve into the transformative effects of technology, LLMs, and AI on the investment sector. It was this curiosity that led me to a conversation with André, with the aim to uncover how these advancements might reshape the entire investment value chain.
Between you and me, there hasn’t been a week when I haven’t reflected on this topic. This engineer, turned VC, shared what they've deployed Earlybird to refine processes, including sourcing, analysis, due diligence, and even how they interact with entrepreneurs and strategise divestments.
It’s particularly intriguing to examine the role automation plays in a field traditionally celebrated for its human touch. André advocates for what he calls "augmented VC" - the perfect blend of personal investment intuition and a methodical approach to minimise biases and inefficiencies.
You're about to get a glimpse of how these technologies could revolutionise the industry. My advice - dive deeper, stay informed, and brace yourself for the changes ahead. They promise to redefine the landscape.
For this second part of the discussion, I'm speaking with Vatsa to delve into numerous topics. First off, he shares his recent transition to CEO and gives us an inside look at how the company is organised: from the Executive Committee's makeup to Charlie's handover, the dynamics with investors, and his approach to leadership.
We also dive into the company's core activities, its global footprint, and more about what they do. We also focused on two key areas - the impact of integrating AI and LLMs into their offerings—detailing the tangible benefits for them and their clients—and their strategies for staying ahead of financial crime and scams. It's insightful —don't miss it.
Enjoy the show! And make sure you don't miss the first part of the episode, where I’m be chatting with the founder of ComplyAdvantage.
My last discussion with Charlie was four years ago. What a joy it was to speak with him again and to hear about all the ground they've covered.
We cover the journey of this unique RegTech entrepreneur who began his journey solo, discussing the early days and his vision for the company. We delve into his journey as CEO, exploring how his role has evolved and helped shape ComplyAdvantage into what it is today. We also cover the transition of leadership to Vatsa and his new role as Executive Chairman.
Simply brilliant!
Enjoy the show! And make sure you don't miss the next episode, where I'll be chatting with the current CEO about the company's comprehensive value proposition.
Welcome to this week's special offering: a two-part series on ComplyAdvantage, a company that's been on my radar for its impressive strides in RegTech. We're in for a treat as I sit down with both the visionary founder, Charlie Delingpole, and his successor, Vatsa Narasimha , to peel back the layers of this dynamic company. I'm sharing excerpts from these two episodes, which will be broadcast two days apart. Enjoy !
Part#1: Charlie Delingpole
Part #2: Vatsa Narasimha
I have been closely observing for 4 years how Clarity AI has evolved. This team, exceptionally strong in AI topics and with an ultra-strong academic footprint, has developed an interesting offering for the financial sector (among others).
Having Angel on the podcast was a chance to delve deeper into their value proposition and understand the values they uphold through their platform.
The DNA of this scale-up is fundamentally in sustainability and transparency. So, we took a closer look at the models developed, how their offering has expanded and adapted to the needs dictated by European regulation and what makes their sustainability tech kit the "most comprehensive and granular" in the market. We also talked about clients like Klarna and solutions for meeting the requirements of CRR, SFDR, and TCFD.
No wonder Clarity AI has won so many awards.
This is an excerpt of the episode published on Sunday.
I have been closely observing for 4 years how Clarity AI has evolved. This team, exceptionally strong in AI topics and with an ultra-strong academic footprint, has developed an interesting offering for the financial sector (among others).
Having Angel on the podcast was a chance to delve deeper into their value proposition and understand the values they uphold through their platform.
The DNA of this scale-up is fundamentally in sustainability and transparency. So, we took a closer look at the models developed, how their offering has expanded and adapted to the needs dictated by European regulation and what makes their sustainability tech kit the "most comprehensive and granular" in the market. We also talked about clients like Klarna and solutions for meeting the requirements of CRR, SFDR, and TCFD.
No wonder Clarity AI has won so many awards.
In this episode, I revisit the world of treasury management, a realm I have been deeply involved with since my younger years. It's a world filled with treasury bills, certificates of deposit, and REPO. Managing treasury involves placing funds, effectively managing risk with clear visibility and transparency, and accessing institutional markets. My fascination with this subject is shared by my guest this week, Kevin.
He shares insights into the FinTech company he co-founded, which is revolutionising how clients manage their treasuries with a sophisticated approach. This London-based scale-up has moved beyond traditional Excel sheets, developing Fixed-Term Funds to enable more sophisticated management. You'll learn about the financial product's structure, the diverse client base ranging from private equity funds to large listed corporations, their outreach strategies, and their geographical focus.
It's an inspiring journey akin to scaling the north face of Everest.
This is an excerpt of the episode published on Sunday.
In this episode, I revisit the world of treasury management, a realm I have been deeply involved with since my younger years. It's a world filled with treasury bills, certificates of deposit, and REPO. Managing treasury involves placing funds, effectively managing risk with clear visibility and transparency, and accessing institutional markets. My fascination with this subject is shared by my guest this week, Kevin.
He shares insights into the FinTech company he co-founded, which is revolutionising how clients manage their treasuries with a sophisticated approach. This London-based scale-up has moved beyond traditional Excel sheets, developing Fixed-Term Funds to enable more sophisticated management. You'll learn about the financial product's structure, the diverse client base ranging from private equity funds to large listed corporations, their outreach strategies, and their geographical focus.
It's an inspiring journey akin to scaling the north face of Everest.
When I first heard about Ramp Network, two things impressed me: the youth of the founders and their ability to surround themselves with senior profiles, as well as their investors and their ability to deliver in an regulated and increasingly changing environment. This start-up, which already employs 160 people, provides a powerful fiat <> crypto toolkit that enables anyone - from established brands to blockchain pioneers - to easily onboard their next million users into web3.
Since 2018, they’ve been building and improving their core on-ramp and off-ramp products to take web3 mainstream in a secure and compliant way, boasting an impressive track record with 40+ fiat currencies supported, 90+ supported cryptoassets, availability in 150+ countries, and $134 million in funds raised.
During this discussion with Szymon, you will discover the vision they have, use cases, including that of Sorare. We also discuss clients worldwide, offices in Europe and the US, and their plans for development.
This is an excerpt of the episode published on Sunday.
When I first heard about Ramp Network, two things impressed me: the youth of the founders and their ability to surround themselves with senior profiles, as well as their investors and their ability to deliver in an regulated and increasingly changing environment. This start-up, which already employs 160 people, provides a powerful fiat <>
crypto toolkit that enables anyone - from established brands to blockchain pioneers - to easily onboard their next million users into web3. Since 2018, they’ve been building and improving their core on-ramp and off-ramp products to take web3 mainstream in a secure and compliant way, boasting an impressive track record with 40+ fiat currencies supported, 90+ supported cryptoassets, availability in 150+ countries, and $134 million in funds raised.
During this discussion with Szymon, you will discover the vision they have, use cases, including that of Sorare. We also discuss clients worldwide, offices in Europe and the US, and their plans for development.
After extensive searching within Sequoia, I finally connected with George, who generously shared his insights about many many subjects. He joins me for an in-depth discussion on Sequoia's growth in the European tech sector. We dive into a range of topics, starting with the structure of Sequoia and exploring the reasons behind its decision to expand into Europe.
