Tahira joined the panel AI: Unlocked, Shaping the Future of FinHealth during Emerge 2024 in Chicago.

New data shows alarming increases in financial vulnerability, but a new breed of "Found Money" innovators are finding exogenous sources of income for their customers

ESG investing has become a hot-button issue that seems to be pitting investors against corporates. What is really required to make it the tool we need?

Love it or hate it, BNPL has taken the financial world by storm, promising convenience and flexibility to consumers and sales growth for online businesses. Is this good?

PartnerSlate is an online marketplace connecting food brands and contract manufacturers to help improve time to market and drive digitization in the $200 billion food and beverage contract manufacturing industry.

What makes a good investor? And what makes an investor good? Whether impact investing or driving above-market returns, David Rubenstein has done it all. In this episode, we interview the formidable Rubenstein, co- founder of The Carlyle Group. We explored the qualities of successful investors and venture capitalists, as well as what qualities make an investor similar to an artist. While this episode deviates from our usual debate format, it offers considerable insights into the world of successful VC investing. Rubenstein noted that some of the most successful investors often have a few things in common: they challenge conventional wisdom, share blue-collar backgrounds, have great educations, and have a penchant for making the final decision. Join us as we delve into the minds of exceptional investors from an exceptional investor himself.

Tahira led a panel at SOCAP in San Francisco that looked at how startup innovation can drive economic recovery and resilience at a time when COVID-19, global strife, supply chain challenges, and recessionary pressures have caused the majority of Americans to be financially unhealthy. Along with Reem Goussos from Village Capital, Yigal Kerszenbaum from ETF@JFFLabs, and Matt Schaar from Accion Venture Lab, we heard from the founders of Let’s Get Set, Savings Oak, Cher, Ramped, and Quipu as to how their models are helping build resilience for users.

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)-based investing: just more Wall Street bullsh*&t or a way to finally hold polluters accountable for their actions? This week, we're diving into the controversial topic of ESG investing, and we have two deeply knowledgeable debaters who will present their perspectives. Hans Taparia, a professor at NYU Stern and a critic of ESG, argues that ESG systems have been designed for profit rather than creating real change. On the other side, Charlotte Degot, CEO of C02 AI, emphasizes the need to measure impact accurately and to make ESG investing a force for good. The conversation revolves around the challenges of measurement, the pace of progress, and the role of regulations. Join us as we delve into this thought-provoking discussion and explore the complexities of ESG investing with our esteemed guests.

You’ve seen them in your checkout carts and they follow you online shopping: Buy-Now-Pay-Later companies have become significant players on the fintech scene. In the inaugural episode of “The Pnyx”, your hosts Alex and Vikas discuss Affirm, Klarna, Afterpay and all the other actors that constitute the Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) phenomenon. Joined by panelists Marshall Lux and Jeremy Solomon, we dive deep into the pros and cons of BNPL, exploring its potential benefits for consumers, the inherent risks, and the implications for financial transparency and inclusion. This episode sheds important light on the complexities surrounding this popular, but still nascent financing model.

Vikas moderated this panel on “Learning to Serve Main Street in Times of Crisis” at the Financial Health Network’s EMERGE conference in Los Angeles. Along with Luz Urrutia from Accion Opportunity Fund, Shamina Singh from Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and Jonathan Jacob from Wells Fargo, they discussed how innovation and partnership could drive resilience for American small businesses.