#68: Branch - From Kiva to providing consumer loans and FinTech services across Africa and other developing markets
Afrobility: Africa Tech and BusinessSeptember 14, 2023
68
02:47:46268.81 MB

#68: Branch - From Kiva to providing consumer loans and FinTech services across Africa and other developing markets

Overview: Today, we’re going to talk about Branch, the FinTech lending company and Neobank. We’ll explore the story across the following 5 areas:

  • African lending & consumer credit

  • Branch's founding early history

  • Product & monetization strategy

  • Competitive positioning & potential exit options

  • Overall outlook

This episode was recorded on Sep 10, 2023


Companies discussed: Branch, Kiva, Kuda Bank, Chipper Cash, Earnin, Paga, FairMoney, MFS Africa, GTBank, Access Bank, Ecobank, PalmPay, Carbon, PiggyVest, Upstart, Tala, Visa, Mastercard & Safaricom


Business concepts discussed: Smartphone credit assessment, Consumer lending, neobank strategy, Personal Finance OS, unbanked population, smartphone credit assessment & Pan-African Banking


Conversation highlights:

  • (01:00) - What Branch is and why we’re talking about it

  • (07:40) - Africa consumer credit context and background

  • (19:17) - Branch International founding

  • (23:31) - Founders’ background

  • (39:12) - Fundraising and Growth

  • (51:40) - Geographical expansion 

  • (1:02:01) - Acquisitions and Team overview

  • (01:15:14) - Product strategy

  • (1:33:20) - Monetization strategy and Costs

  • (1:41:58) - Competition and options for exit

  • (1:57:08) - Bankole’s overall thoughts 

  • (2:10:59) - Olumide’s overall thoughts

  • (2:30:20) - Recommendations and small wins

Olumide’s recommendations & small wins:

  • Interested in investing in Africa Tech with Olumide: Read about Adamantium fund & contact me at olumide@afrobility.com. Founders looking for funding: If you're a B2B founder working on Education, Health, Finance or food, please contact me for funding at olumide@afrobility.com

  • Checkout my FIREDOM book = FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) + Freedom = personal finance and financial independence book. Website, Read: Substack Newsletter & Buy: Print, eBook or Audiobook)

  • Recommendation: Eminem - Rap God (OMFG I’m 12 years late, my mind exploded. WOW!)

  • Recommendation: Can’t Hurt Me (David Goggins). Incredible book about challenges David went to from parental abuse, racism to make something of himself. I went through waves of intense emotions while reading the book. At some points, I was crying in pain with David and other times I was in pure shock about what I was listening to.

  • Small win: Hosted FIREDOM book launch event in London. Amazing conversations about life, managing money and growth. Dope shit.



Bankole’s recommendations & small wins:


Listeners: We’d love to hear from you. Email info@afrobility.com with feedback!

Founders & Operators: We'd love to hear about what you're working on, email us at info@afrobility.com

Investors: It would be great to link up with you. Contact us at info@afrobility.com


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