Anta is co-founder and CEO of inai, fintech that allows merchants to easily accept multiple global payment methods and optimize and manage their payment stack with just one simple integration. Before inai, Anta co-founded and exited Auro, a fitness startup.

👋🏼 How would you explain your job to someone outside tech?

We help digital merchants in emerging markets optimize conversion and costs at checkout through payments.

🧐 What's something about you or your job that would surprise us?

I ran the London marathon without an entry ticket (costs money) and got kicked out around 100m from the finish. It didn't matter, as I just wanted to prove to myself that I could run a marathon, so I was happy with the outcome.

🏆 What has been the biggest highlight of your career so far?

Building this team at inai. We have a stellar group of folks across functions (eng, product, sales, marketing) who are all very passionate about the problem we are solving.

🔍 What's a startup trend or space you're watching this year?‍

Fintech and e-commerce in Southeast Asia. E-commerce in Southeast Asia is starting to take off, especially DTC, as digital adoption grows, so I am very excited about this space.

Also excited about fintech, as this is usually the sector that provides the shovels and spades to power this growth!

💼 What advice would you give someone starting out in your industry?

Optimize on learning, exposure and responsibility more than title or compensation. They usually tend to follow the former.

🗣 What's one thing you can keep talking about for hours?

SaaS, payments and cricket!

🎥 What's your favorite movie/TV show?

Blood Diamond

🍨 What's your go-to ice cream flavor?‍

Pistachio