startups And Financing
Denisa Lacatus
Simplifying finances: how Bankata empowers users to take control
Denisa Lacatus
Managing finances can be challenging, but Bankata is on a mission to change that. Led by Diana Seredenciuc, CEO, a banking and investment expert with over 15 years of experience at institutions like Erste Group, Citibank, and UniCredit, the platform empowers individuals and SMEs with AI-driven financial products, budgeting tools, and independent reviews, helping users save time and take control of their financial journey.
In this interview, we spoke with Diana about Bankata’s vision, the challenges of the fintech space, and what’s next for the company.
1. What inspired you to create Bankata and what specific financial challenges does it solve?
Having spent over a decade in the European financial sector before moving to Singapore, I witnessed firsthand how limited financial solutions were for the average consumer. Upon returning, I noticed that while the market had evolved rapidly, many customers had been left behind. The sheer complexity of financial products often overwhelms users, leading them to choose services that don’t align with their needs. Bankata was created to bridge this gap—helping consumers navigate the financial landscape with clarity, making informed decisions, and managing their money effortlessly.
2. How does Bankata use AI to personalize financial recommendations?
We’re integrating AI-driven analytics to assess user behavior, spending patterns, and saving habits. By leveraging this data, Bankata will provide highly tailored product recommendations that align with individual financial goals. Our goal is to simplify decision-making while helping users save both time and money by presenting them with the best financial solutions available.
3. What sets Bankata apart in the competitive European fintech market?
Bankata is a fully integrated European solution for budgeting, saving, and investing—bringing together financial planning, automation, and advisory under one roof. Unlike other platforms that focus on single-use cases, we offer a comprehensive ecosystem that helps users take full control of their financial lives.
4. Bankata has gained 350,000+ users and 10,000 app downloads. What factors have driven this early traction?
The strong demand for financial clarity has fueled our rapid growth. Many consumers struggle to understand and compare financial products, leading to frustration and inefficiency. Bankata solves this by providing:
5. You're aiming for 10% market penetration in digital wallets in Central and Eastern Europe. What’s your strategy to achieve this?
To reach 10% market penetration in CEE, we’re focusing on:
Our strategy ensures that Bankata becomes the go-to financial management platform in the region.
6. How does Bankata ensure security and address data privacy challenges?
We run our business in a heavily regulated market, and we rely on the European PSD2 legislation to aggregate and analyze all customer accounts and transactions. PSD2 requires fintechs to be authorised and adhere to a very strict set of guidelines. We use an authorised and well-established 3rd party provider that also works with some of the largest fintechs and neobanks in Europe.
User privacy is our priority. We never share data and only analyze anonymized account and transaction information to enhance user experience without compromising security.
7. What are the next milestones for Bankata?
By the end of 2025, we will launch:
On the financial side, Bankata is set to scale its Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR):
These milestones will solidify Bankata’s position as a leading fintech player in Europe.
8. For investors, why is now the right time to support Bankata?
The fintech sector is undergoing a massive transformation, making it one of the most attractive investment opportunities today. Consumers and businesses are rapidly shifting towards digital banking, payments, and investment solutions. The demand for seamless, mobile-first financial services has never been higher, and fintech companies are at the forefront of this revolution. This is why the global fintech market is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 20% in the coming years. With financial inclusion expanding, digital wallets, robo-advisors, and AI-driven financial services are seeing record adoption rates.
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