BBVA-backed start-up Holvi will expand its offering to micro businesses in Ireland, Italy, Belgium, France and the Netherlands after reaching a 150,000-customer milestone, reports Jane Connolly of Fintech Futures (Finovate’s sister publication).

Claiming to provide small business banking services for “everyday entrepreneurs”, the Finnish firm has experienced significant growth, particularly since its acquisition by global bank BBVA in 2016.

Holvi has been providing business banking in Germany, Austria and Finland for over three years and has seen year-on-year growth of 60% from 2017 to 2018.

CEO Antti-Jussi Suominen said: “2019 is set to be an exciting year for Holvi. Having become the leading business banking service for micro-entrepreneurs in our home market of Finland, and rapidly growing in Austria and Germany, we are setting our sights on the rest of Europe.”

Holvi caters for customers such as freelancers, small family-run businesses and gig economy workers, through a combination of banking, a Mastercard and smart digital business tools.

The firm is authorized to operate across the European Economic Area (EEA) under the Payment Services Directive by the Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA).

Holvi was founded in 2011. The Helsinki, Finland-based company demonstrated its technology at FinovateEurope 2013, and was acquired by fellow Finovate alum BBVA in 2016.