This summer, Oradea Fortress will host the 5th edition of UNCHAIN Festival (on 17–18 June 2026), a high-level finance summit bringing together over 900 senior leaders and decision-makers from more than 40 countries, including financial institutions, regulators, technology providers, and industry leaders.

Marking its anniversary edition as the premier summit of CEE, UNCHAIN Festival 2026 is honoured to welcome as Keynote Speaker Prof. Marek Belka, former Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Poland—a leading voice at the intersection of economics and public policy, and an economist with a distinguished career spanning academia, government, and international institutions. Over the course of his career, he has held a series of influential international roles, including Head of Economic Policy in Iraq’s Coalition Provisional Authority, Executive Secretary of the UNECE, and Director of the European Department at the IMF, before going on to serve as President of the National Bank of Poland and later as a Member of the European Parliament.

He will be joined by prominent officials and central bank governors from across Central and Eastern Europe, as well as key decision-makers from private and international financial institutions, including the European Commission, the European Banking Authority, and regulatory bodies from Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Moldova, and the Czech Republic.

By fostering high-level dialogue and cross-border collaboration on the most pressing issues shaping the future of finance in the region, the UNCHAIN Festival reinforces its position as the premier summit for decision-makers in banking, fintech, insurance, and technology across Central and Eastern Europe.

The agenda will address key topics including the digital euro (Europe’s upcoming CBDC aimed at modernising payments and preserving monetary sovereignty), the European Unique Identifier (EUID) for streamlined cross-border KYC and verification, cybersecurity and operational resilience under DORA, AI governance and its responsible applications in banking, instant payments (SEPA SCT Inst), asset tokenisation using DLT to enhance capital market efficiency, and the evolving open finance framework under PSD3 to drive innovation and competition.

A dedicated section of the UNCHAIN Festival will spotlight the region’s most dynamic ecosystems, showcasing top disruptors and innovative companies driving transformation across financial services. This initiative is designed to give early-stage and stage disruptors a prominent platform to present regional business opportunities, innovation frameworks, and cutting-edge solutions poised to redefine the financial landscape.

Applications are open until May 15th via https://unchainfestival.com/startups/ inviting the most ambitious innovators to step forward and take part in shaping the future of finance on a regional stage.

Under this initiative, a carefully selected group of companies representing countries from across Central and Eastern Europe and the Baltics will take the stage to share their national perspectives on the future of finance and the disruptive technologies shaping the industry.

“UNCHAIN Festival was created as a platform for meaningful dialogue among financial industry leaders, and the 2026 edition marks a significant step in shaping the future of finance in the region. With our new initiative spotlighting top disruptors from across CEE and the Baltics, we aim to elevate national perspectives and connect ecosystems that can collaborate to accelerate innovation,” said Alexandra Pollack, Founder and CEO at UNCHAIN.

Continuing its annual tradition, UNCHAIN Festival 2026 will recognize excellence in financial services and technology, presenting awards to the most outstanding disruptors and innovators from Central and Eastern Europe.

All of this is made possible thanks to the essential support of key players in the fintech ecosystem, such as Visa—the event’s Main Partner—along with Raiffeisen Bank Romania, BRD Groupe Société Générale, and Banca Transilvania as Banking Partners, Payten Romania as Gold Partner. The event’s sponsors, who support innovation in the CEE region, are Garanti BBVA, fme Romania, SurePay, Worldline, Profile Software, Axe Finance, TSYS, Finshape, Namirial, CMS Cameron McKenna, and VeritaHR.

CEE finance leaders return to the UNCHAIN Festival each year. Early Bird tickets offering a 30% discount are available at https://unchainfestival.com/tickets/ for a limited period of time until April 22nd. Prices will increase after this date.

###

Prof. Marek Belka – Biography

Prof. Marek Belka (1952) is an economist with a distinguished career in academia, government, and international institutions. He has been affiliated with the Faculty of Economics and Sociology at the University of Łódź for most of his career and has held research fellowships at Columbia University, the University of Chicago, and the London School of Economics.

