As a Fintech “ante litteram”, MutuiOnLine on 27 of February, during a visit to Fintech District, met five startups of our community. This was an “open and social way” to “keep our entrepreneurial spirit and our innovation streams alive” as Alessandro Fracassi, CEO and co-founder of the company, explained after the meeting which has taken place in our headquarter located in Copernico for Isola S32. In this interview the CEO of MutuiOnLine tells about the experience and the perspectives and opportunities opened up by this meeting.

How did you find the format of the meeting you attended, organized by Fintech District?

Twenty years ago MutuiOnline was a venture backed startup, who set sail to disrupt the market of credit origination in Italy, by introducing technology in the way mortgages and loans are distributed and in the processes to underwrite them. For all purposes, we were a Fintech “ante litteram”. We need to keep understanding and leveraging the way that technology can transform the way we do business. Exposing our top management to companies that are small but on the leading edge, is key to keep our entrepreneurial spirit and our innovation streams alive. The open and “social” way in which we did this at the Fintech District can be very effective.

In becoming better informed about our startups, what have you found most impressive in their activities and in their way of working?

We were looking for companies using AI and/or blockchains as their innovation engine, and our meeting was right on target. I was impressed not only by the innovation drive but also by the high level of ambition of most of the companies we met.

Would be interested in taking part in any more meetings like this, regularly organized by Fintech District?

As I said, this kind of meetings can be a key “seeding” element of our innovation stream and corporate venture activities. Obviously it cannot be the only element.

From your point of view, what might be in the future the role of Fintech District in the Italian fintech ecosystem?

Successful innovation is not a steady flow. It will always experience moments of acceleration around “catalyst ideas” or “catalyst companies” which will consolidate around them human and financial resources. Other ideas and companies will be left behind or consolidated into the successful stream. It a positive and natural way in which ecosystems evolve. Fintech District can facilitate this process at a local level and give our ecosystem a level of scale that allows its integration in a wider European system.