Monica Brand Engel is a Peruvian-American venture capital investor at Quona Capital who uniquely started as an operator launching financial products for low-income customers before becoming an investor, giving her an unusually hands-on approach to fintech investing in emerging markets. She was the founding managing director of Accion's Frontier Investments Group, the direct predecessor to Quona, and focuses on cross-pollinating fintech models across Africa, Latin America, and Asia by backing founders who can adapt proven solutions from one emerging market to another.

• A commitment to impact investing and financial inclusion. The investor frequently highlights businesses that combine profit with purpose, such as when celebrating the release of an impact report that showcased how portfolio founders are rolling up their sleeves to build a better world.
• Deep focus on fintech innovation within emerging markets, particularly across Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. There is notable enthusiasm for digital acceleration in these regions, evidenced by praise for the management team at Khazna in Egypt and the vibrant ecosystem observed during trips to Brazil.
• Advocacy for women in leadership and sustainable work-life integration. This includes support for parental leave policies, as seen when applauding QED Investors, and a personal interest in helping ambitious women balance careers with family, a topic explored in a book collaboration regarding self-care for leaders.
• Interest in diverse and inclusive team building. The investor points to resources and strategies used by portfolio companies to prioritize diversity, explicitly connecting the success of startups in the portfolio to their ability to build varied and inclusive teams.
• Support for specific fintech verticals like supply chain finance and democratizing banking access. Specific mention was made of the co-founders at Twinco Capital who are helping small and medium enterprises gain access to capital at critical times.