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Ahmed Sharif
Co-Founder @ Vartana
Ahmed Sharif is the Co-founder and Head of Finance at Vartana, a company he co-founded in 2020 alongside Kush Kella. Vartana is a B2B enterprise sales closing and financing platform designed to streamline the sales process by offering flexible payment options, allowing businesses to close deals more efficiently and improve cash flow.134
Professional Background
Experience::
- Vartana (2020 - Present): As Co-founder and Head of Finance, Ahmed focuses on building financial products that facilitate faster deal closures for B2B companies.12
- Motive (2019 - 2020): Served as Senior Finance Manager, where he partnered strategically with sales and marketing teams.1
- Ahmed Sharif Consulting (2016 - 2020): Worked as a Fractional CFO for various startups, particularly in cleantech and fintech sectors.12
- Advanced Microgrid Solutions (2016 - 2018): Managed corporate finance models after the company was acquired by Fluence.1
- SolarCity (2012 - 2015): Held the position of Associate Director in Structured Finance, contributing to project financing exceeding $500 million before the company's acquisition by Tesla.12
Education::
- Stanford University: Master’s degree in Management Science & Engineering.
- University of Wisconsin Oshkosh: Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Chemistry.12
Vartana's Mission
Vartana aims to modernize B2B commerce by providing a platform that integrates financing options directly into the sales process. This approach reduces friction for buyers and sellers alike, allowing for immediate payments while offering customers flexible payment plans.34 The company has experienced significant growth, reportedly achieving a 600% year-over-year increase in business volume since its inception.4
Sharif's extensive background in finance and his entrepreneurial experience contribute significantly to Vartana's mission of transforming how businesses manage sales transactions and financing options.
Highlights
Excited to announce Vartana's Series B!
https://lnkd.in/gy32U9JY
Kush Kella and I are excited to partner with the team at Activant Capital to accelerate our growth.
Startups are valued on a multiple of revenue. That multiple is really just a present value of the next 5 - 10 years of projected cash flow.
When interest rates go up, the discount rate behind that PV calculation goes up, driving down multiples (and deflating valuations).
The cool thing about being in the financing and payments business--> higher rates mean higher revenue, which offsets multiple compression and preserves equity value.
While most of tech will struggle with lower multiples, B2B fintech should have a renaissance moment.
It's a good time to be in B2B fintech!
Vartana is hiring #b2b #fintech #hiring
