Mila Khrapchenko is the Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Ameetee. Mila’s expertise covers 20+ years in investment banking structuring in cross-border deals. She is an angel investor in 30+ startups.
Ameetee is a white label, plug and play investment marketplace for financial institutions aiming to provide their clients with seamless, risk-adjusted access to private market investments.
Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind founding Ameetee and the journey leading up to its launch in 2023?
Ameetee was founded from a blend of personal experience and market insight. Initially focused on angel investing, I saw similarities between early-stage ventures and distressed debt—high risk with potential for significant rewards. Shifting focus to late-stage startups, I realized these opportunities required more funding than I could provide alone.
Recognizing a gap where access to late-stage investments was limited to wealthy investors, we set out to democratize this space. Drawing on our banking backgrounds and a passion for startups, Serge, Natan, and I developed investment solutions in-house at two brokers. Our approach was validated by strong demand from individuals and financial institutions seeking accessible private market investments.
Thus, the idea for Ameetee was born, driven by our mission to make high-potential investments accessible to a broader audience, not just the privileged few.
What challenges did you face while trying to invest in private companies, and how does Ameetee address these issues for other investors?
The challenges faced while investing in private companies primarily revolved around access and complexity. Initially, as an individual investor, accessing late-stage private companies directly required substantial capital, which was often beyond my means. Moreover, navigating the complexities of private market investments through traditional channels proved cumbersome and opaque, with limited transparency and accessibility.
Ameetee addresses these challenges by democratizing access to private market investments through its B2B fintech platform. By offering a white-label solution to financial organizations, Ameetee enables banks, wealth managers, brokers, and family offices of all sizes to provide their clients with opportunities to invest in private companies. This eliminates the barrier of needing substantial capital individually.
Furthermore, Ameetee”s involvement of seasoned investment professionals in assessing and conducting due diligence on potential deals ensures that only high-quality investment opportunities are presented to clients. This mitigates the risk associated with private investments and enhances transparency.
The platform’s collaboration with professional administrators to create securities aligns the commercial terms of the investment with client-friendly terms, making the investment accessible through familiar banking channels like apps, online portals, or with assistance from bank managers. This streamlined approach simplifies the investment process and enhances the overall experience for investors, addressing the complexities and uncertainties that traditionally hindered private market participation.
How does Ameetee’s white label, plug-and-play platform work for financial institutions, and what benefits does it offer to their clients?
Ameetee’s white-label platform enables financial institutions to expand their service offerings with private market investments, leveraging professional due diligence and streamlined investment processes. This not only enriches the client experience by offering access to high-potential investments but also strengthens the institution’s competitive edge in wealth management and private banking services.
Can you elaborate on Ameetee’s recent achievements, such as signing contracts with institutional clients and offering investment opportunities in companies like Bayzat, Klarna, and Alto Pharmacy?
Firstly, the most important thing that happened for us was the validation of our concept. By closing three deals since our inception, we received proof that what we are doing is in demand and has its customer base. For instance, the deal with Bayzat, though relatively small and too early for financial institutions, was perfect for a large Family Office. Another deal demonstrated that investors are interested not only in private equity or late-stage technology companies but also in debt instruments.
Through the process of offering deals to different categories of investors, we gained a better understanding of their internal processes, decision-making timelines, and risk concerns. Despite our experience, we now know these aspects much better. We realized the necessity for diversity, exclusivity, and a tailored approach to different categories of investors. This significantly helped us in developing the platform.
On one hand, it is important that we have achieved success because it confirms the demand for and scalability of our service. On the other hand, failures have given us equally valuable insights: how to work with this category in advance, how to warm up their interest, assist with materials and sales, and much more.
What are your thoughts on the future of the Fintech-as-a-Service (FaaS) segment, and how is Ameetee positioned to capitalize on its anticipated growth?
The future of the FinTech-as-a-Service (FaaS) segment looks incredibly promising, with rapid development showing no signs of slowing down. This trend is expected to accelerate, extending from developed markets to emerging ones. Here’s what I foresee happening:
- API Integrations: Financial institutions are increasingly ready for various API integrations, facilitating seamless connectivity and innovation.
- Payment Solutions: Major FaaS startups like Stripe and Adyen focus on payment processing, driving significant growth in this area.
- Open Banking: Regulations make customer account data more accessible (with consent), fostering new services around account management and data utilization.
- AI and Machine Learning: These technologies are crucial for onboarding, compliance, and other services, representing the next wave of innovation.
- Personalization: Big data and open banking enable highly personalized financial applications, enhancing customer experience.
Ameetee is well-positioned to capitalize on the growth of the FaaS segment. Ameetee offers a platform that provides financial institutions with a unique and convenient product without requiring them to overhaul their existing processes. This platform allows financial organizations and family offices to discover investment opportunities, fill portfolio niches, or allocate to alternative investments seamlessly. By offering these capabilities, Ameetee enables financial institutions to provide enhanced services to their clients while earning partner commissions.