The conversation then shifts to current and future trends in Fintech, highlighting their focus in this area. Particularly noteworthy are our discussions about two significant deals: Trade Republic and Pennylane. These examples provide a glimpse into Sequoia's investment strategies and successes in Europe. We also touch on the mafia phenomenon in Europe and the emergence of the companies originating from European scale-up mafias.
Finally, we cover the Sequoia Scouting Program, with a special focus on the Arc Programme. This initiative supports pre-seed and seed-stage founders who are in the early stages of developing their ideas, products, and companies.
This 200th episode is not just a simple celebration. It also symbolises a retrospective, a look back at the significant trends, fruitful collaborations, and, above all, the skills and qualities of all the outstanding entrepreneurs I've had the chance to interact with. I will talk about how I got started, the soft skills I rediscovered, the trends I followed, and the entrepreneurial lessons I learned.
Expect a journey through time, a deep dive into what "Finscale" has discovered, shared, and celebrated. I'm excited to share this synthesis with you. Thank you for joining me on this adventure, and I wish you an excellent listening experience for this special episode of "Finscale".
And as I say every week, I'm counting on you to rate this episode on podcast platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcast. It's also a way for me to get feedback.
This is an excerpt of the episode published on Sunday.
After extensive searching within Sequoia, I finally connected with George, who generously shared his insights about many many subjects. He joins me for an in-depth discussion on Sequoia's growth in the European tech sector. We dive into a range of topics, starting with the structure of Sequoia and exploring the reasons behind its decision to expand into Europe.
The conversation then shifts to current and future trends in Fintech, highlighting their focus in this area. Particularly noteworthy are our discussions about two significant deals: Trade Republic and Pennylane. These examples provide a glimpse into Sequoia's investment strategies and successes in Europe. We also touch on the mafia phenomenon in Europe and the emergence of the companies originating from European scale-up mafias.
Finally, we cover the Sequoia Scouting Program, with a special focus on the Arc Programme. This initiative supports pre-seed and seed-stage founders who are in the early stages of developing their ideas, products, and companies.
Starting out in the financial sector brings many surprises, and often, the greatest comes during audits and regulatory visits. The challenge of squaring away the central client file, a seemingly routine task, can throw even the most established financial institutions into disarray. This vital KYC remediation process, filled with complexities and operational challenges, is often overlooked.
Institutions grapple with inconsistencies in customer data across different systems and not to mention the looming concern of inadvertently facilitating financial crimes. Data privacy, security challenges, and the risks of not conducting proper KYC remediation - both legal and reputational - are pressing matters. Krik provides valuable insights into navigating these intricacies, emphasising the importance of understanding and adapting to an ever-evolving regulatory landscape to maintain compliance. He also shares advice on how organisations can sustain customer relationships during the KYC process and offers strategies to mitigate any negative impact.
Delving deeper into Fourthline's offering, we explore how they assist clients from onboarding to maintaining long-term customer relationships, showcasing solutions they provide, with Qonto as a case in point. The conversation also touches on the need for country-specific adaptations for optimal performance and the innovative approach of advanced signatures provided by this European firm based in the Netherlands.
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
Starting out in the financial sector brings many surprises, and often, the greatest comes during audits and regulatory visits. The challenge of squaring away the central client file, a seemingly routine task, can throw even the most established financial institutions into disarray. This vital KYC remediation process, filled with complexities and operational challenges, is often overlooked.
Institutions grapple with inconsistencies in customer data across different systems and not to mention the looming concern of inadvertently facilitating financial crimes. Data privacy, security challenges, and the risks of not conducting proper KYC remediation - both legal and reputational - are pressing matters. Krik provides valuable insights into navigating these intricacies, emphasising the importance of understanding and adapting to an ever-evolving regulatory landscape to maintain compliance. He also shares advice on how organisations can sustain customer relationships during the KYC process and offers strategies to mitigate any negative impact.
Delving deeper into Fourthline's offering, we explore how they assist clients from onboarding to maintaining long-term customer relationships, showcasing solutions they provide, with Qonto as a case in point. The conversation also touches on the need for country-specific adaptations for optimal performance and the innovative approach of advanced signatures provided by this European firm based in the Netherlands.
Back to payments and Forex this week. Patrick delves deep into the intricate fabric of Convera, a dominant player in the payment industry. We kick off our conversation with a retrospective, as Patrick provides a comprehensive overview of WU Business Solutions' 2021 activities. He shares the motivations and strategic intricacies behind Goldfinch Partners and BauPost Group's acquisition of WUBS.
Shifting focus to the core of Convera, Patrick paints a vivid picture of the company’s current positioning: its expansive geographical presence, the pillars of its value proposition, and the diverse suite of solutions it offers. The discussion becomes more insightful when we explore Convera’s significant global footprint, which spans 200 countries, operates in 22, and deals with 140+ currencies. Patrick touches on the company’s strategies that have driven this global success and the tailored services catering to a broad spectrum of clientele, from SMEs to NGOs.
Naturally, we couldn't discuss Convera's growth and development without exploring the transformation projects of this major player, particularly from a technological perspective, including its AWS Cloud migration. This leads us into a discussion about regulatory strategy and the factors that prompted the American company to establish its European headquarters in Luxembourg. Additionally, we delved into their risk management approach, especially concerning hedging foreign exchange (FX) risks.
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
Back to payments and Forex this week. Patrick delves deep into the intricate fabric of Convera, a dominant player in the payment industry. We kick off our conversation with a retrospective, as Patrick provides a comprehensive overview of WU Business Solutions' 2021 activities. He shares the motivations and strategic intricacies behind Goldfinch Partners and BauPost Group's acquisition of WUBS.
Shifting focus to the core of Convera, Patrick paints a vivid picture of the company’s current positioning: its expansive geographical presence, the pillars of its value proposition, and the diverse suite of solutions it offers. The discussion becomes more insightful when we explore Convera’s significant global footprint, which spans 200 countries, operates in 22, and deals with 140+ currencies. Patrick touches on the company’s strategies that have driven this global success and the tailored services catering to a broad spectrum of clientele, from SMEs to NGOs.
Naturally, we couldn't discuss Convera's growth and development without exploring the transformation projects of this major player, particularly from a technological perspective, including its AWS Cloud migration. This leads us into a discussion about regulatory strategy and the factors that prompted the American company to establish its European headquarters in Luxembourg. Additionally, we delved into their risk management approach, especially concerning hedging foreign exchange (FX) risks.
During an insightful discussion, Ophelia explores the nuances of the rapidly growing crypto space, shedding light on the critical role her company, 21Shares, plays in its development. Our discussion also covers the Global Crypto Classification Standard (GCCS). She shares valuable insights on why the GCCS was formed, emphasising its potential to bridge the gap between traditional finance and the intricate realm of crypto-assets. We also delve into the challenges it took to get this off the ground.
Ophelia shares many engaging stories about the birth and growth of 21Shares – its inception, key milestones, value proposition, and geographic expansion. During the episode, we speak about the company's diverse product offerings and the vital role its partners play, including market makers and custodians. Sustainability is a fundamental value of 21Shares, and we find out it was brought to the forefront due to their pledge to offset carbon emissions, particularly from on-chain crypto transactions. Our conversation ends with a discussion on 21Shares' green initiatives, their strategy for choosing such projects, and their vision for tackling upcoming environmental challenges.
Excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
During an insightful discussion, Ophelia explores the nuances of the rapidly growing crypto space, shedding light on the critical role her company, 21Shares, plays in its development. Our discussion also covers the Global Crypto Classification Standard (GCCS). She shares valuable insights on why the GCCS was formed, emphasising its potential to bridge the gap between traditional finance and the intricate realm of crypto-assets. We also delve into the challenges it took to get this off the ground.
Ophelia shares many engaging stories about the birth and growth of 21Shares – its inception, key milestones, value proposition, and geographic expansion. During the episode, we speak about the company's diverse product offerings and the vital role its partners play, including market makers and custodians. Sustainability is a fundamental value of 21Shares, and we find out it was brought to the forefront due to their pledge to offset carbon emissions, particularly from on-chain crypto transactions. Our conversation ends with a discussion on 21Shares' green initiatives, their strategy for choosing such projects, and their vision for tackling upcoming environmental challenges.
A fantastic episode with one of the founders of Truelayer, the solution that drives almost 40% of the YoY growth in open banking payments in the UK. I loved this interview with Francesco as he shared insights about their experiences and achievements in the open banking sector over the past seven years, including their diverse range of solutions such as signup+, payments, payouts, and VRP, as well as their wide-ranging client base.
This includes tech giants in the iGaming, e-commerce, and cryptocurrency sectors, such as Coinbase, as well as more traditional merchants like the UK retailer Topps Tiles. We explored their competitive positioning and their recent announcement regarding the launch of their Payments platform programme. We also delved into the potential avenues for growth, both in terms of geographical expansion and the diversification of their product offerings. It's a market that continues to expand exponentially
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
A fantastic episode with one of the founders of Truelayer, the solution that drives almost 40% of the YoY growth in open banking payments in the UK. I loved this interview with Francesco as he shared insights about their experiences and achievements in the open banking sector over the past seven years, including their diverse range of solutions such as signup+, payments, payouts, and VRP, as well as their wide-ranging client base.
This includes tech giants in the iGaming, e-commerce, and cryptocurrency sectors, such as Coinbase, as well as more traditional merchants like the UK retailer Topps Tiles. We explored their competitive positioning and their recent announcement regarding the launch of their Payments platform programme. We also delved into the potential avenues for growth, both in terms of geographical expansion and the diversification of their product offerings. It's a market that continues to expand exponentially
This week, I invite you to explore a multitude of topics with my guest, the unmissable Simon Taylor. He generously shares insights on the future of the financial industry and emerging FinTech categories like embedded finance, which he believes are true game-changers for the finance world. We also discuss his journey, from his years in banking to founding 11:FS.
What intrigued me the most during our discussion is Sardine, the RegTech where he leads strategy and growth. It's evident that the team excels in AI and fraud-related areas. Additionally, you'll discover their cutting-edge solution designed to truly solve pain points for players across the industry. It's worth noting that the likes of Refinitiv are already working with them. We also delve into their ambitions, recent fundraising efforts, and explore practical use cases.
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
This week, I invite you to explore a multitude of topics with my guest, the unmissable Simon Taylor. He generously shares insights on the future of the financial industry and emerging FinTech categories like embedded finance, which he believes are true game-changers for the finance world. We also discuss his journey, from his years in banking to founding 11:FS.
What intrigued me the most during our discussion is Sardine, the RegTech where he leads strategy and growth. It's evident that the team excels in AI and fraud-related areas. Additionally, you'll discover their cutting-edge solution designed to truly solve pain points for players across the industry. It's worth noting that the likes of Refinitiv are already working with them. We also delve into their ambitions, recent fundraising efforts, and explore practical use cases.
In a time when many are returning to work after summer holidays, it was an honour to interview Chris Skinner, the founder of The Finanser, who has been a preeminent voice in the finance and tech world for the past two decades. In this insightful episode, Chris sheds light on the intricacies of digital transformation in banking, reflecting on its imminent future amidst game-changers like blockchain.
He emphasises the pivotal role of digitisation in fostering financial inclusion, especially in underbanked regions, and discusses how technology can proactively address environmental and societal challenges, a theme central to his book 'Digital for Good'.
He also shares pearls of wisdom from his journey with 'The Finanser,' his influential blog brimming with advice, sharp humor, and a wealth of innovative ideas. A discussion truly worth its weight in gold.
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
In a time when many are returning to work after summer holidays, it was an honour to interview Chris Skinner, the founder of The Finanser, who has been a preeminent voice in the finance and tech world for the past two decades. In this insightful episode, Chris sheds light on the intricacies of digital transformation in banking, reflecting on its imminent future amidst game-changers like blockchain.
He emphasises the pivotal role of digitisation in fostering financial inclusion, especially in underbanked regions, and discusses how technology can proactively address environmental and societal challenges, a theme central to his book 'Digital for Good'.
He also shares pearls of wisdom from his journey with 'The Finanser,' his influential blog brimming with advice, sharp humor, and a wealth of innovative ideas. A discussion truly worth its weight in gold.
Lending is one of the major pain points in finance, both from the perspective of lenders and borrowers. I have been following Teylor for a while, and it was high time for me to have a discussion with its CEO, Patrick.
Starting as a solution to lending SMEs in Germany, Teylor cleverly diversified by developing a lending-as-a-service solution and a feature-rich SaaS platform for banks.
Taylor aims to support SMEs while helping financial institutions streamline their lending operations. We also talked with Patrick about the financing aspect and the reasons that led this Switzerland-based startup to structure itself around a securitization vehicle in Luxembourg, enabling various types of lenders to participate in the financing process: junior, senior, and mezzanine tranches.
This approach has allowed them to handle substantial volumes and rapidly expand their business. It is an episode I thoroughly enjoy, combining technicality and European structuring.
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
Lending is one of the major pain points in finance, both from the perspective of lenders and borrowers. I have been following Teylor for a while, and it was high time for me to have a discussion with its CEO, Patrick.
Starting as a solution to lending SMEs in Germany, Teylor cleverly diversified by developing a lending-as-a-service solution and a feature-rich SaaS platform for banks.
Taylor aims to support SMEs while helping financial institutions streamline their lending operations. We also talked with Patrick about the financing aspect and the reasons that led this Switzerland-based startup to structure itself around a securitization vehicle in Luxembourg, enabling various types of lenders to participate in the financing process: junior, senior, and mezzanine tranches.
This approach has allowed them to handle substantial volumes and rapidly expand their business. It is an episode I thoroughly enjoy, combining technicality and European structuring.
It's been a long time since I had in mind to have Stripe on Finscale, but I wanted to cover a topic you wouldn't expect. We are indeed going to talk about carbon removal. To talk about this, I have Nan, who is the Head of Climate at Stripe and also the Head of Frontier.
You are about to discover a woman truly dedicated to her mission. She tells us how Stripe has launched Frontier, aiming to purchase hundreds of millions of dollars in carbon removal between now and 2030.
Together, we can go further. This is Nan's battle cry. We discuss how Frontier aims to address the challenges faced by the traditional offset market and improve measurement and verification methods for carbon removal.
We delve into the concepts of pre-purchases and off-take agreements and understand the philosophy behind this initiative that is gathering more and more actors around it.
