Contributing Writers
Sarah Biller
is a fintech entrepreneur and investor. She co-founded an AI-powered predictive analytics platform for institutional bond investors, Capital Market Exchange, as well as the FinTech Sandbox. She is now the Executive Director of Vantage Ventures and an investor and board director in firms digitizing the private asset and public markets, community banking and back and middle office Financial Services systems. Her jam is entrepreneurs' tackling world-changing ideas.
Alexandre Lazarow
is an author, speaker, and global venture capitalist. His debut book Out-Innovate: How Global Entrepreneurs – from Delhi to Detroit – Are Rewriting the Rules of Silicon Valley was published by HBR Press. Alex is the Founder & Managing Partner of Fluent Ventures, is a Kauffman Fellow and a CFR Term Member.
Matt Ober
is a general partner at Social Leverage. Matt was most recently the Chief Data Scientist at Third Point, where he built the data analytics and technology platform used to enhance the firm’s investment capabilities in equity, structured credit, venture capital and cryptocurrency. Prior to joining Third Point, Matt was the Head of Data Strategy at WorldQuant and part of the WorldQuant Ventures founding team focused on private investments in fintech, data, and technology companies. Matt has been an active angel investor for over 10 years, holds a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation, and sits on the board of governors for his alma mater, California State University Chico.
Marcel van Oost
is a prominent fintech social media commentator, investor, and entrepreneur. The founder of “Connecting the dots in FinTech,” a popular series of fintech newsletters, Van Oost offers timely news relevant to investors, entrepreneurs, consultants, and regulators within the fintech and digital banking space.
Carey Ransom
is a SaaS entrepreneur, executive, investor and advisor, and has started, grown and/or led 8 B2B and consumer SaaS companies during startup and growth phases. He is currently President of Operate and the Managing Director of BankTech Ventures, a newly launched strategic investment fund focused on compelling technologies for community banks, and founded and funded by leaders in the community bank ecosystem. With full support and endorsement by the ICBA (Independent Community Bankers of America) and over 100 community banks, the fund serves the community banking ecosystem through strategic investments, education and collaboration. Carey is an entrepreneur with a passion for sharing and discussing ideas while learning and teaching along the way.
Grace Keith Rodriguez
is CEO of Caliber Corporate Advisers, a marketing and communications “go-to” agency and trusted partner to companies in the financial services & fintech space. A proven communicator, Grace has more than a decade of expertise in fintech and financial services and has extensive experience overseeing all aspects of client activity and helping craft proven and effective communications strategies. Grace joined Caliber in 2014, and before being appointed CEO, served as Caliber’s first-ever president for five years. As president, Grace led the firm’s people efforts, including recruitment, and learning and development, launching the award-winning Caliber College of Public Relations (CCPR) program. Grace has also helped countless Caliber clients tackle complex PR challenges. Prior to joining Caliber, Grace managed PR for the Financial & Risk business at Thomson Reuters, and served as PR manager at OTC Markets Group, supporting the compliance, equities, technology and fixed income businesses.
Emmalyn Shaw
is a co-founder and managing partner of Flourish Ventures, an early-stage global venture capital firm that invests in mission-driven entrepreneurs and industry influencers working towards a fair financial system. Emmalyn co-manages the firm and leads the firm’s US investment team. Her current portfolio of disruptive fintech companies includes Brigit, Chime, Clerkie, Cushion.ai, Curbwaste, EarnUp, Jetty, Kin, Mantl, Propel, Skipify, Steady, TrueBiz, and Unit. She has over 23 years of venture investing experience, working closely with entrepreneurs to build large-scale businesses. Prior to launching Flourish, Emmalyn co-managed the Fintech investment team at Omidyar Network as a Partner and led early-stage tech investments as a Venture Partner at Oak Investment Partners. Prior to her work in venture, Emmalyn worked as an investment banker in Morgan Stanley’s Technology group during the ‘90s. She began her career as a product manager for fintech company MSCI Barra, a leading portfolio analytics software solution.
is an investment partner at MS&AD Ventures, an early stage venture fund backed by Mitsui Sumitomo & Aioi Nissay Dowa, based in Silicon Valley, investing globally. Tiffine previously worked with Singtel Group and Singtel Innov8 on investments and strategic partnerships, bridging new technologies from North America to South East Asia and Australia. She serves as an Industry Fellow for the Center of Entrepreneurship and Technology (CET) at the University of California, Berkeley, and sits on the Advisory Board of UC Santa Cruz's Center for Analytical Finance.
