Fintech Week 2021 to shed light on future of finance

5 November 2021

Focus on digitalized financial sector from November 22-26

Bankers, fintech founders, investors and innovation managers will come together during Fintech Week 2021 (#fwhh21) in Hamburg from November 22-26 with emphasis on digitalization and the latest trends. Fintech Week acts as an umbrella for a wide variety of events including meet-ups, workshops and conferences all of which will be held under 2G rules meaning only fully-vaccinated or recovered persons can attend.

Motto and issues

Now in its fifth year, the 2021 edition gets underway under the motto "One week. One city. The best on the future of finance". Around 20 events will be held at Campus 75 in downtown Hamburg. Tickets for the entire week are not availalabe as delegates put together their own schedule, according to the organisers Finletter and Fintech Week GmbH. Events will start on Monday (November 22) with a live podcast by management consultants EY on the "Tokenization of Assets - Impact on the Future of the Capital Market." The focus on Wednesday will turn to sustainable finance and remote work. Then, four presentations will give insight into sustainable finance and ESG criteria (environment, social, governance). Meanwhile, the Fintech Ladies, in co-operation with the Berlin-based Airbank, will hold a deep dive discussion on : "Remote-First Culture in a German Fintech - Can it work?"

Start-ups and international exchange

Hamburg Invest's Startup-Unit will answer start-up enthusiasts and founders' queries about business plans, financing and networking on Thursday (November 22, 2021). Knowledge and technology-orientated businesses can now book a free slot. The focus later on Thursday will turn to "Sharing expertise - How to enter the German market". Hamburg is increasingly proving a launching pad for Scandinavian companies and firms in the Baltic States. A panel by the Hamburg Financial Center and the Hamburg Invest will focus on international exchange and sharing experiences. More information can be found in Fintech Week's FAQ section.

Vibrant Hanseatic fintech scene

Around 61 per cent of fintechs in Hamburg have been in business for less than five years making for a particularly young and dynamic fintech scene. Most companies focus on decentralised financial services ("defi") based on blockchain technology. Some 27 new fintechs (or 17 per cent of all start-ups) were founded between 2018 and 2020 in Hamburg. A total of 55 fintechs, mostly single-service providers, were active in Hamburg according to figures in July 2021. The fintechs deal with a single product and are not active in several business fields, which is in keeping with the nationwide trend. Credit & factoring (20 per cent, Germany-wide: 7 per cent) and personal financial management (18 per cent) are thriving in Hamburg.

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