Andreas Livadiotis: Meet the Founder Elevating Cyprus onto the Global Fintech Stage

Next month, the annual Cyprus Fintech Summit comes alive once again through the leadership of Andreas Livadiotis, the driving force behind XValley Technologies. Leveraging a background in Computer Science and Finance from London, Andreas has cultivated a reputation for developing innovative financial technology projects over his 12-year career. His journey encompasses pivotal roles at FxPro and PrimeXM, culminating in the establishment of the Cyprus Fintech Summit—a platform that unites global visionaries in the financial technology landscape.

Set against the vibrant backdrop of Limassol, Cyprus, this gathering of luminaries and disruptors, scheduled for September 1st, 2023, promises an unparalleled exploration of the cutting-edge technological landscape within Fintech. Under the banner of XValley Technologies, the summit emerges as a hub for collaboration, nurturing a dynamic ecosystem for the evolving Fintech domain. Attendees, both from Cyprus and around the globe, can anticipate a convergence of brilliant minds that are sculpting the very future of financial technology.

An amalgamation of live sessions, networking junctures, and a sprawling exposition, the summit promises attendees a firsthand encounter with transformative insights and actionable perspectives, delving deep into the realm of financial technology's potential. Andreas, along with an assembly of esteemed thought leaders, such as Efi Pylarinou, David Gyori, Mateo Rizzi and many more, beckons forward-thinkers to the Fintech event of the year!

This week, Machinelab speaks with Andreas about his career, his long-term vision for XValley, the upcoming summit and more...

Can you tell us about your journey from being an employee in major financial companies to becoming an entrepreneur and founding XValley Technologies? What inspired you to take the leap into entrepreneurship?

I started working on my own projects at the tender age of 15. Actually, my first job was when I was only 6-years-old, selling water to construction workers in my neighbourhood. Entrepreneurship was never something I had to leap into. I was born into it. As I went through the journey of working for large corporations such as FxPro and PrimeXM, I realized that I have enough experience to design and develop something more complete and user-friendly. My vision was to give the online trading community a solution that could serve both the brokers and the clients.

Founding and running a successful company requires strong leadership. Can you share some of the key leadership principles that have contributed to the growth and success of XValley Technologies?

Yes, you are right. Leadership requires a solid commitment to listening and learning from your employees and your mistakes. I believe the main principles of a good leader are to be kind and inspiring and to choose the right team. When you have the right chemistry with the team, and you are all working towards the same goal, then it is much more easier to accomplish it.  

As the CEO of Cyprus Fintech Summit, you have a unique perspective on the future of financial services and technological innovation. What are some of the most exciting trends you see emerging in the Fintech industry, both in Cyprus and internationally?

Every year at CFS, we get to learn about all the trends in our industry. Our speakers are among the most well-known and well-respected in the industry. We have seen huge growth in AI, machine learning and natural language processing. I believe that the future is AI, we will see amazing projects like OpenAI and more. On another note, XValley is developing an AI Assistant that will help both brokers and their clients.

‍In your experience working on projects in forex, blockchain, banking, and equity markets, which sector has presented the most significant challenges, and how did you overcome them?

Working with online trading projects or, in general, with finance projects, you always face challenges on security, scalability and stress testing for black swan events. Financial projects that involve money that also have real-time changes and huge risks are not as easy and as typical to design and develop as say, an e-commerce or graphics website. Reliability, together with mathematical formulas, is at the core of the system. Otherwise, you end up with an unusable system, and to be honest, that is the most common scenario for several projects.

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The Cyprus Fintech Summit brings together top-tier speakers from Cyprus and abroad. Can you share some insights into how you curate the agenda and select speakersto ensure meaningful discussions on the future of Fintech?

Regarding the agenda, we always take the guidance of the insiders of the industry, such as high-calibre journalists, well-known industry specialists, or through other speakers in our network. As we have been participating in several other events over the years, we have learned how to create a mix of solid content and fun networking sessions for the attendees.

XValley Technologies has been successful in raising the bar for innovation in the financial industry. What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs and startups looking to make a significant impact in the Fintech sector?

My advice to young entrepreneurs is that when you decide on your product and services, and when you inherently believe that it will change the sector, stick to it and never let anyone tell you otherwise. My parents, extended family and most of my friends were never onboard with my idea when I started XValley. It took them 2-3 years to start believing in what I was building. You should never feel guilty or double-minded about trying to do it your way. However, having a deadline and a target is imperative. If you don’t make it, learn from the experience and the mistakes and move onto a new project or a job.

The financial industry is highly regulated, and compliance is crucial. How does your company navigate the complex regulatory landscape to ensure that your solutions meet all necessary requirements?

Our company collaborates with all the major regulators and compliance companies. Our clients also have constant requests for new regulation requirements. It is a hard game to keep up with changing requirements, but it is a necessity which helps the industry and ultimately grows the global revenues of all companies. Innovation and regulation are not the best of friends, but they must have a strong relationship in order for people not to abuse the system.

As an entrepreneur with over 12 years of expertise in the financial industry, how do you balance your passion for technology and innovation with the pragmatic business decisions necessary for running a successful company?

Well, you will be surprised to hear that my passion for technology and innovation gets challenged on a daily basis! Innovating is part of who I am, so solving business issues and solving challenging puzzles in technology or business is my favourite part of the job. A day without a challenge is a boring day, as long as it is not a Sunday.

The future of Fintech and financial services is exciting and ever-changing. What are your long-term goals for XValley Technologies, and how do you envision your company contributing to the transformation of the financial industry in the coming years?

The goal of XValley was and will always be to provide an all-in-one solution. As of now, we have more than 30 services in our roster. My vision is to further develop new services, like our AI Assistant and many more in the pipeline. We want to be a one-stop-shop solution that online trading brokers can rely on from start to finish.

Photos courtesy of: Cyprus Fintech Summit