List of Fintech Startup Accelerators and Incubators in Europe
Accelerator Frankfurt’s unique go-to-market program accelerates B2B software startups in the fields of fintech, regtech, cybersecurity, insurtech, proptech and blockchain. The startups receive mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs and investors, consulting and professional services, in addition to a co-working space.
The goal of the program is to help startups win customers and raise funding.
The 3-month program ends with a demo-day, where the startups pitch to corporates to secure proofs of concept and investors to raise follow-up funding.
Barclays London Accelerator, powered by Techstars
The Barclays Accelerator, powered by Techstars, is a unique program designed to take selected fintech-focused businesses further.
The London accelerator provides a unique opportunity to get entrepreneurs’ hands on the best advice, support and tools to build their fintech business.
For 13 intensive weeks, the successful candidates work alongside each other to develop their solutions, culminating in the Barclays Accelerator Demo Day, where the companies pitch to top-tier investors from around the globe.
Unique to Barclays, the chosen few work full-time at Rise London, Europe’s largest workspace dedicated to fintech. They automatically get to be part of Rise’s global community, gaining access to a variety of fintech workshops and events, and Barclays Eagle Labs’ makers lab where they can even build prototypes of their product.
Copenhagen Fintech is an organization built on the vision of creating a Danish growth adventure within fintech. It aims to develop Copenhagen as one of the leading fintech hubs in the global financial services industry by supporting and catalyzing the next era of technology-led corporate and startup innovators.
Copenhagen Fintech provides stage specific programs for startups including the Pre-Incubation Program, the Incubation Program, the Scaleup Program, the Nordic Fast Track Program, and the Partnership Fast Track. It also offers a Mentor Program for its members, as well as the Beyond Beta Accelerator in collaboration with 11 industry-specific clusters, the Danish Business Hubs, Accelerace and TechBBQ.
Elevator Lab is a leading fintech partnership program powered by Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI). Elevator Lab looks for innovative fintech solutions in order to jointly develop tomorrow’s banking business. Once selected for Elevator Lab, startups get the chance to scale their business across the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region.
Tenity Fintech Incubator and Accelerator
Tenity (formerly F10) is the leading collaboration space for fintech in Switzerland, Singapore, the Nordics, Spain, Turkey and the UK, focusing on innovation in the finances industry for a better future. Tenity’s programs promote the successful growth of startups in the fintech, regtech, and insurtech industries. At the same time, Tenity gives its board of corporate members access to the latest ideas and prototypes.
Tenity is sponsored by UBS and SIX, the operator of Switzerland’s stock market and a powerful center of world-leading service providers in securities trading, securities transactions, financial information processing, and cashless payment transactions.
The organization’s excellent connections allow it to connect fresh startups with experienced corporate members and invest in today’s best ideas for a brighter future for the whole world.
Fintech Foundation Incubator programme by Integrated Finance
The Fintech Foundation Incubator, launched in 2022 by fintech infrastructure provider Integrated Finance, is a support program to prepare early-stage fintech startups with the technology, tools, and knowledge they need to bring their ideas to market.
The 12-week program consists of access to in-depth workshops on critical topics hosted by Integrated Finance partners, one-on-one sessions with industry experts, and a pitching day to industry-leading global venture capitalists (VCs) at the end of the incubator to raise investment for participants.
The Fintech Innovation Lab is a highly competitive 12-week program that helps early-to growth-stage startup companies refine and test their value proposition with the support of the world’s leading financial service firms.
This innovative program is an opportunity for the participating startups to work with potential future customers, validate propositions, gain valuable insights into the financial services industry and develop strong relationships with senior industry executives. Entrepreneurs developing potentially game-changing technologies for financial services—particularly in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), cryptography, security, data and analytics, and blockchain and distributed ledger—are selected to participate in the program.
The program culminates in a demo day where companies showcase their technology to financial service executives, investors and journalists.
Originally developed and launched in New York City by The Partnership Fund for New York and Accenture, the Fintech Innovation Lab now operates in the following areas: London, Asia Pacific (Hong Kong) and New York.
Fongit, the Fondation Genevoise pour l’Innovation Technologique, is Switzerland’s premier innovation incubator supporting deeptech startups in Geneva since 1991. The private, non-profit foundation, is supported by the state of Geneva.
Fongit’s integrated incubation supports startups by providing: fully operational offices and labs, administration and accounting, business coaching and access to finance.
