Javier Linares

Javier Linares

Head of Venture Building, Catalyst Fund

Javier oversees and manages Catalyst Fund engagements, specializing in projects that include software development, product design and management, customer experience and data analytics. At BFA Global, he also worked with growth enterprises in the PayGo Energy and MSME sectors through the FIBR program, helping them to design viable digital financial services that leverage digital relationships, channels and data to offer flexible credit solutions to low-income populations. For six years prior to joining BFA Global, he built innovative and leapfrogging technology solutions for mom-­and-­pop micro­ retailers in Mexico and Colombia that helped them track and control their business, grow and stay competitive. Javier has a Masters in Telecommunications from the University of Zaragoza and speaks Spanish, English, and Portuguese.

Publications by this author

The ultimate startup dashboard: 7 charts and startup metrics for founders to live by
Digital Financial Services |

The ultimate startup dashboard: 7 charts and startup metrics for founders to live by

Although most CEOs recognize the importance of being data-driven and results-oriented, getting there takes some initial effort, and leaders...

By Javier Linares
Lean user research: How Diin sequenced data analysis and user interviews to generate insights
Inclusive Fintech |

Lean user research: How Diin sequenced data analysis and user interviews to generate insights

Startups typically chase growth by acquiring more and more customers. It is tempting to interpret more customers as a...

By Malika Anand
Promising AI Applications to Help Shopkeepers Manage Business
Livelihoods and Microenterprise |

Promising AI Applications to Help Shopkeepers Manage Business

Four Lessons for Training Computer Vision Models Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies offer many opportunities to augment and extend business...

By Javier Linares
Tracking Churn to get to Profitability
Inclusive Fintech |

Tracking Churn to get to Profitability

Sokowatch’s experience integrating a retention dashboard At Catalyst Fund, we have helped 20 inclusive fintech startups move from idea to prototype,...

By Javier Linares
A Day in the Life of a Shopkeeper
Livelihoods and Microenterprise |

A Day in the Life of a Shopkeeper

Running a Small Shop is a Tough Job When I was growing up, the corner store was a convenient...

By Javier Linares
Emerging Dynamics for the Future of Agent Networks
Digital Financial Services |

Emerging Dynamics for the Future of Agent Networks

Even though mobile and financial technology are advancing rapidly, banks and telecoms still manage agent networks just as they...

By Javier Linares
Early Insights on Incentivizing Indian Customers to Go Cashless
Inclusive Fintech |

Early Insights on Incentivizing Indian Customers to Go Cashless

Early this year, Amitabh Kant, CEO of the National Institution for Transforming India (Niti Aayog), declared “Cards, ATMs, POS...

By Javier Linares
How Catalyst Fund and PayGo Energy Built the Base of a Micro-Payment Architecture
Inclusive Fintech |

How Catalyst Fund and PayGo Energy Built the Base of a Micro-Payment Architecture

As startups move past a proof of concept and start to scale, they require whole new sets of systems,...

By Javier Linares