User:WisePraline/sandbox

Meyer "Micky" Malka is a Venezuelan venture capitalist and entrepreneur focused on investing primarily in financial technology.

Early life
Born in Venezuela in 1974. Grew up in Venezuela during oil collapse of 1980s.

B.A. in economics from Andrés Bello Catholic University in Caracas.

Early Career
One of the first people to hold a Wendy's franchise in Venezuela.

2002 founded Banco Lemon in Brazil. Focused on microloans.

Founded Heptagon Groupo Financial, a brokerage firm in TK at 18. The firm was acquired by Patagon, founded by Argentinian entrepreneur Wences Casares.

Moved to Silicon Valley in 2007 to work on FashMatch, an Internet company. In 2009, FashMatch was sold to Like.com. In 2008, founded Bling Nation, a mobile payments company. The firm struggled and was disbanded (TK need to find source for closing) in 2011. Transformed into Lemon in 2011, which helped people keep track of expenses. Purchased by LifeLock for $50M.

Founded Storylane. Acquired by Facebook in 2013.

Criticized for involvement with Wonga.com, a UK payday loan provider. Stepped down as director in 2014. Criticism based on fact that rates could be more than 5000% p.a.

Ribbit Capital
Founded Ribbit Capital, a venture capital firm focused on fintech in 2012.

First fund returned 6.5x on cash.

By 2015, had backed 27 companies, including leading the $6.1 million Series A round for Coinbase. But also focused on large emerging markets.

Early proponent of Bitcoin. 4/12 investments in 3rd fund are btc

One of few Latin Americans to crack the upper echelons of Silicon Valley.

Malka led $3.4B in emergency funding for Robinhood in wake of the GameStop short squeeze. $500m was from Ribbit's investors.

Exit in Affirm IPO.

"Hardly a major fintech deal has been signed in the past few weeks when Malka and his team were not at the table."

One of the first three investors from Latin America to make the Midas List.

Listed on Institutional Investor's Fintech Finance 40.

Bitcoin foundation board of directors.

Board of Credit Karma

Investors in Ribbit Capital include SVB Capital, the fund of funds group of Silicon Valley Bank, Sequoia Capital's Sequoia Heritage (TK Double check relationship) and Iconiq Capital, the family office of Mark Zuckerberg and Reid Hoffman (TK independent WM or family office?). Sheryl Sandberg is also an investor.

Aug 2020 SPAC - LEAP. $350M IPO.