Asian Heritage Month is more than a celebration of identity — it is a recognition of influence, resilience, and global impact.
In today’s financial landscape, that impact is increasingly visible across the United States, where Asian leaders are shaping how capital flows, how fintech evolves, and how innovation scales across borders.
This curated list of Asian voices in US fintech & VC reflects a new era of leadership — one that blends cultural perspective with strategic execution. From venture capitalists backing the next generation of startups to operators leading global platforms, these individuals are redefining what it means to build and invest in the modern financial ecosystem.
More importantly, their influence goes beyond titles. They are driving conversations, enabling access, and shaping the future of finance — not just within their organizations, but across the broader ecosystem. As fintech continues to evolve, these voices stand at the intersection of capital, technology, and community.
Highlights
Emilie Choi
President & COO, Coinbase
Emilie Choi stands at the forefront of the global crypto economy, serving as President and Chief Operating Officer at Coinbase — one of the most influential digital asset platforms in the world. Since joining the company in 2018, she has played a pivotal role in scaling operations and guiding Coinbase through critical phases of growth, helping bridge traditional finance with emerging Web3 infrastructure.
Beyond her executive leadership, Choi’s presence extends into broader governance and industry influence. Her board roles at companies like Okta reflect a trusted voice in both technology and financial ecosystems. Through her work, she represents a new class of operators who are not only managing scale but actively shaping how digital finance integrates into the global economy.
Dave Lu
Managing Partner, Hyphen Capital
Dave Lu brings a unique blend of venture capital, community building, and cultural advocacy to the fintech and startup ecosystem. As Managing Partner of Hyphen Capital — a fund focused on backing Asian American founders — he has helped mobilize capital toward more inclusive innovation, supporting over 100 startups through a growing network of investors.
His influence, however, extends far beyond capital deployment. Lu has been instrumental in building platforms that elevate Asian American representation, including founding the Asian American Founders Circle and launching initiatives like Stand With Asian Americans. This dual role — investor and ecosystem architect — positions him as a key voice shaping not just startups, but the broader narrative around access and representation in venture.
Gokul Rajaram
Founding Partner, Marathon Management Partners
Gokul Rajaram is widely regarded as one of Silicon Valley’s most respected operator-investors, bringing decades of experience across some of the most influential technology companies. As Founding Partner at Marathon Management Partners, he focuses on supporting founders building category-defining businesses, combining strategic insight with hands-on mentorship.
His credibility is reinforced through key board roles, including Coinbase and Pinterest — both publicly listed companies that sit at the intersection of technology, platforms, and digital economies. Rajaram’s career reflects a rare ability to operate at scale while maintaining deep involvement in early-stage innovation, making him a consistent force in shaping how companies grow and succeed.
Anu Duggal
Founding Partner, Female Founders Fund
Anu Duggal has built a distinct presence in venture capital by focusing on one of the industry’s most persistent gaps — funding for female founders. As the Founding Partner of Female Founders Fund, she leads one of the few early-stage funds dedicated exclusively to investing in women-led companies, addressing a segment that historically receives a small fraction of venture capital.
Her work has been recognized across major platforms, including Fortune’s “40 Under 40” and Business Insider’s lists of top venture investors. Beyond investing, Duggal is an active voice in media and industry conversations, contributing to outlets such as Bloomberg and CNBC. Through both capital and advocacy, she continues to influence how diversity and opportunity intersect within fintech and venture ecosystems.
Aileen Lee
Founder & Managing Partner, Cowboy Ventures
Aileen Lee is a defining figure in venture capital, best known for founding Cowboy Ventures and coining the term “unicorn” — now a staple in startup vocabulary. As an early-stage investor, she has backed companies that have gone on to become category leaders, working closely with founders from the earliest stages of growth.
Her influence extends beyond portfolio success. As a co-founder of All Raise, Lee has played a key role in advancing diversity within venture capital, helping create pathways for more women to enter and thrive in the industry. Her perspective — grounded in both investment discipline and ecosystem development — continues to shape how venture capital evolves in a more inclusive direction.
