Insights
Data Republic website
Published
Share

Member spotlight – Olympus Advisory Services, bridging the gap incumbents innovation

Olympus Advisory Services is an expert consulting bureau in financial services delivering strategic consultancy with a focus on fintech. Specialist in this niche, the organisation supports its clients to optimize their innovation agenda and enhance collaboration with external partners.

Relying on a strong expertise of both legacy industry and fintech start-ups, the collective of independent consultants is bridging the gap between the incumbent players and new innovative entrants. Based on their expertise, the bureau offers its proficiency to help its clients improve their business strategy. They deliver tailored services focusing on three main strands, innovation strategy, corporate venturing and commercial due diligence, targeting financial institutions, payment service providers, investors and other industry stakeholders. Based in the Netherlands, the company works for clients across Western Europe.

Innovation strategy revolves around providing strategic guidelines and new propositions to incumbents, addressing key strategic issues such as core competency area, start-up partnerships and digitization of specific business areas. For instance, the company worked for a central bank to set its overall innovation strategy. They developed their strategic agenda in the country and helped their client to foster innovation by counselling what policies should be implemented to spark innovation in the ecosystem. In another case they advised a large bank looking for a more efficient model to serve small businesses, and provided support in developing an online lending proposition tailored for SMEs.

Within the second strand, Olympus Advisory Services supports incumbents’ engagement with start-ups through corporate venturing. Aligned with innovation strategy, this part of their service is focusing on forming alliances with innovative solutions providers. They provide financial institutions with a selection of the areas incumbents should innovate in as well as what fintech start-ups to partner with. To further its services, the company is providing advice on the planning, execution and a deal support on investments.

The last part of their services, the commercial due diligence, assists large players in the industry and financial investors wishing to invest in smaller innovators. The consulting bureau delivers within this scope market analysis of fintech start-ups, whether early stage or mature organisation, as well as support with the assessment of product, company and financial forecast. Their clients can be banks, private equity or VC.

While there is competition in the market, Olympus Advisory Services’ competitive advantage enables the bureau to be a sharp competitor, through its in-depth expertise on both traditional markets and fintech landscapes, driven by an experience working at both sides. Their expertise is enhanced by a structured top-down approach to solve strategic challenges, tailored to clients’ needs and situation.

Founded in 2017 by Jeroen de Bel, the bureau has for ambition to develop into a consulting firm focused on the key areas highlighted above, the organisation is currently looking for talents to bolster the team.

Jeroen de Bel has been recently collaborating with Holland FinTech by writing comprehensive pieces highlighting key issues in the financial markets, addressing PSD2, how can bank sustain a competitive advantage, and relationships between incumbents and fintech start-ups, to be found hereunder.

The future of banks in the PSD2 era

Fintech start-ups and banks, potentially a win-win relationship

How can bank maintain a competitive advantage?

How can banks turn their competitive advantage into strategy?

Share this Article
Related Insights
Featured
Holland Fintech Digital Transformation Paper 2024
Holland Fintech is proud to present the Digital Transformation Paper 2024. This whitepaper, led by the Holland Fintech working group Digital Transformation in collaboration with Accenture, provides valuable insights into the dynamics and key factors influencing successful collaborations between fintechs and incumbents.
Holland Fintech Pavilion at Money 20/20
Money 20/20 – Join our Pavilion! The Holland Fintech Pavilion offers a unique opportunity to connect with a global audience of fintech professionals. Located at the heart of Money 20/20, the pavilion provides a central hub for networking, collaboration, and exposure.
Amsterdam Fintech Week
Amsterdam FinTech Week is back on 2-4 October 2024! Be a sponsor, co-organizer, or just participate in our community events.

How likely are you to recommend Holland FinTech?