How Was Sparados Born? An Expense Management Platform That Arose from a Real Need
- Michał Stachera
- 09-05
- 3 min. skaitymo
Atnaujinta: 09-08
Every innovative business is born from a need. The story of Sparados is a perfect example of how a recurring problem in a company's day-to-day management can be turned into an innovative solution with the potential to conquer the market. It's also proof that to enter the fintech world, you don't need millions to get started. What counts is an idea, determination, and a clever use of resources.
The Beginnings: From a Problem with Corporate Cards to a Business Idea
For Sparados, the spark was ignited at Verestro, where the CEO, Krzysztof Drzyzga, and his team were struggling with simple but incredibly frustrating issues:
Several physical company cards were in circulation, used by all employees.
Card details were shared freely, which created a risk of unauthorized, private online payments.
Issuing a new card was time-consuming and required a visit to the bank.
Invoices and receipts had to be settled manually, a process that was cumbersome and prone to errors.
A lack of flexibility, no control over expenses, and the risk of data loss - all of this made financial management a nightmare. That's when the vision was born: to create their own comprehensive expense management platform that would allow for instant card issuance, automatic transaction allocation, and full budget control.
Market Validation: Do Others Have the Same Problem?
After identifying the problem, the next step was validation. The Polish, European, and American markets were thoroughly examined for existing solutions. It turned out that while accounting systems and reporting tools existed, there was no single, integrated product that combined payment card management with an expense control system. The market gap was enormous!
How Was the Business Expense Management Platform Sparados born?
Sparados didn't start from scratch. The company had solid foundations: experience in data storage, an existing technological infrastructure, and a Quicko payment license. As a result, setting up the company required an investment of about 2–3 million Polish złoty, which is a relatively small amount in the fintech world. Instead of building everything from the ground up, the focus was on cleverly using existing components and partner support.
The backing of the Fenige, Quicko, and Verestro companies was also crucial. Their reputation and combined valuation of over 1.2 billion Polish złoty provided not only capital but also the credibility needed to build market trust.
A Lesson from a Giant: What Connects Sparados to Revolut?
To understand the scale and ambition of Sparados, it's worth looking at one of the biggest players in the industry—Revolut. Its path to success, while impressive, was incredibly costly. The company needed billions of dollars and almost a decade to achieve profitability.
In comparison, Sparados started with much smaller resources but with the same goal: to create a product that genuinely addresses a market need.
What can we learn from Revolut's story and what does it mean for Sparados?
Growth Pace: Revolut focused on explosive growth, which led to huge losses. Sparados is betting on sustainable development that will allow for cost control and building a solid customer base.
Cost Control: Revolut's overly rapid expansion resulted in years of losses. We are choosing to scale step by step, with profitability in mind.
Revenue Diversification: Revolut has been continuously expanding its offerings. Sparados also plans to broaden its features, but it's starting with the most important one: an efficient expense management platform.
Trust and Regulations: Fintech is built on trust. Just as Revolut obtained banking licenses, security and regulatory compliance are equally crucial for us.
Sparados Today and Tomorrow
Today, we operate independently. We don't have to ask investors for more cash injections. We focus on product development and expanding our customer base. However, we know that the road in fintech is never easy. It is a sector that requires determination, flexibility, and adaptability.
Do you want to improve financial management in your company? See how our corporate expense management platform can make your daily work easier!