Zach Bijesse

CEO at Archer. Formerly CEO at Payhippo (YC S21)

[Zach Bijesse @ZachBijesse]

After disbursing over $10m in loans to Nigerian companies, the Payhippo team wants to share some insights about lending in the region. First question: is it a good business to lend to Nigerian small businesses?

[Julius Bizimungu🇷🇼 @Julio_Bizimungu]

@ZachBijesse: I don’t spend time talking to investors. I spend time talking to consumers.

You shouldn’t spend time thinking about joining @ycombinator, you should spend time thinking about your next customer. @africablockfest

[Bujeti Inc (YC W23) @BujetiHQ]

We’re Bujeti - the Finance Control Centre for African businesses.

With real-time visibility and total control, we help you run and scale your business with confidence.

Check out our new brand identity system!
#NewBujeti #BrandRefresh #FinanceControl #MadeForAfrica

[Zach Bijesse @ZachBijesse]

@ZackGrymes Looking forward to reading more!

[Zach Bijesse @ZachBijesse]

@OnuorahJP It's all invested already 😢

[Brian Bell @brianrbell]

Revolutionizing Education: Success Academy's Polarizing Approach: Ignite Podcast #115 with Zach Bijesse

Listen to the entire episode on your favorite podcast player here: https://t.co/Jxv7DEiirM

@zachbijesse

#Startups #VentureCapital #Investing

[Brian Bell @brianrbell]

Eliminating Fraud: The Future of Fintech Solutions: Ignite Podcast #115 with Zach Bijesse

Listen to the entire episode on your favorite podcast player here: https://t.co/Jxv7DEiirM

@zachbijesse

#Startups #VentureCapital #Investing

[Jason Marshall @__JasonMarshall]

Sometimes when I'm hiring experienced salespeople I intentionally ghost them. The good ones follow-up politely but aggressively.

[Nik @NikMilanovic]

a lot of fintech founders don't realize that they are in the compliance game

[Zach Bijesse @ZachBijesse]

“So practically, we now have early-stage African funds asking pre-seed founders to track greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.” This is just a bad portco management. Wouldn’t blame the Africa climate trend for this though

[Stephen Deng @mrstephendeng]

It's Earth Day 2025🌍 and we need to talk about climate tech in Africa.

It's become a huge part of African venture and tech, growing from <15% of total startup funding in 2021 to 45% in 2025 so far. For a category holding up almost *half* of all startup funding on the continent, the discussion and debate around it is dangerously quiet.

First, we must agree on a couple of facts:

1. The climate challenge is about gases in the atmosphere
2. Africa does not shift the needle in those greenhouse gas emissions

I think most climate funds have recognized these two facts. I don't think we've reacted effectively because the ecosystem's climate mandate is top-down and rigid: impact-driven LPs rode the wave of a global climate movement and pushed conditional capital through African fund managers.

And it's not the impact LPs' faults either. Their government constituents rightfully care about climate change and they deserve that their taxes go towards global problems they want to see solved. So practically, we now have early-stage African funds asking pre-seed founders to track greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It's like reaching out to someone who's drowning, then handing them a spreadsheet asking for GHG emissions.

But even worse, if we circle back to the above two facts, those GHG reductions don't even matter from a planetary perspective. But there's no way for an African fund manager to shift the demands of a DFI's taxpayer - they can only dilute what it means to meet that obligation. And trust me - that's the actual discussion that's going on in the whispered halls of African VC.

So we see an expansion of the climate mandate in African tech:

1. The impact-oriented drift towards climate resilience and adaptation
2. The commercially-oriented drift towards energy solutions

Again, both aren't without merit. It's true that we need to prepare the continent for the devastating effects of climate. It's also true that there's a growing demand for clean energy, especially PV solar and EVs.

However, what's also undeniable is that both these approaches detach themselves from our first set of facts: climate change is about gases in the atmosphere and Africa is an inconsequential emitter. We are are not providing venture-backable solutions to climate change - we are providing solutions for a need to "fund climate-tech"

Still, it's mostly well-meaning people doing hard work and I don't have the right answer. However, I know this is a house of cards that is facing political headwinds while holding up half our of funding base. It's an existential discussion.

I do have some thoughts on what a more Africa-aligned climate startup would look like, but what you do think?
--
Shoutout to @yishan's thoughts on the subject more generally: https://t.co/k3DzpSeXV2

[ODBA @odbavc]

Internal fraud is killing trust in African banks and Fintech.

Archer’s new Internal Fraud Finder changes the game:
•Independent monitoring
•Smart pattern detection
•Collusion exposure

Archer is restoring trust in tech.

https://t.co/Vipch873BP

#portco #cybersecurity

[Zach Bijesse @ZachBijesse]

@Stablecoin @zcabrams

[Zach Bijesse @ZachBijesse]

Don’t stress about pivoting. It might get you acquired for $1B.

Since doing @ycombinator's Summer 2021 batch, I’ve seen many batchmates change directions. And for a lot of us, that pivot led to stronger economics and real product-market fit

[Zach Bijesse @ZachBijesse]

So pivot early and aggressively.
→ Brex started as a VR e-commerce company.
→ Plaid launched as a consumer app.
→ PayPal was security software for handheld devices.

Each pivoted dramatically within four years. Today they’re worth over $100B combined.

[Zach Bijesse @ZachBijesse]

Expanding internationally used to mean building new infrastructure, navigating complex regulations, and essentially creating new companies for each market. 🌎

[Zach Bijesse @ZachBijesse]

Can @Stablecoin really end geographic limitations in finance?🤔

[Zach Bijesse @ZachBijesse]

Now that the acquisition is complete, @stripe has officially expanded into the next frontier: a world where money moves using stablecoins. 🍿🍿

[Zach Bijesse @ZachBijesse]

@Stablecoin just sold to Stripe for $1.1 billion. I caught up with CEO @zcabrams to understand why.

[Zach Bijesse @ZachBijesse]

While the general public was puzzled, my fellow YC founders who had used Bridge couldn't stop raving about it.

That's a much better signal.. When actual users are enthusiastic, it means something is working.