Rivero, which describes itself as a European platform for payment operations, has a new investor: Elevator Ventures, the corporate venture capital fund of Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI). The press release, relayed on 14 October 2026 by Startupticker.ch, describes RBI as Austria's second-largest bank. The deal is meant to support Rivero's expansion in Europe, with a particular focus on the markets of Central and Eastern Europe.

A useful clarification for Swiss readers: the Raiffeisen in question here is the Austrian RBI group. The press release does not mention any Swiss Raiffeisen bank.

The investment: an amount that remains confidential

On the financial side, the announcement is sparse. Neither the amount invested, nor the stake acquired by Elevator Ventures, nor Rivero's valuation has been disclosed. The text states only that this investment is part of the growth strategy launched after the company's Series A round, for which it gives neither the amount nor the date.

Rivero says it will continue to invest in its technology and to strengthen its ties with financial institutions, in its current European markets as well as in new ones.

The partnership: a network more than a contract

Money and contacts need to be told apart. The press release speaks of a “partnership”, but what it describes is above all access to a network. According to the text, RBI operates as a universal bank in 11 markets in Central and Eastern Europe, and Elevator Ventures has, through its ties with the group, gained experience in supporting technology companies that serve financial institutions in European banking markets.

However, the announcement makes no mention of any commercial agreement between Rivero and RBI, nor of any rollout of the start-up's tools within the banking group. At this stage, then, this partnership is that of a shareholder who opens doors.

That is precisely what Thomas Müller, CEO of Rivero, is looking for: “As we enter this new phase of growth, we want investors around the table who understand both the complexity of the banking sector and the markets in which we operate.” He sees Elevator Ventures, with its expertise and its network in Central and Eastern Europe, as a “highly relevant” strategic partner.

No launch: two products, Kajo and Amiko

The announcement does not concern any new product. It recalls Rivero's range, which aims to replace manual processes with automation in highly regulated, resource-intensive payment operations.

Kajo is aimed at payment institutions that must comply with the rules of payment networks. The tool automatically distributes updates, provides an overview of compliance and turns scattered documents into a knowledge base powered by artificial intelligence.

Amiko applies so-called agentic AI to dispute management and fraud recovery. It triages cases, coordinates next steps and automates processing from intake to closure, while guiding human specialists on complex cases. According to the press release, this enables institutions to recover funds faster, ease the operational burden and improve the cardholder experience. No figures, however, back up these gains.

What the investor says

Maximilian Schausberger, Managing Director of Elevator Ventures, explains the choice: “Rivero is tackling a set of operational challenges that are becoming increasingly important for banks and payment institutions in Europe.” He highlights a team that combines payments expertise with technology designed for regulated financial institutions.

And where does Swiss fintech fit in?

The news comes via Startupticker.ch, in the form of a press release. But the text specifies neither Rivero's headquarters, nor its nationality, nor its headcount or its clients: the company simply describes itself as European and states its ambition to become a leading technology platform for payment operations in Europe. On this basis alone, it is hard to count it among Swiss fintechs.

What does stand out clearly is the geographical direction: the east of the continent, via the network of an Austrian bank. To gauge the real significance of the deal, we will have to wait for data that Rivero has not published, starting with the amount raised and the first clients won in the region.

Sources

  • Startupticker.ch: “Strategic investment fuels Riveros’ expansion in Central and Eastern Europe”