Seamless Europe: Messe München wins bid for an international fintech, insurtech and e-commerce event

It's a drumbeat for Munich as a financial and commerce centre: Seamless, one of the world’s leading technology trade shows for fintech and e-commerce, has chosen Messe München as its new European home for 2024. Seamless Europe focuses on the technologies, trends, and opportunities for the European banking innovation, insurtech, payments, retail and e-commerce. Seamless Europe will be held on 10-11 September 2024 at Messe München and will feature two exhibition halls with a combined 22,000 square metres. The dynamic organiser has long-term plans in Munich.

“Seamless Europe” and its British organiser Terrapinn fit smoothly into Munich. After all, the Bavarian capital is a centre of the finance and insurance industry. Therefore, Seamless Europe is welcomed with open arms in Munich.

The two Messe München CEOs, Reinhard Pfeiffer and Stefan Rummel, have created the basis for the cooperation with Clemens Baumgärtner, Head of the City of Munich's Department of Labour and Economic Affairs, in a very short time. “Terrapinn meets an exciting environment in Munich with high-calibre service providers in fintech, insurtech and e-commerce. Fintech is a key topic in business and in private life”, said the two trade fair bosses: “It is also a great success for Messe München. It proves once again that we can bring top events to Munich with our worldwide reputation as a reliable and professional organiser.”

Reinhard Pfeiffer and Stefan Rummel agree with Clemens Baumgärtner about this “great success". Baumgärtner said: “This is a real enrichment for Munich as a financial centre. And it is almost logical, because our city offers ideal conditions for Seamless with the InsurTech Hub and a broad innovation ecosystem, especially in the insurance and banking sector. The fact that Munich as a financial center has moved into the TOP-20 in an international ranking speaks for good prospects of success. This is due to the developments in the fintech and insurtech sector in particular. Seamless and Munich are therefore a perfect match. A warm welcome."

Vibrant market & best technologies

“Munich is home to some of the strongest financial services and commerce companies in Europe. From Unicredit to Allianz, and from Tengelmann to BMW to Wacker Neuson. These are international heavyweights for banking, insurance, retail and manufacturing sectors. This is why Munich is a major global hub for fintech and e-commerce, and it’s just beginning”, said Ralph Burgess, Project Director, Seamless Europe: “Munich is also home to some of the most exciting tech companies and start-ups. Success stories such as wefox and commercetools make us excited to connect Munich’s vibrant market with Europe’s best brands and technologies in 2024.”

Joseph Ridley, General Manager—Seamless, Terrapinn, explained: “Our objective is to give the banking, insurance, retail and manufacturing sectors the tools they need for digital transformation and technological innovation. We see a shared commitment from this market to invest in digital experiences, paytech, fintech, e-commerce, and marketplace technology. Munich’s reputation as an insurtech, fintech, and B2B e-commerce hub were all critical to our decision to move to Munich.”

For financial services, Seamless Europe is a showcase for fintech, including the best paytech, insurtech, lendtech, digital banking, digital insurance, core banking and open banking ideas and solutions from across Europe and beyond. For retail and digital commerce, the event is important for e-commerce, m-commerce, digital marketplaces, cross-border payments, digital marketing, delivery and other technologies. This is relevant for any retailer, manufacturer, wholesaler or marketplace that is looking to sell more online or create digital experiences in-store.

International network

In October Terrapinn launched Seamless Europe successfully in Berlin. The organisers have chosen to move to Munich, with many reasons speaking in favour of the Bavarian capital: For financial services, Munich is the insurtech capital of Germany, it has the 2nd biggest base of banks, and the 2nd highest number of fintechs. For e-commerce, Munich has one of the largest retail bases, a world-famous manufacturing sector, and mittelstand, all of whom are rapidly moving to online sales. The state capital of Munich also scores points for its accessibility to USA, Middle East and East Asia. Conversely, Seamless Europe offers its participants a worldwide network of fintech and e-commerce service providers, with 70,000 participants this year at Seamless in Dubai, Riyadh, Cairo, Johannesburg and Singapore.