Interview With The Winner of Rietumu FinTech Challenge 2016

6 May 2016, 12:00
The final of the international competition Rietumu FinTech Challenge took place in Riga. The competition of the best startups in the field of financial services and technologies was held in the capital of Latvia for the second time in succession. The winner of this year, who has received a cash prize of EUR 5000 from Rietumu Bank, is the Latvian startup Nordigen which has developed an analytical service of financial transactions.



This flash quote with its founders – Roberts Bernans and Rolands Mesters was done immediately following their receipt of the main prize of the competition which gave them the Member of the Board of Rietumu Bank Renat Lokomet.

How do you feel after the victory?

‘Good! It is a very pleasant feeling when you win in conditions of strong competition. However, the main advantage of this contest, in our opinion, is a possibility to see what takes place in the industry of financial technologies, which is relatively new and which opens plenty of opportunities for cooperation with big companies, financial institutions and banks. Thus, for us, the main result of the day is a possibility to communicate with start-ups, experts and top managers of Rietumu Bank.’

Is the victory at Rietumu FinTech Challenge the first social recognition of your project?

‘Well, actually no, a month ago we won at another start-up platform, also a Latvian one. Actually right now we are going in a good direction – one of victories.’

What do you plan to spend your prize on?

‘Any thoughtful entrepreneur invests money in his business idea. As we are a start-up, we invest all money in our company, for example, in establishing relations with financial institutions, the attraction of new clients and product development. Therefore, there will be no party to celebrate our victory, regrettably!’

What are your plans for the nearest future?

‘We are now expanding beyond the borders of the Baltic market, to Finland and Poland. Our plans include also Great Britain, where there are plenty of potential clients for us.’

Rietumu FinTech Challenge by TechHub Riga Academy was designed as a comfortable platform for a young business to prove itself, its ideas and its potential.



Eleonora Gailisha
Mass Media and Public Relations
Phone: +371-67020506
Fax: +371-67020563
E-mail: egailisha@rietumu.lv