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DACH Startup News March 2026: Robotics, Defence and the Bavaria Signal
The March 2026 DACH startup news roundup covers the month's most significant funding rounds, acquisitions, IPO developments and ecosystem shifts across Germany, Austria and Switzerland
Jörn Menninger
Mar 2613 min read


This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups — September 2023
This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.com/startuprad-io), and was moved to this blog with the relaunch of our website in summer 2024. What Is This About? The September 2023 DACH startup news roundup covers the latest funding rounds, founder moves, and ecosystem developments across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. This monthly digest highlights the key stories shaping the region's innovation landscape during Q3 2023. This article is pa
Jörn Menninger
Mar 1512 min read


This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups — Summer 2023 (July/ August) | Startupradio Episode #393
This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.com/startuprad-io), and was moved to this blog with the relaunch of our website in summer 2024. What Is This About? The summer 2023 DACH startup roundup covers July and August developments across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland — including notable funding rounds, founder exits, and ecosystem shifts that shaped Q3 of the year in the German-speaking startup world. This article is part of our coverag
Jörn Menninger
Mar 1513 min read


refurbed is One Step Closer to Becoming Austria’s Next Unicorn Startup
This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.com/startuprad-io), and was moved to this blog with the relaunch of our website in summer 2024. What Is This About? Vienna-based refurbed has become one of Austria's most promising unicorn candidates by building Europe's leading marketplace for refurbished electronics. The startup combines sustainability with consumer savings, offering professionally restored devices at lower prices while reducing e
Jörn Menninger
Mar 1518 min read


This Month in German, Swiss, and Austrian (GSA) Startups — April 2023 | Episode 380
This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.com/startuprad-io), and was moved to this blog with the relaunch of our website in summer 2024. What Is This About? The April 2023 DACH startup news roundup delivers 30 minutes of essential updates from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland — covering the month's most significant funding rounds, policy developments, ecosystem shifts, and founder stories shaping the German-speaking startup landscape. Thi
Jörn Menninger
Mar 1523 min read


Learn How French Fintech Unicorn Qonto Wants to Conquer the German Market
This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.com/startuprad-io), and was moved to this blog with the relaunch of our website in summer 2024. What Is This About? French neobank unicorn Qonto raised €486 million in Series D funding at a €4+ billion valuation and is now aggressively targeting the German market. This episode explores Qonto's strategy to conquer Europe's largest SME banking market and what it means for German fintech competition. T
Jörn Menninger
Mar 157 min read


Meet TIS — The World’s Leading SaaS-B2B Outbound Payment Platform — Founder Interview
This story was migrated from our old blog, originally published on November 11th, 2021. What Is This About? TIS, led by co-founder Jörg Wiemer, has built the world's leading SaaS platform for B2B outbound payments. The Walldorf-based company helps enterprises manage and optimize their global payment operations — processing billions in transaction volume across currencies, banks, and payment methods. This article is part of our coverage of Scaleup Founder Interviews from Germa
Jörn Menninger
Mar 156 min read


Why N26 Wants to Be a NeoBroker And Why Neobrokers Are HOT And Maybe In Danger
This story was migrated from our old blog, originally published on Dec 22th, 2021. What Is This About? N26, Germany's largest neobank, announced plans to add brokerage features — joining the neobroker wave sweeping Europe. This Christmas-season deep dive analyzes why neobrokers became the hottest startup category of 2021, and the regulatory and business model risks that could derail their momentum. This article is part of our coverage of Scaleup Founder Interviews from German
Jörn Menninger
Mar 1511 min read


Startuprad.io’s Fintech Review 2020
This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.com/startuprad-io), and was moved to this blog with the relaunch of our website in summer 2024. What Is This About? The Startuprad.io Fintech Review 2020 analyzes the year's most significant developments across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland — a year shaped by the pandemic's acceleration of digital finance, neobank growth, and new regulatory frameworks that reshaped the DACH fintech landscape. Th
Jörn Menninger
Mar 1517 min read


