Makis Antypas, the Co-Founder, CEO, and SVP Technology of Viva Wallet, stands as an accomplished international FinTech professional with a remarkable experience in designing and implementing large-scale transactional systems for the banking, retail, ticketing and electronic commerce industries across Europe.
His expertise has been instrumental in shaping Viva Wallet into a game-changer in the payment industry and leading it to become one of Greece’s Unicorn Companies.
Ever used your smart phone to accept payments? If you are a merchant, you have probably crossed paths with Viva.com. The masterminds behind this game-changer: Haris Karonis & Makis Antypas. From their roots in telecom software to becoming Europe’s go-to payment solution, their journey is one for the books.
When the internet wave hit Greece, Haris, alongside his colleague Makis, took the plunge into tech. By 2000, they were at the helm of Realize, the company that would morph into Viva.com. Initially, they were the behind-the-scenes tech guys for banks, branching out into travel and entertainment payments. But they had bigger plans. They envisioned a world of electronic transactions. By 2012, Viva was pioneering eWallets in Greece. And while banks tried to catch up, the duo, with a strategic partnership with the Latsis family, was setting the pace in Europe.
Fast forward to today, and with JP Morgan holding a 48.5% share for a whopping $800 million, Viva’s stock is soaring. But the duo isn’t resting. They’re on the quest for new adventures via More.com, 100% owned by Haris and Makis, now offering online services across 8 nations (up to date).
The ascent of Viva.com is nothing short of inspiring, and it’s all thanks to Haris and Makis’ vision and tenacity. They are the embodiment of the modern Greek entrepreneurs: passionate, persistent, and always on the lookout for the next big thing.