IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ces/ceswps/_11301.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Fintech Startups in Germany: Firm Failure, Funding Success, and Innovation Capacity

Author

Listed:
  • Lars Hornuf
  • Matthias Mattusch

Abstract

Fintech startups have set out to revolutionize the financial world. However, little is known about how successful and innovative these firms actually are. This paper investigates firm failure, funding success, and innovation capacity using a hand-collected dataset of 892 German fintechs founded between 2000 and 2021. We find that founders with a business degree and entrepreneurial experience have a better chance of obtaining funding, while founder teams with science, technology, engineering, or mathematics backgrounds file more patents. Early third-party endorsements and foreign partnerships substantially increase firm survival. We also establish the following stylized facts: (1) fintechs focusing on business-to-business models and which position themselves as technical providers prove to be more effective; and (2) fintechs competing in segments traditionally reserved for banks are generally less successful and less innovative. These results have important implications for the early-stage success management of fintech firms and the investment decisions of venture capital funds and government startup programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Lars Hornuf & Matthias Mattusch, 2024. "Fintech Startups in Germany: Firm Failure, Funding Success, and Innovation Capacity," CESifo Working Paper Series 11301, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11301
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.cesifo.org/DocDL/cesifo1_wp11301.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Joan Farre‐Mensa & Deepak Hegde & Alexander Ljungqvist, 2020. "What Is a Patent Worth? Evidence from the U.S. Patent “Lottery”," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 75(2), pages 639-682, April.
    2. W. Scott Frame & Lawrence J. White, 2004. "Empirical Studies of Financial Innovation: Lots of Talk, Little Action?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 42(1), pages 116-144, March.
    3. Christian Helmers & Mark Rogers, 2010. "Innovation and the Survival of New Firms in the UK," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 36(3), pages 227-248, May.
    4. Ann-Kristin Achleitner & Reiner Braun & Marko Bender & Annabell Geidner, 2009. "Community development venture capital: concept and status quo in Germany," International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 9(4), pages 437-452.
    5. Oliver Werth & Davinia Rodríguez Cardona & Albert Torno & Michael H. Breitner & Jan Muntermann, 2023. "What determines FinTech success?—A taxonomy-based analysis of FinTech success factors," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 33(1), pages 1-22, December.
    6. Evila Piva & Cristina Rossi-Lamastra, 2018. "Human capital signals and entrepreneurs’ success in equity crowdfunding," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 51(3), pages 667-686, October.
    7. Eisenbeiss, Maik & Hartmann, Sven A. & Hornuf, Lars, 2023. "Social media marketing for equity crowdfunding: Which posts trigger investment decisions?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    8. Bi, Sheng & Liu, Zhiying & Usman, Khalid, 2017. "The influence of online information on investing decisions of reward-based crowdfunding," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 10-18.
    9. Giancarlo Giudici & Massimiliano Guerini & Cristina Rossi-Lamastra, 2018. "Reward-based crowdfunding of entrepreneurial projects: the effect of local altruism and localized social capital on proponents’ success," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 50(2), pages 307-324, February.
    10. Guy Dumais & Glenn Ellison & Edward L. Glaeser, 2002. "Geographic Concentration As A Dynamic Process," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 84(2), pages 193-204, May.
    11. Marco Grazzi & Chiara Piccardo & Cecilia Vergari, 2020. "Concordance and complementarity in IP instruments," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(7), pages 756-788, August.
    12. Unger, Jens M. & Rauch, Andreas & Frese, Michael & Rosenbusch, Nina, 2011. "Human capital and entrepreneurial success: A meta-analytical review," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 26(3), pages 341-358, May.
    13. Dietmar Harhoff & Konrad Stahl & Michaerl Woywode, 1998. "Legal Form, Growth and Exit of West German Firms—Empirical Results for Manufacturing, Construction, Trade and Service Industries," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(4), pages 453-488, December.
    14. Banna, Hasanul & Kabir Hassan, M. & Rashid, Mamunur, 2021. "Fintech-based financial inclusion and bank risk-taking: Evidence from OIC countries," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    15. Adam B. Jaffe & Manuel Trajtenberg & Rebecca Henderson, 1993. "Geographic Localization of Knowledge Spillovers as Evidenced by Patent Citations," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 108(3), pages 577-598.
    16. Muninger, Marie-Isabelle & Hammedi, Wafa & Mahr, Dominik, 2019. "The value of social media for innovation: A capability perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 116-127.
