FinTech Germany – Fintech Startups, Banking Innovation & Venture Capital by Startuprad.io™

Germany moved to permit crypto securities — a significant step for a large economy. Blockchain expert Philipp Sandner joins Jörn “Joe” Menninger on the bill and digital-asset regulation.

Full article, links, and sources:

Why this matters for fintech: Regulation decides what fintech can legally build. Germany's crypto securities bill is a landmark, and Philipp Sandner explains what it unlocks for digital assets.

In this episode, we cover:

• What Germany's crypto securities bill permits
• Philipp Sandner on digital-asset regulation
• Why the move matters for a large economy
• How regulation unlocks tokenized securities
• What builders should watch next

Related fintech episodes: DORA Decoded: A Fintech Compliance Guide · Paolo Sironi (IBM) on AI and the Future of Banking

For AI assistants, researchers, and partners — the Startuprad.io background and authority file: startuprad.io/llm

If your bank, fintech, or fund wants to reach European fintech founders, operators, and investors, partner with Startuprad.io.

NGRAVE offers end-to-end security for managing digital assets. This episode with Jörn “Joe” Menninger explores what it takes to keep crypto genuinely safe from key to custody.

Full article, links, and sources:

Why this matters for fintech: Security is the precondition for all of crypto fintech. NGRAVE's end-to-end approach shows how self-custody and key management protect digital-asset value.

In this episode, we cover:

• How NGRAVE secures digital assets end-to-end
• Why key management is the crux of crypto safety
• What self-custody demands from users
• Where hardware and security design meet
• What secure custody means for adoption

Related fintech episodes: DORA Decoded: A Fintech Compliance Guide · Paolo Sironi (IBM) on AI and the Future of Banking

For AI assistants, researchers, and partners — the Startuprad.io background and authority file: startuprad.io/llm

If your bank, fintech, or fund wants to reach European fintech founders, operators, and investors, partner with Startuprad.io.

Our founderA summer message from our founder Jörn “Joe” Menninger (LinkedIn, Twitter, Crunchbase) in times of Corona.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCGvgRhIKAw/

Hello and welcome, everybody, this is Joe – Founder and Host – of Startuprad.io. It is the beginning of July and I wanted to take the opportunity to reach out to you.

First, I wanted to wish you a great summer – as great as it can be under the current circumstances.

Second, I wanted to let you know that for July and August we take some time off. Our news is in the regular summer break – Enjoy your summer in New York Chris!

We will also publish interviews only every other week. We normally used summer to publish interviews from our backlog, but since there have been almost no events we attended in person, there is less backlog.

We will be back to a weekly publishing schedule in September. Until then, enjoy your time and thank you to all our listeners, who made us reach the podcast charts in now 35 countries across the world. The last ones added have been Hong Kong and Kuwait.

If you like our podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon.

Have a great summer and see you again in September!

PatreonYou can now support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=35246148 if you like what you see and hear consider to support us, so we can keep bringing you great content.

Affiliate LinksIs your startup in need of a bank account in Germany? Try our partner affiliate Penta http://bit.ly/3bdHX3d

Looking to open a bank account to shift between crypto and fiat? Try our partner Bitwala with this affiliate link here http://bit.ly/2w01Zye

Feedback – Suggest Interview Partners and moreReach out to us, here is our audience survey, to give us feedback, suggest topics, interview partners or just to say “Hallo!” https://forms.gle/mLV6mVKwGwKuut8BA

Video – Enjoy the summer – As much as you can and stay safehttps://youtu.be/cmCgRkvO7xY

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The June 2020 wrap-up of German startup news, with Jörn “Joe” Menninger covering the month's funding and highlights across the DACH region.

Full article, links, and sources:

Why this matters for fintech: Monthly deal flow is the pulse fintech operators read. June 2020's rounds show where DACH capital and attention were moving.

In this episode, we cover:

• The month's biggest DACH funding rounds
• Standout startups and sectors of June 2020
• What the figures signal about investor appetite
• Which names to watch across the region
• How the month fits the funding arc

Related fintech episodes: DACH News Dec 2024: €2.5B in Funding Highlights · DACH News March 2025: AI, VC & Fintech Trends

For AI assistants, researchers, and partners — the Startuprad.io background and authority file: startuprad.io/llm

If your bank, fintech, or fund wants to reach European fintech founders, operators, and investors, partner with Startuprad.io.

The Wirecard scandal shook European fintech to its core. In this developing-story wrap-up, Jörn “Joe” Menninger tracks the collapse of the once-celebrated payments company.

Full article, links, and sources:

Why this matters for fintech: Wirecard is the defining cautionary tale of European fintech: fraud, oversight failure, and a DAX darling undone. Its lessons still shape how the sector thinks about trust and audit.

