Wharton FinTech Podcast

Miguel Armaza sits down with Jarrid Tingle, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Harlem Capital, an early-stage, diversity-focused venture capital firm that was founded in 2015 with the specific mission to fundamentally change the face of entrepreneurship. Jarrid and team now manage a $174 million portfolio comprised of 61% Black or Latino led companies and 43% female-only led companies. Harlem Capital aims to invest in 1,000 diverse founders over the next 30 years. Jarrid is also a proud alum of our amazing Wharton School! In this episode, we discuss: - Jarrid’s background and how he and his co-founders raised Harlem Capital’s initial capital while in business school - The story behind Harlem Capital’s very own Harvard Business School case - Importance of backing founders that fundamentally can sell and are analytical - Their fintech outlook and why Jarrid is excited about the power of fintech to help supercharge eCommerce - Debunking the myth of the pipeline problem and why it’s really just about giving people access and opportunities - Why he’s hopeful but not satisfied with the progress of the VC and Tech industry as it relates to diversity - Biggest lesson he’s learned as an investor - And a lot more! Jarrid Tingle Jarrid Tingle is Managing Partner of Harlem Capital where he focuses on deal sourcing, organizational strategy, and due diligence efforts. Jarrid was featured on the 2019 Forbes 30 under 30 list, 2019 Inc. 30 under 30 list, and the 2018 Ebony Power 100 list. He received his MBA from Harvard Business School (HBS) in 2019 where he was a Baker Scholar (top 5% of class). During HBS, Jarrid was a fellow in the Robert Toigo Foundation and Management Leadership for Tomorrow MBA Programs. Previously, Jarrid was a Private Equity Investment Professional at ICV Partners. Prior to ICV, Jarrid was an Investment Banker in the Global Technology, Media & Telecommunications Group at Barclays. Jarrid graduated cum laude from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in Economics and a Concentration in Finance. Jarrid was an active member of Friars Senior Society, Onyx Senior Honor Society, and The Lantern Senior Society. Upon graduation, Jarrid received the Wharton Undergraduate Dean’s Award for Excellence (Wharton’s highest honor). Jarrid’s favorite activities include reading, weight training, traveling, and attending concerts. About Harlem Capital: Harlem Capital (HCP) is an early-stage, diversity-focused venture capital firm. HCP makes initial investments of $750k to $1.5mm in U.S. Seed rounds for 10%+ ownership. For more FinTech insights, follow us below: Medium: medium.com/wharton-fintech WFT Twitter: twitter.com/whartonfintech Miguel's Twitter: twitter.com/MiguelArmaza Miguel's Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3jWIpqp

Ryan Zauk sits down with Jeff Seltzer, Managing Partner of Pierce Yates Ventures and former board member of the New York Angels. Pierce Yates provides early-stage funding and advice to emerging companies with a focus on fintech and sports tech. The NY Angels is an incredible collection of some of New York's titans across various industries, who get together to invest and advise companies. Jeff is a proud Wharton alum and in 2019 received the Alumni Award of Merit in recognition of his lifelong commitment and service to Penn. In today’s episode, they cover: - His long road to investing and why it can be advantageous to do a stint in DC politics - New York Angels 101 including how they’re structured, the companies they back, and how you can get involved - The ups, downs, and many misunderstandings of angel investing Jeff wants to clear up - What founders and investors need to think about at the start of around - His must-read angel resources And much more. NY Angels: https://www.newyorkangels.com/ Book Recs: https://gust.com/guide Jeff Seltzer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-seltzer-b4603744 -- For more FinTech insights, follow us below: Medium: medium.com/wharton-fintech WFT Twitter: twitter.com/whartonfintech Ryan's Twitter: twitter.com/RyanZauk LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/wharton-fintech-club/

