Top 10: FinTech Founders

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Top 10: FinTech Founders
Their startups have grown into global powerhouses: Meet our Top 10 Fintech Founders

Their startups have flourished into successful global enterprises, providing user-friendly and profitable services that have altered the financial landscape forever. These companies are making financial transactions easier and more accessible, and are instrumental to the future of fintech. 

By leveraging technologies to promote financial inclusion, these companies provide solutions catering to the ever-changing customer needs across the world. 

Read on for our Top 10 FinTech founders...

10. Aman Narang, Toast

  • Revenue: US$3.87bn
  • Employees: 5,500
  • CEO: Aman Narang
  • Founded: 2011

Aman Narang is the co-founder and president of Toast, Inc., a cloud-based restaurant management platform that has transformed the dining industry. With a foundation in software engineering and product development, Aman has helped drive Toast’s growth to a value of US$13.11bn. 

His leadership has been instrumental in scaling the company, which now serves thousands of restaurants globally, empowering them with innovative tools to improve efficiency, profitability, and customer satisfaction. Aman’s vision continues to shape the future of restaurant technology.

Aman Narang

09. Henrique Dubugras

  • Revenue: US$319m
  • Employees: 150
  • CEO: Henrique Dubugras
  • Founded: 2017

Henrique Dubugras, born in São Paulo, Brazil, co-founded Brex in 2017 with Pedro Franceschi. A tech prodigy, Dubugras started coding at 12 and launched Pagar.me, a payments company, at 16. Dropping out of Stanford, he focused on Brex, revolutionising corporate credit cards for startups. 

Supported by YCombinator, Brex has rapidly grown, offering financial solutions tailored to startups and scaling companies. Dubugras is celebrated for his innovative contributions to fintech and serves on the boards of Expedia Group and Mercado Libre.

Henrique Dubugras

08. Chris Britt

  • Revenue: US$3.16bn
  • Employees: 1,300
  • CEO: Chris Britt
  • Founded: 2012

When Chris Britt launched Chime over a decade ago, his extensive experience with Visa and Green Dot positioned him well for success in the financial services industry. It's no surprise, then, that Chime has become the most popular banking app in the US, attracting a US$5.9bn valuation.

Under Chris's leadership, Chime has emerged as a leading digital bank in the US. The company has built, and retained, a substantial seven-million strong user base despite recent valuation challenges.

Chris Britt

07. Kristo Käärmann

  • Revenue: US$846.1m
  • Employees: 5,500
  • CEO: Kristo Käärmann
  • Founded: 2011

Kristo Käärmann, co-founder and CEO of Wise, has been a pivotal figure in the fintech industry. Born in Estonia, Käärmann's early interest in technology and mathematics led him to roles at PwC and Deloitte, where he developed his expertise in financial systems and data management. In 2010, he co-founded TransferWise (now Wise) to simplify and reduce the cost of international money transfers. 

Under his leadership, Wise has grown rapidly, expanding services to include multi-currency accounts and debit cards.

Kristo Käärmann

06. Jamie Dimon

  • Revenue: US$239.43
  • Employees: 〜300,000
  • CEO: Jamie Dimon
  • Founded: 1871

Jamie Dimon, born in 1956 in New York City, comes from a lineage of stockbrokers. His grandfather, Panos Papademetriou, emigrated from Greece and worked as a busboy before securing a bank job. He is the Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase, one of the largest and most influential financial institutions in the world.

Jamie admired his grandfather's intellectual habits and values, such as fairness and emotional intelligence, which have guided his own successful career in banking.

Jamie Dimon

05. Arik Shtilman

  • Revenue: US$200m
  • Employees: 790
  • CEO: Arik Shtilman
  • Founded: 2015

Arik Shtilman is an entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of Rapyd, a global fintech company. Under his leadership, Rapyd has developed sophisticated payment solutions, and offers a comprehensive suite of financial services. 

Inspired by the challenges of cloud migration, security, and the need for seamless digital experiences, he co-found Rapyd, focusing on simplifying global fintech solutions.

Arik’s vision and innovative approach have positioned Rapyd as a leader in the fintech industry.

Arik Shtilman

04. Sasan Goodarzi

  • Revenue: US$14.37bn
  • Employees: 18,200
  • CEO: Sasan Goodarzi
  • Founded: 1983

Sasan Goodarzi is the CEO of Intuit Inc., an American financial software company known for products like TurboTax, QuickBooks, and Mint. 

Upon becoming CEO in 2019, Sasan declared Intuit’s strategy to be an AI-driven expert platform with data and artificial intelligence fueling innovation across the company. Under his leadership, Intuit has transformed from a tax and accounting platform to a global financial technology platform. 

Sasan Goodarzi

03 Cristina Junqueira

  • Revenue: US$8bn
  • Employees: 7,000
  • CEO: David Vélez
  • Founded: 2013

Cristina Junqueira is a co-founder of Nubank, a leading neobank in Latin America. She has a background in engineering from the University of São Paulo and an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. 

Cristina has played a pivotal role in upheaving the banking industry in Brazil and beyond, helping 'bank the unbanked' on an international scale. 

Cristina Junqueira

02. Nikolay Storonsky

  • Revenue: US$2.2bn
  • Employees: 8,152
  • CEO: Nikolay Storonsky
  • Founded: 2015

Nikolay Storonsky is the CEO and co-founder of Revolut, a neobank based in the UK. Born near Moscow, Storonsky has a strong academic background in both physics and economics. He moved to London in 2004, where he initially worked at Credit Suisse. 
In 2015, he co-founded Revolut, overcoming early challenges by implementing an equity participation plan to foster a positive work environment. Today, Nikolay is a leading advocate for fintech innovation, frequently speaking on industry advancements. Under his leadership, Revolut has distinguished itself by offering a comprehensive suite of digital financial services, including multi-currency accounts, fee-free currency exchanges, stock and cryptocurrency trading, and budgeting tools. The company's successful strategies have culminated in a valuation of US$33 billion in 2024.

Nikolay Storonsky

01. The Collison Brothers

  • Revenue: US$14bn
  • Employees: 7,000
  • CEO: Patrick Collison, Stripe
  • Founded: 2010

Patrick and John Collison, the founders of Stripe, have achieved remarkable success in the fintech industry. Born in rural Ireland, the brothers demonstrated early entrepreneurial spirit, creating the software company Shuppa at ages 19 and 17, which later became Auctomatic. After selling Auctomatic for US$5m in 2008, they identified a gap in the online payments market and founded Stripe in 2010.
Stripe simplifies payment processing for e-commerce businesses, charging a fee for its services and handling all necessary banking integrations. The company quickly attracted significant investment from industry giants like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, as well as prominent venture firms including Sequoia Capital and Andreessen Horowitz. By 2016, Stripe's valuation had soared to US$9.2bn, making the Collison brothers the world's youngest self-made billionaires.
Today, Stripe is valued at US$70bn, highlighting the Collison brothers' remarkable journey and continued influence in fintech. Despite this rapid growth, the Collisons maintain a hands-on approach, reviewing every product and ensuring their services remain user-friendly. They are also committed to philanthropy, supporting initiatives like California YIMBY and offering fee discounts to non-profits​.

Patrick and John Collison

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