The organisers of the FinTech Lion Awards have unveiled the jury members for Luxembourg’s first national financial technology competition.
The ten members will evaluate selected FinTech companies during the Semi-Final (9 May) and the Grand Final (21 June) of the competition, and choose winners for three prestigious awards: FinTech Startup of the Year, FinTech Entrepreneur of the Year, and Best Pitch.
Commenting on the jury members, KPMG Managing Partner Georges Bock said “For a national award of this kind, it’s important to get it right and make it special. Our jurors for this inaugural year come from the highest echelons of the different strands of the FinTech ecosystem in Luxembourg and its neighbouring countries. Anyone participating in this event can be proud that their company will be judged by people at the top of their field – people who can help them make their way in Luxembourg and beyond.”
Developed between Digital Lëtzebuerg, the ICT Cluster, KPMG Luxembourg, LuxInnovation, Maison Moderne, and the Technoport, these national awards aim to bring the best of technology to Europe’s leading financial centre.
Entrepreneurs
Nicolas Buck, CEO of Nyuko and Seqvoia, President of Fedil: “We have big plans here in Luxembourg to be a significant actor in the FinTech space. And we are making great progress. The FinTech Lion awards give visibility to these efforts.”
Nasir Zubairi, Serial Entrepreneur (Business Mentor at Level39 and StartupBootCamp): "It is fantastic that Luxembourg is seeking to recognise its burgeoning FinTech scene with this award. As the second largest financial sector in Europe and with its encompassing business environment, Luxembourg offers great opportunities for entrepreneurs who wish to add value to Financial Services. I am excited to see the ways startups take advantage of the fast developing ecosystem in the country, to change Financial Services for the better.”
Venture Capitalists
Alain Rodermann, Founding Partner at Expon Capital: "The FinTech Lion awards competition is a great tool to identify, reward, and support the most promising FinTech startups. I’m looking forward to finding our next VC investment.”
Benoit Marrel, Founding Partner at Breega Capital will also be part of the jury.
Finance industry representatives
Nicolas Mackel, CEO of Luxembourg for Finance (LFF) and Luxembourg House of FinTech (LHOFT): "When it comes to FinTech, Luxembourg has a strong hand to play. Luxembourg’s first award dedicated to FinTech talent will contribute to positioning the country as an EU hub in this field.”
Nadia Manzari, Head of Innovation, Payments, Markets Infrastructures and Governance (IPIG) at the CSSF: “I am convinced that a whole range of remarkable and novel FinTech services and products will be presented. I am honoured to participate as a jury member in these awards, and I am convinced that as a jury member it will be a challenge to choose between this talented range of entrepreneurs.”
Denise Voss, Conducting Officer at Franklin Templeton Investments: “As Europe’s largest investment fund centre, Luxembourg is where “Fin” meets “Tech”. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the FinTech Lion Awards start-ups can help the Luxembourg fund industry continue to best serve today’s – and tomorrow’s – investors.”
Luxembourg institutional representatives
Jean-Paul Hengen, Head of ICT Sector Development - ICT Cluster Manager at Luxinnovation GIE: “Being a jury member for such a prestigious FinTech competition is an undisputed honour. The challenge is to identify the most innovative and promising proposals submitted by the talented entrepreneurs who make it to the shortlist. This competition is a fantastic initiative to bring Luxembourg closer to its ambition of becoming a leading FinTech destination in Europe.”
KPMG
Pascal Denis, Head of Advisory at KPMG Luxembourg: "The FinTech Lion Awards is about finding the companies, and the big ideas, that will help drive growth in the finance industry. A whole host of exciting start-ups have yet to emerge, and I’m delighted that the FinTech Lion Awards can play a role in this process.”
Sven Korschinowski, Partner at KPMG Germany, and member of the Global FinTech Leadership Team: "I am thrilled about the opportunity to identify in the jury the winners of the FinTech Lion Awards. Seen from outside, it’s key for the Luxembourg financial ecosystem to be at the forefront of innovation and change. The FinTech Lion Awards creates for both the FinTechs and the banks an excellent platform to be the starting point for new joint business models.”
