Matteo Rizzi
Entrepreneu, Author and Investor
*Fees are a guide only. Exact cost will be dependent on requirements and are subject to change.
About Matteo Rizzi
Matteo Rizzi is an entrepreneur, investor, author and globally recognised voice in FinTech innovation, with more than 20 years of experience shaping the future of financial services. Consistently named among the industry’s most influential figures by publications including Financial News, Forbes and Refinitiv, Matteo is known for connecting the worlds of traditional banking, disruptive technology, venture capital and entrepreneurship.
Matteo began his career at SWIFT, where he spent 13 years working across sales and global account management. In 2008, he co-founded Innotribe, SWIFT’s innovation arm, launching the Innotribe Startup Challenge, the first global FinTech startup competition. During his time there, he also created the Enablers group, a cross-industry think tank focused on strategy and emerging financial trends.
After leaving SWIFT in 2013, Matteo became a Partner at SBT Venture Capital, one of the first venture funds dedicated exclusively to FinTech investments. There, he helped build a portfolio of innovative startups, contributing to more than 20 investments and multiple successful exits. He has since held Venture Partner, advisor and investor roles with a number of leading venture capital and impact investment firms, including Bamboo Capital Partners, NEVA SGR and SG Ventures.
In 2014, Matteo co-founded FinTechStage, now known as FTS Group, a global platform designed to accelerate FinTech innovation through consultancy, research, talent development, startup coaching, content creation and corporate innovation programmes. His work has supported collaboration between startups, financial institutions, investors and technology leaders worldwide.
Alongside his investment and advisory work, Matteo is deeply committed to financial inclusion and entrepreneurship. In 2019, he founded Timepledge.org, a global initiative focused on supporting entrepreneurs and creating opportunities across Africa. Building on that mission, he launched the African Talent Academy in 2025, bringing together the work of FTS Group and Timepledge to help develop the next generation of African innovators and business leaders.
Matteo is also the Executive Producer of Breaking Banks Europe and launched Breaking Banks Africa in 2025, extending the influential podcast franchise’s reach across the continent.
An accomplished author and commentator, Matteo has written two books, The FinTech Revolution and Talents & Rebels, exploring innovation, leadership and the changing landscape of financial services. Fluent in five languages and based in Portugal, Matteo brings a truly international perspective to his work and remains one of the sector’s most connected and forward-thinking voices.
To book Keynote Speaker Matteo Rizzi, contact The Speakers Agency on +44(0)1332 810481 or email enquiries@thespeakersagency.com
UPSKILLING FOR THE GLOBAL DIGITAL ECONOMY
How to build capacity at scale for a rapidly evolving workforce.
With 650 million workers requiring digital training by 2030, the challenge is clear: how do we equip the workforce at a global scale? Traditional models may no longer be sufficient to meet the demands of the digital economy. It’s time to rethink capacity building—focusing on scalable, innovative solutions that empower people and bridge the global skills gap.
INNOVATING THROUGH UNCERTAINTY: FROM INCREMENTAL TO DISRUPTIVE
How an unconventional approach to innovation can save your business from decline.
Idea management, talent integration, and company culture are all parts of a recipe where incremental innovation is one of the outcomes—but often not enough. By embracing a more fundamental and disruptive approach, businesses can better apprehend the unknown and navigate what’s next.
TECH FOR GOOD: PURPOSE-DRIVEN INNOVATION
Technology with a purpose—sustainability, financial inclusion, and impact investing are becoming key factors in the way we do business, regardless of the part of the world we are looking at. What can we learn from the evolution of the emerging markets in terms of technology adoption, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship culture?
RESILIENCE & ANTIFRAGILITY IN THE AGE OF REINVENTION
The world will adapt. The challenge of reinvention, dealing with uncertainty, and the speed of time. Most of the business is facing an unprecedented market disruption, and no one can predict the speed of recovery. Resilient businesses will survive, anti-fragile ones will thrive.
