KPMG is launching the FinTech Lion Awards, which highlight top FinTech companies and their achievements. FinTech companies from Luxembourg and its neighboring countries will be eligible for the awards. From the online applications, the jury will select 15 semi-finalists who will be given a unique opportunity to present themselves to the Luxembourg FinTech community during pitching sessions in spring 2016. Ten of the companies will be selected by the jury to go through to the next round and compete for awards. We asked the team to give us more insights about this contest.
The FinTech Lion Awards startups will be competing for prizes designed to help them grow and develop their company in Luxembourg.
What are the FinTech Lion Awards?
The aim of the awards is to unearth outstanding FinTech startups and offer them a gateway into the European market through the Luxembourg financial center. FinTech startups can apply to the awards and compete for three major awards: FinTech Start-up of the Year, FinTech Entrepreneur of the Year and Best Pitch.
The FinTech Lion Awards startups will be competing for prizes designed to help them grow and develop their company in Luxembourg. There will be a top prize of €50,000, and four months of hosting at the Technoport for the FinTech Start-up of the Year (*). A trip to Silicon Valley and a one-year membership of the KPMG Hub for Entrepreneurship – the Khube – are also amongst the prizes for the winners of the FinTech Entrepreneur of the Year and Best Pitch awards respectively.
The online applications are open until 17 April, when 15 startups will be selected to go through to the semi-final on 9 May 2016. At this event, a jury of prominent personalities will whittle this group down to the top 10 startups that will go through to the final round. The winners will be announced at the Grand Final and Awards Ceremony, which will take place on 21 June 2016, at the KPMG Plage, with Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, Ministers Pierre Gramegna in attendance.
Why did you – KPMG – decide to set up such a contest?
The awards have actually been developed as a partnership between Digital Lëtzebuerg, the ICT Cluster, KPMG Luxembourg, Luxinnovation and Maison Moderne. We would like to put FinTech companies at the centre of this initiative, giving them an opportunity to present their services to traditional financial institutions. It’s all about making a contribution to the FinTech ecosystem.
What do you expect from this contest?
These high-level awards aim to bring the best of technology to Europe’s leading financial center. To help do this, we have assembled a jury composed of prominent entrepreneurs, investors, and other personalities, all committed to helping firms take off in Luxembourg.
How do you support FinTech startups?
The Khube is a one-stop-shop for entrepreneurs, based in Luxembourg and launched in June 2015, aiming at supporting innovative companies to run, fund and grow their businesses throughout Europe.
Thanks to a wide range of members, including some of the major financial institutions, large corporates, investors and corporate partners, the KPMG Hub for Entrepreneurship provides a complete ecosystem to foster innovation from Luxembourg.
(*) Note: to win the prize of €50,000 and the Technoport hosting, the company must be incorporated in Luxembourg (or be so within 12 months of winning).
