From local incubator to global ecosystem builder: Tenity’s mission to revolutionize finance

Tenity’s journey began roughly a decade ago as a spin-off from SIX, the Swiss Stock Exchange, where we initially served as an internal incubator to foster fintech innovation for Swiss banks. Our role was to help create new frontiers in fintech adoption and bridge the gap between financial institutions and emerging technologies. Over time, Tenity evolved into a global innovation ecosystem and early-stage investor, with a focus on shaping the future of finance. Today, we have a strong presence with hubs in Zurich, Singapore, London, Tallinn, Istanbul, and Madrid, and two investment funds driving our mission.

Through our accelerators based in Zurich, Tallinn, and Singapore, we provide support to early-stage startups and offer follow-on investment opportunities, while also creating global open innovation programs. Our ecosystem includes industry-leading LPs like UBS, SIX, Generali, and Julius Baer along with more than 50 corporate partners such as Visa, HSBC, Allianz, Microsoft, Commerzbank, AMINA Bank, Franklin Templeton, and Is Bankasi. Together, we’re building an ecosystem that empowers and accelerates the growth of early-stage companies worldwide.

Which industries are you working in?

Our work is rooted in fintech, where we drive innovation across multiple sub-verticals, including insurtech, proptech, cybersecurity, regtech, and emerging fields such as Web3, crypto, and payments. We explore a wide variety of solutions with promising applications in the broader financial industry, such as ESG, climate-focused finance, anti-fraud technology, wealth management solutions, and digital banking. By covering these areas, Tenity remains at the forefront of the evolving fintech landscape, fostering impactful solutions and growth in sectors that shape the future of finance and technology.

What do you look for in a founder? 

At Tenity, we look for founders who demonstrate resilience, ambition, and a readiness to learn. While ambition and a strong track record are crucial, we highly value coachability—the ability to absorb feedback and adapt in real-time. This is especially important as many of our open innovation programs involve developing proofs of concept (POCs) in partnership with seasoned industry players. Founders who can listen, identify core needs within these conversations, and respond with tailored solutions are invaluable in our ecosystem.

Ambition is essential; we seek founders with inspiring goals and the drive to scale their solutions globally. A strong track record, whether as a second-time founder or through industry experience, demonstrates a founder's ability to execute effectively and achieve meaningful progress. Together, these qualities form the foundation for success in our dynamic ecosystem.

Can you talk about your current portfolio?

Through our investment vehicles, Tenity has built a global portfolio of over 220 companies, spanning the early to later stages. Initially, our focus was on Seed to Series A rounds, but with our Inc. I and Inc. II Funds, we are now investing in very early-stage companies as well. Our portfolio has attracted co-investments from leading top VCs like Sequoia, Speedinvest, and AlbionVC. In the UK alone, we support around 30 companies. Beyond our portfolio, our alumni network includes hundreds of startups that have graduated from our programs and continue to contribute to the global fintech ecosystem.

Our partners enjoy being part of our ecosystem, gaining insights and early access to the latest Fintech innovations. To date, with over 1,400 startups participating in our programs, our corporate partners have access not only to our portfolio but to our entire Fintech ecosystem.

What does the future look like?

Key innovations in digital banking, payment solutions, and wealth management are making financial processes faster, more accessible, and highly personalized. Technologies like blockchain and Web3 are enabling decentralized finance (DeFi), reshaping traditional financial structures, and providing new ways for people to invest, transact, and manage assets independently.

As sustainability becomes a priority, climate-focused fintech and ESG investment platforms are emerging to promote responsible finance, helping individuals and institutions make environmentally conscious choices. In line with this movement, we recently published our Climate Fintech Report, available here, to explore the freshest trends and breakthroughs in climate fintech.

Fintech’s ongoing evolution is paving the way for a more inclusive, secure, and innovative financial ecosystem that meets the needs of today’s digital economy.

What makes Tenity different?

Since its inception, we’ve empowered the financial sector through open innovation services and startup programs, fostering collaboration as the key to innovation. By connecting ambitious founders with leading corporations, investors, and mentors, we create an ecosystem that drives fintech growth. Acting as a bridge between startups and established industry players, we offer a unique model that enables PoCs and collaboration opportunities —access that many accelerators simply cannot provide. This gives startups the chance to work with major corporations in the sector, gaining invaluable exposure through real-world applications.

Tenity’s strength lies in its deep focus on Fintech, supported by a robust ecosystem of corporate partners which enables us to source and identify high-potential early-stage ventures. We offer our partners strategic ROI by serving as an efficient tech discovery channel, providing early access to groundbreaking solutions tailored for the financial industry.

What one piece of advice would you give founders?

Stay resilient and keep a clear focus on your mission. Building a startup is a journey filled with highs and lows, and it’s often the founders who can adapt, learn, and remain committed to their vision who achieve lasting success. Experience plays a key role here—many successful entrepreneurs are second or third-time founders. Having faced failure before, they’ve learned valuable lessons they can now apply to their new ventures. Embrace each challenge as an opportunity to grow and remember that a willingness to learn is often your greatest asset on the path to success. Resilience, execution, and falling in love with the problem will carry you through challenges and keep you moving forward. If you’re a startup and looking to accelerate your potential, consider joining one of our upcoming cohorts: Learn more here.

Eda Taskin is Business Development Manager & Kaan Akın is Managing Partner & CCO at Tenity.