Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FINE (Fintech Investor Network and Ecosystem)
Période du rapport: 2023-09-01 au 2025-11-30
The FINE project strengthened connections between Fintech ecosystems at both local and international levels by fostering collaborative investment practices among investors. The project mapped key ecosystem players across diverse Fintech environments, from highly developed to emerging markets, and created a comprehensive KnowledgeBase containing up-to-date information on local investment trends, regulatory frameworks, and key actors.
FINE established an inclusive Investor Academy, providing educational resources to empower new, young, female, and minority investors with foundational and case-specific knowledge on Fintech investment. Through community-building initiatives - including a matchmaking events, targeted events, workshops, webinars, and networking activities - FINE facilitated active collaboration and deal-making between investors and local startups.
The project also launched a Fintech Ambassador Network, enhancing cross-border investment by offering guidance and expertise to local and international stakeholders. Finally, policy recommendations were developed to attract investors to emerging ecosystems, promote inclusion of underrepresented groups, and integrate ESG principles into investment decisions.
In a nutshell, FINE increased investment flows into less-connected ecosystems, supported the scale-up of local startups, improved investor knowledge on opportunities and regulatory frameworks, and promoted a more inclusive and gender-balanced investment environment.
FINE established an inclusive Investor Academy, providing educational resources to empower new, young, female, and minority investors with foundational and case-specific knowledge on Fintech investment. Through community-building initiatives - including a matchmaking events, targeted events, workshops, webinars, and networking activities - FINE facilitated active collaboration and deal-making between investors and local startups.
The project also launched a Fintech Ambassador Network, enhancing cross-border investment by offering guidance and expertise to local and international stakeholders. Finally, policy recommendations were developed to attract investors to emerging ecosystems, promote inclusion of underrepresented groups, and integrate ESG principles into investment decisions.
In a nutshell, FINE increased investment flows into less-connected ecosystems, supported the scale-up of local startups, improved investor knowledge on opportunities and regulatory frameworks, and promoted a more inclusive and gender-balanced investment environment.
The project has been structured into six WPs which worked closely to meet the objectives and maximise the impact of the project. The operational core of the proposal consists of four major activity groups, broken into WP1 to WP4. All four WPs collaborated closely with WP5, responsible for dissemination and communication activities, and with WP6, which oversaw overall project management.
Objectives achieved by the FINE consortium
WP1
The FINE consortium conducted a comprehensive analysis and mapping (Investor Map & Ecosystem Map) of fintech innovation ecosystems across the ten targeted EU countries (France, Malta, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary), focusing on local markets, investment contexts, and regulatory environments.
As the main repository of FINE project results, the Knowledge Base was finalised with its last updates in early November 2025 and currently includes:
- 70 articles published
- 5 podcast episodes
- 10 publications in specialised websites and magazines
- 230 investors mapped
- 242 trends and policies mapped
- 10 e-learning modules comprising 55 lessons (Investor Academy).
WP2
Launched on the project website in February 2025, the Investor Academy includes a fully structured e-learning site, hosted on the Elfin platform, consisting of 10 modules with 55 lessons, designed to provide fundamental knowledge of Fintech investment.
WP3
The FINE consortium focused on building a pan-European and international investor community to strengthen collaboration and knowledge transfer within Fintech ecosystems.
To activate investor networks and support Fintech scale-ups across borders, the consortium carried out targeted matchmaking activities, from M4 to M27:
- Profiled ~300 community members, including investors, potential investors, and Fintech stakeholders via F6S platform, Slack, and event registration.
- Organised 4 curated matchmaking events (2 in-person and 2 virtual), attracting approximately 100 attendees (excluding consortium partners).
- Facilitated 61 investor-to-investor connections, including 10 established before April 2025.
In addition, a FINE Slack Community was launched in September 2024 (M13) to support ongoing community management. By the end of the project, the Slack community included 111 members.
Figures:
- Community Members Profiled: ~300 (investors, potential investors, Fintech stakeholders)
- Matchmaking Events Organised: 4 (2 in-person, 2 virtual)
- Event Attendees per Matchmaking: ~100 (excluding consortium)
- Investor-to-Investor Connections Facilitated: 61
- Slack Community Members at the end of the project: 111
WP4
The consortium developed a series of policy recommendations and best-practice materials to enhance inclusiveness and gender equality within European Fintech investment ecosystems. These initiatives focused on addressing barriers faced by women, young investors, and minority investors, particularly in regions with emerging or less mature capital markets.
As part of this effort, the consortium produced 2 policy papers:
- Policy Recommendations on Inclusivity in Investment – providing actionable measures to increase the participation of underrepresented groups in venture capital and business angel sectors.
