Wharton FinTech Podcast

Chen Amit, founder and CEO of Tipalti, shares insights on crafting initial solutions for enterprise problems, being an outsider in the industry, learnings from starting Tipalti, and structuring an early-stage company. He also discusses the importance of a strong founding team, personal growth as a leader, basic management skills, sales training, starting a fintech company, product-led growth, personalized sales, innovation in untapped fintech categories, and discovering new fields for unprecedented opportunities.

Kailee Costello hosts Annie Delgado, the Chief Risk Officer of Upstart. Upstart is a leading AI lending marketplace, partnering with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit In this episode you will hear about: - How Upstart’s use of ML has evolved from a binary decision model to what is now a fully-automated loan process for the majority of their borrowers - Why Upstart decided not to become a chartered bank - How Upstart works to prevent bias in ML algorithms - Competitive advantage in ML underwriting - Annie’s role as Chief Risk Officer - How lending processes and credit scores will evolve into the future - And much more! About Annie Delgado Annie is the Chief Risk Officer at Upstart. As part of her role, she has built a data-driven compliance program at Upstart, navigating the regulatory environment associated with the use of AI-powered credit modeling techniques. About Upstart Upstart is a leading artificial intelligence (AI) lending marketplace designed to improve access to affordable credit while reducing the risk and costs of lending for our bank partners. By leveraging Upstart's AI marketplace, Upstart-powered banks can offer higher approval rates and experience lower default rates, while simultaneously delivering the digital-first lending experience their customers demand. Upstart has originated more than $33B loans, and 84% of loans are fully automated. For more FinTech insights, follow us on WFT Medium: medium.com/wharton-fintech WFT Twitter: twitter.com/whartonfintech WFT Instagram: instagram.com/whartonfintech Kailee’s Twitter: @KaileeCostello_ Kailee’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaileecostello/

Nate Gee hosts Boris Alergant, Ripple’s Head of DeFi. Ripple has operated in the crypto space for over a decade and offers a range of blockchain-based solutions for businesses. In this episode we cover: - Ripple’s original solution addressing cross-border payments inefficiencies - The XRP Ledger on which Ripple builds its products, and how it differs from other blockchains - How Boris views and defines decentralized finance and his role leading DeFi at Ripple - The development of automated market maker functionality on the XRP Ledger - Central bank digital currencies and other recent industry trends - Pursuing an MBA to transition into fintech/crypto - And much more! About Boris Alergant Boris joined Ripple full-time in 2019 and is now the company’s Head of DeFi. Before joining Ripple, Boris earned an MBA and MA at the Wharton School and Lauder Institute. Prior to business school, Boris spent the first seven years of his career in investment banking and sales and trading at JP Morgan and MUFG. About Ripple Ripple Labs, Inc. is a technology company founded in 2012 with a primary focus on digital cross-border payments via a decentralized blockchain, XRP Ledger. Ripple now offers additional solutions to meet enterprises’ needs with respect to digital assets. Ripple also works with central banks around the world to issue central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) on the XRP Ledger. 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/

Josh Benadiva converses with David Mercer, CEO of LMAX Group, about the evolution of fintech, and his journey in leading a foreign and crypto exchange. A seasoned leader in the derivatives industry, Mercer shares his insights on the essence of continuous product improvement, agility in business structures, and the innovative approaches in Bitcoin and crypto exchanges. Discover how LMAX Group, Europe's leading Multilateral Trading Facility for FX and crypto, is driving transformation in the industry. Mercer provides a sneak peek into the future of crypto beyond the crypto winter and the role LMAX Group will play in this landscape. David Mercer is the chief executive of LMAX Group. He has more than 20 years’ experience in the derivatives industry and an extensive expertise in the leveraged FX business. Prior to joining LMAX Exchange, he held senior executive roles at IFX Markets and Saxo Bank (Synthesis Bank) in London, Geneva and Sydney. Mercer started his career at CSFP and Credit Suisse First Boston focusing on fixed income derivatives, primarily as the business manager in the emerging markets division.