Ryan Zauk hosts legendary venture capitalist, billionaire, bitcoin investor, activist, and educator, Tim Draper. Tim Draper helps entrepreneurs drive their visions through funding, education, media, and government reform. His investments over the last few decades include companies like Baidu, Hotmail, Skype, Tesla, SpaceX, Robinhood, Twitter, Carta, Coinbase, and many more. He also is a large holder of bitcoin, having bought 50,000+ bitcoin when it was priced below $1,000. Draper Associates: draper.vc DFJ: https://www.dfj.com/ Website: timothydraper.com Book: https://www.amazon.com/How-Startup-Hero-Textbook-Entrepreneurs-ebook/dp/B078HWH29T They discuss: - His bullish views on bitcoin and the 1 reason he will never sell - His investment in Robinhood, Carta, and others - His very strong libertarian views and why he believes in minimal government, which ties into his bitcoin thesis - Why the Mt Gox hack improved his belief in bitcoin - His thoughts on the current state of China and where it’s headed - And a fun rapid-fire round including the first bank branch in space and his updated bitcoin price target About Tim: Tim Draper is a prominent Silicon Valley venture capitalist and founder of Draper Associates, DFJ, and the Draper Venture Network, a global network of venture capital funds. The firms’ investments include Baidu, Focus Media, YeePay, KongZhong, Skype, Hotmail, Tesla, SolarCity, Coinbase, Ledger, Robinhood, Athenahealth, Box, TwitchTV, SpaceX, Cruise Automation, Carta, Planet, PTC, and many others. Tim is a leading spokesperson for Bitcoin, Blockchain, ICOs, and cryptocurrencies. He won the US Marshall’s auction in 2014 (where he bid on 50,000 bitcoins) and invests in over 50 crypto companies as well as leads investments in Coinbase, Ledger, Tezos, and Bancor, among others. He created viral marketing, a marketing method for exponentially spreading an electronic service from customer to customer. Tim is regularly featured on major networks, in publications, and in social media as a proponent for entrepreneurship, innovative governance, free markets, and Bitcoin. He has received various awards and honors including the World Entrepreneurship Forum's "Entrepreneur of the World." He has also been highly ranked on several notable lists including one of the top 100 most powerful people in finance by Worth Magazine, the top 20 most influential people in Crypto by Crypto Weekly, #1 most networked venture capitalist by AlwaysOn, #7 on the Forbes Midas List, and #48 most influential Harvard Alum. In his mission to promote entrepreneurship, Tim created Draper University of Heroes, a residential and online school based in San Mateo, California, to help extraordinary people accomplish their life missions. School alumni have gone on to build 350 companies including crypto leaders, QTUM, Spacecash, DataWallet, and Credo. He also started Innovate Your State, a non-profit dedicated to crowdsource innovation in government; and BizWorld, a non-profit that teaches young children how business and entrepreneurship work. Tim is involved in California politics and education/organizations, having served on the California State Board of Education and starting a movement for local choice in schools that led to him becoming a proponent for a statewide initiative for school vouchers. He also led a statewide initiative to create competitive governance with Six Californias, followed by an initiative for Three Californias. Tim received a Bachelor of Science from Stanford University with a major in electrical engineering and a Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School. He also has two honorary doctorates from The International University and Trinity College of Dublin. -- For more FinTech insights, follow us below: Medium: medium.com/wharton-fintech WFT Twitter: twitter.com/whartonfintech Ryan's Twitter: twitter.com/RyanZauk LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/wharton-fintech-club/

Miguel Armaza sits down with Eric Dunn, CEO of Quicken, one of the largest personal finance software companies in the US with over 17 million clients and also one of the original fintech brands, launched over 30 years ago. In this episode, they discuss: - Eric’s career and why he decided to join Intuit in 1986 as employee #4! - Becoming an investor and reflections from the years he spent in Venture Capital + how it made him a better operator - Quicken’s journey and some of their challenges and reflections from 35+ years - Thought process behind Intuit’s decision to spin off Quicken - His management approach and frameworks to make strategic company decisions - Analysis of a fast-growing fintech space - And a lot more! Eric Dunn Eric has served as the CEO of Quicken Inc since 2016. He has been part of the Quicken business since its early days – he joined Intuit, Quicken’s previous owner, as employee #4 in 1986, when Quicken was the only Intuit software product. Over the course of his 20 years at Intuit Eric served as the CFO through the 1993 IPO and merger with ChipSoft (TurboTax); while he was CFO, he was also a software developer who worked on almost all of the early versions of Quicken; he was the first VP/general manager of the Quicken business; he was Intuit’s first CTO; and then led Intuit’s payments business during an additional tour of duty at Intuit in 2010-2015. Eric retired from Intuit in 2000 to pursue a second career in technology investing, first as an angel investor and then as a General Partner at Cardinal Venture Capital. Eric has served on the boards of directors of dozens of companies and organizations, including six public companies. Eric is married and has two children, both recently graduated from college and employed. In his free time, Eric plays tennis and squash and is a piano student. He is also a helicopter pilot and flies a Robinson R66. About Quicken Quicken is the #1 personal finance software in the US. For over 30 years, customers have relied on Quicken to manage all their finances, so they can lead healthy financial lives. In 2016, Quicken, formerly part of Intuit, became an independent company. Its desktop and cloud product suite includes a family of products that cater to different financial needs and device preferences — Quicken Starter Edition, Quicken Deluxe, Quicken Premier, and Quicken Home & Business, all of which can sync with Quicken's website and mobile apps — as well as Simplifi for mobile and web. Simplifi, named the "best budgeting app" by The New York Times' Wirecutter, is designed to help a new generation of mobile-first customers easily stay on top of their finances. Over 17 million people have used a Quicken product to manage their finances. Learn more at www.quicken.com.

