FIBE Berlin: Europe’s Fintech Pageant with Function

FIBE Berlin 2025 Is Across the Nook—And It’s Elevating the Bar for Fintech Conferences in Europe

With the worldwide monetary sector getting into one more interval of transformation, few gatherings really feel as well timed as FIBE Berlin. Happening on April 9 and 10, this fintech competition isn’t just a spot for panels and handshakes. It’s rapidly changing into some of the talked-about fintech conferences in Europe—and for good motive.

FIBE Berlin stands on the intersection of innovation, coverage, capital, and neighborhood. Its format blends the power of a tech gathering with the depth of a monetary summit. And whereas many occasions are constructed round conventional agendas, FIBE presents one thing totally different: area for actual trade, accessible concepts, and forward-looking dialogue—on and off the stage.

Hosted in Berlin, a metropolis that has turn into Germany’s fintech engine, FIBE is backed by robust institutional networks and a neighborhood that spans founders, regulators, traders, and trade leaders. Its location isn’t simply symbolic—it displays the variety and ambition of a metropolis that has attracted over €500 million in fintech funding in a single yr.

With that momentum, FIBE’s objective is evident: to attach. Startups and scale-ups, incumbents and challengers, policymakers and technologists—all underneath one roof, not simply to share updates, however to form what’s subsequent. From curated networking to interactive codecs, the occasion focuses on moments that transfer conversations ahead.

Within the lead-up to the 2025 version, we spoke with three of the driving forces behind the competition:

• Lisa Dally, Mission Lead at FIBE

• Carola Bergmann, Head of Occasion Manufacturing at Handelsblatt

• Caroline Wahl, Co-Founding father of the Berlin Finance Initiative

Within the interviews that observe, they mirror on what it means to construct a fintech occasion that truly serves the individuals who attend—from idea to execution, from objective to participation.

Whether or not you’re attending for strategic perception, connection, or a clearer view of the way forward for finance, FIBE Berlin is changing into the area the place these wants converge. And this April, it’s able to ship once more.

Lisa Dally, Mission Lead FIBE

1. What impressed the creation of FIBE Berlin, and what position did you play in bringing this imaginative and prescient to life?

Berlin is Germany’s largest fintech hub, with practically 200 lively fintech firms, robust enterprise capital funds, and a excessive density of startups driving innovation within the monetary sector. The town is internationally linked and attracts expertise and traders from all around the world. What was lacking, nevertheless, was an occasion that really connects this dynamic neighborhood with the worldwide monetary world.

2. Organizing a brand new fintech and finance competition in a significant metropolis should include its personal set of challenges—what have been a number of the key classes realized to date?

FIBE was developed from scratch in simply ten months  –  with no current constructions or established processes. The most important challenges had been creating a transparent identification and convincing companions and audio system to affix a totally new format. How do you interact individuals from the monetary sector  –  the core viewers for FIBE  –  in an occasion that has by no means existed earlier than?

The reply: moderately than counting on conventional fashions, we leaned into the competition character by means of a contemporary, interactive occasion idea. FIBE’s debut got here with its share of hurdles but additionally nice surprises. Establishing a brand new occasion requires trust-building  –  particularly with out prior references or success tales. The most important problem was gaining confidence within the idea and bringing members and companions on board for one thing unknown. The response from the finance neighborhood was clear: extra of this, please!

To spice up ticket gross sales, we used focused advertising and marketing methods together with early-bird phases, elevated marketing campaign efforts, and unique presents for e-newsletter subscribers. On the similar time, constructing a robust staff was important  –  a time-intensive course of that paid off in the long term.

Past the challenges, we noticed many optimistic developments. A significant factor in our success was the robust sense of unity throughout the staff and the broad assist from the trade. Whether or not by means of partnerships, content material contributions, or hands-on involvement  –  the idea was seen and appreciated.

3. Are you able to stroll us by means of the planning course of behind an occasion like FIBE—from idea to execution?

An occasion of this scale requires a robust community and shut collaboration with the trade, the town, and key stakeholders. Vital companions similar to Handelsblatt, the Berlin Finance Initiative, Berlin Accomplice, and worldwide fintech and finance hubs introduced their experience to the desk. Political assist and the town’s engagement had been additionally essential in establishing FIBE as a global occasion.

What mattered most, nevertheless, was the belief of the neighborhood: ambassadors and multipliers who supported the idea from the beginning and helped to unfold the phrase. They enabled worldwide dialogue and ensured FIBE gained broad visibility among the many audience. Authenticity was a precedence for us — we wished the individuals behind the model to be seen and to construct belief from the very starting. Our objective was to create a platform the place all matters related to the fintech and finance world may very well be mentioned brazenly.