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
It's been a long time since I intended to have stripe on Finscale, but I wanted to cover a topic you wouldn't necessarily expect. We are going to discuss carbon emission reduction and to do so, I sit down with Nan.
You'll discover a woman truly dedicated to her mission. She tells us how Stripe, by partnering with BigTech companies like Alphabet and Meta, has launched Frontier, aiming to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to reduce carbon emissions between now and 2030.
Together, we can go achieve a lot more. This is Nan's battle cry. We discuss how Frontier aims to address the challenges faced by the traditional offset market and improve measurement and verification methods for carbon emission reduction.
We delve into the concepts of pre-purchases and off-take agreements and understand the philosophy behind this initiative that is gathering more and more actors around it.
Back to payments with Denise, where she shares her immense knowledge and expertise in card issuance.
In this episode, we start with a brief overview of the card payment transaction value chain, covering the key parties involved, from the cardholder to the issuer, and the role played by payment schemes on both a European Union and global scale.
She discusses the challenges faced by card issuers and explains how Enfuce addresses this by providing unique solutions and services that streamline the card issuance process and improves efficiency. You’ll get to learn that Enfuce also supports card issuers when it comes to security, compliance, and risk management, ensuring regulatory adherence. We talk about the SLA, where continuous high availability, timetables and transparent pricing are crucial.
Denise sheds light on the robust infrastructure implemented by Enfuce to ensure secure and reliable payment processing, along with their diligent measures to maintain conformity and regulatory compliance. During the episode, we examine a fascinating case study involving the successful partnership between Enfuce and Pleo. Denise explains how Enfuce addressed Pleo's specific needs, contributing to a seamless user experience through their innovative cloud-based solution. This co-CEO, who just happens to know her co-founder since 2007, describes what a co-CEO organization can bring to the table and how efficient it can be.
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
Back to payments with Denise, where she shares her immense knowledge and expertise in card issuance.
In this episode, we start with a brief overview of the card payment transaction value chain, covering the key parties involved, from the cardholder to the issuer, and the role played by payment schemes on both a European Union and global scale.
She discusses the challenges faced by card issuers and explains how Enfuce addresses this by providing unique solutions and services that streamline the card issuance process and improves efficiency. You’ll get to learn that Enfuce also supports card issuers when it comes to security, compliance, and risk management, ensuring regulatory adherence. We talk about the SLA, where continuous high availability, timetables and transparent pricing are crucial.
Denise sheds light on the robust infrastructure implemented by Enfuce to ensure secure and reliable payment processing, along with their diligent measures to maintain conformity and regulatory compliance. During the episode, we examine a fascinating case study involving the successful partnership between Enfuce and Pleo. Denise explains how Enfuce addressed Pleo's specific needs, contributing to a seamless user experience through their innovative cloud-based solution. This co-CEO, who just happens to know her co-founder since 2007, describes what a co-CEO organization can bring to the table and how efficient it can be.
In this episode, Yoni delves into the world of social trading platforms. He explores the concept of copytrading and its origins, shedding light on the associated risks and effective risk management strategies. We also discuss the impact of regulatory compliance on copytrading activities, highlighting key consumer protection regulations. Yoni provides insights on evaluating risk and making informed investment decisions. Additionally, we touch upon CFD trading and its appeal as a leveraged trading practice.
Shifting the focus to eToro, Yoni takes us through the history and background of the platform, emphasizing its Israeli roots and their contribution to the democratization of trading on a global scale. We get to hear about eToro's growth journey, including notable acquisitions, marketing strategies, and expansion plans.
Lastly, we address the SPAC deal cancellation and explore the timing considerations for a potential IPO.
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
In this episode, Yoni delves into the world of social trading platforms. He explores the concept of copytrading and its origins, shedding light on the associated risks and effective risk management strategies. We also discuss the impact of regulatory compliance on copytrading activities, highlighting key consumer protection regulations. Yoni provides insights on evaluating risk and making informed investment decisions. Additionally, we touch upon CFD trading and its appeal as a leveraged trading practice.
Shifting the focus to eToro, Yoni takes us through the history and background of the platform, emphasizing its Israeli roots and their contribution to the democratization of trading on a global scale. We get to hear about eToro's growth journey, including notable acquisitions, marketing strategies, and expansion plans.
Lastly, we address the SPAC deal cancellation and explore the timing considerations for a potential IPO.
In this captivating episode featuring the Minister of Finance, we gain fascinating insights into Luxembourg's FinTech ecosystem and its role in the competitive landscape of European finance. We explore the government's initiatives and policies that support innovation and collaboration, which make Luxembourg an attractive destination for FinTech startups and investors.
We delve into the present state of Luxembourg's FinTech ecosystem and its vibrant environment for innovation. Yuriko shares how the government fosters growth by creating a favorable regulatory framework and encouraging partnerships between traditional financial institutions and FinTech startups.
We explore the specific initiatives and policies implemented over the past decade, aimed at supporting FinTech startups and driving digitalization efforts in the financial sector. We also gain insights into the delicate balance of promoting innovation while ensuring the stability and security of the financial system.
However, the FinTech industry in Europe and Luxembourg faces evident challenges, such as intricate regulations and talent acquisition. Yuriko reveals the government's strategic plans to overcome these obstacles, emphasizing collaboration and investments in digital infrastructure, on education, funding or research.
I could not have the Minister of Finance as a guest on my podcast and not mention Europe. Gain a deeper understanding of E’yropes position within the European FinTech landscape and the steps taken by the government to maintain and enhance its competitiveness.
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
In this captivating episode featuring the Minister of Finance, we gain fascinating insights into Luxembourg's FinTech ecosystem and its role in the competitive landscape of European finance. We explore the government's initiatives and policies that support innovation and collaboration, which make Luxembourg an attractive destination for FinTech startups and investors.
We delve into the present state of Luxembourg's FinTech ecosystem and its vibrant environment for innovation. Yuriko shares how the government fosters growth by creating a favorable regulatory framework and encouraging partnerships between traditional financial institutions and FinTech startups.
We explore the specific initiatives and policies implemented over the past decade, aimed at supporting FinTech startups and driving digitalization efforts in the financial sector. We also gain insights into the delicate balance of promoting innovation while ensuring the stability and security of the financial system.
However, the FinTech industry in Europe and Luxembourg faces evident challenges, such as intricate regulations and talent acquisition. Yuriko reveals the government's strategic plans to overcome these obstacles, emphasizing collaboration and investments in digital infrastructure, on education, funding or research.
I could not have the Minister of Finance as a guest on my podcast and not mention Europe. Gain a deeper understanding of E’yropes position within the European FinTech landscape and the steps taken by the government to maintain and enhance its competitiveness.
As a media partner covering the Money 20/20 event, I teamed up with the Payments Association EU to bring you a series of captivating interviews.
Get ready to dive into the world of payments and discover remarkable companies across different separate episodes.
As a media partner covering the Money 20/20 event, I teamed up with the Payments Association EU to bring you a series of captivating interviews.
Get ready to dive into the world of payments and discover remarkable companies across different separate episodes.
As a media partner covering the Money 20/20 event, I teamed up with the Payments Association EU to bring you a series of captivating interviews.
Get ready to dive into the world of payments and discover remarkable companies across different separate episodes.
As a media partner covering the Money 20/20 event, I teamed up with the Payments Association EU to bring you a series of captivating interviews.
