The Long Equation: Tech, Trust & Solving for Financial Inclusion Artwork

The Outside Context

"An Outside Context Problem was the sort of thing most civilizations encountered just once, and which they tended to encounter rather in the same way a sentence encountered a full stop." — Iain M. Banks, Excession. This podcast discusses challenges that fall into the outside context with the innovators and visionaries who are the forefront of technological change. It considers the big picture of technology, and why this matters for the future of human civilisation.

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The Outside Context

The Long Equation: Tech, Trust & Solving for Financial Inclusion

April 29, 2026 • Jannah Patchay & Elise Soucie Watts • Season 1 • Episode 16

0:00 | 47:13

In Episode 16 of The Outside Context, Kenneth Kou, Head of Venture Lab at Mercy Corps Ventures shares his journey from mathematics to impact investing, exploring how financial inclusion, blockchain technology, and innovative solutions can build a more inclusive and resilient global economy. Jannah Patchay and Elise Soucie Watts ask Ken all about the challenges of financial exclusion, the potential of crypto for good, and the future of societal development.

Key Takeaways

Ken Kou's impact journey from mathematics to social finance
The role of crypto and blockchain in financial inclusion
Challenges and opportunities in emerging markets' financial systems

Chapters

01:07 - Ken Kou's Impact-Oriented Career Path

02:02 - The Thread of Financial Inclusion

03:38 - Mercy Corps Ventures and Humanitarian Investment

05:11 - Venture Capital in Humanitarian and Emerging Markets

08:14 - Persisting Challenges of Financial Exclusion

10:00 - Technical vs Policy Failures in Financial Inclusion

12:10 - Economic Barriers to Private Sector Investment

15:13 - Crypto's Role in Financial Inclusion and Policy

16:51 - Stablecoins and Cross-Border Transfers

19:25 - Cryptocurrency's Potential in Humanitarian Aid and Trade Finance

21:54 - Crypto for Good Fund and Pilot Programs

23:42 - Learnings from Crypto Pilot Projects

28:13 - Trust and Adoption Challenges in Financial Tech

29:30 - Crypto and Climate Resilience Applications

31:25 - Societal Development and Education in Tech Adoption

33:14 - Long-term Impact of Technology on Humanity

35:27 - The Vision of an Inclusive Society

36:37 - Future of Open Borders and Global Mobility

Resources

Mercy Corps Ventures

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