Fongit’s Incubation Program is designed to support startups’ journey of transforming an idea or technology into a viable product, taking them to the first round of funding. The objective is to de-risk their project and raise their valuation as fast as possible by achieving smart value inflection points.
Fongit incubates for 3 years and its startups often interact with the team on a regular basis even after they have left the premises. It has incubated 150+ innovative startups in the fields of fintech, medtech, cleantech and IT.
Founders Factory builds and funds startups together with exceptional entrepreneurs and the world’s leading companies. Headquartered in London, Founders Factory offers founders capital, operational support from a team of 100 hands-on experts, and unrivaled access to industry leaders like L’Oreal, Aviva, Guardian Media Group, Netcare, Standard Bank, Johnson & Johnson D.C. and Reckitt.
Founders Factory’s Venture Studio co-founds businesses from inception, developing new ideas, technologies and business models into high growth companies.
Operating sector-focused Accelerator programs and Venture Funds for Pre-Seed and Seed stage startups, Founders Factory invests in talented and diverse founding teams across industries and geographies – with a current focus on fintech, health, climate, media and telecoms, consumer and Web3.
Kickstart is one of Europe’s largest zero equity, multi-corporate ecosystem innovation platforms that runs a scale-up program for later-stage startups with a goal to accelerate deeptech innovation.
Each year Kickstart brings around 100 startups to Switzerland to collaborate with key players for proofs-of-concept, pilot projects and other innovation partnerships. The program is free of charge (no fees, no equity) for the ventures and it provides exceptional access to the executives and decision-makers of Kickstart’s partners.
Being an initiative of Impact Hub Zurich and launched by digitalswitzerland in 2015, Kickstart runs five verticals – New Work and Learning, Finance and Insurance, Food and Retail, Smart Cities, and Health and Wellbeing – in addition to an Intrapreneurship Academy and the Circular Economy Initiative.
Plug and Play Fintech was launched in 2015 and has accelerated 200+ fintech startups and invested in 50+. The 12-week accelerator program runs twice a year connecting the best early-to-growth stage startups to the world’s largest financial institutions.
Plug and Play Fintech runs its fintech program in locations including Paris, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Singapore, Shanghai and Abu Dhabi. Its current focus areas are wealth and asset management, payments, sustainability, retail banking, regtech, open banking, and crypto and digital assets.
Startupbootcamp Fintech
Startupbootcamp offers an accelerator program tailored for startups and scaleups in the inclusive fintech, decentralized finance (DeFi), embedded finance, contactless payments and buy now, pay later (BNPL) sectors. This accelerator connects founders with global corporations, corporate leaders, mentors, and impact investors to empower their ventures.
The program spans an intense three-month period focused on enabling rapid growth through digital acceleration. Participating startups receive initial investment and gain access to a wide network of investors, VCs, and angels to fuel their expansion.
Mentorship is a cornerstone of the program, with industry-specific mentors providing hands-on support and valuable connections. Additionally, startups benefit from exclusive partner deals worth over EUR 500,000 from leading technology providers such as Amazon, HubSpot, and SendGrid.
UniCredit Start Lab
UniCredit Start Lab is an initiative by UniCredit, a leading Italian commercial bank, aimed at supporting innovative startups and fostering entrepreneurship. The program provides selected startups with various forms of support, including mentorship, networking opportunities, access to funding, and resources to accelerate their growth and development.
UniCredit Start Lab offers mentorship from experienced professionals within UniCredit and its network, as well as access to UniCredit’s client base and corporate partners.
The 2024 program focuses on innovations made in Italy, cleantech, life science, impact innovation and digital solutions in the fields of fintech, cloud systems, mobile applications and business-to-business (B2B) services, among others.
>>venture>> is a leading startup competition and support program in Switzerland that aims to promote entrepreneurship and innovation. The program provides a platform for early-stage startups to showcase their ideas, gain visibility, and access resources to accelerate their growth.
The competition accepts entries from startups across various industries, including technology, life sciences, and social entrepreneurship. Entrants are evaluated by a panel of expert judges based on criteria such as innovation, market potential, and scalability.
Winning startups receive cash prizes, mentorship, networking opportunities, and access to a wide range of support services, including legal, financial, and marketing advice. Additionally, <<venture>> helps connect startups with investors, potential customers, and strategic partners to further support their development.
The Startup Wise Guys Fintech accelerator program offers an intensive up to five-month full-time mentoring program in Vilnius, complemented by online modules. With a curriculum tailored to the financial services industry, the program covers essential areas such as idea shaping and validation, business development, sales, fintech regulation, and fundraising.
