Flourish Ventures

The power of AI is redefining what’s possible in fintech, and Flourish Principal Harsh Gupta took the stage at the Fintech Meetup in Mumbai to explain how, what he’s currently seeing, and what’s next. Throughout the discussion he detailed how: 🛠️ AI will play a significant role in bolstering the analytical capabilities of enterprises. 🌱 As with previous technological advancements, AI adoption will be gradual as businesses mature. 📈 AI is delivering ROI now through efficiency gains, cost reductions, and better customer experiences. 🌐Fintechs are already seeing real-world benefits in areas including: Credit underwriting, collections, compliance, fraud monitoring, customer service, and personalized investment plans among others. But if you missed Harsh at the Fintech Meetup, don’t worry, you can also catch him this week in Mumbai at the Bharat Fintech Summit where he’ll join the ‘Banks X Fintech Infra: The Future of Banking in a BaaS-Driven Economy’ panel. He’ll dive into how banks and fintechs are unlocking new digital financial ecosystems that help drive financial inclusion, how BaaS is delivering scalable, inclusive, and customer-centric banking solutions, and how agile FinTech infrastructure is transforming banking. Headed that way? Be sure to reach out and connect with Harsh. Full details here: https://lnkd.in/g7g4w-2m 

Founders across Africa are driving innovation and creating economic opportunity, so why aren’t we talking more about their wellbeing? In this NextBillion analysis, based on the experiences of nearly 200 startup founders across 13 African countries, Flourish Director of Strategy and Insights Stella Klemperer details findings from our survey on founder wellbeing in Africa, what founders are actually experiencing, and how investors can better support them. From the sources of founder stress to how they’re coping, check out Stella’s full article breaking down data from the report, with insights from African entrepreneurs in our portfolio including Belal EL-Megharbel, co-founder and CEO of MaxAB and Tayo Oviosu, founder and CEO of Paga Group Ltd

Look who made LAVCA’s annual list of Emerging Women Investors in Latin America! 🎉 We are incredibly proud to celebrate our very own, Diana Narváez (she/her). As Flourish’s lead investor in Latin America, she has been a tireless advocate for founder well-being and a driving force behind efforts to make the financial system more inclusive and equitable. In her role as Flourish’s lead investor in LatAm, Diana has expanded the firm’s presence across the region, working closely with the founding teams of rising fintechs such as Kamino, heru (YC S19), Neon, dolado, MoradaUno, and Swap, among others. She takes a thoughtful approach to sourcing, executing, and managing early-stage investments in startups creating innovative solutions to enhance the financial wellness of households and SMBs. Most recently, she led due diligence and investments in Akua, MoradaUno and minu which all closed in the second half of 2024. We’re thrilled to see her passion, vision, and commitment to the region recognized. Congratulations, Diana and all the investors who made the list for their impact across Latin America. https://lnkd.in/dRP7simx

Last November Flourish team members Tilman Ehrbeck, Sarah Morgenstern, Kabir Kumar, John Onwualu, Crystal Sun, and Evi M. attended the FinRegLab AI Symposium 2024, where we were thrilled to be a premier sponsor at such an important event exploring how we can collectively shape AI and the financial services policy agenda for the benefit of consumer financial well-being. Based on the insights from industry leaders and speakers at the Symposium, FinRegLab has pulled together a new report, “The Future We Make: Leveraging AI in Financial Services” that features 4 themes and 9 key insights to guide us in the development of AI in ways that improve consumer financial well-being. The report emphasizes the opportunity to build broad-based consensus around approaches, values, and boundaries of what we as a society want AI to do – and not do – in financial services. See all of the themes, key insights, and quotes from leaders who are actively shaping the future of AI. Download the full report here! https://lnkd.in/g-wTpTty

Congratulations to MoneyHash (Mustafa Eid, Nader Abdelrazik) on their pre-A funding! The world of payments is often fragmented and can require businesses to rely on dozens of providers to manage transactions. In emerging markets these challenges are even more pronounced due to the diversity of payment methods and currencies. MoneyHash, which provides single access to payment services in MENA, is tackling these issues head-on. Flourish Ventures team (Ameya Upadhyay, Efayomi Carr, and Jana Aboughali) led the round, and we all look forward to collaborating! Check out additional press via: TechCrunch: https://lnkd.in/gY5g2Zy7 FF News | Fintech Finance: https://lnkd.in/e3UZyUhR

🎙️Add this one to your weekend podcast playlist! Flourish Managing Partner Emmalyn Shaw joined This Week in Fintech’s ‘The OGs of Fintech’ series alongside Satya Patel (Homebrew) and host Julie VerHage-Greenberg. 💡 Key Highlights: 〰️ Emm shares her career journey, merging her passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and venture that led her to co-found Flourish Ventures and back founders who are disrupting legacy structures and shaping the financial system for the better. 〰️ Exciting investments coming across her desk: the intersections of fintech with climate and healthcare, advancements in cross-border solutions, and the evolving role of AI in compliance and other defensible areas. 〰️ Both Emm and Satya discuss co-investing in Chime, Gusto, and Alloy and reflect on the resilience required to build sustainable firms amidst market fluctuations, sharing insights from their personal experiences. Tune in here: https://lnkd.in/eKFdNxcF

