Leaving banking to lead a fintech startup

Jessica Sparrfeldt, after two decades in senior positions at major Swedish financial institutions, left the banking world to take on the role of CEO at Flow & Partners, a fintech startup specializing in working capital solutions for rapidly expanding European businesses.

The decision stemmed from a growing frustration with the structural limitations of traditional banks, particularly the difficulty of unlocking liquidity due to excessive reliance on historical data. Sparrfeldt perceived the need for a more future-oriented approach, which she found at Flow & Partners.

Flow & Partners: a new financing model

Flow & Partners operates as a business unit within 0TO9, a European fintech venture builder with the goal of creating 1,000 profitable fintechs by 2045. The startup offers financing solutions based on cash flow and factoring, unlocking capital tied up in receivables, inventory, and payables.

It is estimated that in Europe, approximately €1.4 trillion of working capital remains unused in the 1,000 largest companies, limiting investments, expansion, and acquisitions. Flow & Partners aims to solve this problem by offering an alternative to traditional financing and external investments.

The advantages of a startup environment

Sparrfeldt emphasizes how the startup environment offers significant advantages over large organizations, including faster decision-making, less bureaucracy, and a more direct focus on growth and customers. The ability to build a solution from scratch, without the legacy of pre-existing systems, is another key factor.

0TO9 further facilitates the transition to the startup world by providing licenses for European financial services, allowing its portfolio companies to quickly launch regulated financial products. This significantly reduces the time and costs required to start a new business in the fintech sector.

Overcoming barriers to entrepreneurship

The transition from an established corporate career to a startup involves several challenges, including financial risk, the need to reinvent oneself as an entrepreneur, and concerns related to personal life. 0TO9 seeks to mitigate these barriers by offering transition paths, reducing financial risk, and providing structured support.

Flow & Partners currently operates in Sweden, Norway, Poland, and Germany, with plans to expand into Spain and Italy later this year. Its clients include Onrail, a Norwegian rail infrastructure company that replaces 100,000 truck journeys per year, generating approximately €34 million in annual revenue.