Recently, Standard Chartered Bank Kenya launched the new SC Shilingi Funds on its mobile app in partnership with Bambu and Sanlam Investments East Africa. Ned and Dani share their sentiments of this collaboration that aims to help users save and invest with as little as possible. With the support of a great marketing campaign, the media launch showcased that ordinary people have the option to invest and save, and it can easily be a part of everyday life. Ned emphasizes the importance of marketing a product properly, to put it out there and get people to notice it.
The hosts discuss the effects of Covid on investing, as women were reported to have invested more than before the pandemic. Technology is making a difference and pushing the financial industry for more inclusivity and equitability. Debbie Watkins started Lucy as a digital banking app that’s made by women, for women. Ksenia Yudina built an app, UNest, to help parents kickstart their kids’ savings journey for the future.
Shortly after UBS acquired Wealthfront, FNZ Group raised US$1.4 billion in equity funding from Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Motive Partners. Ned and Dani talk about how these huge deals demonstrate the incredible scalability of the B2B WealthTech industry. On what makes FNZ so attractive to players in the field, Ned suggests that it comes down to their strongly integrated ecosystem of brokers, asset managers and custodians, among other stakeholders. As a B2B startup, it’s incredibly crucial to get as integrated as possible into the ecosystem.
