Many of the world’s most inspiring entrepreneurial stories begin with struggle. For the founders of ROSHI, a fintech platform transforming lending in Southeast Asia, their past experiences as immigrants and refugees shaped their mission to build a fairer financial system. While their business operates in Singapore and Vietnam, their personal journeys span Austria, Egypt, Chechnya, and Belgium—an odyssey that underscores resilience, adaptation, and the power of financial inclusion.

A tale of two journeys

ROSHI co-founders Amir Nada and Said Betmurzaev came to entrepreneurship in very different ways. Amir, whose mother was Austrian and father Egyptian, grew up in Vienna, surrounded by cultural nuances. His professional life took him across the globe, working at Google and Omnicom, where he developed his skills in consumer behavior and digital strategy. These would prove essential later in redefining the fintech space.

Said’s journey began in Chechnya, a place marked by conflict. His family fled to Belgium as refugees, where he discovered coding at a young age. Self-taught and driven by necessity, he gained financial independence through cryptocurrency investments and a deep dive into Web3 technologies. His understanding of alternative financial systems became the foundation of ROSHI’s lending model.

The two met through Antler’s VC startup program in Ho Chi Minh City, where they commiserated on their shared struggles of overcoming obstacles. Both shared a shared challenge in Southeast Asia’s financial world: too many borrowers were kept away from transparent and equitable lending. They set out to shake this up by co-founding ROSHI, which offers ethical lending solutions to marginalized communities.

Accessible lending for underprivileged communities

ROSHI transforms lending by prioritizing financial empowerment over profit. Using advanced technology and data-driven insights, it connects underprivileged groups, low-income earners, and those with limited banking access to fair and sustainable funding solutions.

With AI-powered evaluations and predictive financial analytics, Lending Loop ensures borrowing opportunities are personalized to support long-term financial well-being. This approach is especially critical in Southeast Asia, where traditional banking remains inaccessible to many, and predatory lending traps vulnerable individuals in cycles of debt.

The personal impact of financial exclusion

For Amir and Said, financial equality is not a business goal—it’s a matter of personal purpose. Both of the co-founders have personal histories of being denied economic opportunity through structural avenues. Said remembers, in particular, the difficulty his family experienced as refugees in Belgium.

“Being shut out of the financial system is losing access to life’s simple opportunities,” Said says. “We designed ROSHI so that people have real choices, not just high-interest loans that trap them in debt.”

Their value-led finance is just what today’s customers desire – businesses that have common ground. In an era of more awareness about financial justice, ROSHI demonstrates how fintech can generate profits as well as being a socially conscious pursuit.

Singapore: A gateway for global impact

While Said and Amir’s heritage are widespread through Europe and the Middle East, Singapore proved the best launch platform for their ambition. The fintech strength of the city-state, focus on inclusion in the world of money, and opening on the multiple markets of Southeast Asia represent a formidable pitch to grow.

Singapore’s regulatory open arms to ethical fintech have enabled ROSHI to grow while upholding its high ethical standards. Singapore’s global financial hub status also facilitates easy collaboration with like-minded industry players and investors.

Looking to the future

ROSHI’s story is proof that innovation often stems from lived experience. Amir and Said transformed their personal challenges into an opportunity to reshape digital lending, ensuring that fairness and financial well-being remain at the core of the industry.

For investors, policymakers, and consumers, their journey offers a compelling example of how resilience and purpose-driven entrepreneurship can drive meaningful change. In an era where consumer finance innovation is more critical than ever, ROSHI is setting a new standard for fintech—one that proves that business success and social impact can go hand in hand.

About ROSHI

ROSHI is one of the fintech firms revolutionizing Southeast Asia’s digital lending. Based in Singapore and Vietnam, ROSHI brings borrowers closer to personalized finance solutions such as fast cash Singapore and best mortgage rates Singapore under transparency and ethical lending. Powered by state-of-the-art technology, ROSHI streamlines borrowing and provides level-headed, consumer-focused experiences. Leading the cause of consumer finance innovation, ROSHI is revolutionizing the region’s financial access. Read More

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