How do FinTech Providers Create New Products for the Financial Inclusion of Small and Medium Enterprises?

Abstrakt

With the rapid development of technology, the increasing efforts to boost the economy through supporting small and medium enterprises and the urgent need to include more and more people into the financial sphere, FinTech solutions rose as potential answers. The aim of this master thesis is to address the question of how FinTech providers create new products for the financial inclusion of small and medium enterprises. Through an extensive literature review as well as empirical data collection through 15 interviews in Australia and Brazil, several findings were derived. First, FinTech providers should address the target group of traditional SMEs correctly, consider the combination of self-service and personal interaction and provide a high-quality, tailored “one-stop shop” for SMEs. In addition, trust in institutions and formality needs to be investigated sufficiently and simple, easy-to-use products should be created in order to address the lack of previous financial knowledge. Finally, this research contributes to the existing academic discourse by highlighting underrepresented empirical highlights in the areas of tailored product portfolios, transparency, the speed of service provision and the timing of introducing financial education