Expert Coffee Talks - Achim Oelgarth
It's getting harder to meet people in Berlin due to the crisp ❄ weather, but the cold didn't stop Elif Kocaoglu Ulbrich of Contextual Solutions from chasing Finance and Tech experts for an interview; coffee talks are back!
2024's first #coffeetalk guest is Achim Oelgarth. Achim's background is in finance, innovation, law and entrepreneurship. He is the CEO of the Ostdeutscher Bankenverband and the Initiator of the Berlin Finance Initiative. There was a lot to talk about, but Elif focused on Achim’s exciting plans for 2024 to crown Berlin as a central Finance and Tech hub.
Coffee Talks is a short LinkedIn interview format initiated by Elif in 2023, aiming to bridge experts and initiatives in different ecosystems and give back to the community. Former guests include Morten Laufer of Spicy Talents and Leitha Matz of Finmarie.
💡 3 Questions, 3 Answers
1️⃣ Is Berlin Europe’s fintech hub yet? What are the advantages or disadvantages compared to other hubs?
[Achim]: Absolutely, Berlin has emerged as Europe's FinTech hub, ranking number one in terms of the number of startups, including FinTechs.
Berlin boasts nearly 6,000 startups, and it's the home of 5 out of the 12 entrepreneurial German universities. Furthermore, when it comes to FinTechs, Berlin holds the second spot in Europe, with +350 FinTechs calling it home. In addition, most blue-chip companies operate their innovation hubs in Berlin and benefit from the strong network between science, business, and the talent pool. However, a disadvantage compared to London and Paris is that Berlin isn't Germany's financial district; Frankfurt is. The need for Germany to consolidate its strengths, especially for financing digital and green transformations, is evident.
2️⃣ What is the Berlin Finance Initiative? Who can take part?
[Achim]: The Berlin Finance Initiative (BFI) is a community builder within Berlin's Finance and Tech scene, aiming to create a unique financial and technological hub across Europe. Founded over 3 years ago, the BFI collaborates with entities like the de:hub FinTech Berlin.
BFI represents the diverse interests of Berlin's finance and technology sectors, serving as a conduit to global markets. The network includes both traditional and emerging financial market players, and anyone can apply for membership at https://lnkd.in/eXXvKxHS.
3️⃣ What are future plans for Berlin to make it even more fintech-friendly?
[Achim]: Despite being a leader in the EU and 6th globally in the Global FinTech Index, Berlin faces growing competition from other cities. Therefore, Berlin plans to consolidate the forces of its Finance and Tech landscape in a central hub, the House of Finance and Tech Berlin (HoFT.Berlin), starting now.
Additionally, in April, Berlin will host its first international FinTech Festival, FIBE Berlin in collaboration with Messe Berlin and Handelsblatt. The festival aims to bring together over 1k guests and 30+ speakers and connects Berlin with global partner hubs.
The increasing interest in FinTech from universities, business schools, and even schools emphasize the importance of knowledge transfer between institutions and companies. The HoFT.Berlin will play a key role, particularly in enhancing society's financial literacy.
