Frank Rotman, a prominent fintech investor and co-founder of QED Investors, announced that he will transition to a partner emeritus role by the end of the year to concentrate on establishing his own startups. Despite his background in financial technology, Rotman’s new ventures will not necessarily be within that industry. In a post on the platform X, Rotman, who was instrumental in founding QED in 2007, revealed his intention for the “first business” he aims to launch, which will be in the music industry.
Rotman acknowledged that people might initially question his decision, but he encouraged them to withhold judgment until learning more about his long-conceived business idea. He expressed his enthusiasm for building something significant that could impact an industry integral to many people’s lives.
QED Investors, based in Alexandria, Virginia, was founded nearly two decades ago by Rotman along with Nigel Morris and Caribou Honig. The firm, which manages $4 billion in assets, focused on investments such as Credit Karma and also played a major role in funding unicorns like Greensky, Flywire, and SoFi. QED was notably the first institutional investor in Credit Karma and has also backed companies like Creditas, Nubank, AvidXchange, and Bitso. The firm exclusively invests in financial technology companies at early stages from pre-seed to Series A.
Rotman, known as “The Fintech Junkie” on X, stated that his transition would be effective January 1, 2026, during which he will continue to support QED in a part-time advisory capacity. Besides his endeavors in the music industry, he has plans to author a book focused on his insights and frameworks regarding startups and the venture capital sector. Writing, as he conveyed, is a crucial part of his life, despite acknowledging that AI like ChatGPT and Claude surpass him in writing proficiency.
Nigel Morris, Managing Partner at QED, remarked on their long-standing professional relationship spanning over three decades, both at QED and previously at Capital One. Morris expressed confidence in Rotman’s entrepreneurial abilities and his potential for success in future ventures.
Amias Gerety, a partner at QED Investors, will be promoted to lead the firm’s U.S. investment team.
