Panagiotis Kriaris, Director and Head of Business & Corporate Development at Unzer: The Blueprint for Fintech Partnerships and Sustainable Growth

In this episode of The Scalepoint Podcast, Martin is joined by Panagiotis Kriaris, Director and Head of Business & Corporate Development at Unzer.  We explore:The evolution of fintech partnerships: from competition to collaboration with banksWhy partnerships have become a key accelerator for innovation—and why execution mattersDifferent partnership models: strategic alliances, acquisitions, and standalone digital innovation centresThe shift from high-growth-at-any-cost to sustainable, profitability-focused fintech modelsThe critical role of software in payments, embedded finance, and vertical ecosystemsLessons from the Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) boom—and the new compliance pressures reshaping the modelHow embedded finance and the rise of vertical SaaS are changing SME bankingThe growing importance of data, AI, and platform strategies in financial servicesWhat startups can learn about sustainable growth, pivoting, and building capital-efficient businesses02:17 Understanding FinTech Partnerships05:32 Challenges and Evolution in FinTech11:54 The Role of Software in Financial Services17:08 Banking as a Service: Current Trends and Challenges18:51 Understanding Embedded Finance19:45 The Role of Regulatory Scrutiny20:52 Comparing US and European Regulatory Models22:11 The Rising Cost of Compliance22:22 Fintechs and Compliance Challenges24:37 Emerging Trends in Fintech27:01 Balancing Innovation and Sustainability30:00 Pivoting for Sustainable Growth34:13 AI's Role in Fintech36:18 Conclusion and Final Thoughts