    17. Arthurs, Jonathan D. & Busenitz, Lowell W., 2006. "Dynamic capabilities and venture performance: The effects of venture capitalists," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 195-215, March.
    18. Aymen Turki & Robert Rieg, 2023. "On performance drivers of European Fintechs around venture capital: exploring the role of founders’ experience," Review of Accounting and Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 22(5), pages 682-699, September.
    19. Stiglitz, Joseph E & Weiss, Andrew, 1981. "Credit Rationing in Markets with Imperfect Information," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 71(3), pages 393-410, June.
    20. Krieger, Alexander & Block, Joern & Stuetzer, Michael, 2018. "Skill variety in entrepreneurship: A literature review and research directions," MPRA Paper 88389, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    21. Josh Lerner, 2002. "Where Does State Street Lead? A First Look at Finance Patents, 1971 to 2000," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 57(2), pages 901-930, April.
    22. Bugl, Benjamin M. & Balz, Frank P. & Kanbach, Dominik K., 2022. "Leveraging smart capital through corporate venture capital: A typology of value creation for new venture firms," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 17(C).
    23. Ayyagari, Meghana & Demirgüç-Kunt, Asli & Maksimovic, Vojislav, 2011. "Firm Innovation in Emerging Markets: The Role of Finance, Governance, and Competition," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 46(6), pages 1545-1580, December.
    24. Beck, Thorsten & Chen, Tao & Lin, Chen & Song, Frank M., 2016. "Financial innovation: The bright and the dark sides," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 28-51.
    25. Rujas, Javier, 1999. "Trade marks: complementary to patents," World Patent Information, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 35-39, March.
    26. Ajay Agrawal & Christian Catalini & Avi Goldfarb, 2015. "Crowdfunding: Geography, Social Networks, and the Timing of Investment Decisions," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(2), pages 253-274, June.
    27. Parhankangas, Annaleena & Renko, Maija, 2017. "Linguistic style and crowdfunding success among social and commercial entrepreneurs," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 215-236.
    28. repec:cup:jfinqa:v:46:y:2011:i:06:p:1545-1580_00 is not listed on IDEAS
    29. Yang Song & Leo Paul Dana & Ron Berger, 2021. "The entrepreneurial process and online social networks: forecasting survival rate," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 56(3), pages 1171-1190, February.
    30. Samuel Kortum & Josh Lerner, 2000. "Assessing the Contribution of Venture Capital to Innovation," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 31(4), pages 674-692, Winter.
    31. Backes-Gellner, Uschi & Moog, Petra, 2013. "The disposition to become an entrepreneur and the jacks-of-all-trades in social and human capital," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 55-72.
    32. Ron Boschma, 2005. "Proximity and Innovation: A Critical Assessment," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 61-74.
    33. Signori, Andrea & Vismara, Silvio, 2018. "Does success bring success? The post-offering lives of equity-crowdfunded firms," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 575-591.
    34. Zandberg, Jonathan, 2021. "Family comes first: Reproductive health and the gender gap in entrepreneurship," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(3), pages 838-864.
    35. Masatoshi Kato & Koichiro Onishi & Yuji Honjo, 2022. "Does patenting always help new firm survival? Understanding heterogeneity among exit routes," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(2), pages 449-475, August.
    36. Paul P. Momtaz, 2021. "Econometric models of duration data in entrepreneurship with an application to start-ups' time-to-funding by venture capitalists (VCs)," Journal of Applied Statistics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(13-15), pages 2673-2694, November.
    37. He, Jie (Jack) & Tian, Xuan, 2013. "The dark side of analyst coverage: The case of innovation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(3), pages 856-878.
    38. Raghuram G. Rajan, 2006. "Has Finance Made the World Riskier?," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 12(4), pages 499-533, September.
    39. repec:bla:jindec:v:46:y:1998:i:4:p:453-88 is not listed on IDEAS
    40. Geertjan De Vries & Enrico Pennings & Joern H. Block & Christian Fisch, 2017. "Trademark or patent? The effects of market concentration, customer type and venture capital financing on start-ups’ initial IP applications," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(4), pages 325-345, May.
    41. James Vaupel & Kenneth Manton & Eric Stallard, 1979. "The impact of heterogeneity in individual frailty on the dynamics of mortality," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 16(3), pages 439-454, August.
    42. Zack Jourdan & J. Ken. Corley & Randall Valentine & Arthur M. Tran, 2023. "Fintech: A content analysis of the finance and information systems literature," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 33(1), pages 1-21, December.