He twice served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance (1997; 2001–2002) and was Prime Minister of Poland from 2004 to 2005. His international roles include leading economic policy in Iraq’s Coalition Provisional Authority (2003–2004), serving as Executive Secretary of UNECE (2006–2008), and heading the European Department at the IMF (2008–2010). He was President of the National Bank of Poland (2010–2016) and a Member of the European Parliament (2019–2024).

In 2024, he was appointed Chair of the Audit Board of the Ukraine Facility, overseeing financial support for Ukraine’s recovery.

About UNCHAIN Festival

UNCHAIN Festival is the leading finance and technology summit in Central and Eastern Europe. Since 2022, it has connected banks, fintechs, regulators, and industry leaders in Oradea, Romania, fostering cross-industry collaboration and turning emerging trends into actionable strategies for regional growth and resilience.

Fuel cards have evolved into essential credit instruments, providing SMEs with working capital, VAT recovery, and toll management. By integrating financing into daily workflows, transport operators can bypass traditional bank loans to manage leased assets and cash flow gaps.

Telematics and real-time data are now central to fleet strategy. Providers use vehicle patterns to predict credit risks and insolvency before they happen. These insights also fuel dashboards that help drivers optimize routes and manage costs per kilometer through predictive planning.

The industry faces a regulatory and green transition mismatch. Current ID laws struggle with vehicle-based users, while the shift to EVs creates tension between seamless charging and in-store retail sales. The future points toward virtual, interoperable systems that replace physical cards entirely.

This is what the latest UNCHAIN White Paper – “Fintech in Fleet & Fuel – Between Regulation, Data and Daily Operations” explores. Based on insights from the Fleet & Fuel roundtable at the 4th UNCHAIN Fintech Festival powered by VISA, it gives a front-row view of how financial institutions are adapting to change.

ACCESS THE FULL WHITE PAPER NOW

Unlock the full perspective after download—dive deeper into detailed analyses, actionable insights, and the strategies driving how the Central and Eastern Europe’s fintech in fleet & fuel is evolving in real time.

Retailers are evolving into fintech ecosystems, embedding payments, credit, and digital wallets directly into the shopping journey to boost retention. This blur between commerce and finance prioritizes long-term customer value over one-off sales.

Traditional points and cashback are giving way to gamification and “invisible” rewards. Modern shoppers, especially younger cohorts, value seamless digital experiences and emotional engagement over simple transactional incentives.

Despite moving toward a “two-tap” checkout, retailers must navigate regulatory hurdles, like mandatory physical receipts, that disrupt digital flows. Ultimately, the industry is prioritizing frictionless speed to meet modern consumer demands despite these legacy barriers.

This is what the latest UNCHAIN White Paper – “Beyond Transactions – Rethinking Loyalty, Credit, and Embedded Finance in Retail” explores. Based on insights from the Retail roundtable at the 4th UNCHAIN Fintech Festival powered by VISA, it gives a front-row view of how financial institutions are adapting to change.

ACCESS THE FULL WHITE PAPER NOW

Unlock the full perspective after download—dive deeper into detailed analyses, actionable insights, and the strategies driving how the Central and Eastern Europe’s retail banking is evolving in real time.

Over the past five years, the financial ecosystem across Central and Eastern Europe has undergone a quiet but profound transformation. What began as an urgent push for digitisation has evolved into a deeper reconfiguration of how finance is built, distributed, and experienced, from the unbundling of legacy banking infrastructure and the rise of embedded finance to the convergence of payments, credit, loyalty, and data-driven decision-making.

Insights gathered across previous editions of UNCHAIN Festival and distilled in its sector whitepapers point to a clear direction: finance in CEE is no longer defined by isolated products or institutions, but by ecosystems. Banks are navigating legacy “spaghetti” infrastructures while experimenting with parallel core systems and AI-driven internal automation. Retailers are moving beyond transactions toward experience-first models where payments, lending, and loyalty blend seamlessly into the customer journey. Meanwhile, fintechs are no longer challengers at the edges, but integral players shaping interfaces, expectations, and speed.

