Fintechs
in Hamburg

In Germany, there is a lively, constantly changing fintech scene. More than two thirds of German fintechs are based in the fintech hotspots Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Frankfurt. Start-ups and financing rounds are concentrated here (source: Fintech Startup Monitor 2021, Bundesverband Deutsche Startups). Hamburg is superbly positioned as a startup center and has a lively financial and fintech scene. More than 100 business can be attributed to the fintech sector.

The financial industry in Hamburg has a long tradition. Commerzbank was founded here. With Berenberg Bank, the oldest German private bank is based in the Hanseatic city, while Hamburger Sparkasse is the first and largest savings bank in Germany. The Hamburger Börse is the oldest German stock exchange and the Hamburger Feuerkasse is even the oldest insurance company in the world. Innovation has a long tradition in Hamburg!

At the same time, a growing scene of more than 100 fintechs is making important contributions to the digitization of the financial industry. You will not only find a high quality of life in Hamburg, but also a strong digital ecosystem – Google, Facebook, companies from the games, media and IT sectors, but also VC companies, business angels, incubators and providers of networks are on site with their headquarters.

The largest fintechs in Hamburg include Raisin, which offer a platform for arranging savings between private investors and capital-seeking banks, or Exporo, a platform through which private investors can invest in real estate projects. Many of Hamburg’s more than 90 fintechs have a B2B focus. In the Fintech Monitor we introduce you to them in more detail.

The range of business models of Hamburg’s fintechs is very broad and diverse. Our Fintech Monitor includes companies with a focus on Accounting & Taxes, Analytics & Research, Assistance & Self Service, Banking & Savings, Brokerage & Comparison, Crypto, Finance, Insurance, Payments, Retail Investment and Trade Finance.

In terms of financing, fintechs from the four German hotspots Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Munich also account for a large proportion of the financing rounds, currently almost three quarters. Hamburg fintechs traditionally do well. Only Berlin currently has a larger share of financing rounds.

Fintech Hamburg as a showcase for fintech events in Hamburg, where the aim is to further promote the city as a fintech location – because in the end, the entire financial sector with its around 44,000 employees benefits from a strong fintech location and can continue to offer diverse and high-quality financial services to the real economy and private customers. A particular advantage of Hamburg is the FinanceForward-Conference, annually held together with OMR-Festival.

In the meantime, it is no longer widely assumed that fintechs and banks are fundamentally confrontational. Traditional banks and financial institutions invest in fintechs and cooperate more closely with them. Fintechs even enjoy above-average cooperation with established companies. On the one hand, there is the considerable experience from the previous banking business, a broad customer base, and established trust. On the other hand, there is the digital know-how and fresh ideas of the fintech founders.