Meet Mantvydas Štareika, the Powerhouse CEO behind CapitalBox.

Mantvydas Štareika is the CEO of European fintech SME lender CapitalBox. The company aims to address the funding gap for startups and SMEs in Europe by providing alternative funding and lending solutions. In the past year, CapitalBox has expanded its operations, opening a new branch in Denmark and hiring a Danish team with experience in that market. Štareika, who has a background in law and previously worked at credit lender Coface, sees the commitment to experiment and innovate in the fintech industry as its greatest strength. However, he is frustrated by the perception that alternative lending is still seen as risky compared to traditional banks. Looking ahead, CapitalBox plans to expand into more markets and provide tailored funding products to SMEs. The key challenges for the fintech industry as a whole include personalization, the use of AI to improve risk assessment and customer service, and the growing popularity of open banking.