Shows
The Scalepoint PodcastOrly Stern Izhaki - Building Meaningful Products for SMBs – Trust, PLG, and Sustainable GrowthIn this episode, Martin is joined by Orly Stern Izhaki, a seasoned product leader with a deep track record of building platforms for small businesses — from her time at Wix Restaurants to leading business applications at Payoneer.They explore what SMBs really need from the products they use, and how to earn their trust when it matters most. The conversation covers product strategy, pricing, PLG execution, internal culture change, and the evolving role of AI in driving value and insight for busy SMB operators.Whether you’re scaling a SaaS platform, building a fintech product, or l...
2025-09-3034 minThe Scalepoint PodcastCarlos Del Valle, Co-Founder and CEO of Tonder.io - Building Fintech Infrastructure for Latin AmericaIn this episode, Carlos Del Valle, Co-founder and CEO of Tonder, shares the story behind building one of Latin America’s emerging payment infrastructure platforms. Born out of a first-hand pain point in his previous startup, Tonder was created to address the challenges of low card approval rates, fragmented payment systems, and the lack of reliable, unified solutions across the region.We explore how Tonder is navigating the complexity of cross-border settlements, why composability is central to its platform architecture, and how stablecoins now power a significant portion of its operations. Carlos also re...
2025-09-0134 minThe Scalepoint PodcastJosé Manuel Peral Cortés, From Bootstrap to Exit: Lessons in Fintech, Funding, and ControlIn this episode of The Scale Point Podcast, Martin is joined by José Manuel Peral Cortés, co-founder of FinTK Consulting. José reflects candidly on his entrepreneurial journey—starting with Easy Payment Gateway, which he helped build from scratch and eventually exited to Global Payments.From bootstrapping and building early product-market fit, to navigating investor misalignment and watching competitors outpace on valuation and visibility, José offers hard-won insights into what it really takes to grow and exit a fintech startup in Europe.He recounts building one of the earliest orchestration platforms before “orchestration” was even part of th...
2025-06-0931 minThe Scalepoint PodcastParijat Banerjee, Global Head of FS at Latent View Analytics: Evolution and Impact of APIs and AI in BFSI SectorsIn this episode of the Scalepoint Podcast, I sit down with Parijat Banerjee, Global Head of Financial Services at Latent View Analytics, to discuss the transformative role of APIs and AI in the banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sector, as well as the healthcare insurance ecosystem. They explore the shift of APIs from backend technical enablers to crucial front-end commercial products and delve into case studies illustrating their impact on open banking, regulatory compliance, and customer experience. They also discuss the challenges and benefits of AI in healthcare, focusing on data fragmentation, predictive analytics, and personalised care. The...
2025-05-1339 minThe Scalepoint PodcastPanagiotis Kriaris, Director and Head of Business & Corporate Development at Unzer: The Blueprint for Fintech Partnerships and Sustainable GrowthIn this episode of The Scalepoint Podcast, Martin is joined by Panagiotis Kriaris, Director and Head of Business & Corporate Development at Unzer. We explore:The evolution of fintech partnerships: from competition to collaboration with banksWhy partnerships have become a key accelerator for innovation—and why execution mattersDifferent partnership models: strategic alliances, acquisitions, and standalone digital innovation centresThe shift from high-growth-at-any-cost to sustainable, profitability-focused fintech modelsThe critical role of software in payments, embedded finance, and vertical ecosystemsLessons from the Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) boom—and the n...
2025-04-2836 minThe Scalepoint PodcastMartin Della Chiesa, CEO of Skaleet: Next-Generation Core Banking Platform Reshaping How Financial Institutions Approach Digital TransformationIn this episode of The Scalepoint Podcast, Martin sits down with Martin della Chiesa, CEO of Skaleet - a next-generation core banking platform that’s reshaping how financial institutions approach digital transformation.In a market often paralysed by too much choice and too little clarity, Martin stresses the importance of guidance and execution. Banks aren’t making routine procurement decisions—they’re taking on high-stakes, long-cycle investments that define their future architecture and customer experience. As he puts it, “Banks don’t buy core banking systems every morning. This isn’t a baguette—it’s a once-in-a-generation decision. Our job...
2025-04-2735 minThe Scalepoint PodcastGautam Pillai, Head of FinTech, Peel Hunt Investment Bank: What’s Next for UK FinTech & IPOs? Insights from an Investment BankerIn this episode of the Scalepoint podcast, Martin interviews Gautam Pillai, head of FinTech at UK Investment Bank Peel Hunt. Gautam discusses the current state of the UK IPO market and shares his experiences and strategies as an investment banker adapting to market changes. He provides an overview of his career journey, from starting as a programmer at Cognizant to his role at Goldman Sachs and eventually leading a FinTech franchise at Peel Hunt. The conversation delves into the cyclical nature of IPO markets, the impact of the 2022 market shift, and the exciting innovations in the UK FinTech sector...
2025-03-1336 minThe Scalepoint PodcastBernard Reiterer, CEO & Founder of ID Canopy: Scaling, Fundraising, and the Future of Digital IdentityIn this podcast episode, Martin sits down with Bernard Reiterer, founder and CEO of ID Canopy. They discuss the evolution of the Austrian tech startup scene and its challenges, especially in terms of fundraising. Bernard shares insights into ID Canopy, a company focusing on digital identity verification and onboarding solutions for various industries like finance and telecom. The conversation touches on the difficulties of raising funds, the importance of finding the right investors, and the delicate balance between achieving compliance and maintaining high conversion rates. Bernard also reflects on lessons learned from his previous venture, the need for sector-specific...
