Tilman

Tilman 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 building a fair financial system. He believes that luck favors the prepared, and he thrives where stellar entrepreneurs, technology-led business model innovation, and untapped market opportunity meet. Tilman co-manages Flourish and partners with purpose-driven founders worldwide, backing actionable ideas that help people improve their economic prospects and financial lives. He serves on the boards of several portfolio organizations and as chair of the Advisory Council to the U.N. Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance.

Before Flourish, Tilman was a partner at Omidyar Network, where he built the global financial inclusion team. Prior to that, he spent five years as CEO of the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), a global partnership to advance financial inclusion. Earlier, as a partner at McKinsey & Company, he helped build the firm's global financial services and healthcare practices and worked for more than a decade with leading businesses across North America and India.

Tilman began his career as a journalist in Germany before earning a PhD in Economics from the European University Institute in Italy and joining the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C.

In The News
News
opinion
[Forbes] An Unequal Burden: Measuring Financial Worry In Developing Countries During The Pandemic
What does financial worry mean for people globally? The answer depends on objective factors such as how much you earn along with subjective perceptions about what constitutes a financially secure life in a particular society.
News
opinion
[Fast Company] I'm an advocate for inclusive capitalism. Here's why I'm intrigued by Web3
The global managing partner of Flourish Ventures, backed by Pam and Pierre Omidyar, shares his perspective on a digital future that could expand economic opportunity—if innovators and society can harness its potential.
News
opinion
[Fintech Africa] Fintech Has Taken Off In Africa – Here’s Why It’s Not A Bubble
Some of the most innovative models in fintech we’ve seen have come out of our Africa portfolio, such as the way Pula advanced embedded finance by bundling crop insurance with the seed bought by small...
Events
opinion
[EVENT RECAP] How Embedded Finance Can Leapfrog Traditional Banking in Southeast Asia
With high smartphone penetration, a surge in digital adoption accelerated by the pandemic, and a population still largely unbanked, Southeast Asia is uniquely positioned to forge a 21st Century financial sector built on the strength...
Events
opinion
[Rebank Podcast] Purpose Driven Investing for Financial Return with Flourish Ventures
In today’s episode, we’re joined by Tilman Ehrbeck, Managing Partner at Flourish Ventures, a venture firm focused on improving the financial health and prosperity of people around the world. Flourish invests in segments including Challenger...
News
opinion
[American Banker] BankThink Banks' consumer-friendly moves validate challenger model
Just as fintech is taking on record-setting equity capital, nearly a dozen incumbent banks have signaled that they are “rethinking” their business practices as they relate to traditional checking accounts.
Blog
opinion
The Value and Limitations of Market-Based Innovations for Impact: Three Takeaways After COVID-19
For those of us who work toward economic inclusion in emerging markets, the year and a half since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has validated one key element of our approach: The value of...
Events
flourish focus
[Flourish Focus] A One-on-One with Reuben Lai, Head of Grab Financial Group
Join Flourish Managing Partner Tilman Ehrbeck in conversation with Grab Senior MD and Head of Grab Financial Group, Reuben Lai.
News
opinion
[Nikkei Asia] Asian fintech enters accelerated innovation phase
When COVID-19 first struck a year ago, startup entrepreneurs and early-stage investors paused briefly to assess what the pandemic might mean for the burgeoning theme of fintech innovation.
Blog
opinion
Three Observations from Beyond Good and One Ask: Contribute to a Purpose-Driven Fintech Business Revolution
If we ever needed it, the past 12 months have provided a stark reminder that good government, a functioning modern digital infrastructure, and a shared civic spirit matter in the face of pandemic challenge and...
No posts found! Try adjusting your filters.