Following failed careers as a rock singer and publicist, Sofie spent nearly 30 years building technology and businessses for international banks, before deciding to support the people that banks fail to reach. Sofie has been responsible for financial services software development, technology management, infrastructure delivery and business transformation in more than 60 countries and is using that experience to build robust, scalable and most importantly, female friendly solutions for women entrepreneurs and other excluded groups in countries across Africa. Sofie is the author of two books including Fintech Revolution: Universal Inclusion in the New Financial Ecosystem, and several research papers including Blockchain: Gateway for Sustainability Linked Bonds. She advises the UN, Central Banks, NGOs and commercial banks on how fintech and blockchain can be used for social and climate impact through capital markets disruption and community economics. Sofie chairs the Edinburgh Futures Institute’s Advisory Panel and is a Cartier Women’s Initiative Fellow. She holds an MSc in Informatics.
The distributed community finance platform that’s digitising trust for communities of unbanked entrepreneurs, hiveonline builds a digital reputation based on commitments made and met. We build the bridge between communities and the formal financial system, but help them to grow businesses and create employment without needing a bank account. We use blockchain so they can save and grow wealth, but tailored to the needs of low-literacy communities with very limited access to technology, especially women who are disproportionately marginalised in the countries we support. Our vsla.online and mycoop.online help communities manage accounting, savings, lending, structured cashflow management and identity, with incentives for commercial collaboration and sustainable environments. Together, we can help build the sustainable business ecosystem for tomorrow.