Startup success is often explained through geography, capital, or timing.

But the real story is about people, resilience, and long-term commitment.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun is joined by Allen Taylor, Managing Partner at Endeavor Catalyst, to unpack how world-class companies are being built far beyond Silicon Valley.

Allen shares how Endeavor identifies and backs the top 1% of founders across emerging and underserved markets, why venture outcomes are shaped over decades not fund cycles, and how resilience and ambition matter more than location. From Latin America and Eastern Europe to the Middle East and frontier markets like Nigeria and Pakistan, the conversation explores what it really takes to build billion-dollar companies from anywhere.

The episode also dives into how venture capital is evolving, why the traditional 10-year fund model no longer reflects reality, how AI is changing both startups and investing, and what creates durable entrepreneurial ecosystems over time.

🎙️ In this episode:

• Why billion-dollar companies can now be built from anywhere

• How Endeavor identifies and supports the top 1% of founders globally

• The power of role models, second-generation founders, and ecosystem flywheels

• Why resilience matters more than ideas in long-term company building

• How frontier markets create asymmetric venture returns

• The limits of the traditional VC model and what needs to change

• Where AI truly adds value in startups and venture investing

• Why ambition should move from regional champions to global companies

👉 Watch the full conversation to understand how global entrepreneurship is shifting, why emerging markets matter, and what the next decade of venture creation could look like.

#CouchonomicsWithArjun #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital #Endeavor #GlobalStartups #EmergingMarkets #FounderMindset #AI #FutureOfVenture #Leadership

PARTNERS

Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by:

Adyen → https://www.adyen.com/

Thunes → https://thunes.com/

Mastercard → https://mastercard.com/

e& → https://www.eand.com/

Digit9 → https://www.digitnine.com/

SC Ventures → https://scventures.io/

SOCIAL LINKS

Arjun’s LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/

Couchonomics LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/

Twitter (X) → https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh

TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics

Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

CHAPTERS

00:00 Building billion-dollar companies from anywhere
02:10 What Endeavor really does and why it exists

05:30 How Endeavor Catalyst invests differently
09:00 The globalisation of startups beyond Silicon Valley
13:30 Latin America’s rise and why it matters
18:00 Europe’s overlooked innovation markets
22:40 The Endeavor network and founder flywheels

Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0

Find us on our social media platforms:

• Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
• CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20
• TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics

Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

Banking innovation usually gets reduced to apps and features.

But the real changes are happening underneath.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Richard Davies, CEO of Allica Bank, joins the couch to talk about how challenger banks are actually rebuilding SME banking in the UK.

Richard breaks down why established SMEs need a very different banking model, why go-to-market is harder than building the technology, and how value, trust, and low cost structures become the real advantage over time.

The conversation moves through how digital banking has matured in the UK, what open banking really delivers today, how AI is being used inside regulated banks, and where stablecoins and tokenised money actually make sense and where they do not.

An honest discussion on SME credit gaps, the limits of the super-app idea, the role of humans in an AI-led bank, and what the next decade of challenger banking could realistically look like.

🎙️ In this episode:

• Why challenger banks are replacing major banks for SMEs, not just competing with them
• The hidden problem of fragmentation in SME finance
• How Allica is building an all-in-one bank for established businesses
• What open banking gets right and where it still falls short
• AI inside banks: productivity, agents, and the limits of automation
• Why SMEs are not ready for complexity in digital assets
• The real use cases for stablecoins and cross-border payments
• What creates a defensible moat in modern digital banking
• How regulation helps and hinders SME lending in the UK
• What the next 3 to 5 years of SME banking could look like

👉 Watch the full conversation to understand how challenger banks are scaling trust, profitability, and relevance in a post-hype fintech world.

#CouchonomicsWithArjun #SMEBanking #ChallengerBanks #Fintech #UKFintech #DigitalBanking #AIinBanking #FutureOfBanking #Leadership #FinancialServices

PARTNERS

Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by:

Adyen → https://www.adyen.com/

Thunes → https://thunes.com/

Mastercard → https://mastercard.com/

e& → https://www.eand.com/

Digit9 → https://www.digitnine.com/

SC Ventures → https://scventures.io/

SOCIAL LINKS

Arjun’s LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/

Couchonomics LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/

Twitter → https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh

TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics

Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

CHAPTERS

00:00 Why SME banking is being rebuilt
02:40 The maturity of UK challenger banks
06:30 The real SME credit gap problem
10:20 Fragmentation vs all-in-one ba

Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0

Find us on our social media platforms:

• Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
• CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20
• TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics

Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

Innovation in banking is often talked about, but rarely understood.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Giovanni Everduin, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer and Head of Ventures at Commercial Bank International, joins the couch to unpack what innovation really looks like inside a regulated bank.

From legacy systems and institutional mindsets to AI, digital assets, and on-chain finance, this conversation goes beyond buzzwords to explore where real value is being created and where the industry may be getting ahead of itself.

Giovanni shares why regulation can act as a catalyst for innovation, how banks and fintechs are moving from competition to partnership, and why the future of finance will be hybrid rather than fully on-chain or off-chain.

A candid discussion on tokenization, stablecoins, privacy, and why understanding the problem always matters more than chasing the latest technology.

🎙️ In this episode:
• What innovation actually means inside a regulated bank
• Why legacy systems, data, and mindsets slow transformation
• How fintechs shifted from challengers to infrastructure partners
• The real opportunities and misconceptions around tokenization and stablecoins
• Why privacy will be critical for institutions moving finance on-chain
• How banks can experiment safely without breaking trust
• Why partnership-driven innovation is becoming the dominant model
• What the next 3 to 5 years of banking could realistically look like

👉 Watch the full conversation to understand how banks are navigating innovation without losing trust, stability, or relevance.

#CouchonomicsWithArjun #BankingInnovation #Fintech #DigitalAssets #AIinBanking #Tokenization #FutureOfBanking #UAE #Leadership #FinancialServices

PARTNERS
Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by:
Adyen → https://www.adyen.com/
Thunes → https://thunes.com/
Mastercard → https://mastercard.com/
e& → https://www.eand.com/
Digit9 → https://www.digitnine.com/
SC Ventures → https://scventures.io/
Hala → https://hala.com/

SOCIAL LINKS
Arjun’s LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter → https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3WI

Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0

Find us on our social media platforms:

• Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
• CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20
• TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics

Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E