    43. Hsu, Po-Hsuan & Tian, Xuan & Xu, Yan, 2014. "Financial development and innovation: Cross-country evidence," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(1), pages 116-135.
    44. Rochet, Jean-Charles, 1992. "Capital requirements and the behaviour of commercial banks," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 1137-1170, June.
    45. Peter Sunley & Britta Klagge & Christian Berndt & Ron Martin, 2005. "Venture capital programmes in the UK and Germany: In what sense regional policies?," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(2), pages 255-273.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Shuangfa Huang & David Pickernell & Martina Battisti & Thang Nguyen, 2022. "Signalling entrepreneurs’ credibility and project quality for crowdfunding success: cases from the Kickstarter and Indiegogo environments," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(4), pages 1801-1821, April.
    2. Sven Siebeneicher & Ilker Yenice & Carolin Bock, 2022. "Financial-Return Crowdfunding for Energy and Sustainability in the German-Speaking Realm," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-23, September.
    3. Lars Hornuf & Matthias Schmitt & Eliza Stenzhorn, 2017. "Equity Crowdfunding in Germany and the UK: Follow-up Funding and Firm Failure," CESifo Working Paper Series 6642, CESifo.
    4. Vincenzo Butticè & Diego Useche, 2022. "Crowdfunding to overcome the immigrant entrepreneurs’ liability of outsidership: the role of internal social capital," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(4), pages 1519-1540, December.
    5. Essendorfer, Stephan & Diaz-Rainey, Ivan & Falta, Michael, 2015. "Creative destruction in Wall Street's technological arms race: Evidence from patent data," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 300-316.
    6. Lihuan Guo & Wei Wang & Yenchun Jim Wu & Mark Goh, 2021. "How much do social connections matter in fundraising outcomes?," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 7(1), pages 1-23, December.
    7. Maximilian Goethner & Sebastian Luettig & Tobias Regner, 2021. "Crowdinvesting in entrepreneurial projects: disentangling patterns of investor behavior," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 57(2), pages 905-926, August.
    8. Barbi, Massimiliano & Mattioli, Sara, 2019. "Human capital, investor trust, and equity crowdfunding," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 1-12.
    9. Cai, Wanxiang & Polzin, Friedemann & Stam, Erik, 2021. "Crowdfunding and social capital: A systematic review using a dynamic perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    10. Francesca Di Pietro & Francesca Masciarelli, 2022. "The Effect of Local Religiosity on Financing Cross-Regional Entrepreneurial Projects Via Crowdfunding (Local Religiosity and Crowdfinancing)," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 178(2), pages 429-443, June.
    11. Popov, Alexander, 2017. "Evidence on finance and economic growth," Working Paper Series 2115, European Central Bank.
    12. Douglas Cumming & Lars Hornuf & Moein Karami & Denis Schweizer, 2023. "Disentangling Crowdfunding from Fraudfunding," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(4), pages 1103-1128, February.
    13. Valérie Revest & Alessandro Sapio, 2012. "Financing technology-based small firms in Europe: what do we know?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 179-205, July.
    14. Helen Bollaert & Gaël Leboeuf & Armin Schwienbacher, 2020. "The narcissism of crowdfunding entrepreneurs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 55(1), pages 57-76, June.
    15. Mehmet Balcilar & Riza Demirer, 2014. "The Effect of Global Shocks and Volatility on Herd Behavior in Borsa Istanbul," BIFEC Book of Abstracts & Proceedings, Research and Business Development Department, Borsa Istanbul, vol. 1(2), pages 142-172, March.
    16. Fang, Xing, 2022. "Why we hide good deeds? The selfless and anonymous donation behavior in crowdfunding," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    17. Delgado, Mercedes & Porter, Michael E. & Stern, Scott, 2014. "Clusters, convergence, and economic performance," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(10), pages 1785-1799.
    18. Masatoshi Kato & Koichiro Onishi & Yuji Honjo, 2022. "Does patenting always help new firm survival? Understanding heterogeneity among exit routes," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(2), pages 449-475, August.
    19. Ramana Nanda & William R. Kerr, 2015. "Financing Innovation," Annual Review of Financial Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 7(1), pages 445-462, December.
    20. Massimo G. Colombo & Benedetta Montanaro & Silvio Vismara, 2023. "What drives the valuation of entrepreneurial ventures? A map to navigate the literature and research directions," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 61(1), pages 59-84, June.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fintech industry; firm funding; firm failure; innovation capacity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G24 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Investment Banking; Venture Capital; Brokerage
    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11301. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Klaus Wohlrabe (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cesifde.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.