Arjuna

Arjuna is a co-founder and managing partner of Flourish Ventures, an early-stage global venture capital firm that invests in mission-driven entrepreneurs and industry influencers working towards a fair financial system. With a primary focus on venture investing across emerging markets in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, Arjuna is driven by a deep compassion for vulnerable populations across the globe. He partners with entrepreneurs using innovative technologies to enhance their customers’ financial well-being.

Before Flourish, Arjuna was a partner at Omidyar Network, where he built a global portfolio of early-stage, inclusive fintech companies. Prior to that, Arjuna developed a deep understanding of the potential to radically alter traditional “brick-and-mortar” economics through mobile money solutions for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Before that, he invested equity and debt in consumer finance companies in emerging markets at The Rohatyn Group, a multi-billion dollar emerging markets investment firm.

In 2003, Arjuna co-founded a $120-million private equity fund focused on the turnaround of distressed commercial banks in Africa. The fund grew out of advising governments on the restructuring and privatization of its banking sector. Arjuna began his career at Lehman Brothers, where he spent five years financing power plants and airports globally.

Arjuna earned an MBA degree from Harvard Business School and a BA degree in Computer Science from Columbia University.

In The News
News
founder wellness
[Built In] Is Your Board Strong? 5 Ways for Founders to Tell.
As the fundraising landscape shifts from boom times to a more challenging environment, the pressure is ratcheting up on founders.
Blog
embedded finance
Why We Invested in Mapan: Rising Social Fintech Empowers Indonesian Women
Flourish and Patamar re-teamed to invest in Mapan’s community of digital saving circles. In 2009, smartphones were a mostly untapped invention – and had not yet reached many emerging markets like Indonesia.
Events
interview
[The Enthusiast: Founders & VCs Podcast] Arjuna Costa (Flourish) challenges in achieving true financial inclusion
On this episode Pat sits down with Arjuna Costa, Managing Partner at leading financial inclusion fund Flourish, investor in the likes of Neon, Chime, Paga and Heru.
Blog
opinion
A Decade of Tech Innovation Fuels Financial Progress for Billions
Data Shows Great Strides Made, Yet Our Work Continues as Economic Worries Remain Just over a decade ago, the World Bank set out to survey 150,000 people across 148 countries to create the first Global...
Events
embedded finance
[Flourish Conversations] The Corner Shop Isn't Dead: How Fintech and Embedded Finance Are Giving Them Extra Power
New research shows the corner shop is here to stay and poised to go digital. A $900B+ industry worldwide, fintechs are now serving corner shops across the retail value chain, developing low-cost, easy-to-use, online tools...
Events
opinion
[Podcast oficial da Brazil at Silicon Valley] Episodio 20 - Arjuna Costa, Managing Partner na Flourish Ventures
Nosso convidado este mês é o Arjuna Costa, Managing Partner na Flourish Ventures, um fundo evergreen de Venture Capital que nasceu a partir da iniciativa de Financial Inclusion da Omidyar Network. Com mais de 70...
Blog
founder wellness
Strong Startups Are Led by Healthy CEOs: Why We're Prioritizing Founder Wellness
As the fintech fundraising landscape shifts from boom times to a more challenging environment, we see the pressure ratcheting up on founders and their teams – passionate people who are already taxed by two years...
Blog
embedded finance
Why We Invested In Kamino: Gives Much-Needed Boost to High-Growth LATAM Startups
Repeat Founders Build Financial Infrastructure to Accelerate Time-to-Market and Provide End-to-End Financial and Corporate Solutions for New Businesses
Events
flourish focus
[Flourish Focus] A One-one-One with Mercê do Bairro Co-Founders
Find out how Brazil’s fintech start up Mercê do Bairro recently raised a $10 million Series A round with a vision to deliver an embedded finance platform that empowers small business owners.
Blog
embedded finance
Why We Invested In Mercê do Bairro: Finally, An Operating System for Brazil's Corner Stores
Why We Invested in Mercê do Bairro Just as in every major economy, big box grocery stores and e-commerce are disrupting Brazil’s retail market, creating new retail channels that have the potential to threaten the...
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