Two Fintech Startups Win Next Gen Pitch Awards at FinTech R:Evolution

Alejandro Martínez · 2026-04-08

Every year, the FinTech R:Evolution event, the flagship gathering for innovative finance organized by France FinTech, hosts the Next Gen Pitch Awards. It's a pitch competition that lets the next generation present their solutions to a panel of investors. The format has evolved over the years—categories, admission rules, you name it—but its success hasn't wavered one bit. This year's unmissable session crowned two standout startups: Initiativ and Welcount. On Wednesday, April 1st, the 11th edition of the event, themed 'Flight to Quality,' saw 26 companies from across the financial services spectrum take part. We're talking insurance, payments, funding, investment, asset management, risk management, and operational services. They all gathered at STATION F in the newly dubbed FINTECH CENTRAL hall. The fintechs ranged from early-stage seed companies to more mature ones in acceleration and Series A phases. Here's the full list of participants: - Biwan - BridgeAPI - Copla - Courtia - Datafolio - Demeter Nexus - Equita - Finrack - FusionAI SAS - GenOTC - ID Protect - Initiativ - Krisalid - KundaPay - Letxbe - My Healthy - My Pension - Newenergy - O2C - Prêt de confiance - TrustRelay - Umanity - Up In Bank - Vancelian - Villyz - Welcount ### The Five-Minute Investor Challenge The exercise was simple, yet incredibly tough. Present your startup in 300 seconds—top chrono—to a packed room and a jury of the sector's most active investment funds. Partners, clients, prospects, institutional reps, they were all there. This year's investor jury included heavy hitters like 115K, Arkéa, AstoryaVC, Blackfin, Bpifrance, Cambon Partners, Founders Future, Groupama CVC, Iris, La Maison Partners, Portage, Seventure Partners, Truffle Capital, and Varsity. Recognized business angel entities like BADGE and Insurangels were also in the mix. The investors evaluated the fintechs, insurtechs, and regtechs on several key criteria. They looked at the project's potential and scalability, the business model—including the ability to reach profitability quickly and how it tackles ESG issues—and, of course, the quality of the team and the pitch itself. It's a demanding, dynamic format designed to bring out the best in a project in record time. The atmosphere is supportive, yet there's a real sense of 'coopetition' in the air.  ### The 2026 Winners Both winning fintechs share something important. They're players in the Banking Services / Neobanks category, and they offer what are called 'impact solutions.' They've got the art and the manner, as they say. And that's what 'Flight to Quality' is all about now. It means taking on more regulation, more tech, and more sustainability. New projects have to blend robustness, compliance, and a drive for profitability that aligns with sustainable and responsible development goals. And they have to do it without sacrificing the innovation, creativity, and speed that have long powered the sector. The new differentiator is that alliance between innovation and solidity. **Investors' Prize: Initiativ** Founded in 2024, Initiativ is a digital trading exchange for carbon quotas targeting B2B industrial clients. They raised approximately $700,000 in a pre-seed round last October. Congratulations to co-founder and CEO Isaure Courcenet for receiving the award. The investors praised the quality of the pitch, the team, and the company's market positioning. **Jury's Favorite Prize: Welcount** After four years in operation, Welcount (formerly Welcom) also took home a top prize in the Banking Services / Neobanks category. Their journey and solution clearly resonated with the panel, earning them the special recognition as the jury's favorite. So, what's the big takeaway for payments and fintech professionals watching from the US? Events like these highlight a clear shift in Europe. It's not just about being fast and disruptive anymore. The winners are those building durable, compliant, and impactful businesses from the ground up. That's a trend worth watching, no matter which side of the Atlantic you're on.