Innovating for a Sustainable Future - Gustavo Vinacua

💥 Summary

In this compelling episode of Tales from the FinTech Crypt, Duena Blomstrom sits down with Gustavo Vinacua, a sustainability and innovation strategist and former driving force behind BBVA’s transformation into a FinTech innovation leader. This isn’t just a story about banking - it’s a front-row seat to how legacy institutions evolve, how sustainability became a serious business lever, and why emotional intelligence and diversity are critical to the future of finance.

From building human-first systems to challenging the status quo, Gustavo shares the bold moves and hard lessons that shaped a career spent at the bleeding edge of change. Whether you're a founder, tech leader, or innovation strategist, this episode will leave you rethinking what it means to lead in FinTech today.

🔥 Takeaways

• Gustavo’s FinTech journey began in 2009, long before it was cool.
• BBVA was a first mover in breaking open banking innovation.
• The culture at BBVA empowered experimentation and real innovation.
• Under Carlos Torres, sustainability shifted from rhetoric to strategy.
• Emotional intelligence is a business-critical skill, not a bonus.
• FinTech still has a diversity problem - and it’s holding us back.
• The industry holds massive untapped power to drive sustainability.
• Financial inclusion in Europe is a growth frontier.
• Businesses can scale and create positive impact, it’s not either-or.
• The human element must stay central in our digital transformation efforts.

💬 Sound Bites

• “BBVA was one of the first banks to innovate.”
• “We need to focus on the human element of everything.”
• “We need to keep doing more for women in business.”
• “We can do capitalism with the right purpose.”
• “Sustainability is part of our daily lives.”
• “We need to prepare people for the AI battle.”

🕐 Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to FinTech Journeys
02:54 - The Role of BBVA in FinTech Innovation
06:08 - Navigating Innovation and Compliance in Banking
08:53 - Sustainability in Banking and Financial Technology
12:02 - Human Systems and Emotional Intelligence in FinTech
15:01 - Diversity and Inclusion in the FinTech Industry
18:05 - The Future of FinTech and Sustainability
20:55 - Building a Positive Impact through Innovation
23:51 - Challenges and Opportunities in European FinTech
26:56 - The Human Element in Sustainability
29:56 - Conclusion and Future Conversations

🎧 Episode TL;DR

This episode is a must-listen for anyone in FinTech or tech who cares about building things that last. Learn from a pioneer who helped redefine what innovation in finance could look like - and why empathy, sustainability, and inclusion aren’t distractions, they’re the engine of what’s next.