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
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 Dinie: Introducing Dinie, an Embedded Finance Platform for MSMEs in Brazil
Brazil’s 17 million micro-, small- and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs) face a significant credit gap. This is largely due to banks’ inability to effectively serve these customers with the short-term working capital products they need in...
Events
flourish focus
[Flourish Focus] A One-on-One with Mateo Jaramillo, Co-Founder & CEO, Heru
Join us for a discussion between Flourish Managing Partner, Arjuna Costa and Mateo Jaramillo, CEO and Co-founder of Mexico City-based Heru.
Blog
embedded finance
Why We Invested In Heru: A Mexico-based Gig Worker Platform Heru Offering Online/Offline Services
The vast majority of employment in Latin America isn't formal, and across the region, there are 145 million independent workers. Independent workers and gig-economy workers have been overlooked in Mexico and other Latin American countries,...
News
general
[TechCrunch] This Labor Day, spare a thought for the workers who made your doorstep delivery possible
A few weeks ago, I bought a used paperback mystery for $3 via a small online bookseller. Intrigued that the book came with free shipping, I dug in a bit and was shocked to see...
News
interview
[Business Day] Flourish Ventures sees mixed impact of COVID-19
By Jumoke Akiyode-Lawanson Arjuna Costa is a Managing Partner, Flourish Ventures, a venture firm of the Omidyar Group, that invests in fintechs and entrepreneurs whose innovations help people achieve financial health. In this interview with...
Blog
digital banking
Why We Invested in SWAP: It's All About BaaS
If you are an up-and-coming fintech entrepreneur, how do you connect your offering into existing banking and payments systems? If you are a consumer platform and want to offer financial products to your engaged customer...
Research
opinion
New Flourish Research Finds Brazilian Gig Workers Under Pressure Since COVID-19
New Flourish Research Finds Brazilian Gig Workers Under Pressure Since COVID-19.
Events
flourish conversations
[Flourish Conversations] Early Stage Funding in Africa A Pulse Check
Watch as Arjuna Costa and Ameya Upadhyay convene with leading Africa-focused VCs to discuss investing and fundraising in the current health and financial crisis.
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