

Fintech Daydreaming
Pål Krogdahl and Ville Sointu
Between digital native customers demanding instant gratification and the ever increasing amount of regulation, financial institutions are between a rock and a hard place.
The era of the fintech started after the 2008 financial crisis, challenging the status quo. More than a decade later banks haven’t gone anywhere, yet fintech is more relevant than ever.
What happened with all the fintech hopes and dreams?
In this podcast Pål Krogdahl & Ville Sointu pick one topic in every episode and try to look at it through the lens of fintech disruption - or lack thereof.
This is Fintech Daydreaming.
The era of the fintech started after the 2008 financial crisis, challenging the status quo. More than a decade later banks haven’t gone anywhere, yet fintech is more relevant than ever.
What happened with all the fintech hopes and dreams?
In this podcast Pål Krogdahl & Ville Sointu pick one topic in every episode and try to look at it through the lens of fintech disruption - or lack thereof.
This is Fintech Daydreaming.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 15, 2024 • 46min
Card payments and cloud core - game on or game over? | Nordic Fintech Highlights February 2024
Strap in for a fintech merry-go-round with the Fintech Daydreaming squad, where the latest episode cuts through the February frost with hot takes that could melt even the iciest Nordic winter. Janne, Pål, and Ville are at it again, dissecting the month's juiciest fintech drama from the comfort of their virtual studio.
First, Pål waxes poetic about TUUM's latest cash infusion. Because, apparently, what the world needs is yet another cloud banking platform to save us from the tyranny of traditional banking.
Then, Janne gushes over Saxo Bank cozying up to MasterCard like it's the fintech version of a royal wedding. Open banking payments for investment accounts? Groundbreaking, if you've been living under a rock for the past five years.
Ville can't resist joining the hype train, flaunting Enfuce's shiny new e-money license in the UK. Move over, Beatles and fish & chips—there's a new British invasion in town, and it's all about cards - from Finland.
All this boils down to a no-holds-barred brawl over the fate of physical payment cards. Are they destined for the museum, or is there life in the old dog yet? Opinions fly faster than unfriended credit cards, and consensus is as elusive as a fee-free ATM.
If you love your fintech news served with a side of dry Nordic humor and aren't afraid of a little debate, this episode is your spirit animal. Tune in to witness our hosts joust over whether fintech's future is "game on" or "game over" for the humble payment card. Spoiler alert: They agree on nothing.
- Email us on Hello@FintechDaydreaming.com
- Fintech Daydreaming home page - https://www.FintechDaydreaming.com
- Fintech Daydreaming on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FintechDaydream
- Fintech Daydreaming on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-daydreaming
- Pål Krogdahl - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/
- Ville Sointu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ville-sointu-54682b/

Mar 1, 2024 • 56min
How to sell to the banks with Ewan MacLeod
Strap in, fintech enthusiasts! This episode of "Fintech Daydreaming" is tailored for every fintech startup wrestling with the age-old dilemma: How do we sell to banks? Whether it's peddling services, cutting-edge technology, or simply trying to get banks to sign you up as a customer, navigating the labyrinth to the decision-makers' hearts (and wallets) in banks is no small feat.
Join your favorite fintech whisperers, Pål Krogdahl and Ville Sointu, as they tackle this behemoth of a question head-on. And who better to guide us through this maze than our good friend and Ville’s former colleague, Ewan MacLeod? Ewan brings to the table a treasure trove of insights, drawing from his rich experience on both sides of the fintech-banking divide.
In this heart-to-heart, Ewan spills the beans on what really gets a bank's attention, the do's and don'ts of fintech pitches, and how to align your shiny fintech solution with the banks' often elusive needs. Expect stories from the trenches, laughter at the absurdities, and, most importantly, actionable wisdom that could very well be the Rosetta Stone for fintechs aiming to make their mark in the banking world.
If you've ever found yourself puzzling over the secret handshake to win over banks, this episode is your not-so-secret map. Tune in, soak up the insights, and get ready to take notes - because "Banking on It" might just be the breakthrough moment your fintech has been waiting for.
- Email us on Hello@FintechDaydreaming.com
- Fintech Daydreaming home page - https://www.FintechDaydreaming.com
- Fintech Daydreaming on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FintechDaydream
- Fintech Daydreaming on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-daydreaming
- Pål Krogdahl - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/
- Ville Sointu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ville-sointu-54682b/