Participants benefit from tailored guidance and support provided by world-class mentors and experts. Access to a constantly expanding network of like-minded founders, practitioners, and investors fosters valuable partnerships and collaboration opportunities.
Key highlights of the program include the opportunity to secure funding of up to EUR 150,000 (EUR 120,000 cash and EUR 30,000 program), with the potential for a EUR 250,000 follow-on investment. Participants also learn from leading fintech mentors and experts, gaining insights into sales techniques and product development strategies.
The Startup Wise Guys Fintech accelerator program targets early-stage B2B fintech startups working in the digital finance, insurtech and regtech sectors.
Fin + Tech
Fin + Tech is a fintech and insurtech accelerator program based in Milan. The initiative aims to support startups in developing innovative solutions for the financial and insurance sectors, focusing on enhancing these startups’ competitiveness in the market and facilitating their growth through an up-round process.
Selected startups benefit from a comprehensive package of services and investments worth EUR 300,000, along with ongoing support from the program’s promoters.
Fin + Tech accelerates 16 startups annually. Startups in the pre-seed and seed stages receive funding and support to refine their business models and address key innovation challenges in the financial and insurance industries.
The program is managed by leading accelerators Digital Magics, Startupbootcamp, and Fintech District. SIA, a co-investor and corporate partner, contributes expertise, technology, and support for open innovation initiatives.
Corporate partners, including Anima Sgr, Banca Mediolanum, BNL, BNP Paribas Cardif, Compass, Credito Fondiario, Excellence Consulting, and Reale Mutua Assicurazioni, support the program and provide additional resources and expertise to participating startups.
BNL Start
BNL Start, an accelerator program based in the North-Hungarian Region, has established itself as a prominent player in the startup ecosystem since its inception in 2020. Over the course of nearly four years, BNL Start has curated a portfolio of 24 companies, positioning itself as a strong and attractive ecosystem player.
BNL Start’s mission is to foster entrepreneurship and innovation through its Startup Factory initiative, conducted in collaboration with the University of Miskolc and other national and international ecosystem partners. The program aims to identify, mentor, and support early-stage startups, providing them with valuable feedback on their businesses and facilitating access to financing opportunities to propel them towards global success.
While the program has a strong focus on fintech, it welcomes startups from various sectors including tourism, edtech, e-health, and more.
Fintech Factory
Fintech Factory is an incubation program dedicated to supporting the growth of innovative early-stage companies. Backed by MKB Bank, one of Hungary’s largest banks, the program is open to B2B solutions applicable in the financial services sector, with a particular emphasis on cutting-edge fintech trends and technologies such as AI, cybersecurity, robotic process automation, and early warning models.
The program offers a range of benefits, including a 3-month tailor-made incubation program, weekly mentoring from key industry experts, access to the bank’s extensive network of experts and workshop leaders, and design support. Additionally, participants have the opportunity to collaborate with leading banks in Hungary and pitch their ideas.
While fintech remains a primary focus, the program is also open to investments in other sectors.
NEXT Fintech
NEXT Fintech, offered by Techcelerator, is an accelerator program designed to support early-stage technology startups in the fintech sector. The program targets startups with minimum viable products (MVPs) or those in the beta testing phase, seeking teams with solid execution capabilities and global ambitions.
NEXT Fintech focuses on various domains within fintech, including alternative financing, e-commerce, payments and digital wallets, personal finance, asset management and capital markets, open banking, software-as-a-service (SaaS), security and fraud prediction, blockchain, data and predictive analytics, regtech, and enterprise solutions.
Participants in the program benefit from strategic partnerships with corporate networks, product marketing support, easy access to investors, exclusive access to alumni meetings and events, sales boost through introductions to financial institutions in CEE, go-to-market and soft landing assistance for scaling into new markets, and long-term assistance with intensive training and additional business development support over six months.
Through strategic partnerships with investment partners such as GapMinder VC, SeedBlink, TechAngels, and regional co-investors, NEXT Fintech offers funding opportunities tailored to startups’ business progress and traction. Equity investments, ranging up to 10% of the company, or convertible note mechanisms are implemented based on the startup’s stage.
ABN AMRO + Techstars Future of Finance Accelerator
The Future of Finance Accelerator, a collaboration between ABN AMRO and Techstars, is a premier program based in the Netherlands for early-stage fintech and fintech-related startups across Europe. This Techstars initiative is dedicated to supporting exceptional entrepreneurs in various areas of fintech.
