LATVIA - THE NEW HOME FOR GLOBAL FINTECH

Where?

Digital Art House
Skolas street 2, Riga, Latvia

When?

September 13th, 2022

ABOUT THE EVENT

For the first time in Latvia, the Financial and Capital Market Commission and Investment and Development Agency of Latvia are bringing FinTech ecosystem players and the best minds under one roof to discuss how to drive FinTech development in Latvia. The event will have 20+ speakers and presenters with extensive industry experience.

The FinTech market in Latvia is well diversified and growing. Around 100 active FinTech companies and 400+ StartUps are operating in Latvia in payment & remittance, investment services, lending services, crowdfunding platforms, data and analytics services or as emoney institutions. Financial software developers and IT companies, RegTech and SupTech are an integral part of the sector. Low costs, access to local banking infrastructure, fundraising and getting the Financial and Capital Market Commission license in crowdfunding, payment or investment services provides an opportunity to operate successfully throughout Europe. Support programs by the Innovation Hub and Regulatory Sandbox help create an environment for growth.

KEY FOCUS AREAS

Industry development

FinTech strategy
Directions for development
Why Latvia
Goals for 2023

Group 473@2x

Access to funding

FinTech funding
Crowdfunding regulation

FinTech regulation

Crypto and blockchains
The future of payments
Challenges raised by MiCA
RegTech and compliance

Innovative technologies and talents

Future Tech trends
Digital transformation: AI,
Web3
Talents and competencies

Latvia’s FinTech forum 2022

On 13 September, Riga hosted Latvia’s FinTech forum bringing together representatives of FinTech companies and industry experts from Latvia and other European countries. Participants discussed FinTech development trends and growth perspectives, capital availability for FinTech companies, the regulatory framework and talent attraction.

Opening of the forum and part I The acceleration of FinTech industry

The forum was opened by Santa Purgaile, Chairwoman of the Financial and Capital Market Commission (FCMC), Ņikita Kazakevičs, Director of the Innovation and Technology Department of the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) and Mārtiņš Staķis, Chairman of the Riga City Council.

Marine Krasovska, Director of the Financial Innovation Department of the FCMC, gave a presentation about the Latvian FinTech ecosystem.

The presentation was followed by a discussion on development trends and industry forecasts.

Moderator: Ņikita Kazakevičs, LIAA

Participants:

  • Dina Buse, Ministry of Finance (Latvia)
  • Fredis Bikovs, Riga Investment and Tourism Agency
  • Tīna Lūse, FinTech Latvia Association
  • Mārtiņš Valters, Mintos

Part II Access to funding

Māra Pērkuma-Masļakova, PR Manager at Nordigen, gave a presentation “European Success Story of Latvian FinTech Nordigen”.

The presentation was followed by a discussion Crowdfunding and capital availability for FinTechs and startups.

Moderator: Krišjānis Znotiņš, Eleving group

Participants:

  • Jānis Blaževičs, CrowdedHero
  • Renāts Lokomets, Venture Faculty
  • Karsten Wenzlaff, Cambridge Centre for Alternative finance, German Crowdfunding Association
  • Matīss Ansviesulis, Creamfinance

Part III Regulation and innovations: opportunities and risks

The presentations by Cristian Rau, Mastercard, and Polina Brottier, Binance, were followed by a discussion FinTech regulation: global challenges and new opportunities.

Moderator: Marine Krasovska, FCMC

Participants:

  • Christian Rau, Mastercard
  • Ben-Benedict Hruby, Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Austria
  • Karolis Jonuška, Binance
  • Mārtiņš Puķe, Gravity Team

Part IV Innovative technologies and talents

The presentations by Ieva Ilvesa, adviser to the President of Latvia for information and digital policy, and Kristaps Banga, head of innovation & growth at Accenture Baltics, were followed by a discussion New competences, talents and technologies.

Moderator: Ivars Svilāns, LETA

Participants:

  • Kristaps Banga, Accenture
  • Dmitry Tsymber, Dyninno FinTech
  • Armands Broks, Twino
  • Artūrs Kostins, Altero

The forum was organised by the FCMC and the LIAA.

