Daniel A. Casanas

Head of Investments at Stellar Development Foundation

New York, New York, United States

About

Passionate about finding great management teams and helping them to succeed. I currently lead the Stellar Enterprise Fund, a global multi-stage VC fund seeking to grow the open-source Stellar network. My background is primarily in early/mid stage venture capital. Emerging technologies that are rapidly altering the economic landscape interest me: fintech, blockchain/crypto, payments, ai/ml, climate tech -- it's fascinating what entrepreneurs are achieving and how the world is adapting. I enjoy sharing investment ideas with co-investors and building meaningful relationships that accelerate impactful projects -- so reach out, let's chat.

Experience

  • Head of Investments at Stellar Development Foundation
    Aug 2022 - Present · 3 yrs 11 mos

    The Stellar Enterprise Fund is a venture-style fund for growing the open-source Stellar network. We make direct investments across all stages up to Series E or make acquisitions in global fintech or blockchain companies. Areas of interest: -Wallets: Digital wallets, Cross-chain wallets -Startup Acceleration: Tools for SMBs in emerging markets, Regional incubator funds -Banking Infrastructure: Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), Stablecoin issuance & management, Private banking infrastructure / Crypto integration -Cross-border payments: Business payments for high cost corridors, Remittances in high friction markets -Access to financial services: On/Off ramps, USD savings, Lending, Financial inclusion in emerging markets, Ecommerce / payment processing, Tokenized assets -New web3 models re: asset management, capital markets, compliance, gaming, liquidity, NFT, payroll, treasury management

  • Board Observer at NetXD Inc.
    2023 - Present · 3 yrs 6 mos

  • Associate Member at Angeles Investors
    2023 - Present · 3 yrs 6 mos

    Angeles Investors is a mission driven venture capital angel group aiming to find, fund and grow the most promising Hispanic and Latino ventures.

  • Board Observer at Bitt
    2023 - 2025 · 2 yrs

  • Program Lead for Stellar & Mentor at Techstars Payments Powered by Stellar and MoneyGram Accelerator
    Oct 2022 - 2024 · 1 yr 4 mos