Reinventing financial services for SMEs: Banca AideXa

We often read that the offers of traditional banks are not adapted enough to SMEs. So, we set out to discover new players dedicated to SMEs. Federico Sforza, CEO of Banca AideXa, gives us his point of view and shares with us what Banca AideXa offers its customers.


In which countries do you operate and how do you perceive the banking offer to SMEs there? In your opinion, does the offer from existing financial institutions meet the needs of SMEs?

Banca AideXa was founded in 2020 with the aim of providing a concrete response to the needs of Italian SMEs with an offering that was previously missing from the market. Banca AideXa is the first fintech bank in Italy with a full banking license created to serve specifically the SME segment. The SME segment was and still is currently poorly served by the banking industry, despite contributing significantly to the country's productivity growth. In fact, small businesses are the backbone of the Italian economy and are the main creators of new jobs and development: 50% of GDP is made up of small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. It's the largest SME market in Europe (source: OECD, European Commission - Reports SME Cerved 2020). 

Entrepreneurs have very specific financial needs: 42% of small business owners expect efficient and fast financial services and more than a third want transparency and simplicity (source: GFK focus group). Banca AideXa operates in Italy with the goal of providing Italian businesses with secure and fast access to credit, thanks to the use of technology and digital channels