On January 21, 2025, Madrid became the heart of fintech innovation as the Visa Innovation Program Europe Spain Edition Summit gathered startups, industry experts, and key ecosystem players to celebrate Spain’s growing influence in the European fintech landscape. The event was a platform to explore emerging trends, showcase innovative solutions, and foster meaningful collaborations, further solidifying Spain’s role as a key player in fintech innovation.
Visa’s commitment to advancing the fintech ecosystem was evident throughout the summit. By connecting startups with corporates, investors, and mentors, Visa empowers fintechs to address challenges in payments, financial inclusion, and digital transformation while creating new opportunities for collaboration.
Spain’s Fintech Milestones in 2024
The 2024 Spain Edition of the Visa Innovation Program delivered impressive results that highlight the country’s potential as a fintech hub:
- 67 applications were received from fintech innovators eager to redefine the financial ecosystem.
- 5 standout fintechs were selected to participate in the program.
- 25 hours of tailored mentorship were provided to accelerate growth.
- Over 50 introductions were facilitated between fintechs and industry leaders.
- 3 impactful partnerships were formed, driving real-world success.
These achievements underline Visa’s dedication to fostering innovation, building a strong fintech community, and strengthening Spain’s leadership in the European fintech ecosystem.
The summit was packed with inspiring discussions, dynamic panels, and insights from industry leaders.
Eduardo Prieto, Visa Spain Country Manager, kicked off the day with an inspiring keynote. He emphasized Visa’s commitment to nurturing the fintech ecosystem in Spain by leveraging collaboration and partnerships to drive growth, innovation, and inclusion. His words set the stage for a day of impactful discussions and bold ideas.
Following Eduardo Prieto’s keynote, the spotlight turned to Javier Santaolalla from UNIR, who delivered an engaging session titled The Power of Ideas. Javier’s talk explored how innovation is driven by bold ideas and creative thinking, inspiring the audience to push the boundaries of what’s possible in fintech.
Moderated by David Hernández García, this panel focused on fintech positioning and strategy. It featured Adrián Fuente (Orama) and Lucía Clifford (Sharpei), who shared insights on how their solutions address SME treasury challenges and promote sustainable payment options to enhance user experience.
Moderated by Montserrat Lerena, the session on startup journeys explored how innovative solutions are shaping fintech growth. Nico de Luis (Shakers) discussed talent-matching innovations for businesses, while María Luke (Uelz) shared how their API simplifies recurring payments. Eduardo Sainz (Data4Deals) highlighted the power of leveraging transactional data to boost customer engagement.
Moderated by Melihcan Yücel, this panel explored innovations in embedded finance and compliance. Jan Lastuvka (Lemonero) shared insights on AI-powered lending solutions for SMEs, Nuno Pereira (Paynest) discussed how embedded finance improves employee engagement, and Catarina Nunes (Starkdata) explained the importance of compliance in transforming financial ecosystems.
Moderated by Elena Tamarit, the final panel focused on collaboration for the future of fintech. Pedro Muñoz (BBVA) provided insights into how startups can effectively work with established institutions. Melchor de Palau (CaixaBank) shared the importance of fostering innovative partnerships, while Jaime Grau (Telefónica) highlighted how collaborations can unlock new growth opportunities.
A Year in the Life of VIPE Alumni
Moderated by Eva Ruiz from Visa, this session provided an inside look into the journeys of past Visa Innovation Program Europe participants. Eduardo Martínez (Toqio) shared how their time in the program helped them achieve growth and scale their innovative solutions, inspiring the next generation of fintech startups.
Moderated by Rodrigo García from Finnovating, this session offered a deep dive into the Iberian fintech ecosystem. Panelists included Sabina Babayeva (Tenity), Gonzalo Tradacete (Faraday), and Borja Breña (Nauta). Together, they explored the key drivers, challenges, and opportunities shaping the fintech landscape in Spain and Portugal, with a strong focus on cross-border collaboration and investment.
Meet the Fintechs
The summit also shone a spotlight on the fintech startups shaping the future of the financial ecosystem:
- Data4Deals
Data4Deals is a company that helps financial institutions improve their customer experience by delivering a personalized card-based rewards product (promotions in hundreds of brands offered as cash-back) to its clients while monetizing on its transactional data. - Lemonero
AI-driven digital lending platform for SMEs, embedded in PSPs and banks, enhancing revenue and growth. It drives higher profitability through improved merchant performance and financial health, generating new and recurring revenue streams. - Orama
Orama is a cash flow forecasting and control SaaS platform that integrates with various banks. It provides detailed, 12-month forecasts divided by categories and items, enabling automatic control and data-driven decision-making. - Paynest
Paynest is an all-in-one solution empowering business focused on cost efficiency and employee engagement. It offers features like salary on demand, expense management, and financial coaching, allowing businesses to tailor a package to their specific needs, resulting in both improved employee engagement and reduced overall costs. - Shakers
Shakers breaks down technological barriers for businesses by connecting them with a vast pool of skilled freelance IT professionals. Their intelligent matching system simplifies the process, ensuring a quick and accurate connection to the right talent. This allows companies to interview potential candidates within just 48 hours, significantly speeding up project timelines. - Sharpei
Sharpei’s software makes it simple for retailers to offer flexible options like rentals, subscriptions, and lease-to-own at checkout, promoting circular commerce. - Starkdata
Starkdata leverages AI and machine learning to transform customer interactions throughout their lifecycle into actionable insights, becoming a strategic advantage for businesses in sales, marketing, and customer service. This empowers them to attract new customers, cultivate deeper customer relationships, and foster long-term loyalty, ultimately driving increased revenue. - Uelz
Uelz streamlines the implementation process for billing infrastructure, allowing for the integration of multiple payment gateways through its user-friendly API. This approach reduces implementation costs and facilitates the adaptation of pricing to any billing scenario in seconds.
Looking Ahead
The Spain Summit 2025 underscored the importance of collaboration, innovation, and community in shaping the future of fintech. From visionary keynote speeches to thought-provoking panel discussions, the event highlighted Visa’s unwavering commitment to empowering startups and strengthening the fintech ecosystem in Spain and across Europe.
Stay tuned for updates on the next edition of the Visa Innovation Program Europe Summit!