Welcome to a new episode of Couchonomics with Arjun! Join Arjun as he explores Africa's dynamic startup scene and fintech landscape with Elias Yazbeck, Managing Director at Helios Investment Partners. Discover key insights into Africa's market dynamics, challenges, and future trends in fintech. Elias also shares Helios Investment Partners' strategies and potential seismic shifts in private equity. Topics covered include real-time payments, digital banking for SMEs, regulatory roles, entrepreneurship challenges, and Helios Investment's unique philosophy. Tune in now for valuable insights! Watch the full episode on YouTube and major podcasting platforms. Couchonomics with Arjun Season 3 is brought to you by our partners: Adyen https://www.adyen.com/ ToYou https://toyou.io/ar Mastercard https://mastercard.com/ Geidea https://geidea.net/ M2P https://m2pfintech.com/ Find us on our social media platforms: Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/ Couchonomics LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/ Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E Timestamps:  00:00 - Episode Highlight  01:12 - Introduction  02:10 - Overview of Helios Investment Partners  06:10 - Africa's Diverse Startup Scene  09:02 - Investing in Major African Markets and Market Dynamics  11:48 - Key Sectors of Interest 18:18 - Africa-Specific Trends  21:00 - The Role of Central Banks  24:46 - Prevailing Trends in Private Equity  31:41 - Shifts in the Private Equity Scene  34:58 - The Next Phase of Africa's Entrepreneurial Ecosystem  37:44 - Operational Challenges in Africa  42:08 - Investment Focus and Social Impact  46:51 - The Next Steps for Helios  49:51 - Closing Words Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0 Couchonomics with Arjun Season 02 is brought to you by our partners: Adyen https://www.adyen.com/ ToYou https://toyou.io/ar Visa https://ma.visamiddleeast.com/ Geidea https://geidea.net/ M2P https://m2pfintech.com/ Find us on our social media platforms: Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/ CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/ Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E