Tell us about RiseUp
RiseUp helps financial institutions increase AUM, deposits and customer engagement by improving their customers’ disposable income, through AI-powered insights, based on open banking data. With a dual revenue model from financial institutions and customer subscriptions, our platform creates a win-win ecosystem.
We align financial institutions looking to improve their business KPIs with customers looking to take control of their financial future.
How did you come up with the idea for the company?
The idea for RiseUp emerged from a shared desire between my co-founders and me, to create a company that combined purpose with profit. We began by engaging in deep conversations with people from all walks of life to understand where we can make an impact, and it quickly became apparent that financial stress was a constant challenge for many.
From my experience at Klarna, I saw the power of using personalised data to enhance financial experiences, but most tools out there were impersonal and didn’t prioritise user wellbeing. So, we created a service that simplifies finance, personalises experience, and puts wellbeing at the forefront by helping people feel more in control of their financial future. We based our go-to-market strategy on partnerships, inspired partly by Klarna’s growth through close merchants’ relationships.
More from Interviews
- Combatting Cyberthreats: Meet James Griffin, CEO of CyberSentriq
- Building An SEO Team In 2025: Interview With Sean Garland, SEO Lead At Sierra Six
- OSCAR’s CEO, João Marques: “OSCAR Turns Home Emergency Headaches Into Half-Hour Fixes”
- Cassi Welling, MD at constellr: Checking Planet Earth’s Temperature
- Jonathan Barrett, CEO at Kallikor: Allowing Supply Chain Leaders To Simulate Future Operations
- Furkat Kasimov, SaaS66 Judge, Tells Us What He Wants To See From Entrants
- Sunil Dua, SaaS66 Judge, Tells Us What He Wants To See From Entrants
- Stephan Wiesener, Founder at Apaleo: Building The Industry’s Most Flexible Property Management Platform
What is your advice to aspiring entrepreneurs?
The people you surround yourself with are everything. When I first met my co-founders, it happened organically, but I now realise how crucial that decision was. Building a business is a team effort, and the success of the company depends on the strength of your partnership.
You need to ensure you’re all on the same page when it comes to values and vision. Early on, we dedicated time to exploring what we wanted to stand for as a company, and that forms the foundation of everything we’ve built together.
You would be surprised how closely our seed investors’ pitch mirrored the business we’ve become today. Just as we’ve stayed focused on our mission, our investors have played a key role in guiding and supporting us. Choosing the right investors is almost as crucial as building the right founding team.
What most excites you about RiseUp?
My professional passion is the intersection between human behaviour, money and AI. I am excited by our growing ability to use cutting-edge AI to improve people’s financial wellbeing whilst helping financial institutions enhance their customer engagement. By partnering with financial institutions, RiseUp creates a seamless B2B2C model that enhances customer engagement while driving better financial outcomes. I feel I am positioned to fulfil my personal purpose and passion at a huge global scale, this is truly exciting!
How has the company evolved over the last couple of years?
RiseUp has evolved from a simple WhatsApp service into a full-featured financial wellbeing platform, driven by customer needs and cutting-edge AI. As we’ve grown, we’ve expanded our focus to partner with financial institutions and open banking platforms, leveraging unique data to improve financial outcomes.
While our technology has advanced, our mission remains the same, putting customer value first and making financial wellness accessible and impactful for everyone.
What can we hope to see from RiseUp in the future?
At RiseUp, AI is at the heart of everything we do. As customer behaviour creates unique data, we use that data to refine and personalise every experience, creating a positive feedback loop. The more we serve our customers and partners, the better the data becomes, which in turn improves the user experience even further.
This compounding advantage allows us to deliver smarter recommendations, driving better financial outcomes for everyone involved. As we scale, this feedback loop will only accelerate, enabling us to provide deeper insights and greater value for customers and partners.
