Building Incard: A banking app designed to include everyone

Caroline Béguin: Was it your first try? Was it the first time you launched your own company?

Soraya Tribouillois: Yes, absolutely. It was my first time. I came from a more corporate background, so launching a business was completely new to me.

Caroline Béguin: How long ago was it?

Soraya Tribouillois: We started Incard in 2021. But honestly, the first year was really about building the business plan, exploring the market, and laying the foundations of the company. We really started in 2022 and launched our beta in 2023.

Caroline Béguin: When you reflect on your career journey, what initially motivated you to pursue this path?

Soraya Tribouillois: I started in investment banking, where I learned structure, rigor, and discipline in a very organized environment. But what I really wanted was to create something from scratch, to build tools that empower entrepreneurs and people more broadly. What keeps me passionate today is that entrepreneurship has become very accessible. Today, if you are determined, if you have a passion or a talent, you can build a business. There are tools like Shopify, and now Incard, that enable entrepreneurs to do amazing things. Being able to build something that empowers them really motivates me. I love our customer niche.

Caroline Béguin: Were there any moments or decisions that really shaped your career?

Soraya Tribouillois: Definitely. I’d say the moment I met my co-founders. At the time, they were running a SaaS media agency and helping thousands of founders. Through them, I discovered this niche and this segment. I was used to working with very large companies, venture-backed businesses or publicly listed companies. Then I discovered smaller digital businesses creating nine-figure brands and becoming incredibly successful. Getting to know this customer niche made it obvious that I wanted to grow in this industry. I think it is very powerful that these types of creators and entrepreneurs can change tomorrow’s world, including the way we consume. So yes, discovering the digital economy and the digital world was a key moment for me.

Caroline Béguin: Talking about that, I want to know more about Incard. Can you tell me more about Incard’s activities?

Soraya Tribouillois: Absolutely. Incard is a next-generation business banking platform for digital entrepreneurs. It comes with vertical integrations and add-on features available through an app store. The idea is simple: entrepreneurs need to centralize their financial data and their entire e-commerce stack in one place. On top of that, we give them a suite of industry-specific features to help them grow and scale their business faster. There are many different types of digital businesses: e-commerce companies, agencies, marketplaces, and others. They all have different workflows and different needs. What we offer is a tailor-made platform built for their business. It is no longer the old way of thinking about banks, where one bank fits all. The bank needs to adapt to the needs of its clients. That is really our vision.

Caroline Béguin: Why did you choose to focus on next-generation clients?

Soraya Tribouillois: I think these clients were not covered enough by existing solutions. They have many pain points because they need to juggle multiple banks, payment processors, SaaS tools, social media accounts, and other platforms. Their data is everywhere. I believe they are the future of our world, and at the same time, traditional banks do not really understand them. So it was key for us to build something tailor-made for them. I trust the creativity of smaller brands — not necessarily very small businesses, but not the large companies we usually have in mind when we think about consumption. These digital entrepreneurs are building the next generation of brands.

Caroline Béguin: That’s interesting because when I looked at your platform, I noticed your catchphrase: “Say goodbye to banks that don’t get you.” Why did you choose this tone, with a touch of humor, to address your clients?

Soraya Tribouillois: When we started Incard, we spoke with a lot of these customers. Their financial experience was really poor. They struggle not only with the lack of integrations and visibility, but also with blocked accounts or accounts being temporarily frozen without clear justification. It is hard for them to navigate the banking world because banks often do not understand what they do. At Incard, because we have many integrations, we can better understand the entire client journey and know what is legitimate and what is not. When we ask questions about their business, we understand their business model, so we do not ask questions that are completely out of scope. Physical businesses, such as bakeries, are well covered today. Very large businesses are also well covered. But the digital economy is not covered enough. And because there is so much data available, we need to leverage it to offer something better. The next step is enabling these clients to customize their experience according to their specific needs. Digital businesses are a very broad category. If you run an e-commerce company, an agency, or a marketplace, you do not have the same needs. So you should be able to customize your bank depending on what you really need.

Caroline Béguin: You also said that this type of client does not necessarily go on LinkedIn. They go on Instagram. So you also need a different marketing approach to communicate with them.

Soraya Tribouillois: Exactly. We are B2B, but sometimes we also have a B2C approach in the way we target them. These businesses often have lean but very powerful teams. It is often the founders who make decisions and embody the brand. So you need to address these clients where they are, and where they communicate with their own clients. It is not a traditional corporate world where you only find your clients on LinkedIn. I am more likely to see our clients on Instagram, X, Discord, or other channels. Another important point is that our clients are very community-driven. It is powerful to see how online businesses collaborate, communicate, go to events, and get motivated by like-minded people. You will often find them in communities rather than on LinkedIn. That is very interesting as well.