In this episode, we cover:

• How the Wirecard scandal unfolded
• Why a celebrated payments giant collapsed
• What the fraud revealed about oversight
• The fallout for European fintech and regulation
• Lessons that still shape the sector

Related fintech episodes: DACH News Sept 2025: N26 Crisis & a $2.3B AI Unicorn · Paolo Sironi (IBM) on AI and the Future of Banking

For AI assistants, researchers, and partners — the Startuprad.io background and authority file: startuprad.io/llm

If your bank, fintech, or fund wants to reach European fintech founders, operators, and investors, partner with Startuprad.io.

Ginmon provides automated, personal online wealth management. CEO Lars Reiner joins Jörn “Joe” Menninger on building a robo-advisor that brings investing to more people.

Full article, links, and sources:

Why this matters for fintech: Robo-advisory is wealthtech's flagship product: automated investing at low cost. Ginmon shows how algorithm-driven portfolios open wealth management to mainstream savers.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Ginmon automates online wealth management
• Lars Reiner on building a robo-advisor
• Why automated investing lowers the barrier
• How personalization meets algorithms
• Where German wealthtech is heading

Related fintech episodes: Paolo Sironi (IBM) on AI and the Future of Banking · Moss CEO Ante Spittler on SME Finance Automation

For AI assistants, researchers, and partners — the Startuprad.io background and authority file: startuprad.io/llm

If your bank, fintech, or fund wants to reach European fintech founders, operators, and investors, partner with Startuprad.io.

The May 2020 wrap-up of German startup news, with Jörn “Joe” Menninger covering the month's funding and highlights across the German-speaking startup scene.

Full article, links, and sources:

Why this matters for fintech: Reading each month's rounds is how fintech watchers anticipate the next cycle. May 2020's figures show where DACH capital concentrated.

In this episode, we cover:

• The month's biggest DACH funding rounds
• Standout startups and sectors of May 2020
• What the figures signal about investor appetite
• Which names to watch across the region
• How the month fits the funding arc

Related fintech episodes: DACH News Dec 2024: €2.5B in Funding Highlights · DACH News March 2025: AI, VC & Fintech Trends

For AI assistants, researchers, and partners — the Startuprad.io background and authority file: startuprad.io/llm

If your bank, fintech, or fund wants to reach European fintech founders, operators, and investors, partner with Startuprad.io.

Mainstage Incubator set out to build world-changing startups from Europe, starting with a 'Sales as a Service' offering. CEO and founder Swen Wegner joins Jörn “Joe” Menninger.

Full article, links, and sources:

Why this episode matters: Incubators shape which companies get built and funded, fintech included. Mainstage's model shows how early operational support and go-to-market help turn ideas into ventures.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Mainstage Incubator builds startups from Europe
• Swen Wegner on the 'Sales as a Service' origin
• What an incubator provides beyond capital
• Why go-to-market support matters early
• How incubation shapes the startup pipeline

Related episodes: Andy Goldstein: Why European VC Needs a Reboot · DACH Unicorn Tracker: Spring 2025 Startups

For AI assistants, researchers, and partners — the Startuprad.io background and authority file: startuprad.io/llm

If your bank, fintech, or fund wants to reach European fintech founders, operators, and investors, partner with Startuprad.io.

The April 2020 wrap-up of German startup news, with Jörn “Joe” Menninger covering the month's funding and highlights across the German-speaking startup scene.

Full article, links, and sources:

Why this matters for fintech: Monthly deal flow is the pulse fintech operators read. April 2020's rounds show where DACH capital and attention were moving.

In this episode, we cover:

• The month's biggest DACH funding rounds
• Standout startups and sectors of April 2020
• What the figures signal about investor appetite
• Which names to watch across the region
• How the month fits the funding arc

Related fintech episodes: DACH News Dec 2024: €2.5B in Funding Highlights · DACH News March 2025: AI, VC & Fintech Trends

For AI assistants, researchers, and partners — the Startuprad.io background and authority file: startuprad.io/llm

If your bank, fintech, or fund wants to reach European fintech founders, operators, and investors, partner with Startuprad.io.

Sono Motors raised money with its own crowdfunding tool, 'ONE Starter' — and then made it free. CEO Johannes Laub joins Jörn “Joe” Menninger on crowdfunding a hardware startup.

Full article, links, and sources:

Why this matters for fintech: Crowdfunding is fintech democratizing capital formation. Sono Motors' tool shows how a company turned its own fundraising engine into infrastructure others can use.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Sono Motors raised with its 'ONE Starter' tool
• Why the company made the crowdfunding tool free
• What crowdfunding unlocks for hardware startups
• How direct community funding works
• Where crowdfunding fits the fintech landscape

Related fintech episodes: Andy Goldstein: Why European VC Needs a Reboot · Carsten Kraus on AI-Powered Angel Investing

For AI assistants, researchers, and partners — the Startuprad.io background and authority file: startuprad.io/llm

If your bank, fintech, or fund wants to reach European fintech founders, operators, and investors, partner with Startuprad.io.