Founder Feature: Gurhan Kiziloz, CEO and founder of Lanistar

Lanistar CEO Gurhan

This week on our Founder Feature series we are talking to a serial entrepreneur who’s looking to disrupt the fintech sector, Gurhan Kiziloz, CEO and founder of Lanistar.

This company is revolutionising the finance space by adopting a customer-centric approach – offering a game-changing new debit card product enabling customers to streamline their money through cutting-edge polymorphic technology and open banking.

Lanistar Logo


Q: Who are you and what is your story?


A: I’m a British serial entrepreneur, and founder and CEO of Lanistar – a new hassle-free banking alternative that will let people manage their finances simply and securely. I’ve always been entrepreneurial, even since my days at school, and now my focus is on setting a new industry standard in banking compared to the existing outdated, poor performing banking services on the market. As a millennial, I know what it means to seek aspirational products and services to raise the bar for how I operate in this rapidly-paced world and that’s what has motivated me to disrupt the banking space.


Q: Could you tell us about your company and what you’re striving to achieve?


A: The expectations of the everyday consumer have been transformed significantly over the last five years and established banking providers are no longer fit to service these demands. For too long consumers have been crying out for a hassle-free banking alternative that offers superior customer service while also providing the flexibility and security we all need – that’s the basis for Lanistar. My goal is to redefine the status quo when it comes to banking services. Lanistar is driven to transform our relationship to finance, turning it from a burden into a more personalised, exciting experience that makes our daily lives all the more smoother.


Q: How has the current crisis affected your business and how have you had to adapt?


A: Each crisis offers a really powerful growth opportunity for any business, but particularly those launching during challenging times. Persistence, a positive attitude and adaptability has been the cocktail of choice for Lanistar in continuing to achieving our goals during this pandemic. We have become even more motivated to offer our customers a great experience in the road ahead and that will shine through in our operations through this period. While it’s been a tricky time for everyone, we’ve found Zoom to be a lifesaver in our launch planning and it’s actually speeding up our meetings, deals and efficiency overall!


Q: What made you decide to take on the challenge of founding your business and to take on the fintech sector?


A: While launching a business is not new territory for me, Lanistar was built out of a deep desire to truly carve out a new era for people’s relationship to financial services. I’ve always been fascinated as to why the financial sector continues to play the same tune when it comes to limiting front-end banking products. Fintechs came in and ushered in a new wave of dynamic products compared to the rigid offerings of traditional banks. However, I believe there is still a gap in the market that brings an opportunity to give customers 24/7 access to frictionless services that offer brand new ways of making payments, bringing a marked improvement to flexibility and security in people’s day-to-day expenditure.


Q: What is the core technology driving your start-up’s product/service?


A: Through open banking and polymorphic technology, a cutting-edge encryption technology providing a next-level layer of security, Lanistar has created a game-changing new debit card product. Lanistar’s flagship product will help customers streamline their money and have superior customer services at their fingertips. I can’t reveal too much before the launch later this year, but watch this space.


Q: What’s most exciting about your traction to date?


The Lanistar Debit Card
The Lanistar Card | Credit: Lanistar

A: The reception has been overwhelming so far from our target groups, partners and suppliers, and we’ve got thousands of people on the waiting list for their first Lanistar card. While we can’t disclose any specific names until the official product launch, we have already seen such a positive reaction to the product and plans ahead. For me, everything comes down to a customer’s happiness and knowing we are on the right trajectory to achieve this is a dream come true.


Q: What are your biggest threats?


A: It’s probably no surprise that the answer here is other fintech businesses and the Coronavirus. However, these threats are also what continue motivating me to tackle any obstacles in Lanistar’s way and ensure we have a totally new offering to what’s out there – not just a copycat. Likewise, with the increasing amount of cyber crime occurring during the pandemic, people need a bank that will have strong security and excellent customer service for their protection.


Q: Do you see yourself as an underdog?


A: No, if anything I view myself as the long awaited game-changer!




Q: Where are you aiming to be business wise in the next few years?


A: I’m not a man of small ambition, but one who genuinely backs his product and method for growth. With the right speed of user adoption and more finessed deployment of advanced technology, we hope to realise our goal of becoming the next £1 billion fintech company in the coming years, and will be working hard and persistently to do so.




Learn more about Lanistar, the company that promises a revolutionised way of managing finance: www.iamlanistar.com


Bekki Barnes

With 5 years’ experience in marketing, Bekki has knowledge in both B2B and B2C marketing. Bekki has worked with a wide range of brands, including local and national organisations.

How E-commerce Marketers Can Win Black Friday

Sue Azari • 11th November 2024

As new global eCommerce players expand their influence across both European and US markets, traditional brands are navigating a rapidly shifting landscape. These fast-growing Asian platforms have gained traction by offering ultra-low prices, rapid product turnarounds, heavy investment in paid user acquisition, and leveraging viral social media trends to create demand almost in real-time. This...

Why microgrids are big news

Craig Tropea • 31st October 2024

As the world continues its march towards a greener future, businesses, communities, and individuals alike are all increasingly turning towards renewable energy sources to power their operations. What is most interesting, though, is how many of them are taking the pro-active position of researching, selecting, and implementing their preferred solutions without the assistance of traditional...

Is automation the silver bullet for customer retention?

Carter Busse • 22nd October 2024

CX innovation has accelerated rapidly since 2020, as business and consumer expectations evolved dramatically during the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, finding the best way to engage and respond to customers has become a top business priority and a key business challenge. Not only do customers expect the highest standard, but companies are prioritising superb CX to...

Automated Testing Tools and Their Impact on Software Quality

Natalia Yanchii • 09th October 2024

Test automation refers to using specialized software tools and frameworks to automate the execution of test cases, thereby reducing the time and effort required for manual testing. This approach ensures that automation tests run quickly and consistently, allowing development teams to identify and resolve defects more effectively. Test automation provides greater accuracy by eliminating human...

Custom Software Development

Natalia Yanchii • 04th October 2024

There is a wide performance gap between industry-leading companies and other market players. What helps these top businesses outperform their competitors? McKinsey & Company researchers are confident that these are digital technologies and custom software solutions. Nearly 70% of the top performers develop their proprietary products to differentiate themselves from competitors and drive growth. As...

The Impact of Test Automation on Software Quality

Natalia Yanchii • 04th October 2024

Software systems have become highly complex now, with multiple interconnected components, diverse user interfaces, and business logic. To ensure quality, QA engineers thoroughly test these systems through either automated or manual testing. At Testlum, we met many software development teams who were pressured to deliver new features and updates at a faster pace. The manual...