2025-03-0442 minThe Scalepoint PodcastEdy Bruinooge, Co-founder & CCO of IBANXS – From Startup to 2,500 Banks, How IBANXS is Challenging Open Banking GiantsIn this episode, Martin talks with Edy Bruinooge, co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of IBANXS, a leading open banking platform based in The Hague in the Netherlands. The conversation covers the company's rapid growth from its beginnings in 2019 to connecting with over 2,500 banks across Europe. Edy provides insights into their bootstrapped, profit-focused approach, contrasting with heavily funded competitors. He discusses their latest developments in payment and information services, particularly in collaboration with accounting software providers. Edy highlights their progress and expectations with PSD2, upcoming PSD3 regulations, and the impact of AI on their business operations. Listen to learn how...
2025-02-2637 minThe Scalepoint PodcastSuresh Vaghjiani, CEO & Co-Founder, CLOWD9, Cloud-Native Payments: How CLOWD9 is Redefining Fintech InfrastructureIn this episode, Martin speaks with Suresh Vaghjiani, CEO & Co-Founder of CLOWD9, about the evolution of the fintech space and the challenges of building a payments infrastructure business without heavy reliance on venture capital. Suresh shares his extensive experience in the payments industry, explaining the difference between acquiring and issuing and how CLOWD9 is pioneering a fully cloud-native issuer processing platform. The conversation dives into the changing dynamics of venture capital funding, particularly in fintech, where investors are now focusing on revenue-generating businesses rather than high-growth, high-burn models. They discuss how down rounds have become the norm post-COVID and w...
2025-02-1157 minThe Scalepoint PodcastCaleb Avery, CEO and Founder of Tilled, After 18 Months of Bootstrapped Growth, Has Gone on to Raise Over $40M and Become a Category LeaderIn this episode of Bootstrap Ventures - The Scalepoint Podcast, I interview Caleb Avery, CEO and founder of Tilled—a category leader in the PayFac-as-a-Service space. Caleb shares insights on Tilled’s phenomenal growth in 2024, achieving over 500% year-over-year growth, and highlights the company’s strategic move into enterprise.
Caleb recounts his journey from bootstrapping the company in 2019 to securing venture capital and scaling significantly. He discusses the challenges and advantages of bootstrapping in the early stages, their approach to securing funding, and the importance of customer validation. He also explains the enterprise strategy and the significance of their...
2025-02-0441 minThe Scalepoint PodcastMatthew Steinbrecher, VP, Revenue at Reach - Navigating the Merchant of Record Model and Building Strategic PartnershipsIn this episode, Matthew Steinbrecher, VP, Revenue at Reach shares insights into the intricacies of the merchant of record model, discussing common misconceptions and the inherent value it provides, particularly in cross-border transactions. The conversation also delves into the dynamic payments ecosystem, highlighting the importance of partnerships, how to identify and nurture effective collaborations, and the evolving nature of sales strategies in a competitive market. Matthew emphasizes the critical need for product market fit, listening to customer feedback, and the significance of focusing on scalable, high-value partnerships.
00:00 Introduction and Greetings
00:57 Catching Up: Business and Trends
01:47 Understanding Merchant of Record
05:06...
2025-01-2742 minThe Scalepoint PodcastTom Voaden, VP Commercial at BR-DGE, Scaling a Fintech StartupTom Voaden, VP Commercial at Bridge (formerly Visa), discusses leading sales and partnerships at a high-growth fintech.
Listen and watch the full episode on Spotify & You Tube
Key Topics:
• The reality of 4x team growth - balancing startup speed with process
• Building enterprise partnerships vs. traditional networking
• Maintaining culture through rapid hiring
• AI in payments - opportunities and risks
Notable Quotes:
"Culture isn't ping pong tables - it's letting your junior engineer challenge the CEO's as...
2025-01-2343 minThe Scalepoint PodcastBootstrapping, AI, and Smarter Startups – Insights with Karl LillrudIn this episode, Karl Lillrud shares his insights on how advancements in AI, automation, and no-code tools have transformed the startup landscape, making bootstrapping more accessible than ever. He discusses the importance of prudent capital use, prioritizing simplicity, and building products that solve real customer problems.
Karl emphasizes the value of learning quickly, iterating based on feedback, and avoiding feature overload. He explains how AI is a game-changer for startups, enabling faster operations, smarter decision-making, and reduced costs. From autonomous AI agents to breakthroughs in healthcare, Karl highlights the vast potential of AI to revolutionize industries.
2024-12-181h 02The Scalepoint PodcastSerial entrepreneur founded five fintech companies, including OpenPayd, without big external fundingOzan Ozark is a serial entrepreneur who founded and successfully exited Norway's most popular social media platform before going onto found a portfolio of 5 fintech companies, including OpenPayd, without any external funding. In this first episode of the Fintech Ventures Podcast, he explores his remarkable journey with your host Martin and discusses important topics along the way.
00:00 Introduction to the Fintech Ventures Podcast
00:56 Ozan Ozark's Early Life and Tech Beginnings
02:20 The Rise of Social Media in Norway
04:53 Transition to FinTech and Founding OpenPaid
06:49 Understanding Embedded Financial Services
2024-10-3042 min