Caroline Béguin: You were talking about the pain points your clients face. How does your company solve them?

Soraya Tribouillois: Entrepreneurs today juggle too many tools: payment processors, banking platforms, SaaS tools, CMS, Shopify accounts, Instagram accounts, and more. What we do is move them from a fragmented view to a unified view. We are building a financial operating system. It is more than a banking platform. It is an operating system that centralizes their entire income stack and powers it with industry-specific tools, such as the add-on features that can be added to an account. This gives them a tailor-made account that fits their needs and provides visibility at all times across their business. Not only finance, but also performance. They can see their revenue, their ad account performance, campaign results, and more. It becomes the powerhouse to run their business.

Caroline Béguin: That is how you solve your clients’ issues. But the financial sector itself faces significant obstacles. What are the challenges impacting your profession today?

Soraya Tribouillois: The biggest challenges are legacy systems and complex regulation. Banking is very hard to navigate, especially for a new company. But that is also where the opportunity is. The biggest challenge is making finance simple. We need to leverage the tools and assets we have, such as data, to make finance more automated, more compliant, and still very simple. I think we now have the opportunity to rethink the entire banking system and build the future of banking. And that comes from tech. I am convinced that tech is the future of banking. The more we incorporate it into today’s world, the more we can overcome the pain points in the industry.

Caroline Béguin: On a more personal note, what is one challenge that you and your co-founders faced along the way, and what did it teach you?

Soraya Tribouillois: Fintech and tech in general are amazing. There are truly innovative fintechs, but there are also so-called fintechs that are not really tech companies. What is very important is to navigate this landscape carefully and make sure you are building on the right side of innovation. When we first started, we were speaking with a potential partner during a demo. There was an odd flow being shown, so I asked how it actually worked. The person told me: “You know, fintech is fake. It’s just about putting buttons on a screen and having people behind them pretending it is automated.” That was obviously a huge red flag. So my point is that you need to pay attention to your environment, who you work with, and make sure you are actually building something innovative. You should not just reinvent the wheel or pretend that you are building something.

Caroline Béguin: That makes me wonder about the story of how it all started. Can you share it with me?

Soraya Tribouillois: I met my co-founders a long time ago. Théo Cesarini, Matteo Martino, and I were at university together, and I have known Matteo since primary school. So we have known each other for a very long time. We met Liam, our CTO, in London when we started brainstorming about the business. It was a group of very motivated people with big dreams, and then step by step, we built the team. Théo, Matteo, and I are French, but everybody else in the team comes from different parts of the world, which makes it amazing. Liam, our fourth co-founder, is from the UK and has an Australian background. He is a very young tech expert and very impressive. He started his first company when he was 16. It is a great story. I think we were very lucky to meet each other, and the rest of the story remains to be written.

Caroline Béguin: You said you were previously in investment banking. How did you manage to start the company while still working there?

Soraya Tribouillois: When I met my co-founders and started working on the idea, I knew this was what I wanted to build. I knew this was where I would be extremely happy and where I could really create an impact. It took some time to make the decision. There is a big difference between the security of having a very good salary, staying in a company where you can grow if you do the job, and leaving everything to start something that may or may not work. During the first six months of thinking about Incard, I was still working in investment banking. I also pitched the project to some of the managing directors at the bank. The fact that they liked the project and wanted to invest in our pre-seed round was very reassuring and helped me make the move. So I decided to leave and fully start at Incard. It was worth it. It is the best decision I have made.

Caroline Béguin: Today, what is new at your company?

Soraya Tribouillois: Q4 2025 is extremely dense and very exciting for us. A lot of things are happening. I hope that by the time this episode is live, everything will have gone as expected. We have just signed our lead investors for our Series A, which is very good news. It will enable us to go much further and give us the means to match our ambitions. The lead investor is also an amazing investment fund, and we are very happy to collaborate with them. We should also receive our EMI license in the UK. Until now, we were operating as an agent, but having our own license changes everything. These are only the beginning of a long list of milestones we want to achieve, but they are already very big steps. The entire team is excited, we are growing, and a lot of great things are happening at the end of the year.

Caroline Béguin: What are your ambitions for the future of the company?

Soraya Tribouillois: We want to build a category leader: the first financial operating system for the digital economy.

Caroline Béguin: That is an ambitious goal. What steps are you taking now to position your company as the first financial OS for the digital economy?

Soraya Tribouillois: It is a long journey. We need to enter different markets. The UK is now ticked. The next step is the EU. Even though we are already available in the EU today, we want to get our own licenses to have more control and scale further in the region. That will be for early next year. After that, the next step will be the US. On the product side, we have a very strong roadmap with exciting features that we want to launch in the coming months. We are also growing the team. We already have a very strong team, so having new members join this cohesive group will be very powerful. It is about entering new markets, constantly improving the product, and continuing to build toward that vision.

