Emerging Markets Today

This episode is all about fintech funding! Latin America's fintech companies are growing and getting funding is an on-going challenge for all startups in the region, so I wanted to get a VC's perspective about funding. And I invited Guy Hartstein a VC analyst from Recharge Capital , a LP backed fund with a strong focus in emerging markets. He told me about the exciting fintech trends in the region...

This episode is all about the power of data in emerging markets .  I interviewed Joseph Rutakangwa , co-founder of Rwazi , a company using on-ground data from markets across sub-Saharan Africa. Joseph told me why this is so important for emerging markets economic development in the private sector and also in the public sector. So he came up with the idea of starting Rwazi using gig workers -...

Here is my chat with Rodrigo Echecopar , founder of Nuestra America Verde . Rodrigo has just got back from COP26 and he told me about his takeaways of the event. But the main topic of our conversations was how Latin America needs a democratic green revolution. He said the path  transition to a more green economy is through international collaboration between Latin American countries. We also...

How can trade and trade finance help emerging markets? Here is my chat with Andrea Frosinini , a trade finance advisor and he is also on the advisory board of TOTTA (Trans-Oceanic Trade Tech Alliance) and Blockchain Supply Chain Association . We talked about how the blockchain technology can revolutionize international trade and supply chain, making trade and trade finance more inclusive for busin...

Did you know that malaria kills over 400,000 people per year globally? This episode will be about how a project in Uganda is reaching underserved areas where testing for malaria can be challenging and having the diagnosis early can be a matter of life or death. So I invited not one but 3 guests to talk about the project. In the first part of the episode I spoke to Professor Jon Cooper and Julien R...

This episode is about the rising star of SouthEast Asia: Vietnam  Calling from Saigon, I spoke to Vinh Ho an American entrepreneur and host of the podcast Focus Asia-Pacific .  He moved to Vietnam few years ago and he said it's been a very exciting time for the country economic growth. We talked about how the Vietnamese young generations is very tech savvy, the start-up landscape, how mo...

We all read big headlines about African tech startups getting millions of dollars in funding but what seems like good news for the continent, the reality is not as bright as it seems. To talk about the African startup scene I invited entrepreneur and podcaster Alex Nyamoya Boyi . Alex is originally from Burundi and is the host of the podcast African Tech Roundup . She explained what’s hype and wha...

This episode is about how microfinance is having a beneficial social impact on Brazil's unbanked and underbanked populations. I had a chat with Taynah Reis, a fellow Brazilian and the founder of MoedaSeeds, a fintech that provides financing to entrepreneurs in underserved areas. They support female-owned businesses in rural regions and offer investment options based on blockchain and cryptocurrenc...

This episode is about a very hot topic: Social Media Trends in Emerging Markets.  To talk about it, I invited Andy Tian , the CEO of Asia Innovations Group - the company behind UpLive, Lamour and other live social apps. We talked about what live social is, live shopping and why Andy thinks that the next big social media platform is coming from emerging markets.  To know more about Asia I...

This episode is about a little-known South American country called Guyana, a new frontier market that has seen an influx of new investments in different sectors since the discovery of oil in its territory in 2015.  To talk about Guyana I invited Steven Jasmin, the managing director of Smart City Clearing Company Ltd.(Sc3) an internationally based Frontier Market Merchant Bank and Asset Manage...

This episode is all about Brazil's fintech sector What happens when you mix digital readiness, a robust financial regulation and the Brazilian entrepreneurial spirit?  You get a booming fintech sector! In this episode I interviewed Carlos Kazuo Missao , the director of the GFT Group in Brazil - one of the world's leading companies in digital transformation for the financial sector. We talked...

What's next for Myanmar? I talked to Amit Jain, a Singapore-based consultant who helps clients navigate frontier markets and fragile states. Amit has a deep understanding of Myanmar's social and political situation. We talked about the country's recent past, the reasons that lead to the coup, and his analysis for Myanmar's economic future. Follow Amit Jain on Twitter and LinkedIn Read Amit Jain's...

Do you want to know more how blockchain is helping developing countries? Here is an episode for you, even if you are not too familiar with the blockchain technology. I had a chat with Espen Kvelland, CEO and founder of Wakandi, a company bringing payment solutions to the unbanked in Sub-Saharan Africa. This wasn't a technical conversation, we focused on the social aspects of the technology. This e...

I interviewed Sebastian Holmström, Circular Strategy Lead of Inrego - a company specialized in recycling and re-using of electronic waste (e-waste). We talked about the impact of e-waste in developing countries, and how emerging markets can leapfrog from a linear economy to a more sustainable and circular economy with their electronics consumption. Check out Inrego  If you want to get in touc...

Welcome to the first episode of Emerging Markets Today podcast! Ana Paula Picasso from Emerging Markets Today (EMT) and James Eugene from Frontier Markets News, had a chat about the history of EMT, the differences between emerging and frontier markets, and what's hot in Frontier Markets.  James Eugene: https://twitter.com/eugene_markets Frontier Markets News: https://twitter.com/frontiermktne...

Welcome to EMT podcast - created and hosted by Ana Paula Picasso here is a preview episode about Emerging Markets Today and its content. Don't forget to visit the Emerging Markets Today website. Let's keep EMT ad-free : Help us by donating any amount by Paypal or Cryptocurrencies directly on the site or using this link https://ko-fi.com/apicasso . Follow us on Twitter @todayemerging  You can...