Ignite Startups: How Archer is Revolutionizing Fraud Prevention in FinTech Zach Bijesse | #115

Ignite: Conversations on Startups, Venture Capital, Tech, Future, and Society

In this episode of the Ignite podcast, host Brian Bell sits down with Zach Bijesse, CEO and co-founder of Archer, and former co-founder of PayHippo. Zach shares his entrepreneurial journey, which began with his first tech venture, SlimmerMe, and evolved through his time as a math teacher and his impactful work in Nigerian fintech. Archer now tackles global fraud, aiming to reduce the billions lost annually by building a shared fraud detection network for financial institutions. The conversation touches on Zach's early ventures, his insights into education reform, and his experience founding PayHippo to provide tech-enabled small business lending in Nigeria. They discuss the challenges of scaling a lending business, including obtaining debt facilities, navigating regulatory complexities, and managing the paradoxical difficulty of underwriting. The discussion transitions to Archer's mission: creating a cross-institutional fraud detection network that allows fintechs and banks to share data securely and compliantly. Zach explains how fraud persists despite basic safeguards like KYC and rule-based systems, emphasizing the need for robust, shared data to prevent exploitation. He highlights Archer’s unique approach as a dedicated fraud layer that strengthens existing systems. Chapters: Introduction to Zach Bijesse & Archer (00:01 – 02:00) From Teaching Math to Founding SlimmerMe (02:01 – 06:30) Exploring Education Reform and Teaching Insights (06:31 – 10:20) Moving to Nigeria and Launching PayHippo (10:21 – 14:30) The Complexities of Lending and Underwriting (14:31 – 18:00) Founding PayHippo and the Y Combinator Journey (18:01 – 22:00) Challenges of Lending Businesses and Raising Capital (22:01 – 25:00) Techno-Optimism and the Future of Innovation (25:01 – 28:00) Introduction to Archer and Tackling Fraud in FinTech (28:01 – 32:00) How Archer Reinforces Fraud Prevention Systems (32:01 – 35:00) Archer’s Vision to Eliminate Fraud Globally (35:01 – 39:00) Closing Thoughts and Connecting with Archer (39:01 – 40:03)