Deutsche Börse Shuts Down Its Fintech Hub — What It Means for Germany's Innovation Future
rankfurt was once hailed as Germany’s fintech capital. Now, the quiet exit of its flagship Fintech Hub reveals deeper questions about startup support, policy, and IPO ambitions.
Picture of Frankfurt taken by Joe from Startuprad.io - from the balcony of the Fintech Hub in February 2019
📈 The Fintech Dream That Faded in Silence
In 2016, Deutsche Börse made a bold bet. Launching a Fintech Hub in Frankfurt under the German federal Digital Hub Initiative (DE:Hub), the move positioned the exchange operator as one of the most active corporate backers of fintech in Europe.
The hub offered free office space, event access, and mentorship for promising startups. It was included in Germany's Top 20 digital labs, spotlighted in international media, and became a stop on tours for VCs, accelerators, and delegations exploring Europe’s fintech scene.
And then? It disappeared. Quietly. No public statement, no press coverage, not even a LinkedIn update.
The only confirmation we received was a formal written statement from Deutsche Börse: the Fintech Hub was closed at the end of November 2022.
„Ziel war es, mit kostenfreien Büroflächen, Expertenwissen und Events Gründerinnen und Gründer beim Aufbau ihrer FinTech-Startups zu fördern. [...] Der FinTech Hub wurde Ende November 2022 geschlossen.“
„The ecosystem has evolved,“ they added, explaining that "financing and implementation" now take precedence over startup incubation spaces.
🔗 Read the original blog post here
🌐 Frankfurt: Germany's Official Fintech Hub
As of today, Frankfurt still holds the title of Germany’s official Fintech Hub under the federal DE:Hub strategy. But this quiet retreat by its most prominent backer poses difficult questions:
Who will now lead ecosystem support?
What does this signal to global investors watching Europe?
And how does this square with Deutsche Börse's public stance on retaining tech IPOs in Europe?
You can read the full open letter, signed by Deutsche Börse here:
Europe Needs to Keep Its Best Tech IPOs at Home (PDF)
But with fintech support structures dissolving locally, who is expected to help prepare these companies for IPOs?
💬 Nobody Noticed It Was Gone
In speaking with entrepreneurs across the Frankfurt startup ecosystem, one thing was clear:
Nobody noticed the Fintech Hub had closed.
The building was simply taken over by Cashlink, one of the original startups from the hub's founding batch. Many assumed operations were ongoing. Even insiders say that the hub faded from relevance shortly after its initial success story cohort:
Dwins (Finanzguru)
Cashlink
Fintura
Savedroid
⚡ A Broader Pattern: Frankfurt's Shrinking Fintech Scene
The Fintech Hub's shutdown is not isolated:
Gründermaschine – closed
Fintech Headquarter – now a LinkedIn group focused on digital assets
Despite Frankfurt's designation as Germany's fintech center, its local infrastructure is contracting. Meanwhile, Deutsche Börse pivots to partnerships like the one announced with Google Cloud in 2023.
🏋️ Strategic Shift or Innovation Fatigue?
From a distance, it looks like a classic case of innovation theatre fading into budget cuts and priority changes. While Deutsche Börse claims continued support through Futury and Startup-Verband, these efforts feel far removed from offering founder-facing programs and tangible startup resources.
So, what does that mean for Frankfurt—and for Germany’s tech IPO pipeline?
🌎 Why This Matters for Entrepreneurs and Investors
For startup founders, this sends a clear signal: don't rely on corporate promises alone.
For investors, it's a cautionary note on local ecosystems that may look robust on paper but lack operational backing.
For policymakers, it's a red flag that Germany's official fintech center is losing ground just as Europe seeks to compete globally for tech listings.
✉️ What You Can Do Now
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