WHO IS ATTENDING?

WHY ATTEND?

SPEAKERS

Santa Purgaile

Chairwoman, Financial and Capital Market Commission of the Republic of Latvia

Mārtiņš Staķis

Chairman of the Riga City Council

Ģirts Rūda

Moderator, Member of the Board, Financial and Capital Market Commission of the Republic of Latvia

Ņikita Kazakevičs

Director of Innovation and Technology Department, LIAA

Ivars Svilāns

Head of Data Services Development, Latvian Information Agency LETA

Mārtiņš Puķe

CLO, Gravity Team

Marine Krasovska

Director of Financial Innovation Department of Financial and Capital Market Commission

Mārtiņš Valters

Co-Founder and CFO/COO, Mintos

Karsten Wenzlaff

Secretary-General of the German Crowdfunding Association and member at Cambridge Centre for Alternative finance

Tīna Lūse

Head of FinTech Latvia Association 

Armands Broks

Founder & Chairman of the Council, TWINO

Kristaps Banga

Head of Innovation & Growth, Accenture Baltic

Dmitry Tsymber

Co-Founder and Director, Dyninno FinTech Holding 

Renat Lokomet

Co-Founder and strategic partner of Venture Faculty

Dr. Ben-Benedict Hruby

Senior Legal Expert and Policy Advisor
Federal Ministry of Finance of Austria

Karolis Jonuška

Head of Regulatory Nordics, Baltics, Binance

Polina Brottier

Country Manager, Binance

Artūrs Kostins

CO-Founder&CEO, Altero

Krišjānis Znotiņš

CEO, Mogo AS,Renti AS, Primero finance AS

Fredis Bikovs

Managing director, Riga Investment and tourism agency

Ieva Ilvesa

Adviser to the President of Latvia for Information and Digital Policy

Christian Rau

Senior Vice President – Crypto and Fintech Enablement Europe, Mastercard

Dina Buse

Deputy Director of Financial Market Policy, Ministry of Finance Republic of Latvia

Matiss Ansviesulis

Co-founder & CEO, Creamfinance

Mara Pērkuma-Masļakova

PR Manager Nordigen

Jānis Blaževičs

CEO and Founder
CrowdedHero

AGENDA

9.00

Arrival and coffee

10.00

Opening of Latvia FinTech forum 2022

Santa Purgaile, FCMC
Ņikita Kazakevičs, LIAA
Mārtiņš Staķis, Riga City Council

PART I

The acceleration of FinTech industry

10.15

Latvian FinTech ecosystem overview

Marine Krasovska, FCMC

10.45

Discussion: Development
trends and industry forecast

Moderator:
Ņikita Kazakevičs, LIAA

Participants:
Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Latvia

Riga Investment and Tourism Agency

FinTech Latvia Association

Mintos

11.30

Coffee, networking and digital FinTech
expo

PART II

Access to funding

11.50

European Success Story of Latvian
FinTech Nordigen

12.15

Discussion: Crowdfunding and
capital availability for FinTechs and
StartUps

Moderator:
Krišjānis Znotiņš Eleving group

Participants:
CrowdedHero
Venture Faculty
Cambridge Centre for Alternative finance
Creamfinance

13.00

Lunch, networking and digital FinTech
expo

PART III

Regulation and innovations:
opportunities and risks

14.00

New payment
era and blockchain

Mastercard, Binance

14.25

Discussion: FinTech regulation:
global challenges and new opportunities

Moderator:
Marine Krasovska, FCMC

Participants:
Mastercard
Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Austria
Binance
Gravity team

15.10

Coffee, networking and digital FinTech
expo

PART IV

Innovative technologies and talents

15.30

Tech Universe

Accenture

Ieva Ilvesa, Adviser to the President of Latvia for Information and Digital Policy

15.50

Discussion: New competences,
talents and technologies

Moderator:
Ivars Svilāns, LETA

Participants:
Accenture
Dynatech
Twino

Altero

16.50

Closing Remarks & Key Takeaways

PARTNERS