Get ready to dive into the world of payments and discover remarkable companies across different separate episodes.
As a media partner covering the Money 20/20 event, I teamed up with the Payments Association EU to bring you a series of captivating interviews.
Get ready to dive into the world of payments and discover remarkable companies across different separate episodes.
This week we discuss the emerging risks resulting from technological and scientific progress. My guest Enrica highlights the need for innovative insurance solutions to address risks such as cybersecurity breaches or data privacy concerns. She explains how Wallife leverages data sets to identify and analyze these risks, and why this InsurTech faces challenges in accessing comprehensive data for accurate risk assessment and insurance pricing.
You'll gain insight into how their process of envisioning and designing protection measures involves collaboration with researchers, experts, and industry partners. Wallife works with all these stakeholders to ensure the affordability of its insurance products by assessing associated costs. We also talk about obstacles when researching and prototyping insurance products for risks not currently covered.
In the second part of the podcast, Enrica focuses on Wallife as a company, discussing its geographical presence, team, and value proposition. She also sheds light on Wallife's partnership with UNIQA Versicherung, explaining the nature of their collaboration and the reasons for choosing them. She presents Wallife's insurance plans, highlighting the risks covered and providing specific use cases.
Enrica also provides insights into the go-to-market strategy, Wallife's investors and their funding journey, particularly focusing on the recent Series A funding round, which showcases the company's growth and investor interest.
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
This week we discuss the emerging risks resulting from technological and scientific progress. My guest Enrica highlights the need for innovative insurance solutions to address risks such as cybersecurity breaches or data privacy concerns. She explains how Wallife leverages data sets to identify and analyze these risks, and why this InsurTech faces challenges in accessing comprehensive data for accurate risk assessment and insurance pricing.
You'll gain insight into how their process of envisioning and designing protection measures involves collaboration with researchers, experts, and industry partners. Wallife works with all these stakeholders to ensure the affordability of its insurance products by assessing associated costs. We also talk about obstacles when researching and prototyping insurance products for risks not currently covered.
In the second part of the podcast, Enrica focuses on Wallife as a company, discussing its geographical presence, team, and value proposition. She also sheds light on Wallife's partnership with UNIQA Versicherung, explaining the nature of their collaboration and the reasons for choosing them. She presents Wallife's insurance plans, highlighting the risks covered and providing specific use cases.
Enrica also provides insights into the go-to-market strategy, Wallife's investors and their funding journey, particularly focusing on the recent Series A funding round, which showcases the company's growth and investor interest.
In this episode, Christian starts by giving us some insights on the German Tech ecosystem, how it works, and the kind of relationships that startups have with incumbent players and a flavour of its evolution over the past decade. He also provides insight of Getsafe's evolution and shares their journey so far, including the inspiration for starting the company, their target market, and their value proposition.
We dive into the range of products that Getsafe offers, how they have diversified their offerings, and their embedded insurance solution. Christian also shares insights into the role of data in their business strategy and how they ensure its ethical use.
As an expanding company, Christian talks about the biggest challenges Getsafe has faced in its growth and how they plan to continue expanding their market presence beyond Germany. We also explore the regulatory aspects of the company, including their authorization with BaFin and the benefits of being a full-stack insurer. Finally, Christian sheds light on their path to profitability and their latest funding round.
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
In this episode, Christian starts by giving us some insights on the German Tech ecosystem, how it works, and the kind of relationships that startups have with incumbent players and a flavour of its evolution over the past decade. He also provides insight of Getsafe's evolution and shares their journey so far, including the inspiration for starting the company, their target market, and their value proposition.
We dive into the range of products that Getsafe offers, how they have diversified their offerings, and their embedded insurance solution. Christian also shares insights into the role of data in their business strategy and how they ensure its ethical use.
As an expanding company, Christian talks about the biggest challenges Getsafe has faced in its growth and how they plan to continue expanding their market presence beyond Germany. We also explore the regulatory aspects of the company, including their authorization with BaFin and the benefits of being a full-stack insurer. Finally, Christian sheds light on their path to profitability and their latest funding round.
There's nothing I enjoy more than exploring complex and intriguing areas of finance with you. n this podcast, our guest from Switzerland sheds light on fiduciary services, trusts, and their relationship with wealth management, as well as common misconceptions. We discuss the use, benefits, and drawbacks of trusts for holding assets such as rainforest deeds, IP, and digital assets, and the importance of fiduciary duties and governance.
We also touch on the typology of clients using trusts, including pioneers, founders, and experienced investors. Siobhan mentions the evolution of regulation and the interest in building trusts in Switzerland, along with the controversy surrounding the Pandora papers.
During the conversation, she talks about the challenges of building trusts in the context of digital assets, including specific use cases such as the inheritance of NFTs and the creation of a Token Foundation through which DAOs with their own on-chain treasury can interact with the off-chain world. She explains the partnerships Saffery Champness is building with service providers in traditional finance and the crypto ecosystem, such as Coinify.
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
There's nothing I enjoy more than exploring complex and intriguing areas of finance with you. n this podcast, our guest from Switzerland sheds light on fiduciary services, trusts, and their relationship with wealth management, as well as common misconceptions. We discuss the use, benefits, and drawbacks of trusts for holding assets such as rainforest deeds, IP, and digital assets, and the importance of fiduciary duties and governance.
We also touch on the typology of clients using trusts, including pioneers, founders, and experienced investors. Siobhan mentions the evolution of regulation and the interest in building trusts in Switzerland, along with the controversy surrounding the Pandora papers.
During the conversation, she talks about the challenges of building trusts in the context of digital assets, including specific use cases such as the inheritance of NFTs and the creation of a Token Foundation through which DAOs with their own on-chain treasury can interact with the off-chain world. She explains the partnerships Champness Saffery is building with service providers in traditional finance and the crypto ecosystem, such as Coinify.
To discuss this essential payment player, I needed one of Adyen's long-time collaborators. The choice fell on Virginie, who joined Adyen 6 years ago before its IPO.
We learn (and laugh) with Virginie as we go behind the scenes of this Dutch-based FinTech, which now has a worldwide presence in more than 20 countries and major partnerships with players like eBay. We find out how the scale-up transformed itself into a financial institution with a super agile entrepreneurial culture that allows it to quickly deploy new features and establish fundamental collaborations for its clients. Of course, we also discuss France, where Virginie recently joined as Country Manager, and how the European giant takes local specificities into account.
This is an excellent example of exceptional scaling. Besides the fascinating corporate strategy, Virginie also shares humorous anecdotes, notably about Adyen's listing when she was in Asia.
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
ITo discuss this essential payment player, I needed one of Adyen's long-time collaborators. The choice fell on Virginie Boulé, who joined Adyen 6 years ago before its IPO.
We learn (and laugh) with Virginie as we go behind the scenes of this Dutch-based FinTech, which now has a worldwide presence in more than 20 countries and major partnerships with players like eBay. We find out how the scale-up transformed itself into a financial institution with a super agile entrepreneurial culture that allows it to quickly deploy new features and establish fundamental collaborations for its clients. Of course, we also discuss France, where Virginie recently joined as Country Manager, and how the European giant takes local specificities into account.
This is an excellent example of exceptional scaling. Besides the fascinating corporate strategy, Virginie also shares humorous anecdotes, notably about Adyen's listing when she was in Asia.
