Pärtel TombergCEO & Co-founder, Bondora

My name is Pärtel Tomberg, and I’m the CEO and co-founder of Bondora. We founded the company in 2007 and launched our first product in 2009. Bondora started as a peer-to-peer lending platform and has grown into a pan-European consumer lending and investing company.

We wanted to give consumers fair access to credit and provide retail investors with a simple, transparent way to earn predictable returns. Our focus has always been on simplicity, trust, and long-term sustainability rather than complex or speculative products.

We began with manual loan selection and public auctions. Over time, we learned that most investors prefer simplicity. This led to Go & Grow, automation, and data-driven risk management, allowing us to scale across multiple European markets.

Patience and adaptability are critical. You must accept when a model no longer works and change course. Strong risk discipline and focusing on survival through downturns matter more than chasing fast growth.

A banking license increases trust, regulatory clarity, and long-term credibility. It also enables easier expansion across Europe. This is a strategic decision to build a stable foundation for the next decade, not a short-term growth tactic.

Regulation forces discipline and stronger internal processes. While it slows execution, it improves resilience and customer protection. Over time, regulation makes the business stronger and more sustainable.

Risk management is embedded in everything we do. Investors are diversified across thousands of loans. Defaults are expected and modeled. What matters is predictability, liquidity control, and long-term stability.

COVID validated our risk framework. We protected liquidity and avoided forced selling. Even when originations paused, the business remained profitable. Stability always comes before short-term reactions.

Returns must be sustainable. Lowering rates strengthens long-term stability and protects investors from hidden risks. Our goal is consistent performance over many years, not maximizing short-term yield.

Liquidity is important in normal conditions, but stability matters most during stress. In extreme situations, protecting the portfolio prevents long-term damage and ensures fairness for all investors.

There is no single dominant risk. Credit, operational, and financial risks are well diversified and controlled. Years of crisis experience have strengthened our governance and resilience.

Most loans are originated in Western Europe, with minimal exposure to geopolitical hotspots. All loans are euro-denominated, eliminating currency risk and reducing geographic concentration.

Our typical investor is a salaried individual seeking stable, long-term returns. Many invest around 10% of their portfolio and value simplicity, liquidity, and peace of mind over speculation.

Most people don’t want complexity. Simple products build trust and allow investors to commit long-term without stress. If a product is easy to understand, it’s more likely to be used responsibly.

We often hear requests for family accounts, savings goals, and better app tools. Customers already use Bondora for education, emergencies, and future planning, and we aim to support those use cases directly.

Account freezes only occur due to legal AML and KYC requirements. While frustrating, these checks are mandatory. Our support team works to resolve cases as efficiently as regulations allow.

We aim to be one of Europe’s most trusted neo-banks focused on fair credit and simple investing. Trust, transparency, and long-term value creation will remain at the core of our mission.