💡 Tough Year, Bright Future for African Tech! 🌍 2024 threw plenty of curveballs at African tech—global funding slowdowns and macroeconomic challenges pushed startups to their limits. But resilience and innovation shone through. Flourish Principal Efayomi Carr dives into the lessons learned and the road ahead. From cross-border payments to banking-as-a-service, he explains why Flourish remains bullish on fintech infrastructure as the key to unlocking Africa’s next growth wave. 🚀 Ready to reshape strategies for 2025? Check out Efayomi’s insights on WeeTracker and hear from founders and investors as they adjust and redefine their strategies for 2025.

What makes a startup worthy of watching in 2025? High growth potential, potential for market disruption, and a likelihood of finding or having found product-market fit. We’re thrilled to see two of our portfolio partners, Apollo Agriculture and Zone, being recognized as such in TechCabal’s 25 startups to watch in 2025, according to Africa-focused VCs. Apollo, with its agronomic machine learning, remote sensing, and mobile technology helps farmers access credit, improve farm inputs, and offers customized advice to help farmers in Africa increase their yields and profits. Congrats Eli Pollak, Benjamin Njenga, Earl St Sauver, and the entire Apollo team for the recognition. Zone’s regulated and decentralized payment system empowers financial service providers globally to process payments and accept digital currencies. As Africa’s first regulated blockchain network for payments, they’ve already signed up over 15 of the continent’s largest banks. Shout out to Obi Emetarom, Wale Onawunmi and their team at Zone. Thanks to TechCabal for including them in your round up and allowing Flourish to weigh in on the selection process. Check out the full list and all the details below: 

🌟 Where’s the Money Headed in 2025? 🌟 India’s tech startup scene is hotter than ever, capturing the attention of global investors in the world’s fastest-growing economy. But what’s next for VC funding? Flourish Principal Harsh Gupta breaks down the trends shaping the future of investment: 🔍 RegTech on the Rise: Startups making compliance a breeze (and a bargain!) are gaining traction. Think smarter governance without the headaches of a full tech overhaul. 🌱 Sustainable Finance Goes Big: With India aiming for net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, green tech startups that win over eco-conscious consumers and build a sustainable finance ecosystem are set to shine. 💸 Digital Payments + Blockchain Boom: India’s smartphone wave and digital infrastructure are supercharging the payments space. From AI to blockchain and stablecoins, startups simplifying cross-border transactions are primed for explosive growth, especially with potential regulatory tailwinds. See all of the trends and why they’re poised to drive investment in 2025 in Harsh’s detailed article in VC Circle:

India’s startup ecosystem has seen a 50% increase in funds raised during the first nine months of 2024. As this momentum is expected to continue into 2025, Flourish Executive Director, Head of Asia Investments, Ravi Kaushik, offers a detailed take on which areas will see the most investment over the next year: 🛠️ Digital Banking & Infrastructure: As 5G rollout accelerates, startups expanding internet connectivity, building scalable digital infrastructure, and leveraging open APIs to create low-cost solutions will attract strong VC interest. Mission-driven ventures addressing underserved demographics as well as the AI-powered innovations disrupting legacy systems will also attract investors as they reshape financial access and drive India’s next wave of growth in 2025. 🌍Climate Fintech: With India’s ambitious goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, climate fintech startups are stepping up to the challenge as they build sustainable finance solutions to create scalable tools with global appeal. Additionally, the growing adoption of EVs across categories is opening up even more exciting opportunities for startups looking to create a greener future. 📱Embedded Finance: Embedded finance startups that are integrating financial products into non-banking platforms will see heightened VC interest. Combine that with India’s rising internet penetration and online consumption that is set to grow from $5.8 billion today to $28.6 billion by 2029, and you can see why embedded finance will continue to be a key area to watch in 2025. 🌐Payments - Domestic and Cross Border: India’s digital payments market is set to double from $3.5 trillion in 2024 to over $7 trillion by 2029. With UPI and the rising use of wallets and credit cards, startups enabling merchants to accept diverse payment methods are gaining momentum. Add to that the government’s push for CBDCs and stablecoins, alongside new cross-border payment licenses, and it’s clear that the payments space offers huge opportunities for startups and VC investment. With 2025 on the horizon, Ravi’s trends underscore how startups are modernizing the way money moves and addressing some of the region’s most pressing challenges - two key areas that will define the next chapter of India’s growth story. Read through the rest of his outlook for 2025 via moneycontrol.com