In this episode, I have a conversation with Ashish, to explore the world of Corporate VC. He shares with us the differences between CVC and Institutional VC and what inspired PayPal to launch its CVC vehicle, as well as the primary goals of this initiative.
We delve into the complexities of launching a CVC in the fast-paced and highly competitive startup ecosystem, and how PayPal's CVC differs from traditional venture capital firms in terms of investment strategy and approach to portfolio management.
Ashish also reveals how PayPal ensures that the startups in which they invest receive the resources and support they need to succeed, and the value-add PayPal brings beyond just capital.
We also learn about the evolution of the CVC landscape since PayPal launched its vehicle and how they have adapted their strategy to stay competitive in this changing environment.
In the second part of the podcast, Ashish provides an inside look at PayPal Ventures, including its geographic presence, figures, team, and value proposition.
We discuss how PayPal evaluates potential investment opportunities and the criteria used to determine whether a startup is a good fit for PayPal's portfolio.
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
In this episode, I have a conversation with Ashish, to explore the world of Corporate VC. He shares with us the differences between CVC and Institutional VC and what inspired PayPal to launch its CVC vehicle, as well as the primary goals of this initiative.
We delve into the complexities of launching a CVC in the fast-paced and highly competitive startup ecosystem, and how PayPal's CVC differs from traditional venture capital firms in terms of investment strategy and approach to portfolio management.
Ashish also reveals how PayPal ensures that the startups in which they invest receive the resources and support they need to succeed, and the value-add PayPal brings beyond just capital.
We also learn about the evolution of the CVC landscape since PayPal launched its vehicle and how they have adapted their strategy to stay competitive in this changing environment.
In the second part of the podcast, Ashish provides an inside look at PayPal Ventures, including its geographic presence, figures, team, and value proposition.
We discuss how PayPal evaluates potential investment opportunities and the criteria used to determine whether a startup is a good fit for PayPal's portfolio.
Tim shares with us the unique challenges and opportunities that come with managing a publicly listed fintech fund. He explains that the decision to list Augmentum was made to provide liquidity for shareholders and align their interests with those of entrepreneurs and investors.
We explore the delicate balance between shareholder expectations and long-term investment goals, and how Augmentum manages investor relations and fund structure.
Timm also explains Augmentum's investment thesis and their focus on deals within the FinTech sector, particularly in digital banking, wealth management, and insurance. We take a closer look at Tide, Tim explains why they chose to invest in this particular FinTech and how it positions itself in the European ecosystem.
Overall, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in Augmentum and the world of FinTech and VC funds.
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
Tim shares with us the unique challenges and opportunities that come with managing a publicly listed fintech fund. He explains that the decision to list Augmentum was made to provide liquidity for shareholders and align their interests with those of entrepreneurs and investors.
We explore the delicate balance between shareholder expectations and long-term investment goals, and how Augmentum manages investor relations and fund structure.
Tim also explains Augmentum's investment thesis and their focus on deals within the FinTech sector, particularly in digital banking, wealth management, and insurance. We take a closer look at Tide, Tim explains why they chose to invest in this particular FinTech and how it positions itself in the European ecosystem.
Overall, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in Augmentum and the world of FinTech and VC funds.
Get ready to be swept off your feet by the exciting journey of a passionate entrepreneur, Jacqueline! She's here to demystify the world of alternative climate funds, whether it's infrastructure, real estate, private equity, growth, or venture capital.
Her motto: It's time to finance companies that are changing the world.
We'll also explore the incredible potential of this platform, which is making alternative assets more accessible.
Jacqueline will share all the nitty-gritty details that went into setting up Carbon Equity, from fund type and ticket size, to marketing and distribution, and secondary market setup.
Recently, Carbon Equity created a new vehicle that's open to investors who want to change the world by financing the economy of the future.
Tune in for an informative and exciting episode!
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
Get ready to be swept off your feet by the exciting journey of a passionate entrepreneur, Jacqueline! She's here to demystify the world of alternative climate funds, whether it's infrastructure, real estate, private equity, growth, or venture capital.
Her motto: It's time to finance companies that are changing the world.
We'll also explore the incredible potential of this platform, which is making alternative assets more accessible.
Jacqueline will share all the nitty-gritty details that went into setting up Carbon Equity, from fund type and ticket size, to marketing and distribution, and secondary market setup.
Recently, Carbon Equity created a new vehicle that's open to investors who want to change the world by financing the economy of the future.
Tune in for an informative and exciting episode!
Without necessarily focusing on a finance lesson this episode, we have a top-notch course worthy of Thomas Piketty on the financialization of the economy and the related consequences. This discussion introduces us to the concept of positive and negative impact related companies and the ways in which Impak Analytics measures it.
We look at the methodology applied to listed and issuer companies, as well as those that are not listed. This scale-up established in Canada and France counts Société Générale and Altalurra Ventures among its investors. Paul explains the nature of the partnership with the French financial group and how the relationship was formed.
He also reflects on the shift from B2C to B2B and outlines the value proposition around the mission he and his team have set for themselves: to deploy the most rigorous impact analysis of the financial sector to redirect capital towards the economy with the most positive impact on our planet.
We also dive into Impak Analytics' relationships with corporations and different stakeholders in the ecosystem, such as consultants.
This is an extract from the episode published on Sunday.
Without necessarily focusing on a finance lesson this episode, we have a top-notch course worthy of Thomas Piketty on the financialization of the economy and the related consequences. This discussion introduces us to the concept of positive and negative impact related companies and the ways in which Impak Analytics measures it.
We look at the methodology applied to listed and issuer companies, as well as those that are not listed. This scale-up established in Canada and France counts Société Générale and Altalurra Ventures among its investors. Paul explains the nature of the partnership with the French financial group and how the relationship was formed.
He also reflects on the shift from B2C to B2B and outlines the value proposition around the mission he and his team have set for themselves: to deploy the most rigorous impact analysis of the financial sector to redirect capital towards the economy with the most positive impact on our planet.
We also dive into Impak Analytics' relationships with corporations and different stakeholders in the ecosystem, such as consultants.
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
It's been a long time since we covered financial markets. This time, we deep dive into crypto ETPs.
In this episode, I sit down with Bradley who explains the fundamental differences between ETNs, ETFs and ETCs. You'll discover that what the ETC Group has deployed is both a challenge from a regulatory perspective and from the back office of an organization point of view.
Created a few years ago, the ETC Group already released ETPs and ETFs on various crypto currencies and listed its products on various European exchanges such as Xetra and Euronext. We take a closer look at the process from prospectus creation to listing.
We also discuss the key role of the providers and especially that of the custodial and liquidity providers. Finally, we dive into the rise of these products that clearly straddle two worlds. I have tried to break it down as much as possible!
A great episode for those with a key interest in financial markets!
I’m sure you know by now how much I enjoy interviewing the VC community. They are incredibly nimble and have a strong entrepreneurial spirit that sets them apart. For this episode, I had the unique pleasure of chatting with Johan who is one of Europe's most renowned names in venture capital investment.
Johan has achieved incredible success in the world of venture capital and entrepreneurship--and now he's here to tell us all about his journey with Creandum.
