Join Victor Daniyan, Founder and CEO of Nearpays Technologies and Yourrider, for a grounded, pragmatic exploration of how early-stage startups can apply artificial intelligence to solve operational friction rather than chase media hype. In emerging markets, building successful technology isn't about deploying speculative mega-models; it's about leveraging practical machine learning to streamline unit economics, reduce fraud, and deliver essential services to underbanked communities. Drawing on his background at Nokia and his journey building one of Africa's pioneering SoftPOS platforms backed by Visa and Plug and Play, Victor breaks down how startups can use target-driven AI to drive financial inclusion and power clean-energy mobility.
🎯 Insights You’ll Learn:
Cutting Through AI Hype: Why founders must focus on narrow, task-specific AI applications that solve immediate operational bottlenecks rather than burning capital on over-engineered models.
Democratizing Payments with SoftPOS: How turning standard smartphones into NFC-enabled payment terminals eliminates expensive hardware costs for informal SMEs across Africa.
Practical AI in Financial Inclusion: Leveraging lightweight ML models for automated merchant risk scoring, transaction fraud detection, and localized onboarding in low-bandwidth environments.
Cross-Sector Innovation (Fintech Meets Clean Energy): How Victor built Nigeria's early EV battery-swap and charging network (Yourrider) in partnership with NNPC, applying data intelligence to optimize battery health and swap logistics.
Navigating Global Accelerators & Awards: Key strategic takeaways from raising capital through Plug and Play, partnering with Visa, winning at GITEX Africa, and earning the UN AI for Good Award.
The Emerging Market Scaling Playbook: Designing low-friction user experiences that account for local regulatory landscapes, connectivity constraints, and trust dynamics.
🌍 Why This Matters:
Across high-growth emerging economies, small businesses often struggle with high payment hardware fees, while transport operators face crippling fuel volatility. Expensive or overly complex AI solutions fail in these environments if they don't directly improve merchant margins or operational speed. Victor Daniyan is demonstrating a better path forward. By pairing practical, fraud-mitigating software with accessible hardware—converting everyday smartphones into card readers and building EV swap infrastructure—Nearpays and Yourrider provide a masterclass in using practical AI to drive real-world economic impact.
👤 Expert Background:
Founder & CEO of Nearpays Technologies, pioneering SoftPOS contactless payment platforms to drive financial inclusion across Africa.
Founder & CEO of Yourrider, building EV battery-swapping and charging stations in partnership with NNPC to accelerate clean transport.
Global Tech Leader & Veteran, with executive experience at Nokia, backed by Visa and Plug and Play Tech Center.
Recognized Innovator, Forbes 30 Under 30 nominee, GITEX Africa winner, and UN AI for Good Award recipient.
🎙️ Hosted by Gary Fowler, CEO of GSD Venture Studios — global AI entrepreneur, investor, and innovation leader spotlighting founders navigating the realities of building in the AI era.
💡 Perfect For:
Fintech founders, clean-energy entrepreneurs, emerging market investors, product managers, software engineers, and business leaders seeking practical ways to integrate AI into core operational workflows.
🚀 Timely Topic:
As venture investors demand clear paths to profitability and real-world utility over unproven AI concepts, practical execution is key. Victor Daniyan delivers an essential blueprint for building sustainable, high-impact technology platforms that solve fundamental market needs.
Subscribe for more global founder conversations from GSD Venture Studios: https://gsdvs.com
#Fintech #SoftPOS #Nearpays #VictorDaniyan #CleanEnergy #PracticalAI #EmergingMarkets #GaryFowler #GSDVentureStudios
