Founder Of The Week: Robert Kraal

• Robert Kraal is a highly experienced fintech founder who has built and scaled global payments infrastructure across companies including Worldpay, Google and Adyen, where he served as COO.
• He co-founded Silverflow in 2019 to modernise payments with a cloud-native, data-rich platform that reduces complexity and empowers acquirers, PSPs and fintechs to innovate.
• His work is driven by a deep understanding of how outdated legacy systems limit the industry, and a commitment to building infrastructure that is smarter, more resilient and future-ready.
• As a founder, he values long-term impact over hype, focusing on strategic partnerships, thoughtful leadership and transforming the payments ecosystem rather than simply chasing rapid growth.

Tell Me About Yourself and Silverflow

I’ve spent my career fascinated by how money moves and how we can make it smarter, faster and more resilient. I started out in Geophysics, which might seem an unusual path into payments, but both fields are about complex systems, scale and what happens beneath the surface.
My journey began at Bibit, one of the first global payment service providers, later acquired by Worldpay, where I gained hands-on experience with internet-scale payments.

At Worldpay, I led account management for major international merchants, navigating operational, technical, and regulatory challenges. I then joined Google Netherlands, working on commerce and payment initiatives, and in 2010 became COO at Adyen, building its global acquiring and processing services.

That experience inspired me to co-found Silverflow in 2019 – a cloud-native, data-rich payments platform with a single API connection to card networks. By reducing complexity and cost, Silverflow empowers acquirers, PSPs, and fintechs to innovate. I focus on strategic partnerships and ensuring our technology evolves with the ecosystem, building infrastructure truly fit for the future.

What Inspired You To Start Silverflow, and What Problem Were You Trying To Solve?

What inspired me to start Silverflow was the complexity and inefficiency I saw in the payments industry. Payments power the $18 trillion eCommerce and $32 trillion retail ecosystems, yet so much of it still runs on outdated technology. Legacy systems are functional, yes, but costly, slow to innovate on, and unable to fully leverage the data that drives modern commerce.

I’ve spent my career building and scaling payment infrastructure, and it became clear the industry is stuck between two worlds: entrenched systems that can’t be switched off, and new technologies capable of smarter routing, richer data insights, AI-driven automation and faster innovation – but often unable to integrate seamlessly. The result is massive financial and opportunity costs.

Silverflow was born to bridge that gap. One cloud-native, data-rich platform with a single connection to card networks, designed to reduce complexity and cost while empowering businesses to innovate, scale and delight customers. Modernising payments isn’t just technical, it’s transformative – and that’s what drives me every day.

What Has Been Your Biggest Challenge So Far, and How Did You Overcome It?

One of the biggest challenges so far has been tackling the complexity of modernising payments infrastructure and, equally, educating the sector on why it’s needed. Legacy systems are deeply entrenched. While they work, they carry hidden costs, inefficiencies, and limitations that businesses have long accepted. Convincing the industry that a deep, systematic upgrade is essential, not optional, has been a key challenge.

Overcoming this has required persistence, expertise and collaboration. Drawing on decades of experience, we explain not just the technical issues, but the business opportunities: how smarter, cloud-native systems can reduce costs, improve transaction success, and unlock the potential of payment data.

We take an iterative approach. Silverflow coexists with legacy infrastructure, progressively unlocking capabilities while delivering immediate value. By working closely with clients, partners, and regulators, we show the cost of staying stuck in the past and the benefits of a modernised, future-ready payments ecosystem. Seeing businesses adopt Silverflow and innovate freely makes it clear the industry is ready and it’s incredibly rewarding to help lead that shift.

Can You Describe a Pivotal Moment That Significantly Shaped the Direction of Silverflow?

A pivotal moment that shaped Silverflow’s direction was our decision to expand into the US market. Until then, we had built a strong foundation in Europe, but to truly prove our platform’s capabilities and scale our impact, we needed to enter one of the most mature and competitive payments markets in the world.

The US is highly sophisticated, yet still constrained by legacy systems – the very inefficiencies we aim to solve. Entering this market forced us to refine our value proposition, sharpen our operations, and double down on educating the industry about why a deep, systematic upgrade isn’t optional but essential. Demonstrating modernisation in a market with high expectations and fierce competition was a steep challenge.

