
Couchonomics with Arjun
Decoding the New World Order of Finance - Unfiltered, global, weekly
As tectonic shifts reshape the financial world, Couchonomics continues to explore the trends transforming commerce, capital, and culture. This season, we expand our lens - building on our deep focus in the MENA region while bringing in voices, stories, and innovations from around the globe.
Why? Because the future of finance is no longer regional - it’s interconnected.
Whether it’s AI in Asia, tokenization in Europe, or fintech policy experiments in Africa, today’s financial shifts cross borders, industries, and disciplines.
Whether you’re in the industry or just fintech-curious, tune in weekly as we decode the big moves, bold ideas, and brilliant minds shaping tomorrow’s economy.
Episodes drop weekly. Arabic subtitles available on YouTube: youtube.com/@couchonomicswitharjunsingh438
Learn more: www.couchonomics.com
Season 4 supported by:
Adyen | Mastercard | SC Ventures | Thunes | Hala | e& | Digit 9
About the host:
Arjun's expertise covers a broad range of areas including Fintech, Payments, Digital Assets, Embedded Finance, Application of Emerging Technologies, and the Emergence of New Business Models within the Financial Services Sector in the MEA region and globally.
Arjun is deeply engaged in the Tech Start-Up ecosystem. He serves as a passive investor, advisory board member, and a notable commentator on the rapidly evolving scene.
In recognition of his impactful contributions, Arjun was honored as a Top Voice of the region by LinkedIn in 2020.
Learn more at www.couchonomics.com.
Couchonomics with Arjun
Conviction Over Hype: What Great VCs Look Like Now
The Venture Model Broke. But Startups Are Still Building.
In this episode, Arjun is joined by Devin Kohli, General Partner at Outward VC, for a candid conversation on what’s next for venture capital.
They unpack:
- Shifting VC trends in Europe, MENA, and the USA
- Outward’s bets on Curve, Vauban, Bud & more
- AI hype vs. real vertical value
- Tokenisation, digital assets & future financial infrastructure
- Emerging tech hubs across Japan, MENA, Southeast Asia
Plus, Devin shares what conviction really looks like in a post-hype market — and why MENA founders are ones to watch.
No pitch decks. No jargon. Just a candid chat about cycles, conviction, and building through uncertainty.
🎧 Episode now live on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by our partners:
Adyen https://www.adyen.com/
Thunes https://thunes.com/
Mastercard https://mastercard.com/
E& https://www.eand.com/
Digit9 https://www.digitnine.com/
SC Ventures https://scventures.io/
Hala https://hala.com/
chapters:
00:00 Episode Highlights
00:51 Introduction
02:01 State of the Nation: VC Insights for 2023 and Beyond
02:52 Impact of Global Events on VC and Startups
13:43 The Genesis and Philosophy of Outward VC
22:20 Challenges and Success Stories in VC Investments
30:05 Key Qualities and Red Flags in Founders
31:01 Identifying Key Qualities in Founders
33:26 Quantitative Aspects of Evaluating Founders
34:02 Emerging Sectors and Avoiding Herd Mentality
35:15 Focus on Wealth Tech and Asset Management
44:07 Challenges and Opportunities in Europe and the UK
51:37 Middle East as a Growing Hub for FinTech
54:12 Concluding Thoughts and Future Prospects
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