Hi there,

Happy February! I hope you had a restive January and a great start of the year. It feels bizarre to be working in a 2026 calendar, but life flies when you’re making things happen. Despite the many hurdles to progress, such as funding or handling others’ uncertainty, we have an array of tools to move forward.

In the last issue, we discussed community at length. That continues to be an underlying factor, and paying it forward ensures communities achieve longevity. In my work as a judge for Bard MBA’s sustainable startup pitch competition and through my role as Women in AI’s Global Ethics and Culture Officer, I’ve had the pleasure of assisting the next generation of entrepreneurs in designing ethical, cultural, and sustainable systems.

Before we get into the nuts and bolts of this newsletter, forward this edition to a colleague interested in fintech solutions for accessible funding.

With the news in a negative feedback loop, I hope this issue will provide much to look forward to. In addition to upcoming events, last month’s highlights, and founder interviews, I take a look at the evolution of risk-based lending and its benefits during this period of economic uncertainty. With funding sources drying up and higher competition for investments, data-enhanced lending offers a new way for founders and individuals to tap into credit.

I’ve also included a free chapter from my upcoming book on risk management. In particular, I’ll talk about how to dismiss doubt and trust yourself.

Upcoming Events

Fintech/AI Pitch Competition & Panels (Apr 20, 2026)

I will be hosting a curated fundraising event, including startups pitch competition and investors/executives panel as part of Wallet Max community gathering on April 20th at New York Fintech Week.

Not only will attendees develop their networks and exchange resources, they will:

✅ Connect with startup leaders, impact investors, and corporate executives,
​​​✅ Discover how to enhance sustainable and inclusive practices, and grow your business, and
​​​✅ Join a community of ecosystem partners and service providers in FinTech and AI.

There’s still time to sign up as a contestant or a sponsor. Don’t wait, reserve your seat today. Sign up now 👇

Past Event Highlights

Dive into key learnings from the past few weeks of in-person and virtual events.

Women In Financial Markets Celebration

Throughout 2025, I served as a Wolfpack member as part of the Women In Financial Markets (WFM) community mentorship. And I celebrate a year of success and learning from my peers through our year-end celebration and networking event in December 2025.

“What I love about nights like this is simple: when you put committed people in a room, the conversations turn into actual opportunities,” wrote Entrepreneur and Investor Anna Mellon on LinkedIn.

And I agree completely. One of the best parts of working in this industry isn’t just the work itself, but the people you meet, the mentors that help you navigate the complex world of finance, and the professionals you guide along the way.

I’m a believer of reverse mentorship and inter-generational mentorship, along with traditional mentorship models. Both being a mentee and a mentor has enriched my life. It’s a topic I cover in my upcoming book: Everyone has something to learn and something to offer.

Angel Squad x AngelFamilia Coffee Connections

I had an amazing time reconnecting with friends and meeting new ones at the annual Year-End Community Coffee event from Angel Squad and AngelFamilia in New York City.

For those unfamiliar with these stellar organizations:

⚡Angel Squad is a vetted community of angel investors, who get radical access to Hustle Fund's deals and investor education.

⚡AngelFamilia is a community for active Latine angel investors investing in the United States.

Co-hosted events between these organizations, and others like them, provide an opportunity for investors to collaborate rather than compete. A trusted group of like-minded individuals matters allows us to build together rather than in isolation. It’s also a matter of mirroring self-trust and investing in relationships that support your vision.

In short: These events are never just coffee or friendly mingling. It’s an act of moving forward.

Serving as a Bard MBA Judge

In December 2025, I wrapped up my responsibility as a judge for Bard college #1 ranked MBA program in sustainability bringing together startups pitch competition and winter awards ceremony. This was an opportunity I am forever grateful for. I evaluated pitches and guided entrepreneurs on everything - from business growth to fundraising and more.

As I write in my book, I believe that building a legacy means paying it forward. There are many ways to create an impact, and this program enabled me to assist the next generation in designing profitable solutions that benefit people and the planet.

Out of the almost 30 teams, two received awards for innovation and likelihood of success:

🏆Thrive Award, for most likely to succeed: Roots a wealth transfer consulting firm that focuses on historical equity and fairness in land acquisition and ownership.

🏆Catalyze Award, for most likely to have impact at scale: Common Ground Community, a housing development company where renters develop equity over time.

It was a pleasure to discover new talent and ideas at Bard, and I hope to continue being involved with their fantastic MBA program’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Startup Growth Playbook: LIVE Interviews

Getting Traction: Tiya Gordon, CEO of it’s electric

In our most recent LIVE session of the Startup Growth Playbook on January 7th, I interviewed Tiya Gordon, Co-Founder & CEO of it’s electric. With 20 years of design, leadership, and operations experience under her belt, Tiya offers a unique perspective to solve the climate crisis. Tiya’s non-traditional skillset provides fresh insight into practical solutions that lead to fast adaption of sustainable technology.

In this interview, Tiya delves into insights into how founders can:

✅ Translate customer signals into credible traction
✅ Use storytelling frameworks that de-stress delivery
✅ Turn pitch feedback into a stronger fundraising strategy

In particular, Tiya highlights the fast-paced nature of startup culture and the reality of creating new and innovative products.

“I know the founder's expression is to fail fast, but it’s not failing fast,” says Tiya. “It’s learning quickly what’s working, and focusing on what’s working.”

One of the most challenging things about traction and building momentum is balance. For startup founders like Tiya, this can look like how to juggle multiple hats and knowing when to delegate or outsource tasks.