Against this backdrop, UNCHAIN Festival returns to Oradea on 17–18 June 2026, offering unparalleled networking opportunities, exclusive industry insights, and strategic connections for over 800 senior leaders and decision-makers from more than 40 countries. This event marks its 5th anniversary and has evolved into a comprehensive platform that connects financial institutions, regulators, technology providers, and industry leaders at a time when alignment has become a strategic necessity.

“During the first four years of the UNCHAIN Festival, we have seen a lot of international cooperation and merchant integration. Technology combines various verticals even more closely. Many non-banks are now entering the financial services market by offering embedded finance options or loyalty/crypto products to their customers. There are many challenges with regulation, but this is exactly why we’re bringing everybody to the same table – so law can keep up with innovation, and vice versa. Technology adoption, as in digital-first and customer-vertically specialized, continues to develop. Neobanks, digital brokers are getting more and more prolific,” says David Pollack, Managing Partner at UNCHAIN.

From Fintech Disruption to Financial Integration

As geopolitical uncertainty, regulatory pressure, and economic fragmentation continue to test Europe’s resilience, UNCHAIN 2026 positions itself at the intersection of these forces, fostering dialogue around regional integration, trust, and execution. The event aligns with the emerging EU Inc. vision and aims to strengthen Europe’s internal economic cohesion, making it a vital platform for stakeholders committed to regional resilience and innovation.

In its fifth year, UNCHAIN reflects the maturity of the ecosystem it serves. Fintech is no longer a vertical; it is embedded across banking, payments, retail, mobility, and public infrastructure. The 2026 agenda will cover critical topics such as programmable capital markets, embedded financial models beyond checkout, hybrid digital–human banking experiences, and the role of AI as an internal efficiency engine rather than a blunt customer-facing tool.

These discussions build directly on patterns observed over time at UNCHAIN: banks seeking clarity over ownership versus partnership, merchants pushing back against outdated loyalty and cashback mechanics, and regulators grappling with frameworks designed for a world that no longer exists.

Industry Voices on Innovation and Regulation

Erik Barna, Co-Founder of FaraGrija.ro, highlights the growing exchange between banking and insurance: “Insurance is the smallest brother of banking. Instead of borrowing from insurance, banking can inspire innovation in insurtech. Directives like PSD2 boosted fintech startups; we need something similar for insurance.”

Similarly, regulators are navigating new challenges at the intersection of data, AI, and innovation. Ivana Jolic, Director at the Croatian National Bank, explains: “Credit risk AI needs vast data, but GDPR restricts usage. We must find a balance for keeping systems safe while fostering innovation.”

Michal Vodrážka of the Czech National Bank adds: “Instant payments should be the norm without over-reliance on law. We focus on improving existing infrastructure while monitoring developments like the digital euro.”

From the merchant perspective, Ciprian Pîrv, Country Managing Director at Payten, observes: “Merchants want seamless payment methods that are stable and error-free. Innovation drives adoption when it delivers direct benefits and competitive advantage.”

Scale, Continuity, and Regional Relevance

What started as a 350-delegate gathering has grown into one of the most influential financial platforms in the region. Across its previous editions, UNCHAIN has brought together well over 2,000 participants, creating a cumulative, cross-border community of decision-makers shaping the future of finance in CEE.

With approximately 75% of attendees from the financial sector, UNCHAIN has become a reference platform for meaningful, outcome-driven conversations that can shape how finance is understood in CEE.

“The fifth anniversary represents more than just a chronological milestone; it marks a fundamental shift in our regional impact.

We are moving beyond the ‘fintech’ label because the challenges of 2026 — liquidity, credit access, and risk management — require a unified ‘Finance’ front. By transitioning from the ‘Fintech Fortress’ to the Finance Fortress, we are inviting the entire spectrum of the financial industry to Oradea to ensure that CEE remains a cohesive, innovative, and resilient economic bloc within the European Union. EU Inc. will definitely be a big topic this year at UNCHAIN“, says David Pollack, Managing Partner at UNCHAIN. 

