A year ago, Vilnius became the 7th city in the world to join Rise, the international financial technology (FinTech) startup community, and was among such centers of this field as London, Manchester, New York, Cape Town, Tel Aviv and Mumbai. Since the opening of Rise Vilnius, financial technologies have become one of Lithuania's strategic priorities, and Rise Vilnius has actively participated in the development of this area. Plans for the second year of operation include an open Barclays platform and awards for FinTech startups in the Baltic region.
Became the epicenter of events
Since its opening in July last year, Rise Vilnius has been visited by about 11 people. people, over 200 community-relevant events took place, more than 100 valuable local and international partnerships were established for members, 40 startups currently operate in the Rise Vilnius space and belong to the global network: from WoraPay, which develops mobile payments, and ArcaPay, which develops money transfers, to internal communication platforms "Tipi" and "Pulse" for international markets.
"We are proud not only of the work done by Rise Vilnius, but also of the individual achievements of the startups in our community - the TrackDuck contract with Invision, a leader in the design of collaborative solutions, new investments by WoraPay and cooperation with the mobile application development team of Barclays Bank and with other transactions of our startups that have already taken place or are being made," said Darius Kavaliauskas, head of Rise Vilnius.
Representatives of the Bank of Lithuania also note that the role of accelerators or incubators is undoubtedly important for the ecosystem of the financial technology sector. It helps startups grow and gain more visibility.
"It is a pleasure to observe the active activities of Rise Vilnius, not only in their direct work with FinTech companies, but also in the educational function of the financial sector and society - organizing conferences, various events and creative workshops." We will continue to strive for close cooperation with the Rise Vilnius team," said Marius Jurgilas, member of the Board of the Bank of Lithuania.
The development of the FinTech ecosystem has become relevant not only for startups and investors, but also for the capital itself, which is paying more and more attention to smart technologies every day.
"When Rise Vilnius established itself in our city a year ago, it was a clear proof that Vilnius is really the star of the startup scene. Now "Rise Vilnius" has become a cozy, open and familiar gathering place, a natural center of attraction for creative and intelligent people" - the mayor of Vilnius shared his insights Remigius Šimašius.
More international opportunities
In the second year of operation, Rise Vilnius intends to open the Barclays bank platform to its community members, which will help to develop new FinTech products and services faster.
"One of the main goals of Barclays Bank is to actively promote the development of new and high-quality financial services and products, which is why the bank establishes about 60 partnerships with start-ups every year around the world. After opening the new platform, we hope to receive even greater interest from start-ups and the emergence of new products, which will allow the bank to significantly improve the quality of services and increase the efficiency of the company's employees", said Mariano Andrade Gonzalez, executive director of Barclays operations center in Lithuania.
"Rise Vilnius" aims to continue expanding the network of partners beneficial to the community, establishing closer ties with startups from neighboring countries and key players in the FinTech ecosystem. At the end of this year, Rise Vilnius plans to hold international awards for financial technology startups in the Baltic countries.
"We are glad that Rise Vilnius has been strengthening the financial technology start-up industry not only in the capital, but also in the entire region, helping them to develop, make connections and create new business models. "Rise Vilnius is a great opportunity for the entire startup community to be part of a global network," said Rimantė Ribačiauskaitė, head of Startup Lithuania.
About Rise Vilnius
Rise Vilnius, founded on the initiative of Barclays, creates a favorable environment for startups to grow. These are not only physical workplaces, but also high-quality ones events, mentor sessions and live video broadcasts available. As part of a global network, Rise Vilnius members benefit from the knowledge, programs and workplaces of the most influential fintech ecosystems on four continents. Together with Barclays, Rise Vilnius also develops programs that help solve the biggest challenges of today's financial services. This allows startups to develop and develop prototypes faster, and turn new business models into working products and services.