4. What do you hope fintech professionals and innovators take away from attending FIBE Berlin?

We hope that everybody who attends FIBE is left feeling impressed, linked, and geared up with new insights. Our objective is to create an area the place significant dialogue may occur –  throughout sectors, expertise ranges, and disciplines. Whether or not somebody joined a masterclass, networked on the Späti, or listened to a podcast recording, the takeaway needs to be: “That is the place innovation lives.” We wish FIBE to be remembered not simply as an occasion, however as a catalyst — for brand spanking new concepts, partnerships, and progress in finance and tech.

5. In your view, how does FIBE stand out from different finance and tech occasions throughout Europe?

FIBE combines interactive codecs with way of life parts, going past conventional commerce truthful ideas. It merges expo, convention, and leisure to foster actual connections. A number of parts set new requirements:

• Interactive codecs like workshops and masterclasses had been designed to encourage engagement and networking.
• Phases with totally different thematic focuses allowed for deeper conversations and private views. The Membership Stage constructed on matters from the Pageant Stage with extra intimate insights and learnings.
• The FIBE Späti created an off-the-cuff setting for open, off-the-record discussions.
• Curated networking areas enabled extra focused and significant interactions.

6. What recommendation would you give to others main or launching occasions that goal to drive actual impression within the fintech neighborhood?

Assume otherwise, problem the established order, and develop a transparent plan with outlined objectives. The extra concrete your construction, the simpler it’s to construct one thing sustainable. Do not be afraid to depart the same old paths — the fintech neighborhood values authenticity and daring concepts.

Carola Bergmann, Head of Occasion Manufacturing at Handelsblatt

1. What had been a few of your principal objectives when curating the occasion expertise for FIBE Berlin?

In a world of fast change, the place long-held certainties are being challenged and new applied sciences and geopolitical shifts are disrupting enterprise, reliable info, clear steerage and new, dependable connections are extra essential than ever. And that is what we need to ship at FIBE.

FIBE was by no means meant to be simply one other fintech occasion. Our imaginative and prescient was to deliver collectively all the monetary ecosystem: established banks, startups, enterprise capitalists, regulators, policymakers, know-how suppliers and rising expertise. The rising collaboration between fintechs and banks displays a deeper insight- true innovation would not occur in isolation, however inside robust, linked networks. FIBE creates the area for these networks to emerge and thrive.

2. From an occasion manufacturing perspective, what does it take to create an environment that encourages actual connection and trade within the fintech area?

It begins with rethinking the format. At FIBE, we provide extremely interactive periods that transcend keynotes. Attendees can ask questions straight, communicate with consultants on-site, and get probably the most out of their expertise. The bodily atmosphere additionally issues: open areas, casual lounges, and curated networking assist to interrupt down silos and create real dialogue.

3. How do you resolve which themes, audio system, or matters to prioritize when shaping this system for FIBE?

On the one hand, we profit from Handelsblatt’s intensive worldwide editorial community. On the opposite, we’re in direct and ongoing dialogue with the trade’s key decision-makers – fintech founders, bankers and traders. This offers us a deep understanding of the problems that matter most to the sector, and the particular insights, impulses and greatest observe instances they want.

Proper now, we’re seeing profound geopolitical modifications throughout fintech hubs within the US, Asia, and Europe—shaping every part from regulation and funding dynamics to technological priorities. On the similar time, synthetic intelligence is quickly disrupting the trade: streamlining operations, driving productiveness, and unlocking new enterprise fashions. Different urgent matters embrace the ascent of crypto, the rising affect of tremendous apps, the pressures on fintech founders, and shifting buyer expectations.

To discover these matters, we invite a number of the most sensible, famend, and forward-thinking founders and traders from around the globe. Due to our intensive community and shut ties throughout the trade, a lot of our audio system come to us by means of private suggestions—making certain we persistently deliver related voices and recent views to the stage.

4. How do you guarantee a stability between thought management, networking, and innovation on the occasion stage and behind the scenes?

It’s all about variety – not simply of audio system, however of codecs. We mix high-level panels and keynotes with deep dives, masterclasses, and casual networking codecs just like the FIBE Späti. Every space of the competition has its personal power, and every interplay ought to provide one thing totally different: perception, connection, or inspiration.

Behind the scenes, we work intently with our companions to co-create content material that feels related, forward-thinking, and grounded in actual challenges.

5. What tendencies or matters in fintech are you most excited to see gaining momentum at FIBE?

One thrilling improvement is our deeper worldwide focus. We’re spotlighting rising fintech ecosystems in India, the Nordics, and the US. To get reside insights straight from these markets, we’re not simply bringing international audio system to Berlin — we’re additionally connecting in real-time through video with Handelsblatt correspondents in locations like Silicon Valley and Shanghai.