“I can spend time learning new skills,” notes Tiya. “But sometimes it’s better to hire an expert to make sure things get done in a timely way.”

Watch the entire interview below for more strategic insights and real experiences from Tiya.

Next Up: Brandi DeCarli, CEO of Farm from a Box

In my January 28th interview, learn how impact-driven companies can scale with Brandi Decarli, Co-Founder & CEO of Farm from a Box. Brandi is driving a future where regenerative, nutritious food is accessible to all, and where farmers earn a living income through sustainable production.

Farm from a Box builds local food independence with clean technology and digital tools that power regenerative, climate-resilient supply chains. We spoke about:

✅ Real traction signals beyond pilots and press
✅ Aligning impact, profitability, and scale
✅ Communicating momentum to investors with clarity

In Case You Missed It – The BIG News Highlights

Risk is everywhere, but in understanding potential threats, we can mitigate them. Below is one BIG story that shows the connections between technology, economics, and climate.

Fintech transforms risk-based lending

Access to capital dictates success. Financing provides the opportunity to start a business, buy a house, or invest in green upgrades. Both businesses and consumers can leverage financing and loans for growth, but the modern industry faces several challenges.

Outdated lending infrastructure, poor credit visibility, manual processing, and murky risk assessments based on incomplete data all contributed to higher risk. Fintech solutions are changing the game.

Lenders used to rely on historical data to determine risk-based assessments and creditworthiness. This early approach to risk-based lending often led to locking creditworthy individuals out of the market.

Today’s landscape is different, with risk-based financing taking cues from more than FICO scores and payment history. Alternative data, such as behavioral patterns and educational background, offer lenders greater insight into creditworthiness.

Improved alignment benefits both lenders and consumers. Lenders improve their profitability and lower defaults, while more borrowers can access capital at tailored interest rates.

Unit21 is one example of how a fintech lending solution is transforming the industry. Using automation, Unit 21 monitors transactions, case management files, regulatory filings, and device intelligence to reduce bottlenecks and safely eliminate friction.

Artificial intelligence has been a leading tool in the fintech lending space. Unit21, Accelitas, and Lendflow are just a snapshot of the market tools available to make capital more accessible.

The BIG Blog Digest

Still time for some reading? Here are some articles of interest this month.

Opportunities and challenges for quantum computing

Software breakthroughs in quantum computing highlight possible applications. Venture capital firms can tap into these early-stage gains and invest in startups using quantum computing for tasks like drug discovery and logistics optimization. There are drawbacks, too, as with investing in any cutting-edge technology, such as a longer wait time for ROI. Read this full blog here.

Unlock global profits with authenticity

In the early 2000s, I worked with a bank that was clearly going bankrupt. Instead of appeasing the team and matching the hope that we wouldn’t default (the future was clear), I stuck to what I thought was right. The credit data was plain and the only path forward was to work through the losses and communicate with shareholders the right way. Being honest turned into an advantage, for myself and the company. Read this full blog here.

Preventing AI misalignment

The risk is not failing to adopt AI. It is assuming that what worked last year will still hold in a year. Instead, leaders must focus on recalibration in 2026 and set a sustainable pace for AI adoption. Clarifying criteria for making high-level decisions can mitigate the risk of overspend and misalignment. Read this full blog here.

Risk Lesson: Doubt is Not Your Weakness

Many people doubted me before they knew me. Communities like mine, rural Indian towns in the 1970s, didn’t expect much from women. Ambition was too often met with ridicule or disdain, not support.

Their doubt was not a reflection of my ability. Yet, it is easy to believe that another person’s disbelief is realism.

It is not.

You do not need to shout-over other people’s fears. Separating your identity from the uncertainty of others is key to moving forward, even if you’re taking the first step alone.

Doubt is such an easy confidence killer, but it doesn’t have to be. In my upcoming book on risk, Everyday Risk Wisdom: Your Risk Management Guide to Thrive in a Complex World as an Overlooked Business Leader, I describe how you can break away from the doubt trap.

Explore my book website below and get notified when this lesson is available for free!

The BIG Reflection Quiz

You know by now that I love repeatable frameworks and introspection. Reflection enables us to be more intentional with our reactions and decisions. That’s why I’ll be adding a reflection question, like this one, at the end of every email, to guide the process.

Read the lesson for my “Deal with Doubt” action steps. Explore my book website below and get notified when this framework is available for free!

Starting out strong in 2026

The last year was a whirlwind. And I think I can speak for not just myself, but many of my readers, when I say that I hope that 2026 will be better, stronger, and full of joy.

Progress is challenging, the startup world is fast, and we regularly must face challenging truths in the news and in our work. But when we focus on mitigating risk, create community, and bet on ourselves, we can also be part of building a better world.

Ethics and culture help us to create this positive change. And they are more important than ever. Technology is not neutral, as we are learning in this age of AI, which scales both our work and our biases.

There are many ways to integrate ethics and culture into our work. I know from experience. I’ve been leading initiatives globally at Women in AI non-profit, and as their Chief Ethics & Culture Officer for the 7th year in a row, it amazes me how much is possible when we invest in ourselves.

The key to coming together for a common good is communication. And it’s worth investing in.

Let me know, what communities have lifted you up over the past year?

Thank you for being part of this community. I look forward to our next connection, whether through this newsletter or at the upcoming events.

Onward and upward,

Bhuva Shakti, Founder of Wallet Max and Bhuva’s Impact Global.

Let’s collaborate, send me your ideas! www.bhuvas-impact.global/bhuva