Growing up in the Austrian mountains where freedom meant exploring nature without boundaries, Florian has carried that spirit of adventure into reimagining how we invest.

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As founder and CEO of EVIDENT, he's tackling a challenge that's frustrated investors for generations: why should innovative companies building our future remain locked behind the "private market" wall? His answer is elegant yet revolutionary—replace outdated paper-based processes with blockchain infrastructure that cuts costs by 80% while maintaining regulatory compliance.

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"Our mission in the end is actually quite simple, is to open up these markets so more people can participate and own that piece of the future," Spiegl explains.

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His journey to this mission wasn't straightforward. After starting at Boston Consulting Group, he moved into traditional finance at Credit Suisse, where the inefficiencies of wealth management became apparent. Hong Kong's energy and regulatory environment drew him eastward, where he co-founded FinFabrik in 2016—a blockchain solutions company eventually acquired in 2020—before launching EVIDENT in 2022.

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Beyond his company-building, Spiegl has shaped the fintech landscape as a founding member of the FinTech Association of Hong Kong, an advisor to insurance and banking innovators, and a member of Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission FinTech Advisory Group. He's also shared his expertise teaching MBA courses at the University of Hong Kong.

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What drives him? A fascination with how technology can transform markets, informed by his PhD research on innovation adoption and his diverse education spanning Vienna, Boston, and Beijing. But there's something more personal too—a belief that investing should bring joy, not just returns.

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"The right kind of investing makes you a more interesting person," Spiegl believes. "Take five, 10% out of your portfolio and say, this is for me. These are the things that interest me."

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His vision for success is clear: "Where we see things ahead is that in the end, there will be no more private markets. That would mean mission accomplished for us."

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