Bringing Banking To The Cell Phone Masses : Obopay CEO Carol Realini (Part 6)

SM: Do you maintain relationships with multiple banks or a single bank? CR: We have relationships with multiple banks which is similar to how PayPal uses two banks. They use Chase and Wells Fargo. Historically companies buy wholesale services from different providers and, depending on their capabilities, buyers can be selective where they go for

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Bringing Banking To The Cell Phone Masses : Obopay CEO Carol Realini (Part 5)

SM: Can you deposit into the cell phone account? CR: You can’t do that and nobody has asked us for that. Behind the scenes the money is always in a bank. When I send you money you as the user have to make a decision. Do you want to keep the money on the phone

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Bringing Banking To The Cell Phone Masses : Obopay CEO Carol Realini (Part 4)

SM: You were able to recognize this as a rudimentary structure which could support banking … CR: Exactly. I just said, “Wow, there you have it! If we could just generalize the value being put into all of those phones we would have a banking system!” That type of banking system could reach places like

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Bringing Banking To The Cell Phone Masses : Obopay CEO Carol Realini (Part 3)

SM: Can you give us more detail about what Search For Common Ground does? CR: Their work is divided into grass roots community work where they help build capacity for peace at the community level. They also do media work and have radio and TV shows. Their content is to help communities communicate and increase

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Catching Up on Readings: Design In The 21st Century

Time for another round of recap since the last one on May 10 … See what you have missed, and catch up.

Bringing Banking To The Cell Phone Masses : Obopay CEO Carol Realini (Part 2)

SM: As you look back on your career, do you feel your decisions were strategic, planned decisions? CR: It might have been! I remember my first day at work. I walked into this big building and I was 1 of 2 women technical engineers. Women were just entering the technical workforce back then. I was

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Bringing Banking To The Cell Phone Masses : Obopay CEO Carol Realini (Part 1)

What do you do when you have had a wildly successful career and are happily retired? If you are Carol Realini you spend some time doing global humanitarian work and then you start a new business venture! Carol, CEO and founder of Obopay, has found not only a second career but also a potential opportunity

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Right Technology, Right Time: Opportunistic Ocarina CEO Murli Thirumale (Part 8)

SM: Are your sales initially going to be direct? MT: Initially yes. I really believe that is the only way to do it initially, and probably the best way overall. I will mention that we have had a lot of partner interest so I am not throwing that option out the door. If you think

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