With over 20 years of experience in investment banking and managing a $2B portfolio, how has your background influenced the development and strategy of Ameetee?
My 20 years of experience in investment banking and managing a $2B portfolio have profoundly influenced the development and strategy of Ameetee. Working on innovative projects taught me not to fear unresolved challenges. This is crucial for a startup, as doubts frequently arise when launching a new business. My experience has shown me that there are no unsolvable problems, which is essential for fostering confidence and determination.
In the banking sector, I learned that any task could be tackled with a reasonable approach. This balanced perspective tempers the optimism necessary for startup growth, emphasizing the importance of careful decision-making and risk assessment. This experience instilled in me the importance of taking responsibility for successful outcomes, both personally and as a team.
The significance of having a strong team cannot be overstated. I’ve learned that almost anyone can be trained, regardless of their background or experience, underscoring the importance of leadership in guiding and nurturing talent.
My deep understanding of various industries and financial instruments helps avoid common mistakes made by platforms developed by experts who lack a comprehensive view of both business and technology.
At Ameetee, we start by understanding and testing product hypotheses before heavily investing in technology. Our focus is on creating a product that clients find comfortable and desirable. Once achieved, we streamline technological processes to ensure seamless product delivery and enhance related services. Essentially, our platform is a tool for scaling, not an end in itself.
As an angel investor with 30+ deals, what trends do you see in the fintech and private investment markets that excites you the most?
That’s true that I find several trends in fintech and private investments particularly exciting.
Firstly, fintech has undergone a significant revolution in the past 15-20 years. Many companies have emerged as global players, offering diverse payment solutions globally. This democratization and globalization continue to expand, with companies like Rapyd operating in over half of the world’s countries.
Secondly, Open Banking has introduced unprecedented opportunities for bank customers and businesses, allowing seamless management of multiple accounts and even paving the way for payments from autonomous vehicles. This ongoing evolution underscores fintech’s limitless potential.
In the private investment market, there has been a notable shift. Previously exclusive to the ultra-wealthy, opportunities in private equity and startups are now more accessible to qualified investors. Crowdfunding has further democratized investment, enabling retail investors to participate in projects they believe in.
These trends not only promise innovation but also broader access to investment opportunities, shaping a dynamic future in fintech and private investments.
Can you discuss the significance of transferable securities in democratizing private market investments?
Transferable securities play a crucial role in democratizing private market investments by simplifying the trading process for financial institutions. This simplification allows these institutions, which are adept at trading securities, including on the over-the-counter market, to handle these instruments more conveniently. They can retain these securities in custody without redirecting clients to invest through platforms requiring individual onboarding processes.
Thus, transferable securities do not pose internal operational challenges to many financial institutions in their back-office processes. This streamlining significantly mitigates operational counterparty risks, as such securities typically go through centralized clearing systems, reducing complexities and enhancing liquidity. Therefore, transferable securities facilitate easier selling processes and fund retrieval for financial institution clients, thereby positively contributing to the investment process.
As one of the few women founders in fintech, how do you see the role of women evolving in this industry, and what initiatives are you involved in to support this change?
I see the role of women evolving significantly in this industry. Women are increasingly taking on leadership roles and driving innovation in fintech, bringing unique perspectives and skills that contribute to the sector’s growth and diversity.
I am actively involved in initiatives that support and empower women in fintech. For example, I participate in panels and discussions focused on Women in Tech, where I share insights and experiences to inspire other women to pursue careers in fintech. Additionally, I invest in startups founded or co-founded by women, recognizing their potential and the value they bring to the industry.
These initiatives not only aim to increase gender diversity but also foster an environment where women can thrive and succeed in fintech, ultimately shaping a more inclusive future for the industry.
How do you envision Ameetee evolving in the next five years, and what are your long-term goals for the platform?
This is an interesting question, and I have several thoughts on it. Firstly, I believe that beyond our survival in five years, Ameetee can provide value that was previously inaccessible to a wide range of people within financial institutions. We aim to make investments accessible to a much broader investor audience and help them invest according to their beliefs in assets they previously couldn’t access.
From a numerical standpoint, we observe significant growth in transaction volumes on the Ameetee platform, expanding into both developed and emerging markets. We have garnered many satisfied partners among financial institutions and companies attracting investments through us. If we continue on this path, Ameetee could become a profitable company in the near future.
Additionally, I dream of the possibilities of technological automation. Despite the challenges, I am confident we can automate processes, including generating marketing materials and evaluating companies. This will not only reduce team effort but also enhance the efficiency of our operations.
Overall, Ameetee has the potential to become a prominent player in the market, offering innovative investment solutions and significant opportunities for investment, which in turn could attract more partners and clients.
Thank you for the great interview, readers who wish to learn more should visit Ameetee.