Kiwi Startup Builds a Bank
Mark Pavlyukovskyy and Hendrik Remigereau host TechMates, the NZVC podcast. The guest on this episode is Jovan Pavlicevic, CEO of Emerge, and it went out on 6 February 2025. It covers the NZVC portfolio company SquareOne/emerge.
- Guest
- Jovan Pavlicevic, CEO of Emerge
- Date
- 6 February 2025
- Companies
- SquareOne/emerge
- Watch
- YouTube
- Listen
- Spotify
Jovan Pavlicevic, CEO of Emerge, is building New Zealand's first neobank to challenge the Australian-owned banks that dominate the market. He launched the fintech during lockdown, with no connections or capital, after volunteering as a firefighter. The episode also covers Square One, which teaches more than 200,000 kids financial literacy through gamified banking, and how he balances a startup, family, and a dream of sailing around the world.
- How Jovan launched a fintech startup in the middle of a lockdown.
- Why big banks are untouchable, and how Emerge is breaking in.
- The secret to starting a business with zero connections or capital.
- Square One: teaching 200,000+ kids financial literacy through gamified banking.
Companies in this episode
Emerge, SquareOne, fintech, neobank, New Zealand banking, financial literacy