Feb 16, 2024 • 38min
Is the digital lipstick a returning trend? | Nordic Fintech Highlights January 2024
Buckle up, fintech aficionados! Our monthly "Nordic Fintech Highlights" episode has arrived, and it's a whirlwind tour through January's most electrifying developments in the Nordic fintech scene. Our dynamic duo, Pål Krogdahl and Ville Sointu, are joined by the ever-insightful Janne Salminen, the mastermind CEO of Helsinki Fintech Farm and purveyor of many a bad joke, to unpack the juicy details.
First on our agenda, we delve into Danske Bank's latest venture with Backbase—a partnership less about romantic candlelit dinners and more about a dynamic duo set to revolutionize digital banking like never before. But the question lingers: is this a case of too little, too late?
Next, we dart over to Finland, where MobilePay is making a grand re-entrance, poised to sprinkle some magic on mobile payments. It's akin to reconnecting with an old friend who's just got a fabulous new makeover—you just know things are about to get thrilling.
And just when you thought our fintech feast couldn't get any richer, we explore how Januar and Fireblocks are joining forces to create a digital Fort Knox for digital assets. This is the kind of top-tier security that could make even the most skeptical crypto asset manager sleep soundly.
So, if you're in the mood for a hearty serving of fintech fun with a dash of Nordic flair, you've struck gold. Tune in, crank up the volume, and let's navigate the waves of January's fintech frenzy with grins all around.
- Email us on Hello@FintechDaydreaming.com
- Fintech Daydreaming home page - https://www.FintechDaydreaming.com
- Fintech Daydreaming on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FintechDaydream
- Fintech Daydreaming on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-daydreaming
- Pål Krogdahl - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/
- Ville Sointu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ville-sointu-54682b/

Feb 2, 2024 • 55min
Never lose an employee or customer again with Joey Coleman
🌟 Welcome to another episode of Fintech Daydreaming, where we navigate the winds of change in 2024! 🚀 This year like every year for many of us begins with a common theme of renewal and transitions, not just in personal lives but also in professional landscapes. As we've noticed, a significant shift happens every year at this time in job markets and career choices – but what's driving this change?
🔍 A staggering 40% of the global workforce is consistently on the lookout for new opportunities, a statistic that paints a vivid picture of the current employment climate. While this level of employee turnover challenges employers' desire for stability, it also opens up a conversation about the importance of employee experience.
📘 In this episode, we're thrilled to have Joey Coleman, a celebrated user experience specialist and the author of “How to Never Lose a Customer Again.” Joey brings his expertise to a new dimension in his latest book, “How to Never Lose an Employee Again.” This thought-provoking publication serves as the foundation of our discussion, providing rich insights into the world of employee experience.
🎧 Join us as we delve into Joey's profound understanding of user experience and its far-reaching impacts – insights so powerful, they might even save your marriage (watch out for his next book, you heard it on Fintech Daydreaming first 😉)! This episode is packed with intriguing ideas and strategies that will transform how you view employee engagement in the fintech sector and beyond.
👉 Tune in now to discover the secrets to retaining top talent and fostering a thriving workplace environment in this ever-evolving industry. Don't miss this casual and fun conversation on Fintech Daydreaming!
- Email us on Hello@FintechDaydreaming.com
- Fintech Daydreaming home page - https://www.FintechDaydreaming.com
- Fintech Daydreaming on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FintechDaydream
- Fintech Daydreaming on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-daydreaming
- Pål Krogdahl - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/
- Ville Sointu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ville-sointu-54682b/

Jan 18, 2024 • 50min
Nordic Fintech closed 2023 on a high | Nordic Fintech Highlights December 2023
Welcome to 2024 – a year promising fresh innovation and excitement in the fintech world! 🎉 We're thrilled to launch the new season of Fintech Daydreaming, and what better way to start than with a Nordic Fintech Highlights special, in collaboration with our good friends at Helsinki Fintech Farm?
📈 December 2023 was nothing short of extraordinary in the Nordics' fintech scene, brimming with interesting news and developments. With so many significant stories, it was a challenge to pick just a few, but here's a sneak peek of what we've covered:
🦄 ePassi's Milestone: ePassi's valuation has skyrocketed to a staggering one billion euros, marking its entry into the elite unicorn club.
🚗 Klarna's drive-now-pay-later move: Klarna extending its Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services to car rentals. Discover how this expansion is set to impact the automotive rental industry.
🤝 OP and Nordea's Joint Venture: Witness the future of instant payments in Finland, as OP and Nordea join forces in a joint venture, paving the way for seamless financial transactions and e-invoicing.
🔗 Keen to dive deeper? You'll find the complete December Nordic Fintech Highlights, along with a subscription link, at Helsinki Fintech Farm's Newsletter page - https://www.helsinkifintech.fi/news/nordic-fintech-highlights-december-2023/
- Email us on Hello@FintechDaydreaming.com
- Fintech Daydreaming home page - https://www.FintechDaydreaming.com
- Fintech Daydreaming on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FintechDaydream
- Fintech Daydreaming on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-daydreaming
- Pål Krogdahl - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/
- Ville Sointu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ville-sointu-54682b/

