As 2021 came to a close, the fintech landscape had gathered unprecedented momentum. When we looked ahead to what was in store for 2022 and announced our Fintech Summit EMEA, there were more than 180 $1B+ fintechs globally, of which EMEA was home to more than 75. Records had been broken across funding, valuations, exits, and almost every other metric. It was a unicorn stampede.

This year, we’ve seen a different picture emerge. Global equity markets came back down to earth, with high-growth technology companies hit particularly hard across both public and private markets. Fintech was not spared, with Q2 funding down 37% from its peak in Q4 last year (Dealroom). Many companies have spent this year back at the drawing board, designing more cash efficient and sustainable business plans.

While it’s easy to get lost in the gloom of the market correction, context is key. Q2 alone this year saw ~$23B of funding flow into fintech startups, versus ~$49B total across four quarters in 2019. Last year aside, 2022 is still on track to be one of the greatest years in fintech funding history, a testament to fintech’s potential and durability as a category.

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What’s more, EMEA still shines as a fintech powerhouse, today and for the future:

  • Europe continues to grow its share of global fintech funding, at 26% for 2022 year-to-date, higher than any year on record
  • London remains the top hub for fintech investment this year, ahead of the Bay Area and New York, paying tribute to its history as the global epicenter for financial services
  • Cities all over the region are emerging as fintech innovation hubs, with unicorns born in Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, Lagos, Stockholm, Tel Aviv and more
  • Experienced founders are building the next generation of unicorns, having been part of first generation success stories such as Adyen, Monzo, Revolut, Tink and Trade Republic

Entrepreneurs across EMEA are at the forefront of innovation, building in exciting areas across payments, consumer fintech, infrastructure, SMEs, Web3 and more - topics that we’ll highlight and dive into at our Fintech Summit

Fintech is here to stay and we’re still early in the journey. The opportunity ahead is likely larger than any of us can imagine. We’re excited for innovative fintech entrepreneurs to lead us into the future and believe EMEA will continue to grow its importance on the global fintech stage.

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Join us, Monzo’s TS Anil and many industry thought leaders at our Fintech Summit EMEA!

On 29 November, we’ll be bringing together fintech leaders from our portfolio and the broader ecosystem, alongside industry thought leaders and journalists, to discuss the future of fintech in the region.

Which sectors are ripe for transformation? What role will fintechs play in helping companies and consumers navigate the downturn? Where will the next generation of category-defining companies emerge from? We’ll be discussing all of these topics and more. 

Register below to join us virtually and you’ll be entered into a draw to be part of our in-person audience!

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Today, we’re pleased to announce that Monzo’s CEO, TS Anil, will be joining Accel’s Sonali De Rycker, for a fireside chat at our Fintech Summit EMEA. They’ll cover the importance of continuing to scale, innovate and invest in new products during an economic downturn, the role fintechs can play in helping consumers navigate tougher economic times, the importance of focusing on long term growth and more.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be unveiling speakers from category-defining companies such as Checkout, Codat, GoCardless, Melio, Mollie, Monzo, Plaid, Revolut, Stripe, Trade Republic and Zepz. They’ll be joining us at the event to discuss payments, infrastructure, consumer fintech, SMEs, web3 and more. So don’t hesitate - register to join the event above!

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Launching our Fintech 100 EMEA List

To coincide with our Fintech Summit, we’ll be unveiling our inaugural list of the top 100 up-and-coming fintechs headquartered in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The region is at the forefront of the fintech revolution and it’s time to shine a light on its rising stars.

The top 100 will be selected based on scale, momentum and strategic positioning, taking into account both operational metrics (headcount, usage, revenue) and market analysis (value 

proposition, competitive landscape, market attractiveness).

If you’re building a future category leader in fintech (headquartered in EMEA, valued at less than $1B, independent), apply now!