We navigated complex regulations, built trust with new partners, and proved that our cloud-native, data-rich platform could deliver alongside entrenched legacy systems. That experience validated our approach, opened strategic opportunities, and reinforced a core lesson: building technology is one thing; helping the industry see why upgrading is critical is another, and it drives everything we do.

How Do You Define Success?

For your business: When I think about the business, success for me is about impact and influence. It’s not just revenue growth or market share, although those matter – it’s about transforming the payments ecosystem, simplifying complexity, and enabling businesses to innovate without being held back by outdated infrastructure. Success is seeing Silverflow adopted by banks, acquirers and PSPs because it genuinely makes their operations smarter, fasterand more efficient. It’s measurable in the value we unlock for clients, the innovations our platform enables, and the way we push the industry forward.

As a founder: As a founder, success is about learning, resilience and building something meaningful with a great team. It’s about taking on big challenges, navigating uncertainty, and seeing the company grow while staying true to the vision we once first set. It’s also personal – the satisfaction of solving real problems, mentoring a talented team and leaving a mark on an industry I care deeply about. If I can combine impact with the joy of creating and leading, that’s a success I can measure every day.

What Advice Would You Give To Someone Thinking About Launching Their Own Startup?

If you’re thinking about launching your own startup, my advice is focus on solving a real problem, not just building a product. The best ideas are born from genuine pain points you’ve seen or experienced – something that makes people say, “Why hasn’t anyone fixed this yet?”

Be prepared for complexity and uncertainty. Startups are a rollercoaster – you’ll face challenges you didn’t anticipate, and you’ll need resilience, patience and adaptability. Surround yourself with a team that complements your strengths, shares your vision and isn’t afraid to challenge you.

Finally, don’t underestimate the importance of educating the market. Even the most transformative technology can fail if people don’t understand why it matters. Take the time to communicate your vision clearly and help others see the value you’re creating.

Launching a startup is difficult, but if you focus on real problems, build the right team, and persist through the tough moments, it’s incredibly rewarding and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

What’s Next for Silverflow? Any Exciting Developments We Should Watch Out For?

What’s next for Silverflow is all about building on the momentum we’ve created in Europe and expanding our presence in the APAC region, where we’re seeing tremendous opportunity. Singapore, in particular, has become a strong hub for us – it’s a market that’s technologically advanced, open to innovation, and deeply engaged in modernising payments infrastructure.

Over the coming months, we’ll be strengthening our partnerships with local banks, acquirers and PSPs, helping them unlock the full potential of their payment data and streamline operations with our cloud-native platform. Beyond APAC, we’re continuing to innovate on the core platform itself making it even easier for businesses to scale, integrate, and leverage real-time insights.

The goal is simple: to make next-generation payment processing accessible everywhere, so businesses can focus on growth, innovation, and delivering great experiences to their customers. There’s a lot in the pipeline, and it’s an exciting time to be shaping the future of payments.

Want to be featured as TechRound’s Founder of the Week? Find out more about this weekly feature and how to get involved here.

Founder’s 5 with Robert Kraal

We wanted to know a bit more about the man behind Silverflow, so we’ve put together the exclusive Founders’ 5 with Robert Kraal.

Favourite business tool

Slack – it keeps our team connected across geographies, ensures fast decision-making without losing momentum.

One lesson you learned the hard way?

The importance of listening before acting. Over time, I realised that patience, empathy, and truly hearing others’ viewpoints are just as critical to success as any plan or strategy. Taking the time to build trust, communicate clearly, and adapt based on feedback makes all the difference – both in leadership and in building strong, lasting relationships.

One future trend you’re watching?

One future trend I’m watching closely is the rise of agentic AI combined with data-driven payments. The next wave of innovation won’t just be about faster transactions – it’s about smarter ones. Platforms that can use AI to act autonomously on real-time data, improving success rates, preventing fraud, and unlocking new revenue opportunities, will define the future of payments.

One quote you live by

“Progress, not perfection.” In complex industries like payments, moving forward consistently – even in small steps – beats waiting for the perfect solution.

One book/podcast you recommend

Our friends at Fintech Insider by 11:FS – an insightful, fast-moving podcast covering trends, challenges, and innovation across fintech and payments globally. A must listen for anyone interested in our world!

Want to be featured as TechRound’s Founder of the Week? Know someone who deserves to be recognised as a founder making waves in the startup landscape? Find out more about this weekly feature and how to get involved here.