1. Who are you?

My name is Christopher Grätz and I am co-founder and CEO of kapilendo.

2. Which services do you sell and who are your competitors?

Kapilendo (www.kapilendo.de) is a premium online credit marketplace, which connects small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in need of a credit for their projects with investors in search of fixed-interest investment opportunities. SMEs can combine fast, unbureaucratic and completely digital debt-financing with professional marketing. Private and institutional investors have the chance to do transparent fixed-interest investments in SMEs.

Within the German market, Lendico and Funding Circle can be seen as competitors for digital debt-financing. Kapilendo is the only platform that incorporates digital channels for customer acquisition and presents every company based on a professional film.

3. How did you get your startup idea and how did you finance your startup?

Kapilendo is a team of experienced financial experts. Having a long track record in private wealth management we gained a deep inside into the challenges and needs of private and institutional investors on the one side and entrepreneurs on the other side.

Kapilendo is seed-financed by the Comvest Holding and further well-known Business Angels (incl. Frank Schwab, Spiros Margaris, Dr. Torsten-Jörn Klein, Sebastian Scheerer)

4. What were the biggest challenges in starting?

The phenomena of “Crowdlending” is a completely new and innovative approach within the German market. The main challenge is to inform SMEs and investors about that new approach and widely spread the idea.

5. What areas within FinTech do you personally find most interesting and why?

I am convinced that FinTech is completely disrupting the existing banking industry. To me, business models that are built to solve existing problems within the financial market are most interesting and promising. In addition to “Crowdlending” the sector of mobile payments increases the customer value.

6. What opportunities do you see for FinTech startups in the DACH region, and how can we help to accelerate it?

Cooperative approaches between FinTech startups, established banks and regulatory authorities are necessary to achieve a customer centric ecosystem. The FinTech Forum, as one of the leading industry events, helps to accelerate cooperative approaches and sets the stage.

7. What tip would you like to give FinTech entrepreneurs?

Use your disruptive power. Start with an existing problem in the financial market and solve it by increasing the customer value.