David Bäckström – CEO & Founder, SeQura
David Bäckström is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SeQura, a Barcelona-based fintech company specializing in Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) and flexible eCommerce payment solutions. He has played a pivotal role in the company's growth and strategic innovation since its founding in 2013.
SeQura, under Bäckström’s leadership, has established itself as a leader in the European payment technology sector, supporting over 5,000 merchants and experiencing remarkable financial momentum. Notably, SeQura achieved annual recurring revenue exceeding €120 million and secured an impressive €410 million funding round by late 2024. Despite challenging macroeconomic conditions, the company reported a 24% revenue growth in Q3 2022 and maintained a positive bottom line amidst significant reinvestment, reflecting strong operational performance and scalability under his direction.
David’s entrepreneurial background is extensive; he has initiated, developed, and promoted more than 40 technology companies throughout his career, which indicates deep expertise in startup growth, technology innovation, and scalable business models. Before SeQura, he held leadership roles including Managing Partner at HOF Capital and a six-year partnership at ff Venture Capital, highlighting his solid footing in venture capital and tech ecosystems.
His education background includes studies at the Umeå University Business School in Sweden and additional education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), underscoring a strong foundation in business and technology disciplines. David is also known for his commitment to building progressive, scalable, and ecologically responsible tech enterprises, reflecting a potentially values-driven leadership style.
SeQura operates with a unique governance model known as Holacracy, which David credits for reducing traditional bottlenecks and accelerating decision-making—an approach that supports rapid scale-up and innovation culture within the company.
Under his stewardship, SeQura has diversified its market focus, including significant efforts to expand in key verticals such as education, leisure, and travel sectors, as well as forging strategic partnerships, including one with AliExpress to support cross-border eCommerce payments. The company also benefits from collaboration with major investors such as the European Investment Fund (EIF), which entrusted SeQura with resources to facilitate broader access to education across the European Union.
David is fluent in multiple languages and has a strong international professional footprint, operating principally out of Barcelona with Swedish origins. His interest areas extend to fintech, sales technology, and HR technology, suggesting potential openness to innovative solutions in these domains.
SeQura employs approximately 378 employees, illustrating a substantial scale in operational structure for a fintech. The management team, led by David, is relatively lean but effective in guiding the company through rapid growth and market leadership positions.
Key Points for Strategic Engagement:
- David’s extensive entrepreneurial and venture capital experience presents a strong understanding of technology-driven growth and fundraising.
- His educational background from Umeå University Business School and MIT indicates proficiency in sophisticated business and tech strategies.
- Leadership of a rapidly growing €120M+ ARR fintech with a €410M funding round signals strong credibility and financial acumen.
- Adoption of Holacracy governance may impact decision-making speed and internal collaboration dynamics.
- Focus on vertical markets like education, leisure, and travel, alongside partnerships with major eCommerce players (e.g., AliExpress), demonstrates strategic market expansion.
- Interest areas in fintech, sales tech, and HR tech open avenues for tailored, innovative offerings.
- European Investment Fund involvement with the company suggests robust investor confidence and potential alignment with EU market regulations and initiatives.
This composite profile delineates David Bäckström as a seasoned, growth-oriented CEO with a keen focus on scalable payment technologies, making him a critical figure in SeQura's ongoing expansion in the European fintech space.
