Jarek Sygitowicz, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at London-based Authologic, believes that startups should prioritize understanding problems over pushing products, especially in the UK's fintech sector. This last point about the importance of credibility and trust is echoed by Sygitowicz, a YC-backed founder. For the UK market to succeed, he tells early-stage founders they need to stay problem-first. He’s passionate about the idea that when you shape the right problem, that’s when all of the good opportunities are found. He’s encouraged founders not to go for cookie cutter solutions either.

Trust is Paramount in UK Fintech

Sygitowicz’s perspective is informed by his work at Authologic, a London-based digital identity verification platform. Trust is the heart of the UK startup ecosystem especially in fintech, he observed. With this trust-first approach, it forces founders to build authentic credibility and substance.

"Warm introductions, trusted networks and credibility are critical, perhaps even more so than in other markets we have operated in." - Jarek Sygitowicz

Authologic's team realized that bridging traditional Know Your Customer (KYC) checks with emerging electronic IDs (eIDs) requires more than just technological prowess. It requires a fundamental mastery of customer pain points and regulatory environments.

"We spent an enormous amount of time speaking to and understanding potential customers and partners, regulations, and iterating on the solution. Persistence, intellectual honesty and being close to the actual problems companies are facing were key." - Jarek Sygitowicz

Problem-First Approach

Sygitowicz advises early-stage founders to focus on identifying and understanding significant problems rather than immediately pitching solutions. That starts with asking the right questions to assess where the pain points are and how urgent they are for prospective customers. As he recounts in this post, the key to creating a great solution is having a profound understanding of the problem at hand.

"Think big and focus on understanding the problem, not trying to sell your product. Many early stage founders fall in the trap of trying to pitch the solution too soon." - Jarek Sygitowicz

His method for boosting startup success is about asking difficult questions, engaging in drawn-out dialogues, and embracing brutally honest realities.

"Spend more time asking questions: How painful is the problem for them (that you are solving)? How urgently do they need that solution? And how are they coping currently?" - Jarek Sygitowicz

Learning Over Selling

Sygitowicz advises early-stage founders to avoid searching for a silver bullet. Rather than discourage engagement, though, he pushes in the opposite direction, toward a learning-oriented approach, where these conversations are about learning and gathering insights, not closing deals. He recommends the book "The Mom Test, How to Talk to Customers and Learn If Your Business is a Good Idea when Everyone is Lying to You."

"There is a great book about this called The Mom Test, How to Talk to Customers and Learn If Your Business is a Good Idea when Everyone is Lying to You. I highly recommend it." - Jarek Sygitowicz

By focusing on learning first and creating meaningful relationships, founders go on to make the best products that really solve the problems customers have.

"If you approach conversations with the mindset of learning rather than selling, you'll build stronger relationships, but also develop stronger products." - Jarek Sygitowicz