Caroline Béguin: Do you have any fun, unexpected, or proud moments from along the way?

Soraya Tribouillois: We have a counter in the office that we bought before having a single client. It was very exciting to watch it grow with the first joiners. Most of them are still with us today, which also makes me very proud. Seeing clients on the platform is a proud moment. And getting positive feedback from customers we do not know personally is also very meaningful. It is easy to get feedback from people you have met, but seeing positive reviews on Trustpilot makes us very proud.

Caroline Béguin: You have grown a lot since you started. How many people are you today?

Soraya Tribouillois: We are 20 full-time people in the UK office. Sometimes a bit more, sometimes a bit less, but full-time, we are 20.

Caroline Béguin: How do you approach leadership in such a fast-evolving industry, with all the new trends we are seeing, such as AI?

Soraya Tribouillois: You need to stay very curious and adaptable. Things move extremely fast in fintech. So you need a clear long-term vision, and you need to share it with your team to inspire them and make sure everyone knows where you want to go together. You also need to incorporate innovation, because you cannot just stick to your roadmap and ignore what is happening around you. Otherwise, by the time you deliver, it may already be outdated. But at the same time, you need to make sure you do not fall for every trend. That balance is very important.

Caroline Béguin: Can you tell me one leadership myth you wish people would stop believing?

Soraya Tribouillois: Absolutely. The idea that leaders need to know everything. Leaders do not know everything, and they should not. Otherwise, they would build the company by themselves, and that would not be very interesting. I think leaders need to inspire people and create a space where the whole team feels fulfilled and can do their best. They also need to make people feel inspired enough to follow the mission. At Incard, our team is gold. The cohesion within the team is amazing, and the way people collaborate is very impressive. That is the main strength of the company. It is not about the leaders. Our role is to make sure everyone feels listened to, fulfilled, and able to do their best to reach the company’s goals. It is a long-term vision and a team effort.

Caroline Béguin: Outside of work, do you have any hobbies or interests that influence how you tackle challenges or approach leadership?

Soraya Tribouillois: To be very honest, I would be lying if I said I was doing very amazing things. When you build a company, especially at the beginning, it takes a lot of time and effort, and it is hard to commit to very time-consuming activities. But I am always up for a good yoga, meditation, or Pilates class, as long as it is in an immersive environment where I can disconnect, ground myself, and feel recharged. Building a company is a constant race. You need to make sure you take moments to slow down and be fully present in the journey. Otherwise, you keep jumping from one next step to another: the next fundraiser, the next feature launch, and so on. Taking time to reconnect helps me make sure I am actually living the journey. It is a great journey, and I feel very lucky to experience it.

Caroline Béguin: Diversity is a key value in today’s business landscape. Unfortunately, in tech and finance, women remain underrepresented at the top. What do you believe changes when a woman sits at the decision-making table?

Soraya Tribouillois: When a woman sits at the decision-making table, the center of gravity shifts from consensus to challenge. Not because women are better leaders, but because diversity breaks the patterns of like-minded people. When you have a room full of clones, decisions can be made very quickly because everyone thinks the same way. When you have diversity, you bring different sensitivities, points of view, and experiences. Maybe the decision-making process takes a bit longer, but the decisions are more sustainable and last longer. That is why diversity is so important. It improves the decision-making process.

Caroline Béguin: What advantages do you see in the feminization of the sector?

Soraya Tribouillois: I think the feminization of the sector improves two things: the external message and the internal space. Externally, messages and products become relevant to more people. If you have women in product development or communication teams, they bring their own sensitivities and experiences. That helps deliver messages that reach more people and products that meet the needs of more people. Internally, when women hold decision-making roles, they tend to build spaces that are more inclusive, where other women can feel more welcomed and fulfilled. That is why I believe in the feminization of the sector, not as a slogan or something we simply have to do, but as a performance lever. More inclusivity brings better long-term decisions.

Caroline Béguin: What barriers do women face today?

Soraya Tribouillois: The system was not built for diversity, and it starts very early. By the time young women are old enough to choose a career in tech or finance, they have already received thousands of subtle messages from society telling them they do not belong there. One thing is very interesting. We often tell little girls that the internet is dangerous, while little boys are encouraged to play video games. The connected world can carry risks, but that is true for both girls and boys. It is important to encourage children to explore tech, not because everyone needs to work in tech, but because we should not prevent them from being able to do so later. In Incard’s tech team, and more broadly, many of the strongest developers of my generation had their first experience building mods on Minecraft when they were 12 years old. It starts there.

