Professional Profile and Role
Julián Colombo serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of N5 Now, a multinational software company specializing in digital transformation for the financial sector. Under his leadership, N5 Now has achieved significant growth and industry recognition. Julián possesses over 20 years of experience in banking and insurance, having worked across six different countries, providing him a comprehensive understanding of financial institutions’ operational challenges on a global scale.
Company Overview and Market Position
Founded approximately seven years ago, N5 Now originated from extensive financial industry expertise rather than pure technology, aiming to simplify complex legacy systems in banking, insurance companies, and cooperatives. The company currently employs over 200 professionals throughout Latin America and has expanded operations across Brazil, the United States, Argentina, and more recently, Peru.
N5 Now offers a modular platform comprising 19 software components designed to reduce technological complexity for financial institutions by consolidating numerous legacy systems into a single, integrated solution. Their services include incentive systems for vendor and product management, customer relationship management (CRM), digital onboarding, and bespoke software development.
The firm is profitable from inception, maintaining a financial model focused on sustainability described as "collect 10 and pay 9." This cautious financial management has ensured confidence among its clients and investors. Funding originated from advance client payments, including early engagement from significant groups such as Credicorp de Panama and Santander, with additional backing from 19 institutional investors including entities like Illuminate Financial, itself supported by major financial institutions including Citi, JP Morgan, Barclays, and S&P.
Market Expansion and Strategy
N5 Now has achieved annual growth rates of approximately 500% and was named Microsoft's Latam & Caribbean Startup of the Year in 2021, followed by the “Best Platform in the World” award from Microsoft in 2022. These accolades have facilitated expansion beyond the core market, notably into Peru, which Julián Colombo identifies as a strategic growth market.
In Peru, N5 has secured clients including Banco de Crédito del Perú (BCP) and deployed local teams with deep market and industry knowledge. Julián emphasizes that the product suite offered in Peru mirrors that available in more established markets and reflects customized software tailored for local financial institutions.
Julián underscores Peru’s robust financial sector and economic growth, highlighting top-tier banks and insurance companies with which N5 now collaborates or targets, including BCP, Interbank, BBVA, Scotiabank, Pacífico, and Rimac. The microfinance segment, featuring organizations like Mibanco and Caja Arequipa, further represents a significant area of focus given the regional importance of microfinance innovation.
Product and Service Insights
N5 Now's software platform addresses critical pain points in financial institutions:
- Incentive systems managing complex calculations for sales goals, rankings, and remuneration across multiple vendors and products.
- A comprehensive CRM providing complete customer lifecycle visibility to optimize campaign management and executive task organization.
- Digital onboarding solutions that facilitate fully automated customer acquisition without human intervention.
- Custom software development enabling rapid deployment of tailored financial technology applications leveraging pre-existing modular components.
This approach allows institutions to drastically reduce the complexity of managing tens of thousands of disparate software tools, a common issue in large banks with extensive legacy ecosystems.
Leadership and Industry Influence
Julián Colombo actively participates in industry forums and knowledge-sharing events, exemplified by his role as a speaker at the 4th Microfinance Congress in the Digital Era in Peru. His commitment is demonstrated by both strategic engagement—such as sponsorship of industry events—and direct participation, emphasizing N5's dedication to fostering innovation and collaboration within the financial technology community.
Further, Julián positions N5 Now as a responsible, risk-aware company that prioritizes long-term sustainability, differentiating the firm from startups and neobanks facing financial instability.
Technological Innovation and Vision
N5 Now is pioneering the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in banking management, recently developing the first fully AI-based banking management platform. The company’s vision is to become the exclusive technology provider that any bank, insurance company, or financial institution requires to operate efficiently and with simplicity. This includes reducing the fragmentary ecosystem of software solutions to a unified, natively integrated platform that managers and technology teams can maintain with reduced operational risk.
This profile positions Julián Colombo as a seasoned financial and technology executive leading a rapidly scaling fintech firm deeply embedded in Latin America’s evolving banking and insurance technology landscape, with strategic emphasis on sustainable growth, advanced product innovation, and regional market penetration.
