Revolut's 'new bet' strategy has been co-opted by an ex-Goldman Sachs fintech founder
If you're a fintech CEO in London, chances are you're looking at how Revolut does things to see how you can replicate its success. A few months after founder Nik Storonsky unveiled the fintech's product development strategy. A founder that has taken inspiration from him in the past has promptly copied it.
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Vega, founded by Goldman Sachs alum Alexis Augier, is launching Vega Labs, described as a startup within a startup "go[ing] after bold new bets, reporting directly to the founders." It appears very similar to Revolut's 'new bet' strategy that Storonsky detailed on the 20VC podcast last December. Revolut runs a large number of micro-startups developing new products at any one time, building out the ones that show the most promise. Revolut's stock trading platform began as one of these bets.
Augier's new bets strategy has a key difference, though; it's relying on fresh graduates rather than proven entrepreneurs. Applicants are expected to have either just graduated from a top university, or have spent 1-3 years in a major investment bank or consultancy. Vega Labs applicants also need to have engineering backgrounds, with a focus on AI. Openings are available for both engineers and generalists.
An emphasis on hiring young talent is, itself, something Augier took inspiration from Storonsky for. Vega was hiring for founder's associates earlier this year, a role Storonsky credits himself with inventing. Appetite for founder's associates is thought to be increasing across fintech, though, not just at Vega.
Beyond Vega, aspects of Revolut's culture are becoming more widespread. It was previously something of an outlier in the way it expected its employees to work long hours, but fintechs receiving funding rounds in 2025 like Marshmallow and Bolt have reportedly intensified their workplaces. The latter was once almost a polar opposite to Revolut's intensity, offering a four-day work week. Vega, too, is thought to have an intense culture; Augier told us that "pressure is a privilege" for Vega staff. The days of chill jobs in fintech are seemingly winding down.
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