Alessandra Martini

Alessandra Martini is the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Union54, a fintech startup based in Lusaka, Zambia. Prior to this role, she co-founded a digital challenger bank before launching Union54 alongside Perseus Mlambo and participating in the Y Combinator Summer 2021 cohort. Under her operational leadership, the 17-employee company initially provided card-issuing APIs for African startups and secured a $12 million seed extension round led by Tiger Global in April 2022. Following a pause in virtual card services due to market fraud issues, Martini helped pivot the business in 2023 to develop ChitChat, an encrypted messaging and payments wallet. This new platform integrates virtual debit card support through a strategic partnership with Mastercard to facilitate cross-border remittances. Her current focus centers on scaling digital payments, social commerce, and financial inclusion infrastructure across emerging African markets.