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Germany’s new fintech scale-up growth program, the Scale-up Academy equips startups with the tools, knowledge, and network to scale sustainably and raise their next round. The Academy offers 4 tracks: Regulation & Compliance, Fundraising & Investment, Market Entry into France, and Organization & Leadership — each offering expert coaching, strategic insights, access to key stakeholders, and proven frameworks.
About the House of Finance & Tech
The House of Finance & Tech (HoFT Berlin) is Berlin’s home for financial innovation — a public-private partnership designed to drive financial wellbeing by fostering an open dialogue, building trusted infrastructure, and create intelligent platforms between the private and public sector. Learn more about HoFT's partners.
Fintech scale-ups get the regulatory expertise and compliance frameworks needed to navigate complex financial regulations and build a bulletproof foundation.
Through personalized roadmaps, expert legal coaching, and direct BaFin access, teams learn to transform compliance challenges into competitive advantages.
Launched: April
Fintech scale-ups get the insider VC knowledge and fundraising expertise needed to become investment-ready and secure funding for growth.
With tailored coaching, direct investor access, and proven frameworks, founders learn to build winning strategies, deliver compelling pitches, and close successful funding rounds.
Launched: June
This program helps WealthTech & InvestTech scale-ups expand into the French market with confidence.
You'll get strategic preparation, personalized coaching, and direct access to clients, investors, and partners to build and execute your winning go-to-market strategy in Europe's second-largest economy.
Applications open
WealthTech scale-ups get the leadership tools and strategies needed to build high-performance teams and drive sustainable growth.
Through expert guidance and hands-on frameworks, leadership teams learn to align on goals, build a winning culture, and scale with confidence.
Launch date: Coming soon
Applications are still open for Market Entry Program — your gateway to France’s fast-growing fintech scene.
Open to German WealthTech and InvestTech companies, this highly selective program with just ~5 participants per track offers tailored approach and access to investors, partners, and market insights to help you land with confidence.
Applications close July 20.
The Scale-Up Academy is HoFT Berlin's flagship program, aligned with our mission to democratize financial wellbeing.
As part of the House of Finance & Tech, we leverage extensive industry connections, regulatory relationships, and fintech expertise to accelerate Germany's most promising financial technology companies.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Insights into the venture capital market, its structure, and current trends delivered by experienced VC insiders and entrepreneurs. Background information on investor decision-making processes, deal structuring & terms, and effective fundraising preparation and due diligence.
Series of intensive one-on-one coaching sessions with experienced coaches having VC backgrounds and best practices. Individual coaching and improvement of investor documentation, input on investment case and fundraising strategy to increase your fundraising prospects. Identification and addressing of potential deal-breakers for a smooth investment process.
Benefit from the combined expertise of our coaches: professionals with VC insider knowledge and investment background as well as entrepreneurial coaches who have built successful startups and share their best practices.
Share best practices with your peer group and enjoy casual networking with investors, experts, and successful entrepreneurs around topics such as winning international investors, access to pre-IPO capital, or corporate investments.
Connect with relevant investors through matchmaking events, as well as the concluding Investor Finals with pitching opportunities before a selected investor audience.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Providing knowledge on navigating regulatory requirements through external partnerships (outsourcing) and internal strategies such as licensing and acquisition.
BaFin actively engages through dedicated workshops on regulated financial services and offers one-on-one coaching sessions, providing participants with direct insights and guidance on permission-relevant business models.
Development of your individual case study focused on your own regulatory roadmap, identifying relevant regulatory requirements and evaluating strategic options such as licensing, outsourcing, or partnerships to enable compliant growth.
One-on-one coaching with experts and top-tier law firms specializing in finance and capital markets.
Offering of valuable networking opportunities through close and intensive exchange with other WealthTech scale-ups, fostering dialogue on shared challenges and enabling potential business development with participating B2B partners.
The cohort is composed exclusively of scale-ups from the WealthTech segment, enabling a focused, expert-level exchange and tailored discussion of industry-specific regulatory and strategic challenges.