At the heart of the German fintech sector, a Hamburg-based enterprise named Participayed has emerged victorious at the Startup-Champs 2024, seizing the esteemed title of ‘payment software developer’ at the Fintech Festival staged in Berlin on April 24-25. This triumph reflects the fruits of a concerted effort initiated in 2020 between Berlin, Cologne, Munich, and Hamburg to invigorate the startup ecosystem, an initiative that has since escalated in 2023 through a new accord.
During the 2024 startup showdown, three contenders from each city faced off in the finals. Representing Hamburg, alongside Participayed, were Finstep and Intuitive.ai. Competitors from other regions included Berlin’s B2B financial service provider Tilta, Cologne’s pension-focused fintech Xaver, and Munich’s AI investment service Sub Capitals. Following their regional successes, these startups have now secured their spots at the international Slush startup contest, scheduled for November 20-21, 2024, in Helsinki. Additionally, Participayed was honored with a regional accolade from Hamburger Sparkasse and an exclusive invite to the Hamburg Founder’s Prize gala.
With an aggregate investment exceeding EUR 8 billion and a community of roughly 9,000 startups, these four German cities have become pivotal economic players, as per the Dealroom database. The Startup Champs award not only enhances their networking prospects but also amplifies the profile of these burgeoning startups. Created by Berlin Partner, Köln Business, Hamburg Invest, and Munich Startup/Werk1, 2024 marks the fifth installment of this esteemed competition.
