Interview of the Month – Gerrit Sindermann from the Green Fintech Network

This month, we interviewed Gerrit Sindermann, President & Co-Founder of the GreenFintech Network, which fosters Switzerland’s green digital finance ecosystem. Green Fintechs consists of broader range of digital technologies that facilitate the green transition of the financial sector.

The Green Fintech Network originated as a working group tasked with advising the government and industry leaders on positioning Switzerland as a global front runner in fostering innovations that support the green transition of the financial sector. The initial collaboration proved to be highly productive, prompting us to formalize this group into the multi-stakeholder association it is today.

Now nearing its first anniversary, our network comprises approximately 40 organizations ranging from tech startups to large banks, ESG data providers, and universities. We are structured as an association with a managing board of twelve members, where startup representatives consistently hold a majority by at least one seat. This structure ensures that we remain dedicated to nurturing a thriving digital green finance ecosystem in Switzerland. However, we strive to avoid an overly hierarchical organization and have a good experience with engaging across member stakeholder groups and GFN bodies.

While we currently are a bit heavier represented in German-speaking Switzerland, we have board members from the Romandie, and are making strides towards covering the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland as well. We’ve started strong, and our collaborative spirit extends to working harmoniously with peer organizations across Switzerland.

In our inaugural year, we focused heavily on expanding our membership and facilitating regular interactions among members. We’ve also been active participants in key industry conferences and platforms. A notable collaborative effort was with the Swiss Bankers Association to orchestrate a joint conference centered on green fintech. Additionally, we have compiled and analyzed the needs of our stakeholders, resulting in a comprehensive overview of the green fintech landscape in Switzerland. We’re excited to showcase this at the upcoming Point Zero Forum.

Our view of fintech encompasses a broader range of digital technologies that facilitate the green transition of the financial sector. These technologies play a crucial role in tackling the complex, data-intensive challenges of sustainable finance. From AI-driven climate risk analysis to sustainability reporting and specialized investment analysis, diverse technology applications are increasingly integrated into financial practices. This integration is particularly evident in areas such as measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV), where financial institutions leverage tech solutions to document and assess risks and impacts that extend beyond traditional financial statements.

Green fintechs encounter typical startup challenges such as gaining visibility, securing initial customers, fundraising in pre-revenue stages, recruiting talent, and accessing sufficient data to refine their products. Fundraising is notably more complex, as the pool of investors who understand both fintech and sustainability is limited. Furthermore, while some areas like carbon disclosures are more developed or even mandated, emerging fields such as nature disclosures and impact measurement are still in their infancy, though the trajectory is clear. Regulatory alignment with international standards and taxonomies is also crucial, minimizing the need for adaptations as Swiss startups scale globally.