Sheela Ursal
Founder & CEO, Fintech Next | General Partner, Fintech Next Fund
Operator. Investor. Connector.
Founder and General Partner of Fintech Next, investing in the next generation of financial services across AI, payments, banking, fraud and identity, digital assets, and integrated finance.
More than 25 years of experience building and scaling products, enterprises, and startups, including Amazon, Western Union, and Netopia (acquired by Google). Experience spans digital payments, cross-border commerce, eCommerce, cloud services, and financial technology, with products and platforms reaching millions of consumers and businesses worldwide.
A unique perspective as both an operator and investor, combining deep domain expertise with hands-on experience in product strategy, go-to-market execution, partnerships, and global expansion. Fintech Next partners with experienced founders solving meaningful problems in large markets and supports them in building enduring companies that transform financial services.
Experienced Operator
Career
Built through the internet, mobile, cloud, and AI technology revolutions, with active engagement across industry, investors, and innovation ecosystems.
Amazon / AWS
Led payments and international expansion initiatives across digital and cloud businesses, supporting growth across 190 countries and 26 product lines.
Western Union
Launched innovative cross-border digital payments in six pilot countries and developed the playbook for expansion to 65 markets.
Netopia (acquired by Google)
Helped thousands of SMBs establish an online presence with eCommerce websites, stores, and integrated payments during the early internet era.
Fintech Next
Built a leading fintech ecosystem combining venture investing, community, founder programs, and industry insights.
Company logos are the property of their respective owners.
Building Together
Partnering with Founders
Growing up in a multi-generational entrepreneurial family provided an early understanding of the challenges and rewards of building a business. It shaped an appreciation for the resilience, resourcefulness, customer focus, and perseverance required to create lasting companies.
After decades as an operator across technology, payments, and financial services, I understand that building a company requires navigating uncertainty, making difficult decisions, and continuously adapting. That experience shapes how I work with founders: bringing practical operating perspective, industry expertise, and a deep understanding of the challenges involved in creating the next generation of financial services companies.
Financial services is at a pivotal moment, driven by AI, new infrastructure, evolving consumer expectations, and global digitization. This creates a unique opportunity to partner with entrepreneurs building transformative companies that will define the future of finance.
Companies
Investments As Limited Partner in Six Funds.
Companies backed through fund investments, across AI, payments, banking infrastructure, integrated finance, Healthcare and Personal care.
Includes portfolio investments held through six funds. Company logos are the property of their respective owners.
In their words
Recommendations
From founders, operators, and advisors across the fintech community.
“If fintech had a hype squad, Sheela Ursal would be the captain, and the coach, and probably the person who built the stadium. She’s a nonstop force of nature: organizing events, publishing smart content, writing a killer newsletter, and somehow still having time to make meaningful connections between founders, investors, and everyone in between.
Sheela doesn’t just show up in the fintech space. She builds it. Her instincts are sharp, her network is deep, and her ability to spot what’s next is uncanny. Plus, she does it all with a warmth and authenticity that makes people actually want to be part of what she’s building (no small feat in a world full of pitch decks and jargon).
If you’re anywhere near the startup world, you’ve either already crossed paths with Sheela, or you will soon. And when you do, you’ll be better for it.”
John Collins, GTM Operator and Founder
“Sheela always has her client’s best interest in mind. She helped out greatly with a few key introductions for my startup and continues providing her expert advice in the world of fintech. It was obvious how much experience Sheela has accumulated and is willing to share from our very first meeting. I am looking forward to our future collaboration, making a positive impact on today’s financial ecosystem.”
Kat Gordiienko, Co-Founder at Builty
“Sheela arranged a speaker event in San Francisco to introduce my book ‘Understand, Manage, and Prevent Algorithmic Bias: A Guide for Business Users and Data Scientists’ to the local Fintech community. I was very impressed by her ability to source a large and fabulous audience for a highly engaging discussion. Her extensive network and organizing skills make her a valuable resource, and I would be excited to work with her again.”
Tobias Baer, Senior Advisor, McKinsey
“Sheela is truly a valuable industry mentor and resource in the Bay Area FinTech community. Through her monthly events, I have made quality connections with other professionals in various sectors from payments and AI to RegTech, at leading firms. I’ve also learned about emerging trends and challenges from industry veterans. Her insight and support helped me focus my transition to areas and companies that valued a financial services background within FinTech.”
William Morales, GTM Leader at Synctera
“Sheela helped incubate my fintech idea alongside some of the best minds in Silicon Valley! She organized the best events, brought together wonderful folks from across industries that shared a passion for fintech, and advised me on the best path forward. As a first-time entrepreneur, I am deeply grateful for Sheela’s support. She’s always in your corner!”
Jaimin Desai, CEO at Reconcile
“Sheela is a refreshing agent of change in the FinTech community. While many speak about change, Sheela puts her efforts behind actually making it happen. She combines a great level of enthusiasm for the FinTech sector, a deep knowledge of the payments space specifically, and endless hustle which has made her an invaluable resource.
Moreover, Sheela brings unparalleled industry insights from years of experience in evaluating the landscape for various FinTech verticals. I’ve been impressed with her knowledge across the spectrum and am certain she’s saved more than a few entrepreneurs from taking dead-end paths. Put simply – ‘she knows where pitfalls are in FinTech’ and is happy to impart that wisdom throughout her network.”
Brian Murphy, Founder / CEO at Kivalia & Pariveda
Additional Recommendations on LinkedIn
Get in touch
Connect with Sheela
Sheela Ursal
Fintech & Payments · General Partner, Fintech Next Fund · Advisor · Investor · Speaker
23,900+ followers on LinkedIn
In the room
Building the Ecosystem
Speaking
On Stage and On the Record
Sheela has spoken at and hosted 75 conferences, panels, roundtables, and community events since 2017, including 53 speaking engagements, on payments, integrated finance, BNPL, AI in financial services, and the path from operator to investor.
Upcoming
Fintech South Conference · August 18, 2026
Money Movement and Payments Innovation
Recent
Fintech Forward · March 10, 2026
Strategy, Scale, and Success in a Rapidly Changing Market
SF Tech Week · October 8, 2025
The Stablecoin Shift: Finance at a Turning Point
Fintech Meetup · March 12, 2025
Launching a Modern Card Program
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Events, portfolio news, and occasional notes on where fintech is heading.