At our LP Annual Meeting last week in London, we were fortunate enough to have some of our portfolio founders in the room, including David Arana from Konfío, Ranjan R Reddy from Bureau, and Sandra Nolasco + Carmen Marin, CFA of Twinco Capital. But those who weren't in the room were well-represented as we shared with our LPs our perspective on Quona being "the most local of global firms, and the most global of local firms" with team members living all over the markets where we invest. Here's the video we shared. With Monica Brand Engel, Jonathan Whittle, ganesh rengaswamy, Johan Bosini, Varun M., Rafa de la Guia, David Mathewson, Shannon Austin, Yasmine Shama, Jenna P., Kristin Sadler. (h/t to Michel Zaidler). Special thanks to Chandra Lim.
Quona Capital
Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
Washington, District of Columbia 24,273 followers
Venture Capital firm investing in fintech for inclusion in emerging markets. We fuel global fintech.
About us
Quona Capital is a venture capital firm that invests in financial technology companies in emerging markets. The firm was formed with a simple idea - technology has the power to radically improve the quality, access and affordability of financial services for underserved consumers and businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Asia. We invest in disruptive innovations to create a more financially inclusive world.
- Website
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http://www.quona.com
External link for Quona Capital
- Industry
- Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
- Company size
- 11-50 employees
- Headquarters
- Washington, District of Columbia
- Type
- Partnership
- Founded
- 2015
- Specialties
- Fintech, Embedded Finance, Emerging Markets, Latin America, India and Southeast Asia, Africa, and Middle East
Locations
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Primary
1101 15th Street NW
Suite 401
Washington, District of Columbia 20005, US
Employees at Quona Capital
Updates
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So proud to have Quona partner Johan Bosini moderating this important conversation in #CapeTown about the future of fintech! Thanks to the organizers for Innovation City Cape Town for putting together this terrific and engaging event! #Africa With Monica Brand Engel, Kofoworola Agbaje, Thomas Mulwa, Ouis Abdessadok, Yasmine Shama, Shannon Austin
The "Fintech: Boom or Bubble?" event, moderated by Johan Bosini of Quona Capital, brought together fintech leaders to discuss the industry's future. Here are our key takeaways: 💥 Boom or Bubble? General consensus leaned towards a boom, particularly in payments, but with cautious optimism. Fintech is growing fast, and partnerships with established banks and players are seen as key factor in sustaining growth. Joshua Shimkin (Peach Payments) emphasised that fintech has been riding the wave for some time, while Patrick Postrehovsky (Happy Pay) highlighted the significant growth curve his company is experiencing. Bernard Willer (Paytec) cautioned that while growth is slower, it must be sustainable, focusing on process over tech. Fintech's Role in Financial Inclusion: A recurring theme was the responsibility of fintech to address the needs of the financially excluded. Willer pointed out fintech’s ability to deliver niche services to people who are often left out of traditional banking systems. Banks vs. Fintech: Partners, Not Competitors: Fintech is not competing but complementing banks, which are generally risk-averse and slow to innovate. Fintechs can act quickly and take risks. Paulina Klotzbücher (Glyde Payments) mentioned banks' inefficiencies, but recognised that they face stricter regulatory frameworks. Fintechs see banks as partners, especially in areas like payments, with partnerships enabling quicker execution and growth. Regulation & Fintech Innovation: Regulation is a significant barrier to rapid fintech innovation. Muhammad Nana (Mastercard) shared that SA Reserve Bank's Vision 2025 includes creating sandboxes to foster fintech experimentation. Klotzbücher said we are on the cusp of fundamental changes in fintech, but regulatory frameworks need to catch up to unlock more opportunities. Funding & Cautious Capital Deployment: Access to capital remains a challenge, with venture capital becoming more cautious. Postrehovsky shared that his latest funding round took time to close, reflecting the cautious approach of investors. There was also a warning about inflated valuations and the need for burn rate discipline; investors now focused on how efficiently fintechs use their capital. Innovation Beyond Payments: Zachariah George emphasised the need for innovation beyond payments, suggesting opportunities in peer-to-peer lending, credit scoring, and stock trading. Klotzbücher agreed; there are still many untapped areas in fintech to explore, which could become game-changers. Fintech: 5 Year Forecast: 🔮 Willer predicts expansion into emerging markets. 🔮 Postrehovsky expects open banking to transform innovation in SA. 🔮 Shimkin sees AI driving new loans and credit scoring innovations, as well as creating better customer experiences in areas like fan engagement. 🔮 Klotzbücher predicts real-time payments and regulated stable coins will be recognised and widely adopted. Thanks to the panel and to everyone attending!
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Thank you #Riyadh #fintech community for such a warm welcome at this month's 24 Fintech Conference! This inaugural event was spectacular -- kudos to the team and sponsors behind this year's event, including Fintech Saudi | فنتك السعودية and Tahaluf, alongside Capital Market Authority, Saudi Central Bank – SAMA, Financial Sector Development Program, and هيئة التأمين | Insurance Authority . Special thanks to our friends at Impact46 and Khwarizmi Ventures, who were amazing hosts. Our own Monica Brand Engel joined Alexandre Lazarow for a lively discussion about bridging investments in fintech from East to West as part of the event's #Fintech Fusion segment. Looking forward to another great event in 2025!
