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Articles by Michael Bowren
Gen Z’s financial behaviour – solving the ‘thin file’ challenge
Michael Bowren | Co-Founder | Finch Technologies | mail me | South Africa’s next wave of credit growth will come from a generation that is digitally fluent, economically active, and increasingly reliant on credit to navigate rising living costs. Yet, this generation remains largely invisible to traditional credit systems. According to TransUnion, only 28% of South African Gen Z consumers over the age of 18 are credit active.
High fees keep PayShap stuck in first gear
The start of year found PayShap firmly embedded in any payment conversation. When it launched in 2023, everyone in the landscape was asking: would it scale effectively, would consumers embrace it and would banks fully participate? Now, at the end of 2025, consumer interest has grown. But are transaction volumes as expected. Operated by PayInc (formerly BankservAfrica), PayShap has processed more than 461 million transactions worth about R403-billion since its debut.
Navigating SA's entrepreneurial landscape: How fintech companies can help overcome SME challenges Original
Advertise your job vacancies 2 days7 days30 daysBy Industry Show more For many South Africans, the dream of turning a passion into a thriving business is a powerful motivator. However, this journey, while fulfilling, is fraught with challenges. The GEM 2023/2024 Global Report reveals that South Africa ranks as the third least favourable environment for entrepreneurship out of 49 participating economies, as measured by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor National Entrepreneurial Context Index.
The Economics of Mobile Connectivity
In South Africa, where mobile connectivity serves as a vital link for communication and commerce, understanding the intricacies of mobile spending habits is essential for telcos, banks and retailers to effectively meet their customers’ needs. With the smartphone market rapidly expanding to 46.9 million users in 2024, there is an ever-increasing reliance on staying connected, so insights into mobile preferences offer a valuable glimpse into market trends.
Essential tips for making your first hire as a startup Original
Advertise your job vacancies 2 days7 days30 daysBy Industry Show more As a business owner, making your first hire can be incredibly daunting. Beyond just considering salaries and wages, you might need to get hands-on with skills training, HR administration, and fostering a work environment that motivates and boosts productivity.
Yoco and MediaTek partner for payment solutions for African entrepreneurs
Yoco has joined forces with MediaTek to point of sale terminal machines for small businesses across Africa. The collaboration has resulted in the creation of the Yoco Neo Touch range, a series of user-friendly card machines powered by MediaTek’s Genio series of Internet of Things (IoT) chipsets. The Yoco Neo Touch card machine, priced at R899, is designed to connect to 4G networks, offering unparalleled speed and unlimited data.
GoMetro completes R214m funding round
SA tech company GoMetro that operates in the fleet management space, has announced the successful completion of a £9m (R214m) Series A funding round. Justin Coetzee, founder of GoMetro | image supplied The round was led by new investor Zenobē, with significant participation by FutureGrowth Asset Managers. Following-on in the Series A round were existing investors 4 Decades Capital, Hlayisani Capital, Tritech Global, Kalon Venture Partners, ESquared Ventures and Greg Fury.
SA's unbanked attracts funding for fintech startups
Africa's tech ecosystem attracted investment of more than $3bn in 2022. This was a 55.1% increase year-on-year. At the southern tip of the continent market growth is driven by a fintech revolution that is reshaping the financial landscape. Almost a quarter of South Africa's 59-million citizens are unbanked. This presents a significant market for financial services and fintech solutions.
SA's unbanked attracts funding for fintech startups
Fintech solutions. Source: Supplied Almost a quarter of South Africa's 59-million citizens are unbanked. This presents a significant market for financial services and fintech solutions. Additionally, Africa's slower adoption of fintech technologies compared to first-world countries creates opportunities for company growth and the emergence of unicorns in sectors such as payments, document reading, and remittance.
Fintechs flag prioritising customer experience as key to surviving tough economic headwinds
At this time of the year there is usually a flurry of articles attempting to lay out trends to look out for in various industries over the coming months. This is a good exercise as it gets one thinking about industries broadly and technology specifically. However, it would be remiss to embark on this exercise without first taking stock of where we are now. The fintech ecosystem is currently in a period of stress, less so for incumbents but noticeably for newcomers.
#BizTrends2023: The big business trend going into 2023: using tech to do more with less
Microsoft South Africa CEO Lillian Barnard | image supplied Ongoing uncertainty and increasingly complex business and industry challenges have meant that organisations of all sizes have had to learn to infuse technology into every business process and function to do more with less and remain competitive. Doing more with less is a growing priority for businesses today.
3 trends that will shape the future of Africa's fintech startups
According to the latest McKinsey report, revenue generated by fintech startups will grow by eight times to $30bn by 2025. This forecasted success is fuelled by startups building innovative fintech products, the need to eradicate financial exclusion and large corporate investment interest. Michael Bowren, co-founder of Finch Technologies | image supplied Fintech is the fastest-growing startup industry in Africa, with over 5,200 companies spread across the continent in 2022.
Michael Bowren
Michael Bowren Co-founder at Finch Technologies Profile Michael Bowren, co-founder of Finch Technologies. Finch Technologies is a South African-based fintech startup that builds financial technology solutions for service providers that need to originate, onboard and enrich their databases and technology stacks. With a mission of powering financial access in Africa, Michael and his team are driven to create products that drive financial inclusion and benefit the end user.
#BizTrends2023: 3 trends that will shape the future of Africa's fintech startups
Michael Bowren, co-founder of Finch Technologies | image supplied Fintech is the fastest-growing startup industry in Africa, with over 5,200 companies spread across the continent in 2022. The rapid expansion has in part been driven by the increasingly young, tech-savvy and urban population. These consumers are looking for user-friendly and advanced digital finance solutions, rather than traditional and often slow-paced services.
Changing the women in tech narrative from the grassroots up
Entering uncharted waters can be a daunting experience, especially in a male-dominated industry like tech - but it's never too late for a woman to enter the space. Like any career path, there is no cookie-cutter method for breaking into this ever-changing industry. But, there are some lessons from women in the tech field that are worth keeping in mind.?So, let's look at it from the foundation up.
Why bringing on the right team for your tech startup is critical
Applying the saying 'you are the average of the five people you spend the most time around' has a direct effect on your company culture, work ethics, and performance. This is why finding the 'right' team for your startup is crucial - and for tech especially, it's the missing piece of code. Let's explore some key characteristics that employees should look out for.
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