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What is FinTech?
FinTech, short for financial technology, is an emerging industry of companies that use technology and software to improve the efficiency of financial services. Many FinTech startups operate entirely online, outside the traditional financial sector, which allows them to provide their services for lower fees. They often compete with existing financial systems, such as banks, credit institutions, or insurance companies.
FinTech has mushroomed into a global billion-dollar industry in the course of just a few years. Switzerland as a major financial center has been relatively late to the party but now boasts a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem in the FinTech space.
“FinTech Made in Switzerland”
With her reputation for financial services, Switzerland has all the ingredients to shape the future of FinTech. At the same time, regulatory overhang and the powerful traditional financial sector might slow down innovation. FinTech as a virgin development has also never undergone a financial crisis, which puts its long-term viability for customers into question. Swiss banks, entrepreneurs, investors and regulators have a unique approach to FinTech, but will the country succeed in making a name for itself in FinTech, next to the entrepreneurial epicenters in London or New York?
The Project
In FinTech Made in Switzerland, Manuel Stagars documents the FinTech ecosystem in Switzerland in conversations with startup founders, innovators in the financial sector, banks, regulators, politicians, financial experts, and opinion leaders. The film is a portrait of this emerging sector, its protagonists and their motivations to participate in the evolution of finance. At the same time, it shall create a dialogue between the different actors in the financial sector in Switzerland around the topic of innovation in banking and the future of Switzerland as a financial center. The project is a collaboration between the filmmaker and the interviewees, where all can voice their opinions truthfully and objectively on a single platform.
Manuel has written together with Ioannis Akkizidis the book Marketplace Lending, Financial Analysis, and the Future of Credit (Wiley, 2016). During the two years it took to write, Manuel spoke with a large number of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, market observers, U.S. central bankers, and other authorities in FinTech in the United States, the UK and Singapore. This documentary is a continuation of this research, narrowing the focus on FinTech in Switzerland specifically. Manuel is self-financing the film and will distribute it online and on social media.
A Film by Manuel Stagars
Manuel Stagars is a Swiss film director and autor. His documentary films focus on science, innovation and technology and their impact on society.
Interviews from the Documentary
During the course of making the film, over forty interviews with movers and shakers in the Swiss FinTech ecosystem took place. These interviews are available in full length, offering a broad perspective on FinTech in Switzerland.
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many people and organizations are helping to make this project happen by contributing their advice, time and access to their networks. Special thanks to all of you (list in alphabetical order).
- Adriano B. Lucatelli, Descartes Finance, www.descartes-finance.com
- Andreas Dietrich, Hochschule Luzern/Institut für Finanzdienstleistungen Zug (IFZ), www.hslu.ch
- Andreas Kubli, UBS, www.ubs.com
- Andrej Majcen, Bitcoin Suisse, www.bitcoinsuisse.ch
- Beat Werder, Staatssekretariat für internationale Finanzfragen (SIF), www.sif.admin.ch
- Bernadette Hasler, Raiffeisen Schweiz, www.raiffeisen.ch
- Brian Bachmann, Credit Suisse, www.credit-suisse.com
- Carmen Walker-Späh, Volkswirtschaftsdirektion des Kantons Zürich, www.carmen-walkerspaeh.ch
- Christian Dreyer CFA, CFA Society Switzerland, www.cfasociety.org/switzerland
