And while the challenges to creating these platforms may be steep, Andrej Hano, Co-Founder at Birdwingo, is leading the charge.
He joins the show to discuss the biggest investing hurdles for young Europeans and how his company is solving the problem.
In this fascinating episode, we’ll discuss:
- Why has it taken so long for founders to build into the European investment industry
- How Birdwingo is prioritizing customer experience & building brand trust
- Helping new European investors enter the market
Ready to learn more about Andrej and how he’s building the next great social Fintech brand? Let’s dive in!
“Young investors want to be consuming the service in a way that they are consuming other services.” — Andrej Hano
Background and Birdwingo
An energetic young entrepreneur with a strong background in strategy consulting, Birdwingo isn’t Andrej’s first foray into being a co-founder — he helped launch the nonprofit Pre Stredoškolákov in Bratislava in 2012.
He’s lived and worked in London, Germany, and the Netherlands, and speaks fluent Slovak, English, and Czech, with impressive proficiency in German and Spanish.
Andrej also holds a BSc in Political Economy from the UK’s prestigious King’s College, and an MSc in International Management from Utrecht University.
A new option for the underserved
As a European resident, he saw first-hand that “people were often paying hefty fees to these dodgy legacy stockbrokers where they had no idea what they were paying for. The service was very clunky.”
These millions of aspiring investors deserve a chance to improve their financial lives without being taken advantage of.
The US has had low-cost investment apps for years. What’s been the hold up in this market?
“In Europe,” Andrej points out, “the markets are a bit fragmented.” The massive infrastructure enjoyed in the States just didn’t exist in that area yet — but thankfully, the frameworks are now in place and the time is right.
“We are not charging fees for executing trades or charging a withdrawal fee. We want to make the pricing very transparent.” — Andrej Hano
Building a brand relationship
As most marketing pros would say, attracting the younger demographic offers its own unique challenges.
In Central and Eastern Europe, residents in this age bracket are hungry to invest. They yearn to create financial stability for their families.
Inflation. Climate change. War. Pandemic. With so much uncertainty today, people want to keep their assets safe. They “really want to find something they believe is secure,” as Andrej notes.
Andrej and Birdwingo aim to make investing safe, fun and socially connected. Another important feature of the app is the education aspect. Creating savvy investors only leads to more growth.
Partnerships and the customer experience
To maximize Birdwingo’s true potential, Andrej and his team are seeking partnerships with companies that will enable them to release a full product suite and offer a complete, end-to-end customer experience.
Along with Currencycloud, they want to work with other trusted partners in infrastructure and on the brokerage side, freeing the organization to focus on their target customers.
Having grown up online, these users have no desire to go back to the old way of doing things. They want transparency. They want information, choices, and the chance to invest in upstanding sustainable businesses.
“We want to be the go-to place for people to invest in Europe.“ — Andrej Hano
Informed decisions
Birdwingo is reaching out to entry-level investors and is committed to effortless and crystal-clear transactions. It’s absolutely vital that they cultivate trust and help their users support the companies that reflect their values.
Even in this digital age, it can be hard to find accurate information. Andrej wants his customers to have everything they need in this all-in-one investing app.
He’s dedicated to promoting companies that are doing something good for the world.
Affordable functionality
As part of his commitment to financial equality, Andrej will offer both a completely free service for the beginner and a paid premium account for the more seasoned investor.
Getting folks comfortable with investing is the goal, as well as providing a seamless and enjoyable customer experience.
Only 15% of Central and Eastern Europeans have a portfolio, while over half of Westerners do.
An easy-to-use and secure app will go a long way toward equalizing those numbers for not just Millennials, but investors of all ages.
Everyone deserves a trustworthy investment partner. With their customer-centric approach and a steady increase in innovative features, Birdwingo is building more than a multinational investment application — they’re also creating a supportive global community.
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Until next time!
