Melissa Frakman

Melissa is CEO & Founding Partner of Emphasis Ventures (EMVC), a US venture capital firm investing in fintech and commerce in India and across emerging markets. With over a decade in India and South East Asia, she has led Asia investments, new market strategies, and partnerships worth over $1 billion for Fortune 500 companies and top pension funds. Melissa's professional journey includes notable positions such as Vice President of Zomato prior to its landmark IPO, India Senior Director at Albright Stonebridge Group, Financial Services Director of the US-India Business Council, and program manager with early microfinance institutions. Additionally, she has been a product advisor to companies including Amazon, Uber, Principal Financial, and Remitly (IPO 2021) and served as guest lecturer on fintech at Harvard Business School, Cornell, and New York University. She is a recipient of the FT Innovation Asia Awards, Colin Powell Leadership Fellowship, Ward Medal for Economics, Global Women in Fintech Powerlist, and mentor to Techstars and the Government of India's Atal Innovation Mission. Her insights have been featured in the Washington Post, Financial Times, Forbes, Times of India and the New York Times.