As diversity is a top priority for me and my podcast, I had to discuss this with Johan. We delved into the lofty diversity goals that his venture capital firm has set, particularly in relation to women on their teams and investments.
Johan tells us about the implementation of their diversity index, offers a wealth of relevant data and provides us with tangible results to date.
When we hear that almost 1/4 of the companies Creandum invests in now have at least 50% female co-founders or a female CEO, it encourages such initiatives since gender equality leads to better returns. We couldn't pass up this VC's flagship investments in FinTechs such as Swan and Trade Republic.
Out of the 120 companies that Creandum supports, it's no surprise that several have become unicorns.
We discuss their unique selling proposition (USP) as well as the positioning of the manager in European ecosystems.
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
I’m sure you know by now how much I enjoy interviewing the VC community. They are incredibly nimble and have a strong entrepreneurial spirit that sets them apart. For this episode, I had the unique pleasure of chatting with Johann who is one of Europe's most renowned names in venture capital investment.
Johan has achieved incredible success in the world of venture capital and entrepreneurship--and now he's here to tell us all about his journey with Créandum.
As diversity is a top priority for me and my podcast, I had to discuss this with Johann. We delved into the lofty diversity goals that his venture capital firm has set, particularly in relation to women on their teams and investments.
Johan tells us about the implementation of their diversity index, offers a wealth of relevant data and provides us with tangible results to date.
When we hear that almost 1/4 of the companies Creandum invests in now have at least 50% female co-founders or a female CEO, it encourages such initiatives since gender equality leads to better returns. We couldn't pass up this VC's flagship investments in FinTechs such as Swan and Trade Republic.
Out of the 120 companies that Creandum supports, it's no surprise that several have become unicorns.
We discuss their unique selling proposition (USP) as well as the positioning of the manager in European ecosystems.
The crucial role investor relations plays in the VC world is just one of the topics we dive into with Daniel during this episode. You’ll discover that not only is this a subject that Speedinvest takes very seriously but more often than not, investor relations is not given the kudos it deserves. What we find out is that there's clearly a parallel to start-up funding rounds and it’s no laughing matter when it comes to institutional investors.
Daniel gives us a behind-the-scenes look at this Austrian based VC's modus operandi, the tools they use, how their various offices operate, and how it all comes together.
And finally, we talk about their investment thesis and unearth some of the gold nuggets in their portfolio.
The VC as you have never seen it before.
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
The crucial role investor relations plays in the VC world is just one of the topics we dive into with Daniel during this episode. You’ll discover that not only is this a subject that Speedinvest takes very seriously but more often than not, investor relations is not given the kudos it deserves. What we find out is that there's clearly a parallel to start-up funding rounds and it’s no laughing matter when it comes to institutional investors.
Daniel gives us a behind-the-scenes look at this Austrian based VC's modus operandi, the tools they use, how their various offices operate, and how it all comes together.
And finally, we talk about their investment thesis and unearth some of the gold nuggets in their portfolio.
The VC as you have never seen it before.
We take a step back to understand what's taken place in private markets, in particular private equity.
You’ll not only discover that this asset class was almost non-existent 40 years ago but also be treated to a discussion on the main principles of diversification and the evolution of a pension fund's asset allocation.
This topic is important because we know that there are huge challenges when it comes to accessing this asset category. We are therefore talking about financial education but also about tokenization.
We delve into ESG and Bill's views about how hard it is for asset managers to implement its principles.
Finally, we talk about the CAIA Association, their programmes and alumni, and their initiatives, which will give you deeper insight into how education and recruitments in Tech’ are key to the development of this asset class.
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
We take a step back to understand what's taken place in private markets, in particular private equity.
You’ll not only discover that this asset class was almost non-existent 40 years ago but also be treated to a discussion on the main principles of diversification and the evolution of a pension fund's asset allocation.
This topic is important because we know that there are huge challenges when it comes to accessing this asset category. We are therefore talking about financial education but also about tokenization.
We delve into ESG and Bill's views about how hard it is for asset managers to implement its principles.
Finally, we talk about the CAIA Association, their programmes and alumni, and their initiatives, which will give you deeper insight into how education and recruitments in Tech’ are key to the development of this asset class.
In this episode, I speak to Erik, who lets us in on the great adventure he’s having with Scalable Capital, which is soon to be Europe's leading digital investment platform. In 2014, he and his co-founders created this online WM firm in Germany.
We learn about the evolution of their offering, from their original positioning to the robo-advisor and recently their neobroker offering. Erik is a former banker at Goldman Sachs and shares a great anecdote about his success and how it all started.
We find out why Scalable Capital joined forces with Baader Bank and what approvals they needed from Bafin and the Bundesbank. We also dive into how portfolio management evolved from the first risk-based management portfolio to the most recent ESG development. We also look at portfolio rebalancing as well as customers and the acquisition funnel.
Erik walks us through their exponential growth, specifically the structure of their investment management arm. We touch on their partnerships with the major ETF providers, which have enabled them to offer Invesco, iShares and Xtrackers ETF. This includes crypto ETPs and the integration of third-party providers such as Fourth line.
Finally, we talk about their CapTable and more particularly BlackRock and Tencent, investors who deeply trust what they do.
It’s another must-listen!
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
In this episode, I speak to Erik, who lets us in on the great adventure he’s having with Scalable Capital, which is soon to be Europe's leading digital investment platform. In 2014, he and his co-founders created this online WM firm in Germany.
We learn about the evolution of their offering, from their original positioning to the robo-advisor and recently their neobroker offering. Erik is a former banker at Goldman Sachs and shares a great anecdote about his success and how it all started.
We find out why Scalable Capital joined forces with Baader Bank and what approvals they needed from Bafin and the Bundesbank. We also dive into how portfolio management evolved from the first risk-based management portfolio to the most recent ESG development. We also look at portfolio rebalancing as well as customers and the acquisition funnel.
Erik walks us through their exponential growth, specifically the structure of their investment management arm. We touch on their partnerships with the major ETF providers, which have enabled them to offer Invesco, iShares and Xtrackers ETF. This includes crypto ETPs and the integration of third-party providers such as Fourth line.
Finally, we talk about their CapTable and more particularly BlackRock and Tencent, investors who deeply trust what they do.
It’s another must-listen!
A conversation that covers many topics, from scaling a business in payments to Twitter and the timing of IPOs.
In this episode, I speak to Josh, a banking lawyer who worked at the US Federal Reserve, Deutsche Bank, Crédit Agricole and Bank of America before joining the FinTech world at Checkout.com, the payment processing company.
Josh takes us through the macro and micro steps Checkout.com took to prepare for their international expansion when he was COO. He uses Saudi Arabia as an example, providing insight into how the team was assembled, core functions established, and local teams deployed.
We look at the benefits of deploying from Europe, where a standard of excellence is established in the key areas of anti-money laundering and data protection. We learn that data has always been key to their scaling, and get a first-hand look at how it's processed to be very efficient at resolving bottlenecks very fast. We also dive into their regulatory strategy for expanding outside of Europe.
Josh joined Wilson Sonsini, a tech-focused US law firm, a few years ago and we learn about their relationships with big tech companies like Netflix and Apple. Discovering a start-up history, from its formation as a legal entity to more complex litigation cases, is a special treat. You'll also learn about the key roles that these top notch advisors play.