Reflecting on the momentum behind the 2026 edition, Eliad Saporta, Founder & CEO of Coriunder and long-time UNCHAIN contributor, notes: “What we are seeing across banking and payments is not a race for the next shiny feature, but a recalibration of roles. In 2026, the real competitive advantage will come from institutions that understand context, knowing when to automate, when to intervene, and how to stay visible in the moments that matter most to customers. This is exactly the type of conversation UNCHAIN.”

Mr. Saporta’s contribution at UNCHAIN 2026 will further explore how infrastructure choices, AI governance, and embedded finance models are reshaping short- and medium-term strategies across Europe’s financial institutions.

A Platform for Connection and Execution

Hosted within the historic Oradea Fortress, UNCHAIN 2026 continues to combine strategic content with a highly curated networking environment, offering brands and institutions full exposure to the CEE market in a single setting. The event brings together private-sector leaders alongside central banks, regulators, and global networks such as Visa, reinforcing its role as a bridge between policy, innovation, and real-world execution.

As Central and Eastern Europe moves from catching up to actively shaping Europe’s financial future, UNCHAIN Festival stands as the place where that future is debated, challenged, and built.

Tickets and Registration

Hundreds of finance leaders keep coming back to Unchain each year. This year, they have the chance to access Super Early Bird tickets for UNCHAIN Festival 2026 now available for a limited period of time, offering a 50% discount until January 31st  https://unchainfestival.com/tickets/. After this period, prices will increase.

Banks are changing, but not all at the same pace — and not always in the same direction. Some are rebuilding core systems from scratch, while others are layering new tools onto decades-old infrastructure. Meanwhile, fintechs are no longer just challengers: they’re partners, competitors, and sometimes even acquisition targets.

At the heart of it all is the customer. People expect speed, transparency, and flexibility — whether it comes from a bank, a fintech, or a collaboration between the two. Delivering that experience, however, often means navigating messy trade-offs behind the scenes.

This is what the latest UNCHAIN White Paper – “Between Legacy and Leap: Rethinking Infrastructure, AI, and Partnerships in Banking & Payments” explores. Based on insights from the Banking & Payments roundtable at the 4th UNCHAIN Fintech Festival powered by Payten, it gives a front-row view of how financial institutions are adapting to change.

‘Merchants want to integrate as many payment methods in their acceptance system so it’s a seamless experience for the customer and then they want everything to be error-free, stable and these are the three things we most often hear. They are changing a little bit their perception, their attitude, we can say that there is a small disruption and this is coming from the desire to challenge the existing status quo, merchants are looking more in how they can improve their system, how they can make sure that they have the latest innovations on board, how they can outcompete their direct competitors. So, all in all, I think innovation will drive adoption but as long as it comes with direct benefits for the merchants.’

Ciprian Pîrv
Country Managing Director 
Payten

ACCESS THE FULL WHITE PAPER NOW

Unlock the full perspective after download—dive deeper into detailed analyses, actionable insights, and the strategies driving how the Central and Eastern Europe’s banking and payments landscape is evolving in real time.

The company is not a generic e-signature tool. As a Qualified Trust Service Provider under eIDAS, Evrotrust delivers remote identity verification (KYC/KYB), qualified electronic signatures (QES), electronic timestamps and electronic delivery services. It is an EU-notified eID scheme, audited and supervised at European level, and listed on the EU Trusted Lists with the highest assurance for qualified electronic signing in regulated and cross-border workflows. Today, the company supports over 2 million users from 61 nationalities and more than 200 enterprises, including 15 of Europe’s leading banking institutions.

“Trust is the new user interface. Evrotrust gives Romanian organizations a single, compliant platform to verify and sign digitally, while reducing fraud and unlocking cross-border growth.”, said Konstantin Bezuhanov, CEO at Evrotrust.

