Hipay is a global payment provider. Thanks to its solutions, e-commerce and retailers can give their users the possibility to pay using their preferred payment method and local currency. There are two solutions linked to the main platform Hipay Enterprise: the Business Intelligence and the HiPay Sentinel. The first allows marketing teams to do an in-depth analysis of payment data. The second one is the anti-fraud tool, native of the Hipay Enterprise payment platform and very useful for managing risky transactions.

“With Hipay – explains Senior Head of Italy Paola Trecarichi – those who are part of the world of e-commerce, and want to open up to the international market instead of making integrations and contracts with many payment providers, can use our payment gateway that allows offering local solutions with one single integration and one single contract.

HiPay closed 2018 with +30% of managed transactions. “We have had more than 1,200 new merchants and 116 Key accounts. Our currents merchants have also grown by 19% in terms of volume compared to the previous year,” says Trecarichi, pointing out that the world of e-commerce is moving towards innovation and digital payment methods both of which are growing in Italy and Europe.

HiPay is a French company, its headquarters is in Paris and has 220 employees. The technical part is in Nantes. There are also many commercial offices in Europe, especially in Portugal, Belgium and Italy where there is a team of 7 people. HiPay is a European platform but the solutions are worldwide because they help European merchants to sell on the international market thanks to the payment methods it has integrated. China is also included since HiPay has recently integrated the payment methods of that country such as China UnionPay, WeChat and Alipay.

In the summer, HiPay joined the Fintech District, because it considers it “a gateway to the Italian market (and) one of the opportunities Italy offers”. It sees in the community “the possibility of exchanging knowledge and skills. “We think we can give our contribution and also learn from the companies that are part of this ecosystem. In Italy the fintech world is in its early stages and HiPay is part of this beginning”.

The next important event in which HiPay will take part in is Salone dei Pagamenti. “We also attended it last year, together with Fintech District – recalls Trecarichi – and we will show our technological innovations, hope to meet other people in the sector and understand what will be the future trends and what market demands”.

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One of the three protagonists during the spring appointment of House of Genius was EuroPass, a startup of our community that now has 108 fintechs. EuroPass is both a digital communication agency and a payment solution provider able to define and set up your marketing and communication strategy targeting Chinese FIT.

As foreseen by this international format Fintech District brought to Italy, Paola Pacchiana, business developer at Europass, illustrated to the guests the activity of the startup asking for advice on a specific key problem. Let’s hear what her advice is and what Europass has on hold for the future

Why did you decide to take part in House of Genius? What attracted you?

First of all, I was attracted by the original format that makes it possible to analyze a startup with no “preconceived notions” and without knowing what work everyone does. This freedom allows you to analyze problems in a freer and open way.

How will the Genius’ advice help you? Will you apply any of it?

Of course, many have advised me to focus on one area first rather than on many, and I believe I will apply this advice decisively.

How is Europass doing today in Italy and Europe?

It’s growing very fast and in a positive way. We are expanding into new markets such as Eastern Europe, where Chinese tourists are starting to go and need to feel welcomed as if they were at home. In Italy, we have developed many new partnerships, especially in Milan with Where magazine, which allows us to have very strong visibility on our flagship product, the mini-program WeChat Travel Experience on WeChat.

In Paris, metro tickets are paid for with WeChat thanks to Europass. What does this goal mean for you?

We are extremely proud to have been able to bring WeChat technology into the common domain of buying a metro ticket. This brings Chinese travellers even closer to the city… Paris was the first city in the world to do so outside of China!

Could Milan be the next city? What advantages would it bring to users and how would it impact on your business in our country?

It would be great to have Milan and Rome as second and third cities! The advantages for users would be considerable: no more misunderstandings at the counters or problems in understanding where to go and what means of transport to take. They will have everything directly in the app! This would surely consolidate our presence in Italy, not only as a digital marketing company but also as a company offering innovative and dynamic solutions at the service of Chinese users.

Any other news to give us?

Big piece news there has been recently, and that probably has not escaped the notice of many, concerns the tallest building in the world, the Burj Kalifa in Dubai. It lit up with the colours of WeChat for the opening of their mini ticketing program on WeChat… powered by Europass of course!

Read the interview with Paola Pacchiana and watch the video at this link

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Europass is a digital marketing and mobile payment solutions company for Chinese tourists traveling in Italy. “We create official accounts on the main application used by the Chinese, WeChat. At the same time, for luxury brands of tourist attractions, hotels and restaurants, we deal with marketing profiles on the Alipay platform (Alibaba group)” explains Paola Pacchiana, business developer at Europass.

As far as the payment sector is concerned, Europass also offers the two main mobile payment solutions, namely WeChat Pay and Alipay, in one single integrated solution. The goal of this company is to allow a Chinese tourist, traveling in Europe, to find the same digital ecosystem he is used to when in his country.

Pacchiana points out that, in China, the digital ecosystem and mobile payment systems are much more evolved: “the situation there is very different from the European one. In China the two main mobile payment solutions have already replaced not only cash but also credit cards “.

Europass was born in France in 2016 but the Italian branch has been open a few months together with other branches located in other main European countries. There is also a branch in the United States and this company also works a lot in the United Arab Emirates, especially in Dubai. “Our pace of expansion is very high and – Pacchiana comments – we hope to continue the development in other European countries”.

In the coming months, after the WTM in London and the Salone dei Pagamenti, Pacchiana plans to take part in many workshops organized by various Italian regions, as buyers, to meet the different tourist attractions. In recent months, Europass has also joined the Fintech District community with two main objectives. “The first is to interact, collaborate and create partnerships with other startups – explains Pacchiana – the second is to exchange ideas and advice with other members on how to make our business evolve“.

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