Quona Capital

🚀 JUST LAUNCHED: The trailer for Quona Capital's new podcast, "The Trillion Dollar Opportunity," is available wherever you listen to podcasts, including Apple, Spotify, iHeartRadio and more. Please take a moment to follow/subscribe so you don't miss an episode of this season. New episodes are out each Monday starting October 21! Listen/watch here for a quick preview, and share with your networks! With Johan Bosini, Shannon Austin, Monica Brand Engel, Jonathan Whittle, ganesh rengaswamy, Pod People, Rachael King, Hannah Pedersen, Danielle Roth https://lnkd.in/e4EKVRBM

We couldn't be happier for Bureau, founded by Ranjan R Reddy, on their Series B announced today. Quona invested early and have watched Ranjan R Reddy build an extraordinary product and team that is laser-focused on cutting out digital fraud in all its forms. Congrats to the entire Bureau team—we are cheering you on! With ganesh rengaswamy, Varun Malhotra, Shaleen Baweja, Nikhil Jois, Satvik B., Taka Yamada, Rachel Teow, Monica Brand Engel, Jonathan Whittle, Shannon Austin, Johan Bosini, Rafa de la Guia, Yasmine Shama

🚀 Exciting News! Quona Invests in OCTA to Transform SME Finance in MENA We are thrilled to announce our investment in OCTA, a cutting-edge accounts receivable platform revolutionizing how SMEs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) manage and collect payments. Why OCTA? 🕴 Empowering SMEs: OCTA automates collections, integrates seamlessly with existing accounting tools, and offers financing options, enabling businesses to reduce Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) by 30% and save over 20 hours per week on manual tasks. ⏰ Strategic Timing: With the MENA region's fintech landscape rapidly evolving and initiatives like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, OCTA is poised to drive significant impact by aligning with the region’s digital transformation goals. ⭐ Exceptional Leadership: Led by seasoned entrepreneurs Jon Edward Santillan, Nupur Mittal, and Andrey Korchak, the OCTA team brings a wealth of experience in fintech, market expansion, and product development. This investment marks Quona’s first in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and underscores our commitment to advancing financial inclusion by supporting innovative fintech solutions. Read more about our investment and OCTA's mission to reshape B2B payments in MENA in our latest blog post: https://lnkd.in/eRQn44pE #Fintech #SMEs #MENA #DigitalTransformation #QuonaCapital #OCTA #InvestmentNews With Ouis Abdessadok, Monica Brand Engel, Johan Bosini, Kofoworola Agbaje, Thomas Mulwa, Jonathan Whittle, ganesh rengaswamy, Yasmine Shama, Shannon Austin, Kristin Sadler, Jenna P.

🌍 Celebrating Global Connections at SuperReturn Africa in Cape Town! 🌍 Last week, Quona Capital's Co-founder and Managing Partner, Monica Brand Engel, joined an engaging session at #SuperReturnAfrica in Cape Town titled "Journeying with Japan." 🌍🇯🇵 The panel, featuring Susumu Tsubaki (Founder and CEO of AAIC Investment Holdings), explored how Japanese investors are increasingly recognizing the immense opportunities in Africa and the role they can play in shaping the continent’s investment landscape. Key themes included: 🔹 The rise of Japanese investment in African entities and funds. 🔹 How innovation and insights from Japan, particularly in areas like robotics and mobility, can catalyze Africa's economic advancement. 🔹 The synergies between these two dynamic regions and the transformative potential of cross-continental partnerships. Thank you to our hosts from SuperReturn as well as all the co-sponsors and participants who made this session an inspiring exchange of ideas! Together, we're building bridges and unlocking Africa’s potential through global collaboration. #Africa #Japan #Innovation #Investment #Robotics #Mobility #GlobalPartnerships