Ryan Zauk sits down with world-renowned former GE CEO Jeff Immelt. Fresh off the release of his book, "Hot Seat: What I Learned Leading a Great American Company," Jeff comes on to discuss his career and legacy, as well as numerous topics ranging from China/US Relations to new fintech trends. Jeff joined GE after graduating from Harvard Business School and worked there for the next 35 (with 16 as CEO). Following the iconic tenure of Jack Welch, Jeff had a rocky road as CEO, losing billions in market cap and weathering numerous crises. Jeff has received merciless criticism from academics, execs, pundits, and more over the last decade, and has finally decided to share his side of the story. Ryan & Jeff touch on it in today's episode, but we highly recommend picking up Hot Seat as your summer read: Book Links: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Hot-Seat/Jeff-Immelt/9781982114718 https://www.amazon.com/Hot-Seat-Learned-Leading-American/dp/1982114711 Episode Breakdown: 4:25 His journey to the top of GE 7:50 The one thing Jack Welch did better than anyone 10:04 Why now was the right time to publish "Hot Seat" and what he learned 13:57 His thoughts on his legacy 20:24 His first day of work...September 10, 2001 24:46 His thoughts on globalization 27:40 China / US Relations and his advice for President Biden 33:23 GE Capital 101 and Fintech Trends He's Watching 41:56 His new role as a Venture Partner at NEA 44:37 A great rapid-fire round covering his exec dream team, his thoughts on 30 Rock, best business books, and more! 50:01 Why he has a tattoo of the GE logo Jeff Immelt is a Venture Partner at New Enterprise Associates (NEA), a global venture capital and private equity firm. He is the author of HOT SEAT, a memoir of leadership in times of crisis. Prior to joining NEA in 2018, Jeff was the 9th Chairman of GE and served as CEO for 16 years. He has been named one of the “World’s Best CEOs” three times by Barron’s. During his tenure as CEO, GE was named “America’s Most Admired Company” by Fortune magazine and one of “The World’s Most Respected Companies” in polls by Barron’s and the Financial Times. He has received fifteen honorary degrees and numerous awards for business leadership and chaired the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness under the Obama administration. Jeff has a B.A. degree in applied mathematics from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A. from Harvard University. He is a member of The American Academy of Arts & Sciences. -- For more FinTech insights, follow us below: Medium: medium.com/wharton-fintech WFT Twitter: twitter.com/whartonfintech Ryan's Twitter: twitter.com/RyanZauk LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/wharton-fintech-club/

