Tell us about INSART.
Most fintech startups fail before they even launch. Not because they lack good ideas but because they don’t have the right team, the right execution, or the right strategy.
At INSART, we help fintech startups build, scale, and succeed. Our team combines deep fintech knowledge with lean engineering to create investor-ready products. Digital banking, wealth management, payments—we know the game. To bring even more value to the plate, we streamline deal flow for them through our own trusted investor network, conduct tech due diligence, and provide hands-on coaching to fintech innovators.
How did you come up with the idea for the company?
INSART didn’t just show up. The company has been in the game since 1993 and started with a partnership with IBM. Over time, INSART moved beyond hardware and training into a powerhouse in software development. We built solutions for major players like AdvisorEngine (a subsidiary of Franklin Templeton), Mirador (acquired by iCapital), Salsa Labs backed by Accel-KKR, and others.
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What is your advice to aspiring entrepreneurs?
I spend most of my time working with first-time founders in B2B fintech and see the same patterns over and over again. First of all, most startups fail because they assume instead of asking. Do five, ten, twenty customer interviews. If you can’t clearly define your market’s pain points, you have a hunch, not a business.
Investors aren’t gambling on ideas. They want proof—signed LOIs, pilot agreements, or even early revenue. You don’t need millions in ARR, but if you can show $100K in committed revenue, you’re already ahead of 90% of pre-seed startups. Also, they want to know how you will acquire customers and how much it will cost.
Always communicate your path to an acquisition or IPO clearly, backed by real market precedents. What’s also important is to know your market share, trends and key players. If your TAM (Total Addressable Market) is $10 billion, but your SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market) suggests you’ll realistically capture $10 million in the first three years, they’ll focus on whether that growth is achievable and scalable.
Lastly, I’d recommend mapping out at least three years of financial projections and making sure you have 18+ months of runway post-funding.
What most excites you about INSART?
Working with fintech founders. Simple as that. These are some of the sharpest, most open-minded entrepreneurs out there. They’re pushing boundaries, rethinking finance, and building the future. While helping them scale, I can learn from them and build something bigger than ourselves. This and sharing obtained insights in a number of ways, whether it’s thought leadership articles on fintech platform building tips learned the hard way, hosting a Fintech CTO Podcast, or building a niche WealthTech Club are what keep me excited.
How has the company evolved over the last couple of years?
After years of working with founders, we realized tech was only part of the equation. By 2024, INSART became a full-scale Fintech Business Accelerator with a clear mission: to help fintech founders redefine finance and expand digital freedom. Since then, we’ve helped 20+ fintech companies execute software development strategies, cutting over $30 million in engineering costs and pushing their collective valuation past $100 million. Fintech Startups Demo Days is another activity we run to accelerate fintechs—founders get the expertise, investors get vetted opportunities, and everyone wins.
What can we hope to see from INSART in the future?
Pre-seed and seed rounds are make-or-break moments, and we’re making sure our startups raise money from the right investors, at the right time, on the right terms. More than ever, we’re stepping in as a strategic partner, sharpening fintechs go-to-market strategies, mastering demand generation, and raising capital they need to scale. Also, we plan to double down on AI-driven, cloud-native fintech solutions in 2025.
