AideXa (pronounced “Idea”) is one of the most innovative neobanks in Italy, leveraging Open Banking and AI to offer fast, accessible credit to SMEs and freelancers. Founded by banking veteran Roberto Nicastro (former UniCredit GM) and a team of fintech engineers, AideXa blends bank-grade compliance with startup agility to address the often-underserved micro-business segment.
We sat down with Roberto Nicastro to learn how AideXa is simplifying SME lending, integrating Open Banking, and positioning itself against traditional banks and neobanks alike.
Who is Roberto Nicastro?
Roberto Nicastro is a seasoned European banker who spent over two decades at UniCredit Group, ultimately serving as Group General Manager. He later worked with the ECB as Chairman of the four “Good Banks” in Italy before co-founding AideXa in 2020 with the mission to build a bank that speaks SME.
Interview
What is AideXa in one line?
A fully digital SME neobank built to provide instant, data-driven financing to Italian small businesses.
Why focus only on SMEs?
Because they are the economic engine of Italy, yet constantly underserved. Traditional banks are too slow, and fintechs often overlook them.
What services do you offer today?
-
Instant business loans
-
Credit lines up to €300,000
-
Business accounts
-
Expense cards
-
Open Banking-based credit scoring
-
Automated cashflow monitoring
Are you a licensed bank?
Yes — AideXa is a licensed Italian credit institution under the supervision of the Bank of Italy.
What is the typical size of your customers?
Micro and small businesses with turnover between €100,000 and €5 million, often with fewer than 10 employees.
How fast can businesses get a loan?
In as little as 48 hours, fully online, thanks to Open Banking data access and machine learning models.
Do you serve freelancers?
Yes — especially those with stable turnover and digital behavior patterns we can analyze through account aggregation.
What differentiates AideXa from traditional banks?
Speed, simplicity, transparency, and no physical paperwork. Everything is 100% digital — from application to disbursement.
What data do you use for scoring?
We use Open Banking APIs, business account data, tax returns, and invoice history to build real-time creditworthiness models.
What’s your approval rate?
Higher than traditional banks, thanks to alternative data. We’re able to say “yes” more often — or give a fast “no” instead of silence.
Is the onboarding fully online?
Yes — business owners can sign up, aggregate their account, and apply for funding from any device.
What’s your average ticket size?
About €60,000, though we finance from €10K to €300K.
Do you offer payment services too?
Yes — we provide IBAN business accounts, cards, and money transfer tools, but our core strength is still lending.
Are you profitable?
We’re not yet profitable, but we are scaling lending volumes rapidly and focusing on automation to drive cost-efficiency.
What’s your current reach?
We are fully operational in Italy and aim to expand to nearby markets such as Spain and Portugal in the coming years.
How does your tech stack look?
Microservices-based, API-first, cloud-native — with real-time decisioning and modular product flows.
What’s on your roadmap for 2025?
-
Embedded lending APIs for platforms
-
BNPL for B2B invoices
-
Expansion to Southern Europe
-
Pre-approved credit lines for e-commerce sellers
Who are your main competitors?
-
Traditional banks like Intesa Sanpaolo
-
Fintech lenders like Credimi or Opyn
-
Horizontal players like Qonto, which offer SME accounts but not deep credit scoring
What’s your long-term vision?
To become the leading SME digital bank in Southern Europe, built around data, speed, and trust.
Related Searches
-
AideXa SME loan Italy
-
Best neobank for Italian small businesses
-
Roberto Nicastro fintech
-
Instant loans for freelancers Italy
-
AideXa vs Credimi
-
SME Open Banking scoring
FAQ
Is AideXa a licensed bank?
Yes — it holds a full credit institution license from the Bank of Italy.
Do you serve new businesses?
Generally, yes — if they have 6–12 months of financial activity and can connect a bank account.
Can I apply with just Open Banking data?
Yes — our model supports fully digital applications using only connected account data.
Is AideXa available outside of Italy?
Currently, only Italian-registered businesses. Expansion is in progress.
Do you charge account fees?
We offer a free tier and paid tiers depending on services used (e.g., card issuance, overdraft, etc.).
Company Services
-
Instant SME loans
-
Business credit lines
-
IBAN business accounts
-
Expense cards
-
Open Banking aggregation
-
Automated scoring and decisioning
-
Real-time onboarding
-
B2B embedded lending APIs (coming soon)
Competitors
-
Credimi – Fast lending, not a bank
-
Opyn – SME platform lender
-
Qonto – Business account, no credit
-
October – SME loan marketplace
-
Banking incumbents – Slow, paper-based, high rejection rates
Product Positioning
AideXa is:
-
Digital-first, credit-focused
-
Serving SMEs and freelancers
-
Bank-licensed, not just a platform
-
Operating in Italy, expanding regionally
-
Built on real-time data, Open Banking, and speed