Miguel Armaza sits down with Scott Sobel, Co-founder & Managing Partner of Valor Capital Group, a cross-border venture fund focused on Brazil and United States opportunities, with offices in New York, Silicon Valley, and São Paulo. In this episode, we discuss: - Scott’s journey and why he and his father, Ambassador Clifford Sobel, decided to launch Valor focusing on the Brazilian market - Investing strategy and case studies from some of their most exciting portfolio companies - The incredible fintech opportunity in Brazil and Latin America - What’s driving their big bets in the crypto space - Lessons learned from over a decade of investing and the importance of staying with your winners - And a lot more! Scott Sobel Scott Sobel, Co-founder & Managing Partner of Valor Capital Group, was part of the founding team of the pioneer Internet Telephony company Net2Phone; Scott helped take the company from a piece of software that was first to bridge the PC and the Public Switch Telephony Network to acquiring millions of users, generating over $200M in revenue, an IPO (1999) and the strategic sale of the company to AT&T for $1.4 Billion (2000). Scott went on to hold executives positions in Symbol Technologies working with the Mobile Computing and Wireless Divisions and NCR Corporation based in Singapore responsible for Corporate Development and later the P&L for the Financial Line of Business in the Emerging Markets. Scott was fortunate to be in a position to bring his skill sets, passions, and experiences to support other entrepreneurs in the U.S. and Brazil reach their visions. Scott holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Syracuse University. Scott has primarily lived and worked in the emerging markets (China, India, and Brazil) for the past decade, who is a passionate surfer and practices Jiu Jitsu. Valor Capital Group Founded in 2011, Valor Capital Group is the pioneer cross-border venture fund focused on Brazil and United States opportunities, with offices in New York, Silicon Valley, and São Paulo. The firm partners with visionary entrepreneurs building transformative businesses from startup to scale-up. Valor is committed to the success of their portfolio companies by providing capital, operational support and connectivity to global markets. The firm operates in two investment strategies: Growth Equity and Venture Capital. For more FinTech insights, follow us below: Medium: medium.com/wharton-fintech WFT Twitter: twitter.com/whartonfintech Miguel's Twitter: twitter.com/MiguelArmaza Miguel's Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3jWIpqp

Miguel Armaza sits down with Charlie Javice, Founder and CEO of Frank, a company that aims to make the application process for student loans faster and easier. Charlie founded the company in 2016 and has since reached almost 10 million households and raised over $25 million dollars in equity from top industry investors like Apollo, Slow Ventures, Reach Capital, and Tusk Venture Partners. She’s also a proud alum of our very own Wharton School. In this episode, we discuss: - Charlie’s background and how her family history inspired to pursue an entrepreneurial path - Her experience dealing with financial aid at the University of Pennsylvania and how it led Charlie to launch Frank - Their approach to help fix the underserved student loan market - Frank’s journey to reach almost 10 million households - Building company culture and why empathy is the most important trait she looks for in new hires - Valuable advice for entrepreneurs - What she considers her greatest achievement to date - A lot more! Charlie Javice Ms. Charlie Javice is CEO and Founder of Frank, the leading and fastest growing financial wellness platform for college students and frontline workers in the US. Frank helps students apply for FAFSA® in under 7 minutes, match students with scholarships and get exclusive discounts on college courses. For more FinTech insights, follow us below: Medium: medium.com/wharton-fintech WFT Twitter: twitter.com/whartonfintech Miguel's Twitter: twitter.com/MiguelArmaza Miguel's Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3jWIpqp

Ryan Zauk sits down with Kendrick Nguyen, Co-Founder & CEO of Republic. In 2016, Ken co-founded Republic, a platform empowering everyday people, both accredited and not accredited, to invest in the future they believe in. Republic provides access to high-growth startups, real estate, mission-driven enterprises, crypto, video games, and more. Republic has facilitated over $300 million in investments from over one million global community members! Ryan & Kendrick Discuss: - His long journey from immigrant, to lawyer, to startup founder - How Republic works from both the investor and business side - The coming disruption of venture capital - Their onboarding of GumRoad and Backstage Capital - Value aligned investing - And a fun rapid-fire round including a hilarious first job, his thoughts on Naval, the best Vietnamese in the Bay, and more! Link: Republic.Co For more Fintech insights, follow us below: Medium: medium.com/wharton-fintech WFT Twitter: twitter.com/whartonfintech Ryan's Twitter: twitter.com/RyanZauk LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/wharton-fintech-club/

