Articles by Maelis Carraro
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Guest Articles
Friday
April 3
2020From the Valley of Death to a $14 Million Series A: Sokowatch, Quona and the Role of Philanthropic Capital
The e-commerce company Sokowatch recently raised a $14 million Series A round, enabling it to expand its digital financial services to more merchants in Africa. But just two years ago, the company was in danger of going under. Malika Anand and Maelis Carraro at BFA’s Catalyst Fund discuss how the fund's philanthropically-funded acceleration approach has helped Sokowatch – and other promising fintech startups – survive the “valley of death” and position themselves for commercial investment.
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Guest Articles
Wednesday
March 4
2020Is India the Next Battleground for African Fintech Startups?
As East African fintech startups look for growth opportunities in the face of increasing competition, many are considering expanding into new countries – and India is a top target. Analysts with BFA explore why these startups' established business models and tested skills give them a solid chance to succeed – and why the Indian market nevertheless presents a formidable challenge.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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Guest Articles
Tuesday
June 25
2019Maelis Carraro / Rasima Swarup
Creating an Inclusive Fintech Ecosystem? Here Are Three Facts Accelerators Should Consider
BFA's Catalyst Fund started with one goal: to support early-stage inclusive fintech entrepreneurs in developing accessible, high-quality and relevant financial solutions for the underserved. After three years of operations, the accelerator has worked with 20 startups across 13 emerging markets, helping to create better credit, payment, insurance, savings and investment solutions that improve the financial health of people with low incomes. Maelis Carraro and Rasima Swarup at BFA share some of the fund's lessons on how to build an inclusive fintech network.
- Tags
- fintech
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Guest Articles
Thursday
February 7
2019Accelerating to Investment: Four Strategies for Securing Follow-on Funding for Fintech Startups
Every startup wants to secure funding for growth. Yet for many fintech startups, especially in emerging markets, capital is scarce, business models are unproven, and investors are unfamiliar with the sector – so funding runs out before they can achieve impact. Under these challenging circumstances, BFA's Catalyst Fund accelerator has helped its early-stage, inclusive fintech startups raise substantial investment capital. Maelis Carraro and Malika Anand at BFA explore the secrets to its success.
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Thursday
August 2
2018Three Steps (and One BFF) for a Perfect Bank-Fintech Match
Finding "The One" has never been easy: you have to know what you want, set appropriate filters, determine mutual understanding, and, of course, remember to take things slow. Fintechs and banks may not seem like natural partners, but as of late they're pairing up more than ever. With so many hurdles to cross, it's only natural that they could use a little help – and that's why BFA and MetLife Foundation teamed up to play matchmaker. In this piece, Maelis Carraro, senior associate at BFA, outlines how they brought together two new fintech-bank power couples in Latin America.
- Categories
- Finance
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Tuesday
February 14
2017Maelis Carraro / Justin Grider
Using Evidence to Optimize Savings and Loan Payment Channel Choices
The OPTIX team at BFA, along with partner Banco WWB in Colombia, set out to learn more about various client interactions with financial service providers; for instance, why do clients choose a certain transaction location? The work is designed to help Banco WWB strengthen their business while creating a more compelling portfolio of services for their customers’ needs.
- Categories
- Finance