Flowpay, a European fintech platform focused on financing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), is expanding its presence across key European markets. Through the acquisition of Germany-based Tapline, which has developed a financing solution for AI, SaaS and other technology-driven startups, Flowpay will add a new type of financing to its product portfolio. The acquisition extends Flowpay’s reach into the fast-growing technology sector while strengthening its presence in Germany and the UK. By bringing Tapline’s technology, expertise and team into the company, Flowpay is adding both a new product and specialist capabilities to its offering.
“The acquisition of Tapline marks another step in expanding our range of modern financing solutions for businesses across Europe. Tapline has developed a solution for AI and SaaS companies that naturally complements our existing products for traditional small and medium-sized businesses. The acquisition allows us to respond more effectively to the specific needs of fast-growing companies, leverage a strong technology platform and work alongside an experienced team,” says William Jalloul, CEO of Flowpay.
“We built Tapline with the aim of providing technology and SaaS companies with financing that matches the way their businesses operate and grow. Partnering with Flowpay allows us to expand our solution across Europe and reach a broader range of companies,” says Peter Grouev, co-founder and CIO of Tapline.
Financing linked to future revenue
Tapline is a German fintech company providing flexible financing to technology startups and SaaS businesses based on their future revenues. Both the amount of capital provided and the repayment terms continuously adjust to the company’s actual performance. The model is linked to the company’s cash flow, allowing businesses to access financing without collateral and without diluting existing shareholders.
Tapline operates across key European markets, including Germany, the UK, Estonia, Poland and the Czech Republic, with a particularly strong position in highly regulated markets such as Germany. The company was founded in 2021 by Dean Hastie (CEO), Peter Grouev (CIO) and Dmitrij Miller (CTO) after taking part in the first residency programme run by investment firm Antler.
In 2025, Tapline closed a pre-Series A funding round to support the further development of its platform and expansion across European markets. In total, the company has secured more than €50 million in funding, with investors including Black Pearl VC, Antler Ventures and V-Sharp. Tapline’s customers include companies such as Sweap, Fimo Health, Anybill and TalknJob.
Annual SME financing volumes in Germany exceed €100 billion, while in the UK the market is estimated at between £65 billion and £90 billion. The relatively conservative approach taken by banks to business lending in these markets has contributed to the faster development of alternative financing models, which today account for approximately 20–30% of the SME financing market.
“Companies are increasingly combining venture capital with alternative forms of financing so they can continue growing without further diluting their ownership. Partnering with Flowpay allows us to scale this performance-based financing model across Europe,” says Dean Hastie, co-founder and CEO of Tapline.
Flowpay expands its financing model
Until now, Flowpay has primarily focused on financing traditional small and medium-sized businesses, which make up the vast majority of companies in Europe and employ more than half of the workforce. These businesses typically need the flexibility to respond to seasonality, short-term fluctuations in revenue or day-to-day operating needs. Flowpay provides them with fast and flexible access to capital as an alternative to traditional bank financing.
Technology, AI and SaaS companies operate with growth-oriented business models that create distinct working capital and cash-flow management requirements. The growing number of these companies, together with their specific financing needs, represents an additional market segment that Flowpay is addressing by expanding its offering through Tapline’s solution.
“We are acquiring Tapline in its entirety, including its technology, know-how and team, because its approach to startup financing naturally complements our model for financing traditional SMEs. In the first phase, Tapline will continue to operate as a standalone product, before being gradually integrated into Flowpay’s broader product portfolio,” adds William Jalloul.