Tarang Gupta hosts Samara Cohen, the Chief Investment Officer of ETFs and Index Investments at BlackRock. BlackRock is a global asset manager and technology provider and one of the world’s leading providers of investment, advisory and risk management solutions. In this episode you will hear about: - What Samara’s role as the CIO entails - How ETFs have evolved from their early days - Building high performance teams - Different types of investors that invest in BlackRock’s ETFs - Increasing participation of self-directed investors in public markets - Samara’s outlook on managing personal and professional commitments - And much more! About Samara Cohen Samara Cohen, Senior Managing Director, is the Chief Investment Officer of the ETF and Index Investments (EII) business for BlackRock and a member of the firm's Global Executive Committee. As the first ever CIO for EII, Samara manages the teams responsible for delivering the market quality and investment integrity of BlackRock’s 2,700+ index funds and ETFs. She also serves on the Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Steering Committee and on the board of the BlackRock Foundation. Samara was named to Barron’s 100 Most Influential Women in Finance last year. She earned a BS Econ in Finance from the Wharton School and a BA in Theatre Arts from the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Pennsylvania. She also holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. About ETFs and iShares An ETF is a technology that can wrap all kinds of investments. They are a simple way for people to access the world’s financial markets in a diversified way. ETFs are similar to mutual funds in that they invest in a basket of securities, such as stocks or bonds. Similar to a stock, ETFs can be traded whenever the markets are open, which makes them different from mutual funds. Ultimately, what ETFs are doing are democratizing investing – providing convenient and affordable access for millions to the capital markets. BlackRock’s ETF and index business is about $2.3 trillion in AUM across over 2,700+ funds globally. Worldwide, 120 million people have an average of $50,000 invested in iShares ETF and index funds. In the US alone, 25 million people own an iShares ETF. For more FinTech insights, follow us on WFT Medium: medium.com/wharton-fintech WFT Twitter: twitter.com/whartonfintech WFT Instagram: instagram.com/whartonfintech Tarang’s Twitter: twitter.com/tg_tarang Tarang’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/taranggupta100

In a collaboration with GGV Capital's "Evolving for the Next Billion" podcast, Joshua Benadiva hosts a fascinating conversation with Hans Tung, widely recognized as one of the best venture investors in the world. Hans is the managing partner of GGV Capital, and has been named to the Forbes Midas List of the world's top venture capital investors for 11 consecutive years. Throughout our conversation, we explore the unique decision-making strategies that have fueled Hans' successful investments. We delve into his distinct perspective on human and technological transformation and discuss how he uses these as data points in his broader investment strategy. Hans Tung is a Managing Partner at GGV Capital, focusing on early-stage investments across the global digital economy ecosystem. He is consistently recognized among the top venture capital investors in the world, having been named to the Forbes Midas list 11 consecutive years from 2013-2023, and has been in the top 10 for the last 5 years. He has also been recognized among the Top 100 Asian Americans by Gold House in 2018-2020. In 2023, Hans and his team launched the Embedded Fintech 50, a list highlighting the rising stars in fintech innovation. Hans oversees the GGV’s DE&I initiatives, and he is also the co-host of the popular podcast, “Evolving for the Next Billion” on entrepreneurship around the globe.

Russell Matambo hosts Shivani Siroya, Founder and CEO of Tala, a global technology company expanding access to credit and financial services in underserved markets. They discuss how Shivani’s built Tala on the basis of her microlending activity from her own savings, the importance of trust when lending in Emerging Markets, the socioeconomic impact of credit in Emerging Markets, and much more! About Shivani: Shivani is the Founder and CEO of Tala, a global technology company expanding access to credit and financial services in underserved markets. Nearly 8 million people across Kenya, the Philippines, Mexico, and India have used Tala products to start and expand small businesses, manage day-to-day needs, and pursue their financial goals with confidence. Tala has been named to the Fortune Impact 20 list, CNBC’s Disruptor 50 four years in a row, and Forbes’ Fintech 50 list for seven years running. Shivani has been invited to speak on Financial Inclusion at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Prior to founding Tala, Shivani worked in Investment Banking, Microfinance and for the United Nations Population Fund. She holds a BA from Wesleyan University and an MPH from Columbia University. —--- As always, for more Fintech insights and opportunities to collaborate, please find us below: WFT LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/wharton-fintech-club WFT Twitter: www.twitter.com/whartonfintech WFT Blog: www.medium.com/wharton-fintech WFT Home: www.whartonfintech.org Russell's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/russell-matambo-cfa-a5900039/

