Tatra banka Introduces Unique Scout Program for New Innovations

Autor: Simona Miklošovičová, spokesperson | 07.05.2025 | 2 min. reading

Tatra banka as the innovation leader has launched a innovation program entitled the Global FinTech Scout Program in cooperation with RBI Group. At a global level, this is an exceptional approach to contemporary trends in innovations, banking, fintech and technologies. The aim is to develop a community of experts in global fintech hubs where the future of financial services is created.

From New York to Singapore

The idea behind the program was a question how banks can respond to the changing world. Studies suggest that by 2030, fintech will form 15 % of the global bank revenues, which is more than a five-fold increase compared to today. Fintech is changing and will continue to change the world and character of banking.

Therefore, Tatra banka has decided to create an innovative approach how to stay on the pulse of the day with the latest fintech trends. The program with a unique format from a global perspective, builds a community of experts – “scouts” in global fintech hubs where the future of financial services is created. Fintech scouts are active in towns where the latest innovations are born: New York, London and New Delhi. Their task is to map bank, fintech and innovation trends for the bank and to search for interesting startups, which could be an inspiration.

4 Fintech Scouts for Tatra banka

The scout section process for Tatra banka began last summer. 4 experts out of 56 candidates were selected:

Akshat Mittal, “General Manager of Core Payments“ in Revolute has been leading the expansion of the global payment infrastructure. He was the “Head of Growth” in Plantix before and has experiences also from the Boston Consulting Group. He enriches the program with trends from the field of stablecoins, digital assets and experiences from a neobank.
Stephanie Rieben is CEO and co-founder of Diadem Capital with a 10-year career on Wall Street. Stephanie brings insights into fintech startups in the USA and venture capital.
Aditi Subbarao, “Global Financial Services Lead” in Instabase with over 16 years of experience in banking (Deutsche Bank, Barclays Capital) and technologies. She enriches the program with AI topics but also with other areas such as digital assets.
Varija Raj, “Product Manager” in Lendable startup with 11 years of experience in eCommerce, payments and credit sector. She focuses on the embedded finance and has equally extensive experience in the field of financial wellness.

The Fintech Scout Program was introduced for the first time during a series of mini events entitled the CEE Roadshow in the beginning of April in Vienna, Bratislava and Prague. Scouts Aditi Subbarao, Varija Raj and Akshat Mittal attended the shows in person. They also shared with the startup and venture capital community the latest trends in innovations, fintech and banking from the global hubs in which they are active.

“Our aim in terms of the CEE Roadshow was not only to share inspirations via fintech scouts but most of all, push the boundaries of our ecosystem and contribute to innovations in the region,” adds Mária Hatalová, Head of Innovations Department.

The bank intends to expand the team of scouts from other locations, for instance experts from the CEE region (Central & Eastern Europe), Singapore, San Francisco or even from Africa.

“We see that fintech changes and will change the world of banking in the future. This program helps us build a community of fintech scouts in the global fintech hubs, who are our extended arm directly at the places where innovations are happening. The CEE Roadshow marked the beginning of our journey and we are looking forward to what comes next,” concludes Ms. Hatalová.

Simona Miklošovičová, Spokeperson, [email protected], 0903 641 846