Siqi Chen
CEO & CFO, Runway
Siqi Chen operates at the intersection of finance, product, and systems thinking, bringing a distinct perspective to how modern companies manage capital. As CEO and CFO of Runway — a financial planning platform designed for startups — he is rethinking how founders and operators approach forecasting, cash flow, and decision-making in an increasingly complex business environment.
His career reflects a blend of product leadership and entrepreneurial experience, including leading roles at Sandbox VR and advising early-stage companies as an active angel investor. This combination of operator insight and investment exposure positions Chen within the broader financial ecosystem — not just as a builder of tools, but as someone shaping how companies understand and control their financial future.
Through Runway, he represents a new layer of fintech — one that focuses less on consumer finance and more on the infrastructure behind how businesses plan, operate, and scale.
Sheel Mohnot
General Partner, Better Tomorrow Ventures
Sheel Mohnot has established himself as a dedicated fintech investor, focusing exclusively on companies transforming the financial system. As General Partner at Better Tomorrow Ventures, he leads early-stage investments in fintech startups, often backing founders at the pre-seed and seed stages where conviction and insight matter most.
His experience spans both building and investing, having previously achieved successful exits in fintech before transitioning into venture capital. Beyond investing, Mohnot also contributes to the broader startup conversation through initiatives like “The Pitch” podcast, offering insights into how companies are built and funded. His consistent focus on fintech positions him as a specialist voice within an increasingly crowded investment landscape.
Aditi Aggarwal
Founder, GTM Unbound
Aditi Aggarwal operates at the intersection of fintech, go-to-market strategy, and cross-border expansion. Through GTM Unbound, she works closely with technology and fintech companies, navigating growth between the United States and India, helping them build partnerships, enter new markets like Singapore, Dubai, the US, and India, and establish meaningful traction.
Her experience spans launching global brands and supporting startups in their expansion journeys, giving her a practical, execution-focused perspective on growth. Rather than focusing solely on capital, Aggarwal’s work highlights the importance of distribution, relationships, and ecosystem alignment — all critical components in scaling fintech companies across geographies.
Jimmy Chen
Founder & CEO, Propel
Jimmy Chen brings a powerful mission-driven perspective to fintech through his work at Propel, a company focused on strengthening the financial safety net in the United States. Under his leadership, Propel has built a platform used by millions of households to manage government benefits, directly impacting how underserved communities access and navigate financial resources.
The scale of this impact is significant, with the platform reaching a substantial portion of EBT card users and helping deliver hundreds of millions of dollars in financial support. Chen’s work demonstrates that fintech is not only about efficiency or scale — it can also be a tool for inclusion, equity, and systemic improvement.
Theresia Gouw
Founding Partner, Acrew Capital
Theresia Gouw is a veteran venture capitalist whose career spans decades of investing across some of Silicon Valley’s most influential firms.
As Founding Partner at Acrew Capital, she continues to back companies tackling complex challenges, guided by a philosophy that combines conviction with diversity of perspective.
Her track record includes investments in companies that have achieved major exits, including acquisitions by firms like Airbnb and Slack. Prior to Acrew, her leadership roles at firms such as Accel further cemented her position within the venture ecosystem. Gouw’s long-standing presence and consistent performance make her a foundational figure in venture capital, bridging past experience with future innovation.
Beyond Representation — Building the Future of Finance
Asian Heritage Month reminds us that representation matters — but influence matters more. What this list of Asian voices in US fintech & VC ultimately reflects is a shift from presence to power, from participation to leadership.
Across venture capital, financial platforms, and emerging startups, these individuals are shaping how capital is deployed, products are built, and access is expanded. Their work spans borders, industries, and generations, showing how fintech innovation can create real-world impact.
As finance evolves, the next wave of change will be shaped by diverse voices and perspectives. In that future, these leaders are not just participants. They are architects of what comes next.
Highlights
Read the Chinese article here.
