The Women of FinTech: How DataVisor’s Founders Are Outsmarting Fraudsters with AI

As a headhunter who’s spent years watching fintech evolve, I love seeing fresh, innovative companies shake things up. But you know what’s even better? Seeing women-led fintech startups dominate in a space that has traditionally been a bit of a boys’ club.

That’s exactly what’s happening with DataVisor, one of the newest names on Forbes’ FinTech 50 list. Founded by Yinglian Xie and Fang Yu, two Ph.D. computer scientists, this company is proving that not only can researchers thrive in the startup world, but that women in tech can lead game-changing innovation in AI, cybersecurity, and fraud detection.

From Academia to FinTech Powerhouses

Let’s be honest—Silicon Valley tends to glorify the hoodie-wearing college dropout who builds a billion-dollar startup in their garage. But Xie and Yu took a different path. Before founding DataVisor in 2013, they spent over a decade in academia, researching cutting-edge technology at Microsoft Research.

And let’s not gloss over the fact that women make up less than 20% of executives in fintech. The industry has made progress, but female founders in tech—especially in AI and cybersecurity—still face uphill battles when it comes to funding, recognition, and access to leadership roles. Yet here are two women who not only built a groundbreaking AI company but are actively shaping the future of fraud detection.

AI vs. Fraud: The New Arms Race

So, what exactly makes DataVisor special? It’s their use of unsupervised machine learning—a fancy way of saying their AI can detect fraud before it happens, even when there’s no existing pattern to follow.

Think of it like this: Traditional fraud detection works like airport security—once a scammer is caught, the system updates to recognize similar threats in the future. But DataVisor? It’s like having AI-powered security guards who can predict who’s up to no good before they even try anything.

The need for this technology couldn’t be more urgent. According to a report by Au10tix, 2024 was officially dubbed the year of "Fraud as a Service." Criminals are selling their fraudulent schemes like SaaS (yes, really), doubling the size of coordinated cyberattacks from 4,000 incidents to 8,000 per attack. And with fraud losses in the U.S. hitting $10.4 billion in 2023 (and climbing higher in 2024), companies like DataVisor are no longer a “nice to have”—they’re a necessity.

Why This Matters for Women in FinTech

Let’s take a moment to appreciate what Xie and Yu’s success means for women in tech and fintech leadership.

• They’re proving that deep technical expertise is just as valuable as startup hustle. Many of the most celebrated fintech founders come from finance or business backgrounds—but these two Ph.D. scientists have built a $50M+ company by focusing on pure, high-level AI innovation.
• They’re breaking barriers in one of the most male-dominated areas of fintech. AI, cybersecurity, and fraud detection? Let’s just say, it’s not an industry overflowing with female executives. Their success is paving the way for more women to step into deep tech leadership roles.
• They’re showing that innovation isn’t just about “disrupting” industries—it’s also about protecting them. So much of fintech’s attention goes to payments, lending, and crypto. But without strong fraud detection, none of those sectors can operate safely. DataVisor is playing an essential role in the fintech ecosystem.

What It Means for Hiring Leaders

From a recruiting standpoint, there’s a massive lesson here: the future of fintech talent isn’t just coming from traditional finance—it’s coming from deep tech and AI research.

Companies looking to stay ahead of fraud (or any AI-driven innovation) need to rethink their hiring approach: ? Seek out diverse backgrounds. The best fintech founders aren’t all ex-bankers. Some of them, like Xie and Yu, are researchers and engineers solving billion-dollar problems. ? Look beyond traditional experience. Just because someone hasn’t worked in fintech before doesn’t mean they won’t thrive in it. ? Invest in women in tech. Companies that actively recruit, promote, and support women in leadership roles are winning. Period.

Final Thoughts: Women-Led Innovation is Here to Stay

The fintech world is evolving, and so are the people leading it. DataVisor isn’t just an AI company; it’s a glimpse into the future of fintech leadership—one where women, deep tech expertise, and AI-driven solutions take center stage.

So, if you’re a hiring leader, take notes. If you’re a woman in fintech or AI, take inspiration. And if you’re a fraudster? Well... good luck.

Check out Forbes’ FinTech 50 to see who else is making waves: Forbes FinTech 50

What do you think? Are we finally seeing a shift toward more women in fintech leadership? Drop a comment—I’d love to hear your thoughts! ??