Maxwell Meyer, 30
CEO & Co-founder, Masii.com | Colorado Springs
Maxwell Meyer ditched his job at global consultancy McKinsey & Co. to devote himself to a solution for a problem a world away.
“I want to end predatory lending in Southeast Asia,” Meyer says. “It is the fastest-growing region of the world with more than 600 million people — many of them new to formal banking.”
Meyer’s fintech Colorado Springs-based startup, Masii.com, currently focuses on Thailand, where he says nearly 20 million people are underbanked. Millions have used his website to learn about, apply for and build better credit.
“Thais often can’t get loans from a regulated bank, so they turn to payday lenders who charge up to 20% per day. These rates can devastate families in their time of greatest need,” he says.
His company made KPMG’s Global Fintech100 list, and Meyer claimed a spot on Forbes’ 2020 “30 Under 30” list. He is the youngest professor at Harbour.Space University in Barcelona, Spain, where he teaches entrepreneurship, and he chairs the board of the long-running PBS interview show, “The Open Mind.”
“Max’s entire mission is about helping the less fortunate,” says his friend, Zoey DeWolf. “His commitment to educating people, helping them to build a better financial future, and to bring an ethical approach to lending is a testament to his values.”
His No. 1 goal: “To end predatory lending in Southeast Asia.”
This article is part of the ColoradoBiz’s 2021 Top 25 Young Professionals. Click here to read more about the latest class of up-and-coming movers and shakers.