“We are in a period of what I’ll call fintech maximalism,” says Chemistry founder and GP Mark Goldberg. “By that, I mean the companies that grew up in the last five to 10 years in fintech, those that quietly executed through the winter of the 2021 to 2024 period, have emerged as compounders in a way that has really taken my breath away.”
After nearly a decade at Index Ventures, where he backed standout fintech companies like Plaid, Persona, Lithic, and Pilot, Goldberg left in 2024 to launch Chemistry, an early-stage venture firm. Founded alongside Kristina Shen and Ethan Kurzweil, the $350 million fund is part of a growing trend in venture capital: seasoned investors breaking out from large platforms to build more focused, boutique outfits.
Today on Equity, Mary Ann Azevedo caught up with Goldberg about what led him to make the move, what Chemistry is all about, and how the venture landscape has evolved over the past few years.
Listen to the full episode to hear more about:
- The state of fintech, a sector Goldberg has long had his eye on — and why he sees “a lot more tech-fin than fintech” these days
- Why those waiting for a wave of fintech IPOs might be in for a long hold
- What he’s watching for in 2025 and beyond, from the impact of AI on fraud to shifting deal activity, including a pickup in M&A and secondaries
Equity will be back with our weekly news roundup on Friday, so don’t miss it!
Equity is TechCrunch’s flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.
Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes here.
Theresa Loconsolo is an audio producer at TechCrunch focusing on Equity, the network’s flagship podcast. Before joining TechCrunch in 2022, she was one of 2 producers at a four-station conglomerate where she wrote, recorded, voiced and edited content, and engineered live performances and interviews from guests like lovelytheband. Theresa is based in New Jersey and holds a bachelors degree in Communication from Monmouth University.
Mary Ann Azevedo has more than 20 years of business reporting and editing experience for publications such as FinLedger, Crunchbase News, Crain, Forbes and Silicon Valley Business Journal. Prior to joining TechCrunch in 2021, she earned numerous awards including the New York Times Chairman’s Award and others for breaking news coverage. She holds a Master’s degree in journalism from the University of Texas in Austin, where she currently lives.