- Christina Kehl, Swiss Finance Startups, www.swissfinancestartups.com
- Christoph Birkholz, Impact Hub and Kickstart Accelerator, www.impacthub.org and www.kickstart-accelerator.com
- Claus Huber, Rodex Risk Advisers und DeinAnlageberater, www.rodexrisk.com and www.dein-anlageberater.ch
- Corina Ullmann, Swiss Finance Startups, www.swissfinancestartups.com
- Cyril Demaria, lecturer at EADA, ESCP-Europe, HEC Paris and EDHEC, publications
- Daniel Gasteiger, nexussquared, www.nexussquared.co
- Daniel Grassinger, nexussquared, www.nexussquared.co
- Daniel Heinzmann, Swiss FinTech Innovations and Zürcher Kantonalbank, www.swissfintechinnovations.ch and www.zkb.ch
- Eric van der Kleij, UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and ENTIQ, www.gov.uk/ukti and www.entiq.com
- Eva May, Volkswirtschaftsdirektion des Kantons Zürich, Standortförderung, www.finanzplatz-zuerich.ch
- Falk Kohlmann, Swisscom, www.swisscom.com
- Felix Niederer, True Wealth, www.truewealth.ch
- Flora Paterson, Monetas, www.monetas.net
- Gian Reto a Porta, Contovista, www.contovista.com
- Hanspeter Rhyner, Glarner Kantonalbank, www.glkb.ch
- Harry Büsser, Bilanz, www.bilanz.ch
- Irene Tschopp, Amt für Wirtschaft und Arbeit, Volkswirtschaftsdirektion des Kantons Zürich, www.awa.zh.ch
- Ioannis Akkizidis, Wolters Kluver, www.wolterskluver.com
- Janine Löpfe, Raiffeisen Schweiz, www.raiffeisen.ch
- Jeremias Meier, Bexio, www.bexio.com
- Johann Gevers, Monetas, www.monetas.net
- John Hucker, Swiss Finance + Technology Association (Swiss FinteCH), www.swissfinte.ch
- Jürg Müller, Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ), www.nzz.ch
- Karl Aschwanden, People Invest, www.pplinvest.ch
- Luc Haldimann, Unblu and Swiss Made Software, www.unblu.com and www.swissmadesoftware.org
- Luzius Meisser, Meisser Economics and Bitcoin Association Switzerland, www.meissereconomics.com and www.bitcoinassociation.ch
- Marc P. Bernegger, Bernegger Ventures, www.bernegger.com
- Marco Abele, Credit Suisse, www.credit-suisse.com
- Marco Borer, UBS, www.ubs.com
- Marco Tomasina, UBS, www.ubs.com
- Michael Appenzeller, Etops and Fundbase, www.etops.ch and www.fundbase.com
- Michael Borter, Cashare, www.cashare.ch
- Michael Stemmle, Additiv, www.additiv.ch
- Michel Lalive, Lend and Splendit, www.lend.ch and www.splendit.ch
- Neil Browning, Saxo Bank, www.saxobank.com
- Nicolas Cepeda, Contovista, www.contovista.com
- Niklas Nikolajsen, Bitcoin Suisse, www.bitcoinsuisse.ch
- Noemi Heusler, Swiss FinTech Innovations, www.swissfintechinnovations.ch
- Patricia Schlenter, Kickstart Accelerator, www.kickstart-accelerator.com
- Patrick Halbeisen, Schweizerische Nationalbank, www.snb.ch
- Patrick Widmer, Financial Media, www.financialmedia.ch
- Patrik Gallati, Glarner Kantonalbank, www.glkb.ch
- Raffaela Lütolf, Docu Team, www.docuteam.ch
- Raffael Maio, Netguardians, www.netguardians.ch
- Ralph Mogicato, Swiss Finance Startups, www.swissfinancestartups.com
- Raoul Stöhlker, Klaus J. Stöhlker AG, www.stoehlker.ch
- Renate Meier, Zürcher Kantonalbank, www.zkb.ch
- Rino Borini, Financial Media, www.financialmedia.ch
- Rudolf J. Kurtz, RAI Lab Raiffeisen Schweiz, www.raiffeisen.ch
- Peter Hody, Finews, www.finews.ch
- Peter Niederhauser, Red Alpine Venture Partners, www.redalpine.com
- Philipp Kornmann, Advanon, www.advanon.com
- Silja Hänggi, Bexio, www.bexio.com
- Stefan Bauder, Schwyzer Kantonalbank, www.szkb.ch
- Tatjana Guggisberg, PostFinance, www.postfinance.ch
- Thomas Balmer, Dynamics Group, www.dynamicsgroup.ch
- Thomas Jakob, PostFinance, www.postfinance.ch
- Thomas Kern, Swiss ICT Investor Club (SICTIC), www.sictic.ch
- Tobias Haudenschild, Docu Team, www.docuteam.ch
- Tobias Plangg, Credit Suisse, www.credit-suisse.com
- Tom Stierli, Lend, www.lend.ch
- Urs Haeusler, Swiss Finance Startups, www.swissfinancestartups.com
- Walter Meier, Schweizerische Nationalbank, www.snb.ch
- Xenia Rhyner, Glarner Kantonalbank, www.glkb.ch