Opinion certainty 4/5 debate potential 3/5

Too many venture-backed startups operate on unsustainable unit economics

Taavet Hinrikus · 1233 With 4m Customers, $4b Transfered Every Month, is Transferwise The Cheaper Bank Of The Future? · Dec 9, 2018 · at 10:00

TransferWise co-founder Taavet Hinrikus criticizes heavily subsidized on-demand startup business models funded by venture capital.

0:00 / 0:26exact quote · 26.1s
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“There are many, you know, I would say way too many companies outside Sort of being funded by venture dollars that will never break even. You know, it's kind of ridiculous that you can order an ice cream, pay one dollar for it. It'll get delivered to you in 15 minutes. You know, that's only because some venture capitalist is paying for ice cream, which, you know, you should enjoy it while it lasts, but don't bet on it lasting forever.”

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Prediction Not checkable as stated
Brexit will only increase the amount of cross-border money flowing on TransferWise
“I mean, if anything, Brexit will only increase the amount of money flowing, I would say.”
Taavet Hinrikus Dec 9, 2018 ▶ 22:15 1233 With 4m Customers, $4b Transfered Every Month, is Transferwise The Cheaper Bank Of The Future?
Assertion Not publicly verifiable
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“So in UK, we have more than 15% market share.”
Taavet Hinrikus Dec 9, 2018 ▶ 6:33 1233 With 4m Customers, $4b Transfered Every Month, is Transferwise The Cheaper Bank Of The Future?
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Banks hide 3% to 7% fees in foreign exchange rates
“Typically, banks hide a fee between three, four, five, six, seven percent in the exchange rate.”
Taavet Hinrikus Dec 9, 2018 ▶ 2:53 1233 With 4m Customers, $4b Transfered Every Month, is Transferwise The Cheaper Bank Of The Future?
Assertion Supported
TransferWise employs 1,200 people and processes $4 billion monthly
“Today we're a team of 1200 people around the world moving 4,000,000,004 billion dollars every month.”
Taavet Hinrikus Dec 9, 2018 ▶ 6:13 1233 With 4m Customers, $4b Transfered Every Month, is Transferwise The Cheaper Bank Of The Future?
Assertion Partly supported
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“And no one else has been added to Fast for Payments since then until we became the first new member and first non-bank to be added.”
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Prediction Not checkable as stated
A US real-time payment system remains years away, predicts Hinrikus
“Well, I think in U.S. The question is, when will U.S. Have a real-time payment system? You know, people are working on it, but it's still a good few years away”
Taavet Hinrikus Dec 9, 2018 ▶ 12:32 1233 With 4m Customers, $4b Transfered Every Month, is Transferwise The Cheaper Bank Of The Future?
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