Épisodes

  • Linda Yu: How Embedded Finance is Reshaping Emerging Markets

    Linda Yu: How Embedded Finance is Reshaping Emerging Markets
    Sep 1 2025
    Linda Yu, Growth Partner at Quona Capital and formerly at SoftBank and Warburg Pincus, shares her journey to becoming an investor deploying billions in global investments. She believes that embedded finance has evolved from a FinTech niche to become the backbone of global commerce. Linda also shares her advice for startup founders pitching venture capitalists.
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    13 min
  • Thank a Trucker – And Embedded Finance – for Supporting Global Supply Chains

    Thank a Trucker – And Embedded Finance – for Supporting Global Supply Chains
    Jul 21 2025
    How did the coffee you drink get to your local cafe? Or the flour that went into your breakfast pastry? Or the latest electronic gadget delivered to your doorstep? Well, you can thank a trucker. Truckers are the unsung heroes of the global economy, and this is especially true in Mexico where 75 percent of freight moves by road. Maria Jose Aguilar Belmont, Investment Analyst for Quona based in Mexico City, joins Shannon as a special guest host to share two stories about how embedded finance is integral to supporting the global supply chain, including trucking. Santiago Molina, the CEO and Founder of Finkargo, talks about embedding lending in their international trade platform that facilitates the growth of Latin American importers. And Jaime Tabachnik, CEO of Solvento, is on the show to talk about how his company provides working capital and much, much more to truckers in Latin America. Show Notes: Finkargo 2025 Impact Report The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see https://quona.com/legal/
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    26 min
  • BONUS: Advice for Founders Building in Tough Times

    BONUS: Advice for Founders Building in Tough Times
    Jun 23 2025
    How can entrepreneurs in Africa navigate today's challenging fundraising environment? Hosts Shannon and Johan, joined by Adrienne Henderson from Quona Capital, share essential insights for founders building FinTech companies in emerging markets. We’ll touch on why asset-light business models matter more than ever and the critical importance of choosing long-term investor partners. The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see https://quona.com/legal/
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    5 min
  • How Can Africa Build Its Own 'Fintech Stack'?

    How Can Africa Build Its Own 'Fintech Stack'?
    Jun 9 2025
    In 2023, India accounted for nearly 25% of all global IPOs with 340 public offerings, while the entire Middle East and Africa combined had just 50 IPOs. What created this massive gap, and how can Africa bridge it? Join hosts Shannon and Johan as they explore India's remarkable transformation from a nascent market to home of the world's most sophisticated digital financial infrastructure. With guest Adrienne Henderson, Senior Associate at Quona Capital, they break down the three foundational pillars of India's success: Aadhaar (universal digital identity), UPI (unified payments interface), and open banking APIs. The conversation examines Africa's unique challenges—54 countries, 40+ central banks, and thousands of languages—while highlighting promising innovations like M-Pesa in Kenya and South Africa's new rapid payments program. The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see https://quona.com/legal/
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    19 min
  • BONUS: Insurtech Innovators Share Advice For Founders

    BONUS: Insurtech Innovators Share Advice For Founders
    Jun 2 2025
    What does it really take to disrupt traditional insurance markets in emerging economies? In this special minisode of The Trillion Dollar Opportunity, hosts Johan and Shannon share valuable entrepreneurial insights from two founders who are creating entirely new categories in Asia’s InsurTech industry. This is essential wisdom for founders creating new categories in emerging markets. Kulin Shah, co-founder and COO of Onsurity, which provides health coverage to India's 63 million micro, small, and medium-sized employers, emphasizes building startups to solve problems rather than chasing valuations. Cindy Kua from Sunday shares two key pieces of advice: first, recognize the challenges of fundraising and build a team to help navigate capital markets; second, remain committed to your vision while being flexible about the journey to achieve it. The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see https://quona.com/legal/
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    3 min
  • More than paperwork and policies: Innovating Insurtech in India & Southeast Asia

    More than paperwork and policies: Innovating Insurtech in India & Southeast Asia
    May 20 2025
    Forget everything you thought you knew about insurance—it's not just paperwork and policies, it's a financial lifeline keeping millions from falling into poverty. In this episode of The Trillion Dollar Opportunity, co-hosts Johan Bosini and Shannon Austin explore how insurance has become the critical second phase of financial inclusion in emerging markets. When 330 million people in India lack health insurance and coverage rates remain low across much of Southeast Asia, innovative InsurTech companies are stepping in where traditional models have failed. Kulin Shah is the co-founder and COO of Onsurity, which is bringing affordable health benefits to India's 63 million small businesses. Cindy Kua is the co-founder and CEO of Sunday, who's reimagining insurance across Southeast Asia with a digital-first approach to healthcare, automotive, and gadget protection. These entrepreneurs are not just preventing financial catastrophe when disaster strikes but enabling economic resilience and opportunity for millions. The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see https://quona.com/legal/
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    21 min
  • BONUS: From Toxic Debt to Building Financial Resilience with Fabio Zveibil of Creditas

    BONUS: From Toxic Debt to Building Financial Resilience with Fabio Zveibil of Creditas
    Apr 28 2025
    In Brazil, high interest rates and revolving credit lines can trap borrowers. So how can borrowers break free of these toxic cycles? This week, hosts Shannon Austin and Johan Bosini explore how high-interest rate loans can trap borrowers, and cultural reluctance toward long-term loans. Fabio Zveibil, VP of Auto and Home Secured Lending at Creditas, joins the show again to talk about how better lending products and financial education can revolutionize credit access in Brazil, potentially multiplying available credit by up to 20 times. The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see https://quona.com/legal/
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    9 min
  • Backing Everyday Brazilians: How Creditas Uses Asset-Based Loans to Empower Consumers

    Backing Everyday Brazilians: How Creditas Uses Asset-Based Loans to Empower Consumers
    Apr 14 2025
    Brazil is one of the most expensive countries to access credit. Credit cards can have 400 percent interest rates. Even business owners face loans with 20 percent interest rates. This week on the Trillion Dollar Opportunity, hosts Shannon Austin and Johan Bosini explore what happens when good credit is hard to come by, and one FinTech that has changed the credit access landscape for the better. We talk to Creditas CEO Sergio Furio, COO Anne Williams, and VP Fabio Zveibil about how Creditas is providing affordable, asset-backed loans to Brazilians. The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see https://quona.com/legal/
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    30 min