APIs, Grit and the Finnish Founder Mindset with Joonas Tomperi from Enable Banking

About this episode

The episode explores the mindset required to build a fintech in a regulated industry, featuring insights from Joonas Tomperi of Enable Banking.

In this episode, Pål and Ville sit down with Joonas Tomperi, CEO and co-founder of Enable Banking — and quickly realise this is less about APIs and more about mindset. Yes, we talk open banking. Yes, PSD2 makes an appearance. But the real story is what it takes to build a fintech in a heavily regulated industry when half the market says “you’re too late” and the other half says “nothing works yet.” Joonas shares: .- Why starting a fintech at 35 (not 22) was a strength, not a weakness .- What it’s like launching into PSD2 when the APIs technically exist… but not really .- How to turn regulatory slowness and pandemic chaos into competitive advantage .- Why Enable Banking chose product over consulting — even when cash flow would have been easier the other way .- The uncomfortable truth about fundraising: it’s basically advanced dating, but with more spreadsheets We also get into founder psychology — risk vs opportunity, when to bring in stronger operators, and why the best CEOs are willing to replace themselves if it’s right for the company. And in true Nordic fashion, we ask the big question: Why doesn’t Finland have five fintech Nokias yet? Along the way, there’s flu, pirate eye…

People in this episode

Hosts: Pål Krogdahl, Ville Sointu

Guest: Joonas Tomperi

Topics covered

• open banking
• founder mindset
• fintech
• regulatory challenges
• fundraising
• Nordic business culture

Keywords

• APIs
• fintech
• founder psychology
• regulatory slowness
• competitive advantage
• fundraising
• Nordic fintech

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Enable Banking, PSD2

Places: Finland

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