Our Mission
We believe everyone deserves access to fair credit. Alexander's journey from Somerset East to Silicon Valley taught him that technology alone isn't enough— you need to understand the human cost of financial exclusion.
Meet Alexander Schmitt
Mercator Fellow, serial entrepreneur, and the founder behind World Chain Nano-Credits. Alexander's unique journey from teaching in South African townships to building cutting-edge fintech solutions gives him unparalleled insight into both the human cost of financial exclusion and the technology needed to solve it.
The Origin of Our Mission
Somerset East, South Africa - 2010
Before AI and blockchain, before Mercator Fellowships and startup accelerators, there was Somerset East. This is where Alex first witnessed the human cost of financial exclusion.
Living in the township with a local family - welcomed and protected by the community
Graduation ceremony for his evening computer class at Johnson Nqonqoza School
Making friends with the neighborhood kids
"I lived in Somerset East township in a mud house with a local family - the only white person living there. Every morning I needed 10 extra minutes for my walk because people constantly stopped to talk. 'Hello my brother from another mother,' one teenager said."
The Daily Reality
Alex taught computer science, math, and English from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM, then again from 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM. In the evenings, he ran adult computer classes, training people like Tom and Mcido to become teachers themselves.
He maintained all the school's computers, fixed network issues, and even taught advanced mathematics to Grade 12 students when their teacher left. But the technical work was just the surface.
The Human Cost
"These brilliant adult students - mostly women around 40 - were learning computers while caring for their daughters' children. They had incredible potential but were trapped by a system that excluded them."
Alex watched mothers choose between food and school fees, saw families destroyed by predatory lending, and witnessed the daily struggle of people with no access to fair financial services.
The breakthrough moment: During graduation ceremonies for his evening computer classes, Alex realized these weren't just students - they were entrepreneurs, mothers, and community leaders who needed technology AND financial inclusion to thrive.
The same exclusion destroying lives in Somerset East exists everywhere:in Maria's neighborhood, in Rosa's community, in millions of places worldwide. Fifteen years later, we're finally building the solution those families deserved.
Building the team: To scale this globally, Alexander partnered with Tanya Montmean, a former J.P. Morgan executive with $10B+ transaction experience, as CFO. Together, they combine deep community understanding with world-class financial expertise.
🌍 From Somerset East to Global Impact: Same Mission, Bigger Scale
Leadership & Expertise
Executive Team
Alexander Schmitt
Chief Executive Officer & Founder
Education: M.Sc. degrees from Shanghai Jiaotong University and KU Leuven
Fellowship: Mercator Fellow with focus on AI and blockchain applications
Mission: Built the world's first production-ready nano-credit platform after witnessing financial exclusion firsthand in South Africa
Tanya Montmean
Chief Financial Officer
Experience: Former J.P. Morgan executive with $10B+ transaction experience across global markets
Education: MBA from top-tier institution with expertise in structured finance and venture capital
Network: Connected to 50+ top-tier VCs with proven track record scaling fintech solutions globally
Advisory Board
Benjamin Föckersperger
Strategic Technology Advisor
Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company with 15+ years advising Fortune 500 companies on digital transformation and emerging market expansion. Deep expertise in fintech scaling and regulatory compliance across developing economies.
Join Our Mission
Whether you're an investor, partner, or someone who believes in financial inclusion, we'd love to connect and explore how we can work together.