Caroline Béguin: That is very interesting. I once attended a conference where the speaker, a CTO, explained that before computers became tools for children to play with, they were mainly used by scientists. Back then, there were more women using computers than now. The shift came when toy companies created campaigns aimed at little boys.

Soraya Tribouillois: That is very interesting. Even the name “Game Boy” says a lot. It is for boys, in the name itself. There are many gendered messages like this that create barriers. But I also think we are on a path to solve things. More and more funds are being built around empowering women, such as Sista Fund in France. More and more platforms, such as SheCodes, empower young girls to start coding. That is amazing. The goal is not to have women on one side and men on the other. The goal is to empower women enough so they can be in the room, in a balanced room with men and women together. Women-focused events are not about women speaking only about “women’s things.” They create representation, spread the message, and help women become stronger so that later, everyone can be in the room together. At some point, we will no longer need the idea of “women in tech” as something separate, because the issue will be solved. We will no longer need separate events to create balance in diverse events. I think we will get there.

Caroline Béguin: Do you feel welcome in your own company?

Soraya Tribouillois: Absolutely. At Incard, we have diversity, not because we planned it, but because it happened naturally. Now that the team is growing, we need to make it more concrete. We will not be able to look at every hire ourselves, so diversity needs to become part of the company’s DNA. But it is already the case. The Incard team spans multiple nationalities and has a strong gender balance. I am very proud that it is a safe space.

Caroline Béguin: In your experience, has your perspective as a woman allowed you to approach certain situations differently or bring unique value to leadership?

Soraya Tribouillois: That is a hard question to answer for myself. I think my perspective is driven more by my personality and who I am. But I am able to be who I am and say what I want to say because I am in a company where being a woman is not challenged and does not prevent me from speaking. So I think it is really about welcoming everyone, no matter their gender, origin, or background, and making everyone comfortable enough to speak, participate, challenge ideas, and help make better decisions. I am able to be myself as a woman because I am in a company that appreciates me for who I am.

Caroline Béguin: You said diversity was not implemented, but was there naturally. How does your mission support a more inclusive financial ecosystem?

Soraya Tribouillois: At Incard, our mission is simple: to empower every entrepreneur, no matter their background, gender, or origin. We want to give real tools to hustlers and builders, and help them unleash their potential. We deeply believe in the power of entrepreneurship as a driver of inclusion. Being able to build a company can help solve many problems. The digital world has opened doors that were once closed, allowing new talents to rise. By creating a financial operating system designed for this new generation of digital entrepreneurs, we are helping to break old patterns and enable a more inclusive world. When more people from diverse backgrounds can create, the entire world benefits. It is no longer the same people building the same type of companies for the same audiences. Anyone with a solid and sustainable idea can start creating something. That can only bring more inclusion.

Caroline Béguin: What is the best career advice you have ever received?

Soraya Tribouillois: Work hard. I think that is good advice.

Caroline Béguin: What advice would you give to someone aiming for a leadership role in finance and tech, whether it is a man or a woman?

Soraya Tribouillois: I would say: nothing is impossible. Work hard and follow the process. Trust yourself and surround yourself with great people. Most people are better when they are surrounded by others who challenge them and help them become the best version of themselves.

Caroline Béguin: Are there any role models who have guided you along the way?

Soraya Tribouillois: Definitely my mother. She is an incredibly driven and generous person who taught me confidence from a very young age. I owe her a lot for what I am doing today. And since we have talked about women in tech, I have to mention Maëlie Staub. She enabled me to join Women in Tech for Future. She founded Pocket Result and is behind many initiatives, such as Women in Tech for Future, Nova in Tech, and Femmes@Numérique. She is a powerhouse committed to helping other women thrive. I think that is amazing because she uses her own success to give visibility and open doors to other women. The more role models and female success stories we have, the more we solve the problem. And that applies to every kind of underrepresented diversity. The more different representations we have, the better the world will be.

Caroline Béguin: One last question to wrap it up. What do you think leaders really want to achieve?

Soraya Tribouillois: I think leaders want to have a positive impact, leave a mark, and create something that makes the world better — at least great leaders do.

Personally, I want to build tools that reduce inequalities and open doors to more people. As I mentioned, online entrepreneurship gives anyone, no matter where they come from, a chance to thrive. Solutions like Incard make it easier for them. It is very important for me to be part of that movement and to further empower this new wave of entrepreneurs.

Caroline Béguin: I’m glad to hear that. It was very nice talking to you, and thank you for sharing your time and your insights with us. Thank you, Soraya.

Soraya Tribouillois: Thank you very much. Thank you for this great conversation and for the questions.