Finally Fintech – How Germany Caught On to Digital Finance

11/03/24 • 31 min

INTO GERMANY! The German Business Podcast

After some initial German skepticism, fintech solutions of various kinds are remaking how money is moved in Europe’s largest economy.

Germans may have taken a while to get used to cashless payment systems and other fintech applications, but they’re now rapidly becoming standard in both B2B and B2C. Where are the greatest opportunities and what does the future ho0ld in store? We speak to the head of Berlin’s new fintech hub and the strategy guru at a French neobank that has branched out to Germany.

Our guests: Sebastian Schäfer is an experienced entrepreneur and ecosystem builder and CEO at the newly established HoFT, the House of Finance and Tech in Berlin. Founded in spring 2024, it serves as a central hub within the city’s finance and tech ecosystem. Albertine Lecointe is Vice President of Strategy and Head of Strategic Management at French neobank Qonto, which expanded to Germany in 2020.

After some initial German skepticism, fintech solutions of various kinds are remaking how money is moved in Europe’s largest economy.

Previous Episode

Food for the Future – The Growing German Vegan, Vegetarian and Meatless Sector

More and more Germans are following a plant-based diet in recent years. Growing demand and great business conditions make Germany fertile soil for companies in the sector.

The German vegan and vegetarian movement goes back to the nineteenth century, but this lifestyle and nutrition choice has never been so popular. More than a third of Germans opt for a plant-based diet. The German plant-based retail market has been valued at around €1.9 billion, making it the biggest in Europe. We talk to two up-and-coming companies and the head of a leading pro-meatless advocacy group about what the future holds in store.

Our guests: Tom Johansson is founder and CEO of Hooked Foods, a Swedish start-up producing vegan “seafood” based on plant protein. Elin Roberts is co-founder and co-CEO of Better Nature, a UK-based producer of tempeh. Jens Tuider is Chief Strategy Officer at ProVeg International, which originated in Germany and aims to “transform the global food system.“

Next Episode

Top German Business Stories of 2024 – A Year in Review

Despite sluggish growth overall, the past twelve months featured a host of major business expansions and technological breakthroughs in Germany.

GDP may have stagnated, foreign direct investment continued apace in Europe’s largest economy. 2024 was a banner year for German pharma and artificial intelligence. The world’s largest IT companies invested heavily in data centers, and the government further relaxed entry regulations for international professionals with sought-after skills and launched massive infrastructure projects to provide the country with green energy. INTO GERMANY looks back at the year that was.

Our guests: Our year in review features leaders from business and politics and Germany Trade & Invest experts from a variety of fields.