Most startups will tell you they’re mission-driven. Few can back it up the way OKY can.
Founded five years ago by Victor Unda and Santiago Rossi, OKY set out to build a new kind of financial platform: one designed to serve the overlooked and often misunderstood communities behind the $170 billion U.S. remittance economy.
The idea was simple. Instead of sending money abroad and hoping it gets spent the way you intended, why not send something specific? For instance, a supermarket voucher, school supplies, or medicine from a trusted retailer.
“We wanted to give people more control,” Unda told Refresh Miami. “And from day one, we were obsessed with making it sustainable. No hype, no burn. Just real growth.”
That strategy appears to be working. While the company does not disclose detailed figures, the co-founders confirmed that OKY is on track to triple revenue this year. Even more rare is that they are cash flow and EBITDA positive.
“There’s a huge emotional element to what we’re building,” Rossi said. “Our users are supporting their families, often across borders. Sending a gift that shows care and it meets a real need. That creates a much deeper connection than just transferring money.”
OKY now has three main channels: its mobile app (where users can pay with cash, cards, or PayPal), an in-person network of corner stores that sell vouchers over the counter, and a B2B tool that allows brands to reward employees or customers with OKY credits. All three are growing. In one surprising turn, companies began using the platform as a kind of training system, teaching staff how to navigate digital commerce by giving them actual credits to use through OKY.
Brands like OKY because the system doesn’t cannibalize their local sales. Unda explained that these customers form a new user base, and they are gaining incremental revenue and increasing brand loyalty in the process.
Demand is also expanding geographically. OKY started with heavy remittance corridors like Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Now, they’re eyeing Ecuador and the Dominican Republic, where both migrant communities abroad and businesses at home are calling for access. Spain, with its growing South American diaspora, is another natural fit.
“We’ve been receiving messages from people in Spain asking when we’ll launch more products for Ecuador,” said Rossi. “And at the same time, brands in Ecuador want to reach those same people. So we meet demand on both sides of the marketplace.”
The team is still under 30 employees, with three in South Florida. According to Rossi and Unda, Miami, where the company is headquartered, has played a key role in OKY’s growth. Thanks to our status as a Latin American gateway, the city has helped them stay connected to partners, brands, and the diaspora communities they serve. They’ve also participated in programs like Endeavor and Plug and Play, which helped open doors for international partnerships.
“The fact that we’re in Miami has been a huge advantage,” Rossi said. “A lot of the brand executives we work with are passing through the city. It’s helped us build real relationships without needing a massive footprint.”
And as for what’s next? Unda kept it simple: “We’re not done. We’re barely getting started.”
READ MORE IN REFRESH MIAMI:
- Palla raises $14.5M to power instant cross-border payments for banks
- Leap Financial raises $3.5M to send ripples through the remittance industry
- OKY raises $2M to expand unique in-kind remittance platform
- Felix Pago’s $75M raise proves money talks on WhatsApp
- With 10 million users in tow, Paysend’s big bet on Miami is paying off
