Wharton FinTech Podcast

Kajol Char hosts Doug Ricket, founder and CEO of PayJoy. PayJoy is the leading financial platform dedicated to serving the underserved in emerging markets by providing access to smartphones, finance, and the modern financial system. This episode delves into Doug’s inspiring journey and his vision for PayJoy’s future. In this episode you will hear about: - Doug’s early career and his love for tech and international development - PayJoy’s origin story - PayJoy’s innovation - Opportunities for growth - And much more! About Doug Ricket Doug Ricket is the Founder and CEO of PayJoy. Prior to founding PayJoy, Doug founded a residential summer school for female high school students to study engineering at MIT, helped take Google Maps global, and built the wholesale distribution network for d.light solar products throughout West Africa (among many other accomplishments). He earned an MBA from Stanford Business School, his Masters of Engineering from MIT, and his Bachelor’s degree from MIT. About PayJoy PayJoy is the leading financial platform for the underserved in emerging markets. By opening the door to smartphones, finance, and the modern financial system to those who have been traditionally excluded, PayJoy is helping the underserved escape poverty and gain economic freedom. For more FinTech insights, follow us on WFT Medium: https://medium.com/wharton-fintech WFT Twitter: x.com/whartonfintech WFT Instagram: instagram.com/whartonfintech Kajol’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kajol-char/

In today's episode, Wesley Aster hosts Jonathan Whittle, the co-founder and Managing Partner of Quona Capital, a global venture capital firm investing in fintech in emerging markets. Tune in to hear about: - Jonathan's journey from entrepreneur to investor and how his experience as a founder has shaped his approach to investing - Quona's mission to drive financial inclusion, its recent advanced impact verification from BlueMark, and success stories from its portfolio. - Insights into fintech opportunities in Brazil and Mexico, and how regulation influences innovation in Latin America For more FinTech insights, follow us on WFT Medium: medium.com/wharton-fintech WFT Twitter: twitter.com/whartonfintech WFT Instagram: instagram.com/whartonfintech

Oded Zehavi, Founder & CEO of Mesh Payments and ex-PayPal & Payoneer, talks about reshaping global finance. Topics include fintech challenges, revolutionizing B2B transactions, COVID-19 pivot, automation-centric company transformation, and enhancing CFO operations.

Kailee Costello hosts Davi Strazza, President of North America at Adyen, a global fintech platform. They discuss Adyen's unique value proposition, bank licenses, FedNow, partnerships with fintechs like BILL and Plaid, evolving focus areas, Davi's career path, industry outlook, and future plans for growth in North America.

Nate Gee hosts Eric Sager, COO of Plaid, whose technology links fintech apps and financial institutions in a network empowering the fintech solutions that millions of people use. In this episode, they discuss: - How Plaid has transformed the fintech landscape in the past decade - Eric’s journey into fintech and becoming Plaid’s COO - The role of APIs and open banking in modern financial services - The growth of digital finance in recent years - Instant payments and alternative payment rails - Other fintech trends and how Plaid fits in - And much more! About Plaid Founded in 2013, Plaid has become essential infrastructure in the fintech world, connecting over 100 million users to financial services and facilitating integration among more than 12,000 financial institutions and 8,000 fintech apps worldwide. Plaid’s technology enables simpler, faster, and more transparent financial services, making it a cornerstone in the ongoing evolution of digital finance. About Eric Sager With over 20 years of experience in financial services, Eric Sager joined Plaid as COO in 2019. Before joining Plaid, Eric held senior roles at BlueVine and Square. Originally from Germany, Eric worked at Bain & Company in Europe after graduating from Harvard Business School in 2006. For more FinTech insights, follow us on: WFT Medium: medium.com/wharton-fintech WFT Twitter: twitter.com/whartonfintech WFT Instagram: instagram.com/whartonfintech Nate’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-c-gee/

Zoey Tang sat down with serial Investor, VC, Former Techstars Exec Jon Zanoff. Previously featured on the Wharton Fintech Podcast before, Jon is the founder of Empire Startups, one of the the largest FinTech communities of entrepreneurs, investors, bank innovators, and operators. As a fintech legend in New York, Jon is back on the show to share latest updates about Empire Startup and the New York Fintech Week on Apr. 8th - Apr. 12th. For more FinTech insights, follow us on: WFT Medium: medium.com/wharton-fintech WFT Twitter: twitter.com/whartonfintech WFT Instagram: instagram.com/whartonfintech Zoey's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/zoeytang1007/ Previous episode with Jon: https://bit.ly/3VBahpY

Graham Weaver, founder of Alpine Investors, discusses his journey from dorm room startup to $16B AUM, investment philosophies, and Alpine's $4.5B fund. Topics include unique hiring philosophy, screening for will to win in candidates, entrepreneurial choices, and navigating social media self-help content.

John Beccia and Edin Trto share insights on FS Vector's capital raise, market volatility, and FinTech regulatory landscape. They discuss firm evolution, product refinement, and growth opportunities. Navigating regulatory challenges in crypto and FinTech, they emphasize strategic preparation. The podcast wraps up with a fun lightning round of questions.

In today's episode, Wesley Aster hosts Justo Benetti, SVP Head of Americas at dLocal. Justo formerly served as VP of Strategic Solutions at Worldpay. In this episode you will hear about: - Justo's background and new role at dLocal - Payment processing in emerging economies - Managing regulatory complexity across emerging markets - dLocal's $100M investment in Argentina, and how Argentina's new presidential administration will impact the fintech sector - Global fintech trends

A discussion with Irana Wasti, Chief Product Officer at BILL, covers strategies for success in fintech product management. Topics include building for small businesses, managing product organizations, leveraging AI, and measuring growth and customer value. Learn about the challenges and opportunities in serving small businesses, the significance of product strategy, and tips for values-based interviewing.