🚀 Transforming Mexican Manufacturing: Why Quona Invested in Prima 🌟 At Quona Capital, we back bold entrepreneurs tackling complex challenges. That’s why we’re thrilled to partner with Prima, a company revolutionizing the manufacturing landscape in Mexico. Here’s why Prima stands out: 💡 An Industry Ripe for Change Manufacturing is a critical sector in Mexico, employing 9.75 million people and comprising over 600,000 businesses. Yet, inefficiencies, fragmented supply chains, and limited access to larger buyers hold SMEs back. Prima’s platform changes that by connecting manufacturers with industrial buyers and modernizing procurement processes. 📈 Riding the Nearshoring Wave As nearshoring accelerates, Mexico is a key player in global supply chains. Prima is perfectly positioned to leverage this trend, helping businesses reduce costs, improve efficiency, and capitalize on growing demand. 🌎 Empowering Local Businesses Prima does more than streamline manufacturing—it empowers SMEs with access to working capital and new opportunities. By unlocking formal financing and connecting small manufacturers to larger buyers, Prima helps businesses scale and thrive. 🎯 Bold Vision, High Potential The road is challenging, but Prima’s strong leadership and strategic vision are paving the way for transformative growth. We’re excited to back founders Daniel Autrique, Juan Pablo Ramos, and Patricio Servitje as they shape the future of manufacturing in Mexico. Read more about why we invested in Prima: https://lnkd.in/eJCRFi5h #ManufacturingInnovation #Nearshoring #SMEs #ImpactInvesting #SupplyChainTransformation #QuonaPortfolio With Jonathan Marx, Rafa de la Guia, Michel Zaidler, Alejandro Isaac Safdie, Maria Jose Aguilar Belmont, Monica Brand Engel, ganesh rengaswamy, Shannon Austin, Yasmine Shama

It's out! The latest edition of The Trillion Dollar Opportunity newsletter features key takeaways from the latest podcast episode, which is part 2 of a conversation about Brazil's Pix real-time payment system. Join Carlos Eduardo Brandt from the Central Bank of Brazil and Jonathan Whittle from Quona Capital to learn more about this fascinating innovation! #LatAm #Pix #RTP

🚛💸 Breaking barriers in logistics and fintech: Quona portfolio company Solvento is making waves, and recently announced its Series A! 🚀 Check out TechCrunch’s spotlight on how Solvento is revolutionizing cash flow for Mexico’s trucking industry—a sector often bogged down by delays and inefficiencies. By tackling payment challenges head-on, Solvento is empowering truckers and logistics operators to thrive, no matter the economic landscape. 📍 Why this matters: - 85% of Mexico’s trucking market is dominated by small players. - Solvento is bridging the gap, providing faster payments and financial inclusion where it’s needed most. Tech + purpose = real impact. We're proud to back companies like Solvento driving change in critical sectors. 🌟 Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/djkQsji8 With Jaime Tabachnik, Jonathan Whittle, Rafa de la Guia, Michel Zaidler, Alejandro Isaac Safdie, Maria Jose Aguilar Belmont, Cometa, Ironspring Ventures, Pedro Bosch, Guillermo Bosch, Sean O'Kane #Fintech #LogisticsInnovation #FinancialInclusion #QuonaPortfolio #ImpactInvesting

OUR LATEST PODCAST JUST DROPPED! 🎙️ The Trillion Dollar Opportunity: Part 2 on Brazil’s Real-Time Payments Revolution 🌎 This week, we continue exploring the massive impact of Pix, Brazil's real-time payment system, in a conversation with Carlos Eduardo Brandt of the Central Bank of Brazil. With 5 billion transactions per month and usage by over 90% of Brazil’s adult population, Pix is setting the standard for digital and financial inclusion worldwide. 💡 Highlights from this episode: - 70 million people made their first digital transaction through Pix, bringing financial services to underserved communities. - Micro and small businesses are now thriving with low-cost, intuitive payment solutions. - Pix bridges the gap for online payments where credit cards were once a barrier, boosting digital commerce accessibility. Exciting innovations ahead: NFC payments, recurring payment solutions, and integration with Brazil’s digital currency project, Drex. 🔗 Discover how Pix is creating real-world impact! Listen on Apple, Spotify, iHeartMedia, or wherever you get your podcasts: https://lnkd.in/e4EKVRBM Let’s talk: What lessons can global markets take from Pix’s success? Drop your thoughts below. 💬 #Fintech #FinancialInclusion #RealTimePayments #Innovation #Podcast with Jonathan Whittle, Johan Bosini, Shannon Austin, Michel Zaidler

🌟 How Brazil's Pix Transformed Financial Inclusion 🌟 Brazil's real-time payment system, Pix, has revolutionized financial access, connecting over 90% of the adult population and processing 5 billion transactions monthly! 🚀 In this week’s edition of The Trillion Dollar Opportunity newsletter, we explore: 💡 How Pix fosters financial inclusion for unbanked populations. 💡 The innovative strategies behind its rapid adoption. 💡 Lessons for other nations building inclusive financial systems. 🎧 Dive deeper into these insights with Carlos Eduardo Brandt, Senior Advisor at the Central Bank of Brazil, in conversation with Jonathan Whittle on the latest podcast episode. 📬 Read the full newsletter below and tune into the podcast here: https://lnkd.in/e4EKVRBM #FinTech #FinancialInclusion #EmergingMarkets #RealTimePayments #Pix #Brazil