00:18 Introduction and fintech origins

Ben Ford joined Steve Grace at Tank Stream Labs, where he has worked since 2017. He recalled recording a previous podcast at the same studio for Tank Stream Speaks with Brad. The conversation opened with reflections on how the startup ecosystem has changed since Ben first got involved around 2014, when he was at Dun and Bradstreet and began receiving enquiries from early-stage lenders like Afterpay, Zip, and Prosper looking for AML and KYC services.

01:20 Early days with Afterpay, Acorns, and the first fintech wave

Ben described working with Acorns before they even had their name, selling $150,000 worth of AML and KYC checks on a 12-month contract while the company delayed launch. When Raiz did launch, it added 40,000 users within a month. Ben was one of the first. He described the round-up savings model as completely mindblowing, giving young people market exposure without large minimum investments. Stockspot offered similar disruption in robo-advice at half a percent fees versus the 2.5 to 3 percent charged by active fund managers.

10:03 Open banking and the long promise

Ben described being part of a small Fintech Australia delegation in early 2017 that met with Scott Farrell at Mallesons just before he wrote the report that became the Consumer Data Right. The group included Bosco Tan and Alvin from Pocketbook and Daniel Ciccio as CEO of Fintech Australia. Seven years later, adoption remains modest. Ben compared it to a government promise that never quite arrives at what was originally described.

16:25 New ventures: proptech and logistics

Ben outlined two projects he was assessing. A UK proptech SaaS business had just signed its first Australian customer, and he was involved in advisory and potential setup of its local operations. He was also advising a logistics startup in the same space as Sendle and Ship It, run by what he described as a quiet achiever, which had been operating with limited resources and appeared to have potential for a more structured go-to-market push.

19:00 The Vanessa Ford Foundation

Ben introduced the Vanessa Ford Foundation, named for his sister-in-law Vanessa, a senior equity partner at a law firm and mother of two who died before those around her fully understood anything was wrong. The coroner’s inquest found she had felt extreme guilt about time spent away from her sons. Coverage appeared in the Times, the Telegraph, the BBC, and law.com. LinkedIn posts from people who resonated with her story attracted thousands of likes and hundreds of comments.

26:00 Next steps for the Foundation

Ben described plans to engage law firms, including Vanessa’s own firm and Everton Football Club, which had been supportive. The Foundation would start by distributing funds to appropriate mental health charities, building governance with reputable trustees, and creating events and fundraising initiatives. The goal is eventually to develop its own preventative programs and services for professionals who are high-functioning on the outside but struggling underneath.