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Is it possible to fight poverty while also making a profit? Quona Capital shows it is, leveraging #fintech to revolutionize financial services in emerging markets. 🚀 Check out this great SRI360° podcast interview with Monica Brand Engel, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Quona Capital. Quona is focused on fintech solutions that promote financial inclusion across #Asia, #LatinAmerica, and #Africa. With assets totaling $760 million and operations in major hubs like Mexico City, Bengaluru, Jakarta, and Cape Town, Quona Capital's investments in digital payments, lending platforms, and neo-banking services are bridging the gap between sophisticated financial infrastructures and the needs of emerging markets. 🌐 Tune in to learn about Monica's journey from a multicultural background to spearheading initiatives that empower millions and prove profitable in the most unexpected places. 🎧: https://lnkd.in/eeAFJpri #SRI360 #ImpactInvesting #FinTech #Sustainability #FinancialInclusion #EmergingMarkets
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We're so pleased to have Golding Capital Partners as our partners in helping create a financially inclusive world! Resurfacing this terrific interview from their "Meet the Managers" series with Quona co-founder and managing partner Monica Brand Engel. Enjoy!
🌱 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗡𝗼. 𝗜𝗩 The Golding #impact strategy invests in private equity funds globally, with a focus on transformative business models within climate technologies and inclusive finance. In our "Meet the Managers"-series, we introduce you to our universe of impact funds with ambitious, measurable environmental and social sustainability objectives alongside market-rate return targets. Quona Capital is a venture firm investing in leading fintech companies in Latin America, South & Southeast Asia, and Africa & the Middle East. Together with the company's Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Monica Brand Engel, we talked about their strategy and goals. 3️⃣ interesting questions, 3️⃣ insightful answers. Take a look ⤵ #privatemarkets #alternativeinvestments Make a difference. Learn more here https://lnkd.in/dUjq77NK
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Our team had so many amazing conversations at the Global Fintech Fest in #Mumbai last week, it's hard to rank them all! ganesh rengaswamy, Varun Malhotra, and Shaleen Baweja were all part of some great panel discussions alongside our partners and friends from PwC India, Sharad Sharma, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, and so many others. A great week of #fintech and friendship!
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Proud to have witnessed the launch of the Unified Lending Interface by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das at RBI's Global Conference on DPI & Emerging Technologies. Possibly another seminal moment in digital public infrastructure & fintech in India championed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) & Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH). The availability of land records, milk production & satellite imagery data through the ULI opens up several possibilities for digital lending products.
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Attending Global Fintech Fest this week in #Mumbai? Don't miss this extraordinary roundtable, which includes Quona Capital's portfolio manager Shaleen Baweja! With Fintech Convergence Council and TransUnion CIBIL Limited, ganesh rengaswamy, Varun Malhotra
Exclusive: Fintech Convergence Council (FCC) and TransUnion CIBIL Limited's Roundtable Conference at GFF 2024! 📢 In Spotlight: Meet Our Speakers! 🔔Roundtable Details: 🎯Topic: Unlocking Fintech Potential: A Framework Towards Profitability 📅 Date: 30th Aug, 2024 🕒 Time: 12:45pm onwards 📍 Venue: Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai ⌛Limited Spots Available! Request An Invite NOW! Abhijeet Kumar Anshul Muley Amish Dedhia Amit Ratanpal Amit Kulshreshtha Anand Khetan Anand Datta Anant Mohta Ashish Fafadia Bhushan Patil Debdoot Banerjee Harsh Gupta Mayank Jain Ninad Karpe Niren Shah Pratekk Agarwaal Pratik Jain Radhika Subramanian Rahul Shah Rajat Mangla Ruchir Shah Sagar Sheth, CFA Shaleen Baweja Shuvi Shrivastava Tarana Lalwani #GFF #GFF24 #GlobalFintechFest #TransUnionCIBIL #Roundtable
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Will we see you at Global Fintech Fest in #Mumbai this week? A dozen Quonans are there for the festivities, including ganesh rengaswamy (speaking), Varun Malhotra, Monica Brand Engel, Jonathan Whittle, Johan Bosini, Taka Yamada, Rachel Teow, Satvik B., Shaleen Baweja, Ouis Abdessadok, Disha Soni, and Thomas Mulwa. Be sure to say hello! #fintech #venturecapital #financialinclusion #GFF
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Monumental day for #Africa's informal retail sector -- our portfolio company Wasoko and MaxAB have completed their landmark #merger! The new entity aims to revolutionize accessibility and affordability of essential goods along with fintech offerings to informal retailers in Africa. Congratulations to Daniel Yu and Belal EL-Megharbel and their teams! With Monica Brand Engel, Jonathan Whittle, ganesh rengaswamy, Johan Bosini, Kofoworola Agbaje, Thomas Mulwa, Ouis Abdessadok, Varun Malhotra, Rafa de la Guia, Kristin Sadler, Yasmine Shama, Jenna P., Shannon Austin
🚀 Wasoko and MaxAB Complete Landmark Merger: Transforming Africa's Informal Retail Sector We’re excited to announce the successful completion of our merger with MaxAB, transforming us from a B2B e-commerce company into a multi-vertical B2B ecosystem serving Africa’s $600 billion informal retail sector. This powerful alliance enables us to revolutionise the accessibility and affordability of essential goods while significantly expanding our fintech offerings across the continent. Key highlights: Expanded reach: Now serving over 450,000 merchants across Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Egypt, and Morocco. Enhanced fintech services: Offering e-payments, credit financing, and digital top-ups to a broader network of retailers. Boosting regional integration: Facilitating intra-African trade and economic growth by ensuring seamless movement of goods across East and North Africa. Integrated technology: Utilising advanced AI algorithms trained on high-quality localised data to optimise delivery routes and other services to retailers. By combining our strengths, we empower retailers to grow their businesses and better serve their communities. Together, we’re building a stronger foundation for Africa’s economic future and proving that our continent can produce world-class tech giants. Thank you to our partners, customers, and stakeholders for your unwavering support. Together, we’ll reach even greater milestones! #AfricaRising #Ecommerce #Fintech #RetailTransformation #IntraAfricaTrade #WasokoMaxAB