The Spaniard with two startups, a book, awards and 29 years old
Daniel Suero Alonso, a young Andalusian, is considered one of the most reputable critics of traditional banking.
Where did your early interest in finance come from?
It all started at the age of 18 when I began to analyse the commissions of intermediary financial institutions and products such as preference shares, which almost wrecked my family's economy. From that moment until today, my only motivation has been and continues to be to improve the banking system and stand up to these large institutions, developing a banking system for millennials.
Is it easier to start a business in this sector nowadays?
It is incredible how easy it is to start a FinTech business right now. In addition to the support of institutions such as the CNMV, we feel very supported by associations such as AEFI - where Guillermo Vicandi of Bnext leads the vertical of Neo Banco - which is doing a great job as an interlocutor in the new legal framework.
What barriers have you encountered as an entrepreneur in your career?
Mostly legal. They are extremely long processes that can take up to three years, so for a successful FinTech that has a product that the market likes, this lack of agility is a major burden that even generates mistrust among its customers.
Various surveys point to the fact that young entrepreneurship is not really taking off. There is no clear interest in entrepreneurship among the young Spanish population. Why do you think this is?
I could make a detailed analysis on this point but, simplifying my answer, I would basically highlight three aspects: the high cost of entrepreneurship in Spain, the amount of bureaucratic obstacles in terms of paperwork and time when launching any project, and the mentality of a society that continues to place more value on a civil servant's job than on the figure of the entrepreneur.
How would you encourage them and why? How would you convince them that entrepreneurship is a good decision?
I would tell them that FinTech is revolutionising financial services and is a very interesting and promising niche market. There is a growing movement to replace the traditional banking system and the use of technology simplifies relationships, shifting the control of finances from large entities to the user.