- Policy Recommendations for Investor Attractiveness – highlighting strategies for regions to become more appealing to foreign and domestic investors.
Objectives achieved by the FINE consortium
WP1
The FINE consortium conducted a comprehensive analysis and mapping (Investor Map & Ecosystem Map) of fintech innovation ecosystems across the ten targeted EU countries (France, Malta, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary), focusing on local markets, investment contexts, and regulatory environments.
As the main repository of FINE project results, the Knowledge Base was finalised with its last updates in early November 2025 and currently includes:
- 70 articles published
- 5 podcast episodes
- 10 publications in specialised websites and magazines
- 230 investors mapped
- 242 trends and policies mapped
- 10 e-learning modules comprising 55 lessons (Investor Academy).
WP2
Launched on the project website in February 2025, the Investor Academy includes a fully structured e-learning site, hosted on the Elfin platform, consisting of 10 modules with 55 lessons, designed to provide fundamental knowledge of Fintech investment.
WP3
The FINE consortium focused on building a pan-European and international investor community to strengthen collaboration and knowledge transfer within Fintech ecosystems.
To activate investor networks and support Fintech scale-ups across borders, the consortium carried out targeted matchmaking activities, from M4 to M27:
- Profiled ~300 community members, including investors, potential investors, and Fintech stakeholders via F6S platform, Slack, and event registration.
- Organised 4 curated matchmaking events (2 in-person and 2 virtual), attracting approximately 100 attendees (excluding consortium partners).
- Facilitated 61 investor-to-investor connections, including 10 established before April 2025.
In addition, a FINE Slack Community was launched in September 2024 (M13) to support ongoing community management. By the end of the project, the Slack community included 111 members.
Figures:
- Community Members Profiled: ~300 (investors, potential investors, Fintech stakeholders)
- Matchmaking Events Organised: 4 (2 in-person, 2 virtual)
- Event Attendees per Matchmaking: ~100 (excluding consortium)
- Investor-to-Investor Connections Facilitated: 61
- Slack Community Members at the end of the project: 111
WP4
The consortium developed a series of policy recommendations and best-practice materials to enhance inclusiveness and gender equality within European Fintech investment ecosystems. These initiatives focused on addressing barriers faced by women, young investors, and minority investors, particularly in regions with emerging or less mature capital markets.
As part of this effort, the consortium produced 2 policy papers:
- Policy Recommendations on Inclusivity in Investment – providing actionable measures to increase the participation of underrepresented groups in venture capital and business angel sectors.
- Policy Recommendations for Investor Attractiveness – highlighting strategies for regions to become more appealing to foreign and domestic investors.
Key outcomes and impacts identified at the end of the project (M27):
- Through FINE’s activities (webinars, workshops, F6S platform and Slack Community), more than 80 active investors were engaged, including over 25 new investors and VC firms operating in less-connected regions.
- More than 10 startups have been supported by the FINE ecosystem through pitches, connections, and events (webinars, workshops, etc.).
- 61 investor-to-investor connections facilitated through 4 pan-European investor matchmaking sessions.
- At M27, the Investor Mapping included 230 investor entries and 242 ecosystem trends.
- By the end of the project, the FINE Knowledge Base had 9,100 site visitors.
- 10 external publications were accomplished by the FINE consortium in different media vehicles.
- 70 news articles published on the Knowledge Base.
- 22 Ambassador profiles from 13 countries were formally enrolled and active.
- The project ended with 225 profiles on the F6S matchmaking platform.
- 5 webinars were organised.
- 5 workshops (2 online, 3 in person) were delivered with at least 20 participants each, including one targeting women and one targeting new investors. In total, over 20 women participated across these events.
- Through FINE’s activities (webinars, workshops, F6S platform and Slack Community), more than 80 active investors were engaged, including over 25 new investors and VC firms operating in less-connected regions.
- More than 10 startups have been supported by the FINE ecosystem through pitches, connections, and events (webinars, workshops, etc.).
- 61 investor-to-investor connections facilitated through 4 pan-European investor matchmaking sessions.
- At M27, the Investor Mapping included 230 investor entries and 242 ecosystem trends.
- By the end of the project, the FINE Knowledge Base had 9,100 site visitors.
- 10 external publications were accomplished by the FINE consortium in different media vehicles.
- 70 news articles published on the Knowledge Base.
- 22 Ambassador profiles from 13 countries were formally enrolled and active.
- The project ended with 225 profiles on the F6S matchmaking platform.
- 5 webinars were organised.
- 5 workshops (2 online, 3 in person) were delivered with at least 20 participants each, including one targeting women and one targeting new investors. In total, over 20 women participated across these events.