Dec 22, 2023 • 36min
Season End and Christmas Special
Many things are getting wrapped this Christmas week and one of them is season eight of Fintech Daydreaming. In our traditional end of season episode Pål and Ville reflect on season eight highlights and main takeaways from what we learned in 2023 overall.
As we look forward to 2024, questions are abound: Will the new year be a mere repeat of its predecessor, or are we going to see new themes in the fintech landscape? In this episode we take a swing at some predictions, but we're eager to hear yours. Tune in, join the conversation, and share your thoughts on what 2024 might hold for fintech, as well as who you'd like to see as a guest in the upcoming season.
Wishing all our listeners a joyous holiday season filled with wonder and inspiration. Happy Holidays from the Fintech Daydreaming team! 🎄💫🎆
- Email us on Hello@FintechDaydreaming.com
- Fintech Daydreaming home page - https://www.FintechDaydreaming.com
- Fintech Daydreaming on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FintechDaydream
- Fintech Daydreaming on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-daydreaming
- Pål Krogdahl - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/
- Ville Sointu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ville-sointu-54682b/

Dec 7, 2023 • 42min
Fintech is getting slushy in the Nordic | Nordic Fintech Highlights November 2023
The holiday season is almost upon us, but that doesn’t mean that the world of Nordic fintech is slowing down - quite the opposite! The Slush conference swept through Helsinki just recently and with it came a lot of fintech goodness for us to discuss in this month’s edition of Nordic Fintech Highlights in collaboration with Helsinki Fintech Farm.
Stories we covered in this episode:
Enfuce secures a new round of funding
Tink partners with Savings Bank Group
Bank of Lithuania reveals five year strategy to become a leading country in fintech
- Email us on Hello@FintechDaydreaming.com
- Fintech Daydreaming home page - https://www.FintechDaydreaming.com
- Fintech Daydreaming on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FintechDaydream
- Fintech Daydreaming on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-daydreaming
- Pål Krogdahl - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/
- Ville Sointu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ville-sointu-54682b/

Nov 24, 2023 • 54min
Unbundling the platform revolution with Sangeet Paul Choudary
In this episode of the Fintech Daydreaming podcast, co-hosts Ville and Pål are thrilled to host a distinguished guest, best-selling author Sangeet Paul Choudary, the insightful mind behind the book "Platform Revolution." Sangeet joins the conversation to delve into the seismic shifts that platform business models are inducing across the financial sector.
In the conversation, Sangeet identifies a compelling pattern in the global economy: a cycle of digitalization that alternates between the unbundling and rebundling of services and industries. He sheds light on the critical role that platforms play in this dynamic, serving as orchestrators and connectors in an increasingly digitally-converged world.
We know you never want to miss an episode of Fintech Daydreaming, but this is guaranteed to be the one episode of Fintech Daydreaming you won't want to miss.
Listeners eager to dive deeper into Sangeet's thought leadership or wishing to connect with him can explore his body of work and reach out through the following channels:
- Uncover insights and strategies on Platform Thinking Labs: https://platformthinkinglabs.com/
- Subscribe to thought-provoking analyses at Platforms Newsletter: https://platforms.substack.com/
- Connect with Sangeet on a professional level via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sangeetpaul/
- Email us on Hello@FintechDaydreaming.com
- Fintech Daydreaming home page - https://www.FintechDaydreaming.com
- Fintech Daydreaming on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FintechDaydream
- Fintech Daydreaming on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-daydreaming
- Pål Krogdahl - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/
- Ville Sointu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ville-sointu-54682b/

Nov 9, 2023 • 41min
From Hard Cash to Digital Cash and the future of Payments | Nordic Fintech Highlights October 2023
In this engaging second episode of our collaboration with Helsinki Fintech Farm, we journey once more through the bustling Nordic fintech landscape.
Though payments and venture funding may appear routine, the Nordic fintech sector always keeps us on our toes. This time around, we delve into the pivotal role of national infrastructure in fostering fintech adoption, and explore the impact of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) in our daily lives, probing their actual relevance.
And fear not, our tradition of sharing a humorously bad joke continues in this episode, keeping the narrative lively and amusing. Will the joke be exceptionally bad this time? Tune in to find out!
- Email us on Hello@FintechDaydreaming.com
- Fintech Daydreaming home page - https://www.FintechDaydreaming.com
- Fintech Daydreaming on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FintechDaydream
- Fintech Daydreaming on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-daydreaming
- Pål Krogdahl - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/
- Ville Sointu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ville-sointu-54682b/

Oct 27, 2023 • 49min
Beyond Banking with Paul Staples
If embedded banking and finance are the future of financial institutions, will the role of banks become more critical, less significant, or simply transform? Paul Staples, Head of Corporate Embedded Banking at ClearBank, joins hosts Pål Krogdahl and Ville Sointu to delve into the shifting role of banks within digital ecosystems and its long-term implications.
From atrocious quantum jokes to insights on machine-to-machine payments, this episode is a must-listen, even if you believe you've already mastered the intricacies of embedded finance.
- Email us on Hello@FintechDaydreaming.com
- Fintech Daydreaming home page - https://www.FintechDaydreaming.com
- Fintech Daydreaming on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FintechDaydream
- Fintech Daydreaming on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-daydreaming
- Pål Krogdahl - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/
- Ville Sointu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ville-sointu-54682b/