Founder Associate Intern, FinTech Startup

About the company

Firstlane Capital is the entrepreneurial family office of Achim Bönsch, Sebastian Seifert, and Andreas Veller — WHU alumni and repeat founders with a strong track record. Over the last ten years, they grew viafintech (Barzahlen) into Europe’s largest bank-independent payment infrastructure and completed Germany’s largest fintech exit in 2021 through a nine-figure acquisition by Paysafe.

At Firstlane Capital, the team backs and builds venture-scale businesses in fintech, payments, and digital infrastructure. The approach goes beyond investing; the team is actively involved in company creation.

The newest venture, finperks, is reimagining prepaid spending through improved rewards, cashback, and white-label employee benefits. The business is led and operated by Sebastian, Andreas, and Achim, combining deep fintech know-how with hands-on venture-building experience.

To support the company’s fast growth, the team is hiring a Founder Associate Intern to work closely with the founding group and experience startup building from the inside.

What you will do

• Study markets, competitor activity, and emerging business models to surface opportunities in fintech and the prepaid landscape.
• Support strategic initiatives across product, go-to-market, and partnerships that influence finperks’ expansion.
• Help improve internal operations by simplifying workflows and introducing scalable tools and processes.
• Join conversations with major ecosystem players such as N26, Trade Republic, Adidas, and Apple to help sharpen the value proposition using real feedback.
• Work with the Firstlane Capital team to understand how new ventures are developed, tested, and scaled.

What the team is looking for

• A highly motivated person who enjoys fast-moving settings and new challenges.
• Strong analytical ability, with confident use of PowerPoint and Excel to turn complex topics into clear recommendations.
• Comfort using AI tools and automation to work more efficiently.
• Excellent communication skills in German and English; fluent German is required.
• An entrepreneurial mindset and enthusiasm for building from the ground up in uncertain environments.
• Previous exposure to startups, consulting, or fintech is considered an advantage.

What you can expect

• Mentorship from founders who built and exited one of Germany’s most successful fintech companies.
• Practical experience in launching, operating, and scaling a startup from strategy through execution.
• Direct access to Berlin’s startup and venture capital ecosystem and an opportunity to grow your network.
• Insight into both the day-to-day operations of finperks and the investment perspective of Firstlane Capital.
• The chance to contribute to a fintech company working to reshape the global prepaid economy.

Equal opportunity

finperks is an equal opportunity employer. The company values diversity and is committed to building an inclusive workplace for all employees.

Additional information

This role is based in Berlin, Germany, and follows an on-site working model. No stipend or salary details, application deadline, or opening count were provided in the source.

The role is described as an intern position supporting the founders directly and is focused on venture building, strategy, and operations.