ABN AMRO’s commitment to disruptive innovation and fintech is underscored by its EUR 100 million venture fund dedicated to the sector. The accelerator’s proximity to ABN AMRO’s headquarters in Amsterdam offers founders unparalleled access to industry experts, technologists, data scientists, and business sponsors within the bank. This access facilitates highly personalized feedback, business development opportunities both internally and across ABN AMRO’s extensive client network, as well as rapid deployment of products or services for proofs-of-concepts and live pilots.
Techstars, renowned for its successful startup accelerator programs, offers founders deep mentor engagement, rapid iteration cycles, and fundraising preparation. With a maximum of 10 startups accepted per program, Techstars ensures a customized, high-touch experience tailored to the unique needs and skills of each founding team. Techstars’ impressive track record includes over 2,200 startups in its portfolio, which have collectively raised more than US$10 billion in funding.
Startuplab Fintech
Startuplab Fintech is an industry program and network that aims to foster innovation and facilitate the successful launch of new fintech companies in Norway. By bringing together startups, corporates, investors, researchers, and public authorities, the program seeks to build a robust and competitive fintech ecosystem in the country. Collaboration, mentorship, and knowledge sharing are key pillars of the program, encouraging innovation and growth within the fintech sector.
Startuplab Fintech focuses on opportunities in various areas within the financial services industry, including regulation, sustainable finance, financial services, data security, retail and payments, and blockchain.
The program facilitates collaboration and partnerships between startups and established companies, investors, and academia, and engages with authorities on regulatory issues. It also organizes events, pitches, and meet-ups to connect stakeholders within the fintech industry.
B! UP Accelerate
B! UP Accelerate, powered by Plug and Play, is a fintech and insurtech acceleration Program based in Station F, Paris. This program, launched in 2017 through a partnership between BNP Paribas and Plug and Play, brings together banking, insurance, and fintech experts to accelerate the growth of startups. By leveraging a vast network of mentors, executives, and VCs, the program aims to expedite time-to-market, fundraising efforts, and revenue pipelines for participating startups.
B! UP Accelerate caters to startups at various stages of development, providing support for piloting products, scaling businesses, hiring talent, and securing investments. The program focuses on several key areas, including fintech, insurtech, regtech, cybersecurity, AI and automation, personal finance, wealth management, predictive analytics, blockchain, fraud detection, customer experience, mobility, sustainability, and real estate.
TQ Accelerator: Digital Finance
TQ Accelerator: Digital Finance, launched by TechQuartier (TQ), Frankfurt’s leading innovation hub, is a pioneering fintech accelerator program aimed at bridging the gap between corporates and startups within the finance sector.
The program is tailored to provide startups with unparalleled access to corporate partners and industry connections within Frankfurt’s financial center. Over the course of seven weeks, participants engage in a series of tailored networking events, gain insights from financial experts, and showcase their innovations at public events featuring leading keynote speakers. These activities offer startups and corporations unique opportunities for investment, collaboration, and increased visibility in the digital finance sector.
TechQuartier is collaborating with a diverse array of partners for this program, including Visa, ALH Gruppe, GFT, neosfer, VR Payment and InnoPay. The Deutsche Bundesbank is an institutional partner.
CV Labs Accelerator
The CV Labs Accelerator is a 10-week intensive Web3 accelerator program based in Crypto Valley, Zug, Switzerland. Its mission is to empower startups by providing them with access to a vast pool of experts, mentors, and relevant knowledge in the field of blockchain and Web3 technologies.
The CV Labs Accelerator journey entails a one-week boot camp in Zug, filled with high-quality training from global experts and unique networking opportunities. This is followed by two digital learning blocks, each spanning four weeks. The first block focuses on technology, product, and legal topics, while the second block delves into marketing and branding. Weekly workshops and webinars are conducted by industry experts and leaders during these blocks.
The program culminates in a one-week graduation event in Zug, where startups elevate their pitching skills and participate in a demo day to pitch to high-profile investors.
The program is industry and blockchain agnostic, welcoming startups from various backgrounds. Successful applicants receive up to US$135,000 per startup and benefit from a global network of mentors and experts.
During the accelerator program, startups attend classes taught by over 50 industry experts, protocols, investors, and professors. They also receive direct access to consulting services from over 10 hands-on mentors and over 60 experts from around the globe.