Last month we gave you a little heads up about our neighbours across the passage, the fantastic team that makes up Grand Studios.

Like we mentioned back then they’ve always allowed us to live the holiday without casting too judging a glance our way, and the same can be said of our friends at the The Digital Frontiers Institute.

They might be tucked away one floor down from us here at the Cartel House, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t had a stroll by and seen us in action.

We sent them a list of questions to answer and here’s what came back our way:

1) Who are you?
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We are called The Digital Frontiers Institute, DFI for short, and are a not for profit initiative run as a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.

2) What do you do?

We are all about developing talent and capacity for the still very ‘young’ digital payments space.

It is our mission to build a profession around FinTech by developing and equipping individuals in the digital payments industry with the information, vision and skills needed to guide their local communities towards digital financial solutions that will include these communities in their totality.

In other words, we make smart people even smarter so that we are able to include all people in financial solutions that will help create better lives for them.

3) How big is your team?

We are seven people in our team globally, with five of us in Cape Town. We know, lucky us! One is based in Boston and one in an equally exciting city Barcelona – ole!

4) List three things you like about working in town?

Who wouldn’t want to work in this city:
It is a hub of innovation – it’s everywhere from cocktails to gin and beer to fashion, technology, design and art.
The amazing energy, probably due to the high level of entrepreneurs.
The very cool bars, restaurants and endless beautiful people.

5) Is parking really that much of an issue?

No, if you don’t mind a bit of a walk in the morning and the evenings 🙂

6) If you could choose an ideal client/partner, who would it be?

Anyone, Anywhere? Our focus at DFI is to build a profession around the FinTech space with a view to driving Financial Inclusion, so in fact we already work with some really cool partners. These include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and The MasterCard Foundation, who share the same vision as we do.

And there you have it, DFI in a nutshell.

We tend to agree with you guys, why wouldn’t you want to work in the heart of this city? We’re definitely happy to call Cartel House home – have a look around at what they have to offer and you’ll be suitably impressed.