Flatpay<\/a>, which facilitates card payments for SMBs, has joined the ranks of European fintech unicorns \u2014 or startups valued at more than $1 billion \u2014 a milestone that has driven some of the region\u2019s biggest exits. These include competitors like Adyen, a Dutch payment processing giant that remains far ahead in scale. However, Flatpay\u2019s fresh funding could help it narrow the gap.<\/p>\n Flatpay\u2019s bet is that it can challenge larger players by charging small merchants a flat transaction rate to use its card terminals and point-of-sales systems. This focus on a segment that accounts for 99%<\/a> of European businesses has driven rapid traction: the startup now claims around 60,000 customers, up from 7,000 in April 2024<\/a>.<\/p>\n Flatpay\u2019s own valuation has grown at a similarly fast pace. Now valued at \u20ac1.5 billion ($1.75 billion), the Danish startup reached unicorn status in only three years. But while CEO and co-founder Sander Janca-Jensen is proud of this accomplishment, he has his eyes on another metric: annual recurring revenue (ARR).<\/p>\n \u201cWe crossed \u20ac100 million of ARR in October,\u201d Janca-Jensen told TechCrunch. He added that this amount (approximately $116 million) is increasing by nearly \u20ac1 million a day ($1.16 million). \u201cThe plan for 2026 is to grow another 300%, so hopefully leave the year with between \u20ac400 and \u20ac500 million of ARR.\u201d <\/p>\n To fund this ambitious growth \u2014 since the startup is still unprofitable \u2014 Flatpay raised \u20ac145 million in its latest round (approximately $169 million). The round was backed by AVP Growth and Smash Capital, as well as Dawn Capital, which had led the startup\u2019s \u20ac$47 million Series B<\/a>. German soccer player Mario G\u00f6tze also participated<\/a> in that previous round. <\/p>\n The newly raised capital will support continued growth in Flatpay\u2019s current markets \u2014 Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, and the U.K. \u2014 as well as further expansion into one or two new markets next year. Janca-Jensen declined to reveal which ones, but job postings suggest that the Netherlands may be next.<\/p>\n Flatpay currently has 1,500 staffers \u2014 or \u201cflatpayers\u201d \u2014 and plans to double by the end of next year. Increasing headcount is a goal the company puts on the same level as revenue, stating in a press release that it aims to grow both by 10x by 2029. This may seem unusual, but they go hand-in-hand for the company, which onboards its customers in person.<\/p>\n Techcrunch event<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSan Francisco<\/span> This stems from its hypothesis that SMB owners actively look for new solutions, even if their current systems are overpriced or insufficient. \u201cThat\u2019s where we come in the door,\u201d Janca-Jensen said. He means this literally \u2014 Flatpay shows up with pen and paper to explain its pricing, and with card terminals for instant demos. \u201cEvery sales person has that suitcase.\u201d<\/p>\n This hands-on approach is what might help Flatpay increase its share of a market that is also coveted by legacy providers, large fintech players like PayPal, Stripe and SumUp, as well as new entrants focusing on specific sectors, such as hospitality<\/a>. But the real differentiator might be the insight behind it: SMBs want simplicity, and Flatpay leaves them \u201cready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n While this makes for higher customer acquisition costs than average, especially when combined with 24\/7 customer support, Janca-Jensen said that creating demand allows the startup to grow much faster than it would otherwise. In turn, this triple-digit growth makes Flatpay\u2019s emphasis on human interaction much more palatable to investors, even during today\u2019s AI-obsessed investing cycle.<\/p>\n The company isn\u2019t ignoring AI entirely \u2014 it uses the technology for real-time features and is experimenting with voice AI agents. Flatpay is also planning to expand further into fintech with a banking suite that would include cards and accounts. For Janca-Jensen, the key is gradual adoption \u2014 so that instead of getting overwhelmed, SMB owners can \u201ceat the elephant one bite at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOctober 13-15, 2026<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/flatpay-demokit.jpg?w=680\")