TechQuartier Champions Innovation with TQ Accelerator: Digital Finance, Boosting Startup Growth in Frankfurt

Frankfurt, July 18, 2024 – TechQuartier (TQ), a leading innovation hub in Frankfurt, concluded its groundbreaking seven-week FinTech accelerator program, TQ Accelerator: Digital Finance, which ran from May 28 through July 11. This initiative marked a significant milestone for TQ as the accelerator successfully bridged the gap between corporates and startups, fostering open innovation and collaboration in the finance sector, and providing startups with unparalleled access to corporate partners and key industry connections in Frankfurt's Financial Center.

"TechQuartier has been a leader in the German FinTech ecosystem since 2016. Our Frankfurt-based community is home to almost 200 FinTech startups. Through programs such as TQ Accelerator: Digital Finance, we support the development of new solutions needed to propel the financial innovation landscape for corporate and startup entrepreneurship while continuing to establish Frankfurt's Financial Center ecosystem."

- Alice Rettig, Chief Innovation Officer at TechQuartier

The Startups

The program selected fifteen outstanding growth-stage startups from over 70 worldwide applications, showcasing innovations in both B2B and B2C FinTech sectors.
Key participants included:  

fulfin (isarlend GmbH): Specializes in enhancing e-commerce credit processes by integrating seamlessly with bank accounts and digital platforms.  

Complidata: Utilizes AI to increase the efficiency and accuracy of data extraction in trade finance operations. 

21X: Develops a Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) market infrastructure to simplify and accelerate traditional financial transactions through tokenization. 

Teylor AG: Provides an innovative SME lending platform that automates and digitizes the lending process, increasing accessibility and efficiency. 

Payin3: Offers a white-label Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) technology stack, enabling financial institutions to offer flexible payment options. 

Pigtie: Introduces a gamified approach to financial education and savings for younger generations. 

Bankify Ltd: Focuses on digital solutions to help banks and financial institutions innovate services and engage more effectively with millennial customers. 

Tapline: A digital finance platform that helps companies raise capital against subscription receivables. 

NYALA: Provides an API and regulatory compliance infrastructure layer for the crypto space, enabling seamless operations under a BaFin license. 

payactive: Enables efficient processing of recurring payments using open banking technology. 

Miss Moneypenny Technologies: Digitalizes services with its Wallet Studio software suite, automating everything from loyalty programs to digital wallets. 

B1.ai GmbH: Uses AI to analyze financial data, offering insights that assist financial institutions in making informed decisions. 

Lingua Custodia: Applies specialized language technologies to enhance productivity in the financial sector by automating translation processes. 

PACEUPinvest® GmbH: Addresses financial literacy and wealth gaps through B2B and B2C platforms that simplify debt management and investment strategies. 

Xaver: Offers an AI-driven platform for financial planning and saving, aimed at helping Europeans manage and optimize their savings strategies. 

"Without the TQ accelerator program, PaceUP Invest and I would not have gained the attention of some of the German financial institutions regarding our products. TQ not only gave us the opportunity to present our solution and how it fits their use cases, but it also allowed us to meet fellow amazing startups for possible collaborations and build great long-term connections within the ecosystem."

- Rukayyat Modupe Kolawole, Founder PaceUp Invest GmbH

During the Accelerator, these startups engaged in numerous networking events, workshops, and exclusive roundtables, featuring discussions with FinTech leaders from Banxware, fino.digital, deel, moss, Bitpanda, Lemonpay, and Cashlink, as well as financial heavyweights like ING, Deutsche Bank and Visa. 

"The accelerator program is the perfect platform to give us access to new ideas, to new startups and to great innovation."

- Benjamin Bürkner, Managing Director of Helaba Digital

Accelerator Partners 

Visa, ING, Helaba Digital, Deutsche Börse, neosfer, Alte Leipziger, GFT, KPMG, VR Payment. Land Hessen partially funded the accelerator. The ecosystem and media partners included Hub31, Frankfurt Main Finance, Techniker Krankenkasse, AI Hub Frankfurt, Frankfurt Forward/ Wirtschaftsförderung Frankfurt, Frankfurt Rhein-Main GmbH, Ekipa, Station Frankfurt, Payment & Banking and Börsen-Zeitung. 

Future Programs

 Looking forward, TechQuartier continues its commitment to innovation with upcoming programs this fall focusing on Green Transformation and Sustainable Impact. The TQ Accelerator: Digital Finance is set to return next year, promising new opportunities for breakthroughs in financial technology.