Tarang Gupta hosts Mani Mahadevan, the Founder & CEO of Valur, a fintech startup helping democratize access to the tax optimization and asset protection tools of billionaires. In this episode you will hear about: - Increasing complications in the US tax code - Making tax mitigation strategies accessible through tech - Starting a company during the pandemic - Taking the plunge from corporate roles to entrepreneurship And much more! About Mani Mahadevan Mani is the Founder and CEO at Valur. Prior to founding Valur, Mani was Chief of Staff for Apple Card at Marcus by Goldman Sachs and before that he held product and operation roles at the Remote Year and Medallia. Mani started his career as a Business Analyst at McKinsey and holds a Bachelors from the University of Michigan. About Valur Founded in 2020, Valur takes the tax optimization and asset protection tools of the ultra-wealthy and makes them accessible to everyone. Valur democratizes the tax planning tools necessary to grow wealth more efficiently, through technology thereby simplifying them and making them affordable to all. For more FinTech insights, follow us on WFT Medium: medium.com/wharton-fintech WFT Twitter: twitter.com/whartonfintech WFT Instagram: instagram.com/whartonfintech Tarang’s Twitter: twitter.com/tg_tarang Tarang’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/taranggupta100

In this episode, our host, Josh Benadiva, sits down with Tomer Barel, Chief Operating Officer of Melio. They discuss Tomer's takeaways in his early career from start-ups to PayPal, why he views simplicity and ease-of-use as the core of Melio's product, and the future of B2B payments. Tomer shares his insights on Melio's strategic partnerships, the state of B2B payments, and advice for future operators in the fintech space. Tomer Barel is the Chief Operating Officer of Melio. Before joining Melio, Tomer served as Vice President and COO of Novi, Meta’s payments unit and digital wallet. Tomer also spent nine years at PayPal. As PayPal’s global Chief Enterprise Services Officer and Chief Risk Officer, he was part of the executive team reporting to the CEO and led financial risk management and compliance as well as global operations including customer service and back-office functions. Barel also served on Melio’s advisory board since the company’s founding in 2018. Melio's mission is to keep small business in business, helping them to improve their cash flow and workflow, gain more control over their finances, and optimize their business's financial health. Melio was founded by CEO Matan Bar, CTO Ilan Atias, and Ziv Paz in 2018, with headquarters in New York, an R&D center in Tel Aviv, and western U.S. headquarters in Colorado. The company has raised $506 million to date. Melio's smart B2B online payment solution is tailor-made for small businesses' needs. It is a free, simple, and secure solution that allows small businesses and their suppliers to transfer and receive payments quickly and easily.

Tarang Gupta hosts Tanner Hackett, the Founder and CEO of Counterpart, an insurtech startup using AI to offer management and professional liability insurance products and services for small businesses. In this episode you will hear about: - How insuring SMEs can be tricky - Why Tanner chose to focus on specialty insurance - What makes Counterpart's offerings standout - Counterpart’s recent $30M Series B raise - The disruption brought about by insurtech And much more! About Tanner Hackett Tanner is the Founder and CEO of Counterpart. Before starting Counterpart, he co-founded two successful ventures including the Malaysian arm of Lazada, which quickly became the largest e-commerce company in Southeast Asia and Button, which has become the world’s largest mobile-first affiliate platform, partnering with global brands like Amazon, Walmart, Booking.com, and Uber. About Counterpart Founded in 2019, Counterpart is a Series B insurtech firm offering small business management and professional liability insurance by pairing insurance experts with artificial intelligence. For more FinTech insights, follow us on WFT Medium: medium.com/wharton-fintech WFT Twitter: twitter.com/whartonfintech WFT Instagram: instagram.com/whartonfintech Tarang’s Twitter: twitter.com/tg_tarang Tarang’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/taranggupta100