DB1’s Ankur Kamalia: Fintech Venture Capital Is All About Collaboration
Jim Kharouf
ssdf
Deutsche Boerse started DB1 Ventures about 2 ½ years ago with the goal of finding new fintech firms that complement the exchange’s wide-ranging technologies but also show potential to grow well beyond that. Ankur Kamalia, managing director, head of venture portfolio management at DB1 Ventures, said his group is looking at everything from post-trade to new trading platforms to regtech firms.
“We wanted to start DB1 to take on investments outside Deutsche Boerse Group and with the desire to be much more aligned with the product, design and innovation strategy going forward,” Kamalia said.
He added that DB1 believes a more collaborative approach to fintech will continue to grow in the coming years because the only way to make progress in areas like market infrastructure – a highly regulated space – is to work cooperatively with large incumbent firms.
“As many of the technology firms have raised a meaningful amount of capital, you’ve seen an environment where collaboration becomes a lot more relevant…especially when it comes down to infrastructure,” he said. “We’re partnering with many firms in our client base – banks as well as buy side firms – and are jointly looking at investment opportunities. This is an ecosystem and doesn’t work in isolation always.”
Produced by Mike Forrester
Interview by Jim Kharouf
John Lothian Newsletter
Today's Newsletter
U.S. sanctions crypto mixing service Tornado Cash, citing North Korea ties
First Read Hits & Takes John Lothian & JLN Staff The SEC proposed rules to improve clearing agency governance and to mitigate conflict of interest towards the goal of building more transparent and reliable clearinghouses. SEC Chairman Gary Gensler offered a...
We visit more than 100 websites daily for financial news (Would YOU do that?)
Now Read This
Mark Smith’s Path To Electronic Trading: From Banking to Blockchain
Mark Smith started his career at broker-dealer Edward Jones, became an entrepreneur and then after his second firm was purchased by Citi, he found himself working for the bank, which he found an eye-opening experience.
Mark Smith’s Path to Electronic Trading is Awash in Entrepreneurial Drive
The Path to Electronic Trading for Mark Smith started in a pool. He wanted to be an Olympic swimmer, a singular focus that took him to the Olympic trials of 1988 and 1992, but not to the Olympic Games, though he did swim in the Pan American games of 1991.
Wolfgang Eholzer: The History of Financial Futures, Part 2
In part two of the interview with Wolfgang Eholzer for The History of Financial Futures video series from John Lothian News and MarketsWiki Education, Eholzer explains where the names of Eurex’s trade matching engine and other technology came from. Eurex wanted a short name that could be easily copyrighted and easily reproduced for other products.
Wolfgang Eholzer: The History of Financial Futures
In 1997, Wolfgang Eholzer decided there were not enough students studying physics and mathematics in Germany to make a career in academia and that maybe finding a job would be a good thing. The question was where was there enough going on. That question led him to Deutsche Boerse, which was starting a new electronic derivatives exchange and hiring like mad. He has been there since.