Digitalization, Data Enable Faster Risk Analysis

Q: What business opportunities led to the creation of Ekatena?
A: Ekatena leverages our experience in the financial sector, where we identified a clear opportunity in the automation and optimization of risk analysis, particularly in the Know Your Customer (KYC) process. Financial institutions have been traditionally inefficient when performing this process, taking up to 17 days in its best scenario, which negatively impacts both institutions and prospects. Through the integration of official data sources and automated information processing, we are able to significantly reduce times, enabling faster and more reliable decision making.

Our ability to process information in real time allows us to reduce processing time from an average of 17 days to only two hours, eliminating the need for manual validations. This not only improves operational efficiency for financial institutions, but also streamlines the process for the customer, who gets immediate answers without the hassles associated with traditional processes.

Q: How would you describe the company's position in the Mexican and Latin American markets?
A: We achieved outstanding consolidation in the Mexican market, particularly in the financial sector, experiencing annual growth of over 100%. This growth was supported by our over 200 clients, including 14 banks and various financial entities, both regulated and non-regulated. While we initially focused on the financial sector, we have expanded into other markets, positioning ourselves as a key solution for companies looking to optimize decision making.

Q: What are Ekatena’s key solutions and how do they benefit your clients?
A: Our KYC product is tailored to the financial sector, which mainly uses it while onboarding new clients. It offers financial institutions a robust tool to validate the identity and risk profile of customers prior to onboarding, thus optimizing their origination process. We also have a Know Your Supplier (KYS) solution for large corporations, both international and domestic, operating in Mexico. This product allows for an exhaustive analysis of suppliers, evaluating legal, fiscal, and financial risks to guarantee stability and compliance in the supply chain.

Finally, our Know Your Business (KYB) solution for SMEs allows these companies to evaluate their financial, legal, and tax status. It provides valuable information on the behavior of their customers and suppliers, helping them to manage risks and comply with their obligations before legal or tax problems arise.

Q: What types of companies benefit the most from using Ekatena's platform?
A: We have been able to generate value for a variety of industries that benefit from automation in risk assessment and integration of data sources. Although initially intended for the financial sector, we have seen successful adoption in industries such as automotive, where companies use our platform to evaluate potential suppliers and continuously monitor their performance. Our dynamic reporting and automatic alerts allow companies to stay on top of changes in their partners' risk profile, without the need for manual assessments or complex static reports. In addition, our intuitive design makes it easy to interpret information, even for companies unfamiliar with complex financial processes.

We have also seen positive results in sectors such as energy and construction, demonstrating that our platform is not limited to a specific field. We also help SMEs, which often have limited access to detailed information about their customers and suppliers, enabling them to obtain relevant and up-to-date data that can be used for informed decision making.

Q: How does the integration of data from official sources contribute to Ekatena’s services?
A: This integration guarantees that the data used in the generation of the risk profile is completely truthful and not manipulated, which increases confidence among our clients. Because the data comes from official sources there is no doubt about its veracity, which optimizes the time and costs associated with document validation. This not only ensures accuracy, but also allows companies to save on manual verification processes, improving efficiency and reducing risks.

Q: What cybersecurity measures does Ekatena employ to ensure that data is handled and used in a way that guarantees its integrity?
A: Cybersecurity is a fundamental pillar for us. We are obtaining the ISO 27001 certification and continually invest in the most advanced technologies to ensure data is protected. We have a team of external experts who constantly evaluate our infrastructure and processes, ensuring that information is encrypted and never shared with third parties.

Q: How is digitalization impacting your processes and services?
A: The Mexican government is driving a wave of digitalization, which is a great opportunity for companies like ours. As more efficient digital processes are implemented, we can improve the quality and speed of our risk analysis, adapting to new market demands. This will allow us to offer more complete and detailed risk profiles, facilitating business decision making. The digitalization trend will facilitate the collection of accurate data, resulting in a competitive advantage for companies operating in Mexico and for foreign companies seeking to enter the Mexican market.

Q: How will AI and other emerging technologies reshape risk analysis among Mexican companies?
A: Technologies such as ML will increasingly facilitate processing large volumes of data more efficiently, allowing for more accurate and faster assessments. These tools also allow users to make complex correlations, enabling better information analysis and risk prediction, which are fundamental for effective decision making. We are leveraging ML to optimize our product and improve our internal processes, allowing us to provide a more detailed and accurate risk profile. 

We believe that it is essential to keep constantly researching and testing new technologies, as AI is continuously evolving and will significantly impact both our business and the products we offer to clients.

Q: What are Ekatena's expansion plans for 2025, and what are the company’s priorities?
A: We are focusing on consolidating our operations in Mexico. The Mexican financial market is large, and lacks any tool similar to ours. We want to strengthen our presence in the country and aim to take a more direct approach with our customers. We will also expand our workforce in Mexico to consolidate our growth. We do not rule out the possibility of expanding to other Latin American countries.

We are investing in three key areas. The first is technology, which is paramount for us. The second is our commercial team, which is dedicated to serving our customers and generating new business. Finally, we invest in our brand presence. We want people to know us, to see us in media and channels where our customers are.