Duncan Goldie-Scot has been investing in startups companies in Africa for more than ten years and pioneered the use of mobile payments in micro finance institutions (MFIs). He was an early believer in the impact that mobile phones and mobile money could have on economic development. He co-founded the first 100% cashless MFI, created a company to create credit profiles using mobile data, and helped create a technical platform that is now used by MFIs across Africa.

There is a revolution underway in new technology in the healthcare sector, making it economic to bring affordable healthcare services to the poorest communities in Africa. More recently, the widespread availability of satellite data and other remote data sources has made it possible to provide value added services to millions of smallholder farmers. Ten years ago the majority of smallholders were isolated from the modern world. Today they have mobile phones, mobile money, internet and wifi, satellite data, and massive computational power. This is a technology revolution that is transforming their lives. Before investing in Africa, Duncan ran his own financial technology publishing company.

He has written several books for the Financial Times, all on banking and finance in emerging markets. Duncan divides his time between New York, London, and Nairobi. He is also Chairman of an NGO, Capoeira4Refugees, that works in refugee camps in Syria, Jordan and Palestine.