The Hamburg Copenhagen Startup Forum 2026 | FinTech Edition

Are you ready to make the right connections for your next stage of growth?

The Hamburg Copenhagen Startup Forum 2026 brings together 12 promising fintech startups from Hamburg and Copenhagen with banks, financial service providers, corporates, and key ecosystem partners from both cities. 

Taking place on 2–3 December 2026 in Hamburg, the two-day programme is designed to help fintech startups build valuable relationships across borders. Participants will meet people and organisations that can support them in accessing new markets, developing commercial partnerships, connecting with potential customers, and preparing for their next funding round.

About the project

The Hamburg Copenhagen Startup Forum is a joint initiative of Startup City Hamburg, Hamburgische Investitions- und Förderbank (IFB Hamburg), IFB Innovationsstarter GmbH, Handelskammer Hamburg, Copenhagen Capacity, HIW Hamburg Invest Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft mbH, and the German-Danish Chamber of Commerce. 

Participants can look forward to a vibrant mix of programme highlights, combining targeted networking opportunities, professional pitch training, direct feedback from experienced experts, and practical insights into the fintech ecosystems of Hamburg and Copenhagen. 

A total of 12 startups will be selected: six from Hamburg and six from Copenhagen. 

Whether you are preparing for your next funding round, looking for commercial partners, or considering Hamburg or Copenhagen as your next market, the forum gives you direct access to the people who can help your startup move forward.

What is included in the offer?

• Targeted networking opportunities with banks, financial service providers, corporates, innovation leaders, and key ecosystem partners from Hamburg and Copenhagen
• Connections with potential customers and strategic partners that can support your startup’s next stage of development
• Professional elevator pitch training and direct feedback from experienced coaches and industry experts
• Practical insights into the fintech ecosystems of Hamburg and Copenhagen
• Opportunities for cross-border collaboration, business development, and international growth
• Access to a selected group of fintech startups interested in exchanging knowledge, exploring new markets, and growing across borders 

Who can apply?

The Hamburg Copenhagen Startup Forum is aimed at fintech startups that want to establish new business relationships, enter international markets, prepare for future growth, or explore Hamburg and Copenhagen as potential locations for their next stage of development. 

To be eligible, your startup must: 

• Be headquartered in Hamburg or Denmark 
  (Startups headquartered in Hamburg must provide a commercial register entry as proof.)
• Operate in the fintech sector (RegTech & InsurTech included)
• Be no more than ten years old
• Have a validated product-market fit
• Demonstrate a clear motivation for participating, including concrete objectives and expected benefits 

All eligible applications will be evaluated by an expert jury based on the information submitted. The jury will consider: 

• The startup’s maturity and market traction
• The scalability of its business model
• Its international growth potential
• Its strategic fit with the objectives of the Hamburg Copenhagen Startup Forum 

Selected startups will be notified by email no later than 20 October 2026. 
Applications are open until 11 October 2026, 23.59