The wealth of possible innovations makes Neil Kapur excited about investing in the financial technology field.
He’s spent most of his career in fintech after graduating from Emory University. Now, he’s based in Silicon Valley but plans to return to Atlanta as TTV Capital’s newest partner.
Kapur most recently worked at Silicon Valley’s B Capital Group, where he invested in fintech and insurance technology at the global firm. He’s moving to TTV Capital because of the early-stage investment firm’s reputation for finding successful companies in the fintech industry.
Kapur has also worked at Google, helping develop its Google Pay capabilities, and at Adaptive Payments as the director of business development and strategic partnerships.
The Florida native spent a few years in Atlanta after college in consulting and investment banking and is returning to the South after his stint on the West Coast.
Atlanta Inno met with Kapur via Zoom to talk about his passion for fintech and why he thinks Atlanta is an East Coast tech competitor.
Atlanta Inno: How'd you get into investing and why do you like it?
Neil Kapur: I wanted to be closer to the startup ecosystem, to the cutting edge of innovation. It’s truly a privilege to be an investor. To be in this seat, you get to work hand and hand with these founders who are dedicating their lives — 100 plus percent of their time — to solving these huge problems. I get to be a professional student, constantly learning from some of the best people solving these big problems.
Inno: Why is fintech an important industry to continue innovating?
NK: There’s so much nuance in financial services. When I jumped over to the operating side of fintech 10 years ago, I thought the next decade is going to be incredible. Now in my investor seat, I’m saying the next few decades are going to be incredible. Some of the more nascent things that we’re seeing in fintech have the opportunity to really transform how financial services are conducted and how consumers engage with their finances.
Inno: What are the next big innovations in fintech?
NK: Banks and large incumbents are at that tipping point of their own digital transformation, which means infrastructure software to streamline how payments and money move. When you break down how a bank operates, there’s core banking infrastructure but also regulatory tech and compliance software that deal with all the challenges associated with meeting various pieces of regulation.
On the consumer side, it’s just limitless. One thing we’re seeing is that challenger banks are now verticalizing. There’s all sorts of opportunities around how consumers engage with their banks and what that looks like in the future. Covid-19 had a hockey-stick impact on e-commerce growth. When you think about how small businesses engage in e-commerce and interact with customers, there’s all sorts of financial and payment products to incorporate on the backend. I’d be remiss not to mention blockchain, too. I think this is just the beginning for the crypto space. There’s so much basic infrastructure to be built as that ecosystem grows.
Inno: You spent a few years in Atlanta before going to San Francisco. Is Atlanta really the “Silicon Valley of the South?”
NK: Historically, innovation has happened in Silicon Valley, New York. But there are all sorts of other centers of innovation popping up around the world. When you think about the East Coast, it’s always historically been Boston and New York, but Atlanta has all the right resources and assets. I think we’re going to continue to see even more capital flow.
Atlanta is not even burgeoning anymore. It’s become this huge center of innovation, especially when it comes to fintech and financial services. Covid has had a positive impact on these centers of innovation because it’s proven that people can work from anywhere and that ideas come from anywhere. Atlanta has a huge amount of tailwind behind it.
Inno: How has Covid affected how you operate as an investor?
NK: I think we very quickly learned that investments can be made over Zoom without meeting in person. My last year has been incredibly busy when it comes to finding those next opportunities. It had a near-term shock, but beyond that, I think it’s been positive for technology and innovation.
Inno: What advice to do you have for startup founders pitching to investors?
NK: The first thing is you have to know everything about the market and about your business. You have to have conviction that your approach is the right one. But in building a business, there’s also going to be curveballs, so you have to react to the market and understand the signals. The second thing, I want to hear about your team dynamic — how the CEO built his or her management team and made key and critical hires. The last one is being passionate about solving the problem. That level of excitement and energy really comes through in a pitch.
