Loading organizations...
§ Private Profile · Berlin, Germany
Fintech platform for SMEs to find, compare, and close financing, including loans, factoring, and leasing.
FinCompare is a Berlin, Germany-based financial technology platform that operates a digital marketplace enabling small and medium-sized enterprises to compare and secure funding from over 200 lending institutions. The company serves a user base of approximately 40,000 businesses seeking capital starting from €10,000, and it maintains a corporate workforce of 51 to 100 employees. Operating on a commission-based revenue model, the platform facilitates various commercial financial products including traditional loans, factoring, and equipment leasing, having processed over €1 billion in total financing volume. The enterprise has raised $13.5 million in total funding, which includes a €10 million Series A round, securing capital from prominent institutional investors such as SpeedInvest, UNIQA Ventures, and ING Ventures. The organization has outlined strategic expansion plans targeting broader European markets. FinCompare was founded in 2016 by Stephan Heller and Nicolay Ofner.
FinCompare - Smarter Business Finance has raised $14.7M across 2 funding rounds.
FinCompare - Smarter Business Finance has raised $14.7M in total across 2 funding rounds.
FinCompare - Smarter Business Finance has raised $14.7M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $11.7M Series A in June 2018.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 4, 2018 | $11.7M Series A | Benoît Legrand | Speedinvest, Uniqa Ventures | Announced |
| Jun 1, 2017 | $3M Seed | — | ACME Capital, DN Capital, Embedded Capital, Manta RAY Ventures, MS&AD Ventures, Picus Capital, Point Nine Capital, Dennis Weidner, Michael Brehm, Raffael Johnen, Shervin Pishevar, Alexander Müller, André M. Bajorat, DR. Gerrit Seidel, Kilian Thalhammer, Marcus Borner, Matthias Sohler, Speedinvest, Uniqa Ventures | Announced |
FinCompare - Smarter Business Finance has raised $14.7M in total across 2 funding rounds.
FinCompare - Smarter Business Finance's investors include Benoît Legrand, Speedinvest, UNIQA Ventures, ACME Capital, DN Capital, Embedded Capital, Manta Ray Ventures, MS&AD Ventures, Picus Capital, Point Nine Capital, Dennis Weidner, Michael Brehm.
FinCompare is a fintech company that operates a digital platform enabling small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to compare and select financing options from over 100 banks, lenders, fintechs, and alternative providers.[1][2][4][5] It serves SMEs in Germany by simplifying access to loans, factoring, leasing, hire purchase, warehouse financing, fine trading/purchase financing, and mezzanine capital through a streamlined digital application process.[1][2] The platform solves the problem of fragmented financing markets by offering independent comparisons and one-stop solutions, allowing businesses to focus on operations rather than funding searches.[2][3] Founded around 2016-2017 in Berlin (with some sources citing Karlsruhe ties via acquirer), it raised $27.92M total, including a doubled Series A of €22M, before being acquired in December 2021 by DZ Bank and Atruvia (part of Karlsruhe-based Kompass Group), marking strong growth momentum validated by institutional investors like ING Ventures, Speedinvest, and UNIQA Ventures.[1][2][3][4]
FinCompare emerged in 2016-2017 as a Berlin-based fintech startup founded by Stephan Heller and Milan Trimborn, addressing SME financing challenges in Germany.[3] Heller, based in Berlin, and Trimborn, who served as HR Manager, built an independent consulting platform leveraging state-of-the-art technology to connect businesses with tailored funding from banks and alternatives.[1][3] Early traction came from its free, obligation-free model for loan comparisons, attracting investors like ING Ventures, Speedinvest, Raiffeisen Bank International's Elevator Ventures, and UNIQA Ventures.[3][4] Pivotal moments included a €10M Series A in 2019, doubled to €22M in 2020 with €12M more from existing backers, fueling platform expansion before its 2021 acquisition by DZ Bank and Atruvia, which digitized and scaled its operations under the Kompass Group.[2][4]
FinCompare rides the SME fintech wave in Europe, capitalizing on digital transformation in business lending amid post-2008 credit gaps and rising demand for non-bank alternatives.[1][2] Timing aligned with Germany's fragmented financing market and regulatory tailwinds for open banking, enabling platforms to aggregate data-driven matches efficiently.[4] Market forces like SMEs' need for quick cash flow amid economic volatility (e.g., pre-2021 recovery) favored its model, influencing the ecosystem by democratizing access—pressuring traditional banks to compete on speed/pricing and inspiring copycats like Swoop or Compeon.[1] Post-acquisition, it amplifies DZ Bank's digital SME push, accelerating fintech incumbency in a €500B+ European SME funding market.[2]
Under DZ Bank/Atruvia ownership since 2021, FinCompare is poised to expand beyond Germany, integrating AI-driven matching and deeper API connections to lenders for faster approvals.[1][2] Trends like embedded finance, real-time credit scoring, and ESG-linked SME loans will shape its path, potentially boosting margins via upselling advisory services.[4] Its influence may evolve from aggregator to ecosystem orchestrator, powering bank-fintech hybrids and setting benchmarks for SME financial inclusion—reinforcing its role as a smarter finance enabler for scaling businesses.[3]