If you want the inside scoop on IPOs, we pinpoint the exact timing required to make it a success.
This is an excerpt from the episode published on Sunday.
A conversation that covers many topics, from scaling a business in payments to Twitter and the timing of IPOs.
In this episode, I speak to Josh, a banking lawyer who worked at the US Federal Reserve, Deutsche Bank, Crédit Agricole and Bank of America before joining the FinTech world at Checkout.com, the payment processing company.
Josh takes us through the macro and micro steps Checkout.com took to prepare for their international expansion when he was COO. He uses Saudi Arabia as an example, providing insight into how the team was assembled, core functions established, and local teams deployed.
We look at the benefits of deploying from Europe, where a standard of excellence is established in the key areas of anti-money laundering and data protection. We learn that data has always been key to their scaling, and get a first-hand look at how it's processed to be very efficient at resolving bottlenecks very fast. We also dive into their regulatory strategy for expanding outside of Europe.
Josh joined Wilson Sonsini, a tech-focused US law firm, a few years ago and we learn about their relationships with big tech companies like Netflix and Apple. Discovering a start-up history, from its formation as a legal entity to more complex litigation cases, is a special treat. You'll also learn about the key roles that these top notch advisors play.
If you want the inside scoop on IPOs, we pinpoint the exact timing required to make it a success.
In this episode, we look at the US and Europe through the lens of the fintech medium-term landscape, and deep dive into what the European start-up scene means to a giant US VC firm and what they look for when investing.
Seema Amble is a partner at Andreessen Horowitz (A16Z), the venture capital firm specialising in early-stage start-ups and established growth companies. Prior to this, Seema had been investing in fintechs for over a decade, primarily covering financial services with a focus on payments and insurance.It’s very insightful to get Seema’s fintech’s medium-term outlook and learn the importance of thinking about how much more this covers and how much more still needs to be built beyond the typical financial infrastructure. Seema has a keen eye on CFO stack or CFO tools, which give them intelligence with a real-time view of a company's financial data. Other areas to watch include AML, cyber insurance and cross-border payments.
At A16Z, they want to find the most bold, ambitious entrepreneurs who are building the future through technology. A real source of inspiration is hearing Seema share the “factory” they have built to support the entrepreneurs.
She also delves into companies A16Z has been investing in, such as: Stoïk, Sequence or Payrails.
This podcast is for information purposes only and should not be relied upon for investment advice. Opinions expressed by Seema are solely her own and do not reflect the opinion of Andreessen Horowitz.
This is an extract from the episode published in the coming days.
In this episode, we look at the US and Europe through the lens of the fintech medium-term landscape, and deep dive into what the European start-up scene means to a giant US VC firm and what they look for when investing.
Seema Amble is a partner at Andreessen Horowitz (A16Z), the venture capital firm specialising in early-stage start-ups and established growth companies. Prior to this, Seema had been investing in fintechs for over a decade, primarily covering financial services with a focus on payments and insurance.It’s very insightful to get Seema’s fintech’s medium-term outlook and learn the importance of thinking about how much more this covers and how much more still needs to be built beyond the typical financial infrastructure. Seema has a keen eye on CFO stack or CFO tools, which give them intelligence with a real-time view of a company's financial data. Other areas to watch include AML, cyber insurance and cross-border payments.
At A16Z, they want to find the most bold, ambitious entrepreneurs who are building the future through technology. A real source of inspiration is hearing Seema share the “factory” they have built to support the entrepreneurs.
She also delves into companies A16Z has been investing in, such as: Stoïk, Sequence or Payrails.
This podcast is for information purposes only and should not be relied upon for investment advice. Opinions expressed by Seema are solely her own and do not reflect the opinion of Andreessen Horowitz.
How does a huge financial group such as HSBC foster a culture of innovation internally while collaborating with FinTechs?
This is exactly what I sought to understand when speaking to my latest guest Rita. She gets straight to the point and provides definitive examples without sugarcoating the requirements Global functions, such as legal or risk, need to have in place at a global level.
We delve into how start-ups are identified and selected, procurement management, the implementation of the proof of concept, as well as the all-important results. We also deep dive into a use case where a natural-language-generation company based in France is serving a risk team based in Hong Kong .
I also speak to Rita about the internal innovation programmes within the group, whether through VC investments with HSBC Ventures, staff training focused on innovation initiatives designed in conjunction with Oxford, or the intrapreneurship the HSBC entrepreneur-in-residence project.
7 mn of the episode published on Sunday.
How does a huge financial group such as HSBC foster a culture of innovation internally while collaborating with FinTechs?
This is exactly what I sought to understand when speaking to my latest guest Rita. She gets straight to the point and provides definitive examples without sugarcoating the requirements Global functions, such as legal or risk, need to have in place at a global level.
We delve into how start-ups are identified and selected, procurement management, the implementation of the proof of concept, as well as the all-important results. We also deep dive into a use case where a natural-language-generation company based in France is serving a risk team based in Hong Kong .
I also speak to Rita about the internal innovation programmes within the group, whether through VC investments with HSBC Ventures, staff training focused on innovation initiatives designed in conjunction with Oxford, or the intrapreneurship the HSBC entrepreneur-in-residence project.
Two complex concepts together in this episode: crypto and AML Risk scoring. Keep cool, that remains completely understandable. Mircea joined Coinfirm 18 months ago to accelerate the expansion of this software provider offering AML Risk Analytics solutions for blockchains and cryptocurrencies.
Supporting over 1200 cryptocurrencies, including BTC, ETH, Dash, and Hyperledger, Confirm’s AML solutions are used by over 140 global clients, ranging from crypto exchanges such as Binance, protocols like NEAR to major financial institutions.
We cover the entire range of risks that Coinfirm helps its clients to mitigate, such as regulatory risk, transaction and counterparty risks.
We deep dive into the four different building blocks of Coinfirm : on ramp, onchain, off ramp, analytics and see how the start-up improves the knowledge of the compliance officer to get into that crypto space, shifting from a pure TradFi thinking to a hybrid one to understand and properly address those risks.
We also talk about the last Series A with investors like Middle Game Ventures and Coinshares.
7 mn of the episode published on Sunday.
Two complex concepts together in this episode: crypto and AML Risk scoring. Keep cool, that remains completely understandable. Mircea joined Coinfirm 18 months ago to accelerate the expansion of this software provider offering AML Risk Analytics solutions for blockchains and cryptocurrencies.
Supporting over 1200 cryptocurrencies, including BTC, ETH, Dash, and Hyperledger, Confirm’s AML solutions are used by over 140 global clients, ranging from crypto exchanges such as Binance, protocols like NEAR to major financial institutions.
We cover the entire range of risks that Coinfirm helps its clients to mitigate, such as regulatory risk, transaction and counterparty risks.
We deep dive into the four different building blocks of Coinfirm : on ramp, onchain, off ramp, analytics and see how the start-up improves the knowledge of the compliance officer to get into that crypto space, shifting from a pure TradFi thinking to a hybrid one to understand and properly address those risks.
We also talk about the last Series A with investors like Middle Game Ventures and Coinshares.
Seize the innovations in the financial industry and see how the actors respond to them.
In this episode, I explain what Finscale is.
Already 130 episodes published in French... A lot of pressure to launch the ENglish version. Now enjoy and subscribe !