6. One among your objectives is to foster inclusivity at FIBE. What particular steps have you ever taken to make sure that variety is mirrored on stage and within the viewers?

Variety is one thing we strategy proactively, not passively. We set clear inner objectives for speaker variety – throughout gender, backgrounds, expertise ranges, and geography.

We work with worldwide companion organisations that concentrate on underrepresented voices. We additionally guarantee ticket entry is inclusive – by means of discounted charges for college students, founders, and nonprofits. On stage and within the viewers, FIBE ought to mirror the complete breadth of the fintech neighborhood.

Caroline Wahl, Co-Founder Berlin Finance Initiative

1. What first drew you to become involved with FIBE Berlin, and the way did your background assist form your strategy to the competition?

On the Berlin Finance Initiative, our mission is to make Berlin’s fintech success story seen – and to actively form it. We work intently with the Metropolis of Berlin, Berlin Accomplice for Enterprise and Know-how, and the European Union to place Berlin as a number one monetary and tech hub in Europe. When the chance arose to assist FIBE, it was a pure match. Berlin has lengthy wanted a flagship occasion to attach its dynamic fintech scene with the broader finance ecosystem.

Our community, our strategic perspective, and our dedication to sustainable progress helped form FIBE’s positioning – not simply as an area competition, however as a platform with European and worldwide relevance.

2. As a co-founder of the Berlin Finance Initiative (brief: BFI), how does your imaginative and prescient for the town’s fintech future align with FIBE’s mission?

FIBE and the BFI share a typical objective: to make Berlin the main centre for next-generation monetary applied sciences. We each consider in constructing bridges – between fintechs and banks, between startups and policymakers, between native innovation and international relevance.

Berlin is already Germany’s fintech capital – residence to extra lively fintechs than Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Cologne mixed. However our imaginative and prescient goes additional: we would like Berlin to be the go-to hub for WealthTech, InvestTech, and B2B fintechs throughout Europe. Occasions like FIBE assist flip that imaginative and prescient into actuality by giving these gamers a stage, visibility, and a spot to attach and develop.

3. How do you strategy constructing significant partnerships that add actual worth to the FIBE expertise?

We see partnerships as extra than simply logos on a banner. True collaboration means shaping content material collectively, co-creating experiences, and amplifying one another’s attain. At FIBE, we labored to herald companions who symbolize each a part of the worth chain – from regulators and traders to tech suppliers and founders.

Berlin thrives on networks, and that spirit was central to how we approached FIBE: various voices, lively participation, and a shared dedication to pushing the trade ahead.

4. What has shocked you probably the most throughout the FIBE journey?

What really shocked – and impressed – me was the overwhelming assist from the fintech and finance neighborhood, not simply right here in Berlin, however internationally. From day one, individuals stepped in with concepts, introductions, and an unimaginable quantity of goodwill. It actually felt like a collective effort to construct one thing significant collectively.

What stood out was how robust the curiosity was from the worldwide fintech bubble to attach with Berlin’s ecosystem. There’s an actual curiosity about what’s taking place right here – a recognition that Berlin just isn’t solely a inventive and tech-savvy hub, but additionally a critical place to do enterprise within the monetary area.

Much more highly effective was the sense of shared ambition throughout the board. Fintechs and banks alike confirmed an actual willingness to collaborate – to interrupt out of silos and work collectively to push this ecosystem ahead. That spirit of cooperation, the openness, and the starvation to form the long run – that’s what made the FIBE journey so particular.

5. What do you consider makes Berlin a perfect residence for a fintech and finance competition like this?

Berlin stays Germany’s undisputed fintech capital – with 189 lively fintechs, greater than triple the quantity in Munich or Frankfurt. In 2024 alone, Berlin-based fintechs raised round €535 million in enterprise capital throughout 64 funding rounds – greater than some other German metropolis. Nearly all of Germany’s fintech scale-ups are primarily based right here, and we’re seeing particularly robust momentum in B2B and enterprise software program options for finance.

What units Berlin aside isn’t simply the numbers – it’s the tradition. This metropolis attracts expertise, traders, and entrepreneurs from around the globe. It’s worldwide, collaborative, and open to experimentation. Whether or not you are constructing the following huge WealthTech or seeking to companion with incumbents, Berlin presents the best mixture of innovation, infrastructure, and ambition.

We’re additionally seeing promising developments with platforms just like the Home of Finance & Tech – a hub that brings collectively founders, corporates, and policymakers to assist fintechs scale. That’s the form of power and assist that makes Berlin greater than only a nice location – it makes it the guts of fintech in Europe.