Miguel Armaza sits down with Kelly Fryer, Executive Director of FinTech Sandbox, a nonprofit that promotes innovation in the financial sector worldwide by providing FinTech entrepreneurs and startups with access to critical data and resources at no cost. The Fintech Sandbox accepts new startup applications on a rolling basis, so if you or someone you know is part of a fintech startup that could benefit from this critical program, make sure to apply! We discuss: - Kelly’s background and why she’s so passionate about new technologies and their applications in the financial industry - The importance of access to data and resources for early-stage startups and how the Fintech Sandbox helps democratize access to information - Their application process, program structure, and the kind of startup they typically look for - Driving Inclusive Fintech and why this is one of Kelly’s most important goals - And just a lot more! Kelly Fryer Kelly Fryer is the Executive Director of FinTech Sandbox, where she leads the organization’s strategy, operations, and community. Given her experience both partnering with major financial services companies and cultivating FinTech startups, Kelly is excited to continue to build out FinTech Sandbox’s vision. Prior to the Sandbox, Kelly was the Director of Techstars’ FinTech accelerator program - the Barclays Accelerator, powered by Techstars New York. She managed the accelerator operations and fostered the community for three years, as well as sourced, selected, and advised early-stage FinTech startups. Kelly also spent several years on Bloomberg LP’s Global Data team - managing relationships with financial data providers and banks, running the custom index business, and leading technical projects for the department. Kelly received her MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, focusing on Corporate Innovation and Venture Development. About FinTech Sandbox FinTech Sandbox is a nonprofit that promotes innovation in financial technology and financial services globally by providing FinTech entrepreneurs and startups with access to critical data and resources at no cost. The company accepts new startup applications for its Data Access Program on a rolling basis, and has accepted over 230 startups into the program since launching six years ago. FinTech Sandbox also hosts Boston FinTech Week, next taking place from September 28 - October 1, 2021. For more information, please visit https://fintechsandbox.org & https://www.twitter.com/FinTechSandbox For more FinTech insights, follow us below: Medium: medium.com/wharton-fintech WFT Twitter: twitter.com/whartonfintech Miguel's Twitter: twitter.com/MiguelArmaza Miguel's Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3jWIpqp

In today's episode, Ally McCloskey sits down with Hussein Ahmed, Founder & CEO, and Ryan Conway, Head of Business Development & Strategic Partnerships, at Oxygen. Oxygen is a modern financial platform designed for the 21st century economy - providing digital natives, creators and entrepreneurs pushing everyday boundaries a banking partner that understands how they live and work. Oxygen offers a seamless user experience for both personal and business accounts and is available on both iOS and Android. Its users enjoy no monthly fees, early direct deposit, simple transfers, and cashback rewards on everyday purchases. Businesses can easily control their finances with integrated solutions that are elegant, simple and secure. Their motto? Reject ordinary. Banking for the Extraordinary. In this lively conversation, Ally, Hussein, and Ryan cover a wide range of topics including: -Redefining the Gig Economy beyond Uber drivers and DoorDash deliverers to include the full on-demand workforce of creators -The material difference that aesthetics and design can make in customer engagement and NPS scores -Lessons learned from their many marketing 'experiments' - from partnering with influencers to running ad campaigns on the back of muni buses -Why many neobanking startups are 'doomed to succeed' given the segment's funding and press buzz -Reflections on fundraising, particularly after their $17mm Series A -Why building a capital-intensive and reliable fintech startup that handles something as personal and critical as money doesn’t afford you the typical startup luxury of hiring hustlers to move fast and break things And so much more! Hussein Ahmed Hussein, Oxygen's Founder & CEO, is a multi-time founder originally from Egypt. After selling his first company to a PE firm, Hussein completed his PhD in Computer Science at Virginia Tech, earned his MBA at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, built and exited another SMB-focused company called Transpose, and faced the unique challenges of banking with variable income while consulting in the Bay Area. Ryan Conway As Head of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships, Ryan leads growth and partner efforts focusing on product, distribution, and revenue. He previously held roles at Mastercard in Digital Partnerships, Worldpay in Payments through the company’s IPO, BlueSnap, and completed his MBA at the Thunderbird School of Global Management. As mentioned in the episode, be sure to check out Oxygen's open roles here: https://jobs.lever.co/oxygen . -- Referenced in this episode: Dribbble: https://dribbble.com Twine: https://www.twine.net Freelancing Females: https://www.freelancingfemales.com -- As always, for more Fintech insights, please follow us below: WFT Blog: medium.com/wharton-fintech WFT Twitter: twitter.com/whartonfintech Ally's Twitter: twitter.com/AllyMcCloskey LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/wharton-fintech-club/