The Financial Technology Report with RJ Lumba

Welcome to The Financial Technology Report, a leading information source on financial technology companies and solutions.
In this episode, we speak with Ryan Stroker, Founder and CEO of Avenue One, a technology platform that connects institutional debt and equity capital with local real estate operators investing in single-family rental housing. Avenue One uses data, analytics, and underwriting technology to support acquisitions, financing, renovations, and asset management, enabling institutions to deploy capital more efficiently while giving local builders and property owners access to scalable funding. The platform operates across more than 20 U.S. markets and supports investments in residential rental portfolios at scale.
Before founding Avenue One, Ryan spent years in capital markets and residential real estate investing, including senior roles at Amherst, Royal Bank of Scotland, Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, and Goldman Sachs.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

Welcome to The Financial Technology Report, a leading information source on financial technology companies and solutions.
In this episode, we speak with Brad Stroh, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Achieve, a digital personal finance company focused on helping consumers manage, reduce, and resolve debt. Achieve operates a multi-product platform that includes debt resolution, personal loans, home equity lending, and financial education tools designed to support consumers across different stages of financial health. The company serves individuals navigating high-interest credit card debt, affordability challenges, and long-term financial stability.
Stroh co-founded the business in 2002 as Freedom Financial Network and has led its evolution into Achieve, overseeing the expansion from a single solution into a broader personal finance platform. He brings decades of experience building consumer financial services businesses and working across lending, debt resolution, and capital markets.
Brad supports USA Lacrosse. To learn more about this organization click here.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

Welcome to The Financial Technology Report, a leading information source on financial technology companies and solutions.
In this episode, we speak with Julio Martínez, Co-Founder and CEO of Abacum, an automated FP&A platform built for mid-market finance teams. Abacum centralizes operational and financial data to support revenue forecasting, scenario modeling, headcount planning, and budget management, while automating reporting for boards, executives, and monthly performance reviews. The platform is used by mid-market organizations to move beyond spreadsheet-based planning and improve decision-making across finance and operations.
Julio co-founded Abacum after spending years in investment banking and fintech, including roles at Citigroup and as the founder of multiple financial technology ventures. He leads the company’s product and strategy with a focus on building planning tools shaped by firsthand experience inside finance teams.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

Welcome to The Financial Technology Report, a leading information source on financial technology companies and solutions.
In this episode, we speak with Renaud Laplanche, Co-Founder and CEO of Upgrade, a consumer fintech company offering credit, banking, and payment products designed to help customers manage debt more effectively. Since launching in 2017, Upgrade has helped more than 7.5 million consumers access over $42 billion in credit through personal loans, credit cards, and checking accounts. The platform focuses on fixed-rate products and incentives that encourage responsible borrowing and long-term financial health.
Before founding Upgrade, Laplanche co-founded and led LendingClub, one of the earliest large-scale online lending marketplaces in the United States. He led the company for a decade and took it public in 2014, marking the largest U.S.-based internet IPO that year.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

Welcome to The Financial Technology Report, a leading information source on financial technology companies and solutions.
In this episode, we speak with Chris Dean, Co-Founder and CEO of Treasury Prime, a modern banking platform that connects fintechs and businesses to a broad network of banks through secure, scalable APIs. 
Treasury Prime enables companies to open accounts, move money, and embed banking services directly into their applications, supporting millions of accounts and billions of dollars in daily money movement. The platform helps banks reach new markets while giving developers the tools to launch financial products quickly and reliably.
Dean previously led API banking at Silicon Valley Bank following its acquisition of Standard Treasury, where he served as CTO. Earlier in his career, he founded several software companies and began his work in machine learning systems at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

Welcome to The Financial Technology Report, a leading information source on financial technology companies and solutions.
In this episode, we speak with Snejina Zacharia, Founder and CEO of Insurify, a virtual insurance agent that uses AI and real-time integrations to help consumers compare, purchase, and manage their insurance policies. Insurify partners with hundreds of carriers and serves tens of millions of quotes each year across auto, home, pet, and renters insurance. Its platform enables consumers to receive accurate, personalized rates, access discounts, and complete their purchase online or with a licensed agent.
With a background in enterprise software and global market development, Zacharia founded Insurify to create a more transparent and efficient way for consumers to compare and purchase insurance.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

Welcome to The Financial Technology Report, a leading information source on financial technology companies and solutions.
In this episode, we speak with Sahill Poddar, Co-Founder and CEO of Parafin, a financial infrastructure company that enables platforms to provide embedded financial products to their small business sellers. Through a single integration, Parafin handles underwriting, capital markets, servicing, compliance, and customer support, allowing marketplaces, vertical SaaS providers, and payment platforms to offer capital, spend management, and savings tools. The company has partnered with organizations such as DoorDash, Amazon, and Worldpay, serving hundreds of thousands of businesses and extending more than $16 billion in financing offers.
Poddar founded Parafin in 2020 alongside Vineet Goel and Ralph Furman, building on a background in data-driven financial systems and applied machine learning.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

Welcome to The Financial Technology Report, a leading information source on financial technology companies and solutions.
In this episode, we speak with Doug Ricket, Founder and CEO of PayJoy, a mission-driven credit provider operating across emerging markets. PayJoy serves customers who lack formal credit history by using patented secured-credit technology, point-of-sale financing, and credit cards designed to open a pathway into the modern financial system. The company has deployed more than $3 billion to over 17 million customers worldwide, achieving profitability while growing across regions including Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
Ricket founded PayJoy in 2015 after early career experiences that shaped his focus on financial access, including Peace Corps service in West Africa, engineering work on Google Maps, and inventions that helped launch the pay-as-you-go solar sector. 
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

Welcome to The Financial Technology Report, a leading information source on financial technology companies and solutions.
In this episode, we speak with Daumantas Dvilinskas, Co-Founder and CEO of TransferGo, a digital money transfer platform founded in 2012 to address the practical barriers migrants face when sending money across borders. The company now supports more than 8 million customers in over 160 countries, offering faster, lower-cost transfers built for people managing financial responsibilities across geographies.
Daumantas has led TransferGo since its early days, overseeing its growth from a small founding team into an international operation built around licensing, banking partnerships, product development, and customer support. 
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

Welcome to The Financial Technology Report, a leading information source on financial technology companies and solutions.
In this episode, we speak with Michael Hurup Andersen, Founder and Co-CEO of kompasbank, an end-to-end digital business bank established in 2017 to improve access to financing and advisory services for small and midsize enterprises in Denmark. The bank offers tailored loans, leasing options, and a digital marketplace of operational tools, along with savings products for individuals whose deposits help fund SME growth across the country.
Michael has spent more than two decades in banking and financial services, with prior roles in treasury, corporate financial sales, and advisory work across Danish and international institutions. At kompasbank, he oversees efforts to build a technology-driven platform designed to support companies with faster processes, clearer guidance, and more flexible financing.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.