The Proptech HAUSGOLD Matches Real Estate Brokers with Buyers and Sellers — Founder Interview
This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.com/startuprad-io), and was moved to this blog with the relaunch of our website in summer 2024. What Is This About? HAUSGOLD is a proptech platform that matches real estate brokers with property buyers and sellers. The startup uses data and algorithms to connect the right broker with the right property — streamlining a process that traditionally relies on personal networks and local knowledge. This
Jörn Menninger
Mar 1526 min read


FinTech Startups Guide: Germany, Austria & Switzerland
FinTech startups in the DACH region include Trade Republic (€12.5B valuation, full BaFin banking license), N26 ($486M revenue in 2024), Scalable Capital (ECB-approved deposit-taking), and Bitpanda ($4.1B valuation). Switzerland's Crypto Valley in Zug hosts 1,290 companies valued at $382.93B. Germany's fintech VC investment reached €8.1B across 850+ deals in 2024. This page is part of the FinTech, InsurTech and RegTech in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland pillar in the Startu
Jörn Menninger
Mar 104 min read


Startup Scaling Playbooks for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
Scaling a startup requires disciplined growth planning and operational readiness. This guide covers proven scaling patterns from the German-speaking ecosystem, including case studies from companies like Personio, Celonis, N26, and Bitpanda. For context on the broader scaling environment, see our Startup Scaling, Growth & Operations pillar or visit the Knowledge Center . In Short German-speaking startups prioritize sustainable revenue before hypergrowth, establishing clear mi
Jörn Menninger
Mar 105 min read


DACH Startup News January–February 2026: Top Funding Rounds and Market Signals
Today’s episode highlights the headline-worthy startup news shaping the DACH ecosystem this month. Our deep dive into the landscape — including analysis, market shifts, and founder-level signals
Jörn Menninger
Feb 268 min read


The Flick Billionaire Family Exits Direct Startup Investing: What This Means for the Market
Flick Family halts direct startup investments, reshaping billionaire investment strategies in the healthcare sector.
Jörn Menninger
Oct 1, 20246 min read


Innovating Hybrid Workspaces: Incentives and Solutions with LIZ Smart Office CEO
Liz Smart Office CEO Robert Dittrich discusses using gamification incentives to bring employees back to the office
Jörn Menninger
Jul 11, 202426 min read


The Fall of Paydirekt: Lessons from a Failed PayPal Competitor
In 2015, Paydirekt was launched with high hopes by a consortium of German banks, positioning itself as a formidable challenger to PayPal in the online payment market. Despite the backing of 40 banks and a substantial investment, the venture never gained the traction it needed. Today, Paydirekt has been folded into Giropay, a similar service, marking the end of a costly experiment in the competitive landscape of digital payments. This post explores the rise and fall of Paydire
Jörn Menninger
Jun 14, 20245 min read


Inside Xentral: Unveiling Startup Success with Sequoia and Tiger Global
Xentral serves SMEs with ERP solutions and convinced investors Sequoia and Tiger Global
Jörn Menninger
Mar 14, 202446 min read


Why N26 Wants to Be a NeoBroker, Why Neobrokers Are HOT And Maybe In Danger
Explore why N26 is entering the booming neobroker market and how regulators might impact this high-margin business model.
Jörn Menninger
Dec 22, 20218 min read


Meet TIS — The World’s Leading SaaS-B2B Outbound Payment Platform
Discover TIS, the world's leading SaaS-B2B outbound payment platform, revolutionizing corporate payment processes globally.
Jörn Menninger
Nov 11, 202120 min read


The Proptech HAUSGOLD Matches Real Estate Brokers with Buyers and Sellers
HAUSGOLD: Matching real estate buyers and sellers with the right brokers. Discover how we streamline real estate transactions
Jörn Menninger
Sep 23, 202124 min read
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