S11E7: The Future of Fintech for Founders with Mercury Co-Founder and CEO, Immad Akhund [LIVE]

In this LIVE version of The Room Podcast, we’re thrilled to chat with Immad Akhund, Co-Founder and CEO of Mercury, a fintech company built specifically for startups and tech companies. Immad walks us through his journey from founder to industry leader, and how Mercury is reimagining banking with streamlined financial tools for growing businesses. Mercury’s core product offers an intuitive digital banking experience, designed to handle startups' unique cash flow and management needs. Join us as we explore Immad’s early entrepreneurial journey, his strategic shift from gaming with Hayzap to founding Mercury, and the insights he gained along the way. This episode highlights Mercury’s goal to simplify banking for tech founders, Immad’s take on the importance of resilience and adaptability, and how Mercury’s modern approach is transforming financial services for the startup ecosystem. 8:40 - Where did Immad grow up and how did that shape his view of the world? 9:17 - Did Immad always think he would become a founder? 10:22 - At what point did Immad move to the States? 11:06 - What lessons did Immad learn when running HayZap? 12:55 - How did Immad know who he wanted as cofounders when starting Mercury? 14:07 - What advice does Immad have for finding a co-founder and resolving conflict with a co-founder? 15:31 - Why did Immad want to tackle a problem in banking specifically? 16:30 - How was Immad’s experience breaking into the fintech space? 19:28 - What advice does Immad have for founders in complex regulatory spaces? 21:20 - Who was the first person to say yes to investing in Mercury? 22:46 - What’s a fundraising “hot take” that Immad has? 24:39 - How did Mercury’s go-to-market strategy change as they scaled? 26:39 - How does Mercury scale their feature set and their product to meet the scaling needs of their clients? 28:14 - How did the liquidity crisis at Silicon Valley Bank impact Mercury and the fintech space? 30:01 - What traits does Immad look for when investing in a startup? 31:03 - What advice does Immad have for founders looking to be acquired in the current market? 33:53 - What does Immad expect in the future of fintech? 34:48 - What’s next for Mercury and for Immad personally? 35:31 - Who is a woman in Immad’s life that has had a profound impact on him and his career? For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter Follow us on Instagram  Follow us on TikTok  Check out our guide to podcasting here!  Don't forget to subscribe to our channel on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music! Brought to you by Perkins Coie and Mercury.* *Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC. WX Productions