Partner Readiness for FinTechs
We make FinTechs bankable, partner-ready and growth-ready – from account opening to investor due diligence.
Partner Readiness
Our modular services are aimed at fintechs and smaller financial companies – both regulated and unregulated – that work with or plan to work with banks, payment service providers, partners, investors or corporate customers.
We support you in opening accounts and onboarding partners at banks, EMIs or PSPs, in scaling products, volumes or markets, and in meeting requirements from due diligence, procurement or investor processes – as well as in establishing lean, resilient compliance and governance structures.
Whether in an early stage of development or already in growth: our modules start exactly where there is a concrete need for action.
Where are you currently?
Our modules – support for every phase of your growth
We want to start
Goal
We quickly clarify where you stand, what red flags partners or banks might see, and what next steps are necessary to successfully prepare for account, partner, or customer onboarding.
Typical situations / triggers (what compels you to do so?)
Unclear whether account/partner onboarding is realistic; contradictory statements from banks/PSPs; founding team wants to "start first," but requirements are unclear
Goal
We provide clear regulatory classification and certainty regarding whether and when a licence is required – and how you can set up your business model in a sensible way, whether licence-free, licence-related or licence-required.
Typical situations / triggers (what compels you to do so?)
Licensing/regulatory issue pending; uncertainty as to whether licensing is required; partner raises licensing/regulatory issues; investor asks for regulatory roadmap; risk of incorrect product/go-to-market decision
Goal
We make your company bankable and onboarding-ready so that you can obtain a business account and successfully complete the basic onboarding process with banks, EMIs or PSPs.
Typical situations / triggers (what compels you to do so?)
Account opening/partner onboarding stalls; bank requests "compliance documentation"; partner wants clear description of model/flows/controls
Goal
We establish a streamlined, practical AML/KYC operating model that is regulatory compliant, partner-friendly and can be operated with minimal effort on a day-to-day basis.
Typical situations / triggers (what compels you to do so?)
Partner requires AML/KYC processes; first real customers; increasing transaction numbers; AML becomes critical (suspicious activity reports, screening, monitoring)
Goal
We make your company customer- and partner-friendly by setting up a functional, verifiable complaint management system and clear customer communication.
Typical situations / triggers (what compels you to do so?)
B2C product live; complaints are mounting; app store reviews/social media are escalating; regulatory minimum requirements/partner requirements for customer communication
We want to scale up
Goal
We make your company partner due diligence-ready so that you can successfully pass professional audits by partner banks, EMIs, PSPs or BIN sponsors and be accepted as a long-term cooperation partner.
Typical situations / triggers (what compels you to do so?)
DDQs become recurring; multiple partners simultaneously; new partner relationships/RFPs; increasing audit/vendor questions
Goal
We support you in selecting and structuredly introducing suitable compliance tools so that screening, monitoring and identity verification function in a scalable, efficient and partner-compatible manner.
Typical situations / triggers (what compels you to do so?)
Manual workarounds are being phased out; audit trail/evidence is lacking; team is growing; multiple systems; partner requires traceable controls; reporting is becoming necessary
Goal
We reduce sales friction and accelerate sales by standardising your compliance and security responses and making them usable for customer and procurement processes.
Typical situations / triggers (what compels you to do so?)
Sales is stuck on compliance issues; Enterprise/Partner wants security/compliance statements; many RFIs/RFPs; deal cycles too long
Goal
We stabilise your payment and product business by controlling fraud risks, reducing chargebacks and meeting partner and scheme requirements.
Typical situations / triggers (what compels you to do so?)
Fraud/chargebacks are on the rise; payment flows are being misused; partners are facing limits/termination; KPIs/unit economics are suffering.
We want to build trust among investors/partners.
Goal
We make your company ready for investors and transactions by preparing regulatory, compliance and risk aspects in a structured and verifiable manner.
Typical situations / triggers (what compels you to do so?)
Fundraising/Investor DD; M&A; Board demands "compliance posture"; need for clean DD room and reliable answers
Goal
We establish structured outsourcing and cloud governance that is resilient to regulatory requirements and meets partner, audit and investor expectations.
Typical situations / triggers (what compels you to do so?)
Cloud/vendor dependencies are growing; critical service providers; partners want outsourcing controls; board asks for controllability; enterprise demands governance
Goal
We provide a pragmatic introduction to DORA requirements so that you can meet regulatory expectations for IT resilience, service provider control and incident management.
Typical situations / triggers (what compels you to do so?)
DORA becomes relevant depending on partner/size/setup; uncertainty as to whether affected; initial DORA questions in DDQ; need for prioritisation rather than actionism
How we support FinTechs throughout their development
Phase 1
Orientation and start
Typical situation
- Business model is in place, but uncertainty regarding regulatory requirements
- Account opening / partner onboarding stalls
- No clarity on what banks or partners expect
Relevant Module: GS-01 , GS-02
Result
- Clear classification of the business model
- Transparency about red flags & next steps
- Well-founded decision-making basis instead of gut feeling
Phase 2
Operational capability
Phase 3
Partners & Growth
Typical situation
- Strategic partners, PSPs or EMIs are subject to more intensive scrutiny
- Volumes are rising, risks are increasing
- Tools and processes reach their limits
Relevant Modules: SC-01, SC-02, SC-04
Result
- Successful partner onboarding & DDQ
- Scalable compliance and monitoring structures
- Reduced fraud, chargeback and partner risks
Phase 4
Accelerate sales
Typical situation
- Enterprise customers provide extensive questionnaires
- Deals delayed by procurement and security
- Sales wastes time
Relevant Module: SC-03
Result
- Faster deal cycles
- Standardised, consistent responses
- More deals with less friction
Phase 5
Trust & Maturity
Phase 6
Licensing
Typical Trigger
- Business model becomes subject to licensing (e.g. payment services, e-money)
- Dependence on partner bank to be reduced
- Investors call for regulatory clarity
- Scaling to other countries
What we do
- Support with licensing and authorisation procedures (e.g. ZAG, e-money, KWG-related models)
- Establishment of the regulatory target architecture (organisation, governance, processes)
- Structured preparation and support in relation to supervisory authorities and auditors
Your contact person
has many years of experience in compliance, regulatory consulting, and the optimization of control processes for financial institutions, and heads the Governance & Regulatory Advisory division.