EU industry estimates point to e-signature spending growth from €2.33B in 2025 to €23.05B by 2032. Digital identity verification is also expected to expand at a robust, double-digit pace over the same period. In Romania, digital rails are already mainstream, 662,713 electronic ID cards were issued as of Oct 2, 2025, and ADR’s Government Private Cloud is budgeting RON 867.5M to migrate over 30 systems online. Meanwhile, the EU Digital Identity Wallets move from policy to implementation, making public-sector acceptance mandatory by the end of 2026, a clear runway for remote onboarding and QES at national scale.

“The new investment enables Evrotrust to scale EU-grade digital identity in Romania faster – localizing audited, cross-border trust services for banks, businesses, and the public sector. With a free mobile app and an EU-recognized qualified certificate at no cost, we make trusted digital transactions simple and accessible. Financial institutions benefit immediately from identity reuse across services, delivering faster onboarding and a smoother user experience. Proven in Bulgaria with fully online passport issuance, our secure and compliant approach now comes to Romania to put digital trust in everyone’s hands and accelerate national digitalization.” shared Valentina Dragomir, Country Manager for Romania at Evrotrust.

For Romanian businesses, Evrotrust’s expansion means faster, fully compliant onboarding and signing flows that cut abandonment and cost while meeting KYC, AML and eIDAS 2.0 obligations. Banks, insurers, fintechs, e-commerce, telecoms and utilities can consolidate identity verification, qualified e-signatures, timestamps and electronic delivery into a single, audit-ready platform with Romanian language support, EU data-residency options and sector-specific controls. Citizens benefit from simpler remote access to financial services and public administration, with cross-border recognition and stronger protection against fraud.

About Evrotrust

Evrotrust is a leading identity verification and qualified trust service provider with a mission to help businesses and governments digitally transform their processes and build sustainable digital channels. The Evrotrust platform is an end-to-end solution for remote electronic identification and digital signing with qualified signatures that enables users to register and authenticate for services using only their smartphone. www.evrotrust.com

About 3TS Capital Partners

3TS Capital Partners is a leading European growth capital investor supporting technology and innovation-driven companies. 3TS partners with exceptional teams to build category leaders across Europe, providing capital, expertise and access to an extensive network. www.3tscapital.com

Here are five key ideas that stood out:

1. AI is Here—but Only Works if You Deliver

Artificial intelligence is no longer just a buzzword. Bulgarian banks are already using it in credit risk and internal processes. But as one panelist put it: “AI is only real if you execute.” It’s not about impressing the market with futuristic tools. It’s about embedding those tools into real products and workflows—fast, smart, and with the right people behind them.

2. Innovation Depends on Infrastructure

Front-end interfaces matter, but the real battleground is in the back-end. Scalable APIs, cloud-native systems, and a modern core are what make speed, agility, and ecosystem play possible. Fintechs may move fast, but banks have the reach—if they can upgrade what’s under the hood.

3. Digital Identity Is a Missing Link in CEE

Without a common digital identity framework, the CEE region remains fragmented. While innovation is accelerating, cross-border adoption is harder without strong identity rails. This is more than a tech problem—it’s a regulatory and trust issue that must be solved to unlock the region’s full potential.

4. Talent and Culture Will Make or Break You

One thing was clear: tech doesn’t build itself. Banks need teams that understand legacy systems but also think like product builders. Culture change is key—empowering teams to move fast, fail smart, and align with users. People before platforms.

5. Regulators Can—and Should—Be Enablers

The tone of the conversation was hopeful: regulators in Bulgaria and across CEE are starting to lean in. But the ask from the ecosystem is clear: be consistent, be fast, and be open to dialogue. Sandboxes, open banking frameworks, and faster licensing paths can accelerate progress for everyone.

What’s Next?

The UNCHAIN CEE Fintech Tour continues in the second part of the year, bringing together innovators, builders, and decision-makers from across the region. We’ll keep exploring what makes fintech move—from Sofia to other key cities in CEE.

Stay close to hear new stories, spark new ideas, and meet the people reshaping finance in Central and Eastern Europe.

If you missed the UNCHAIN CEE Fintech Tour – Czechia event, you can catch the full recording below.

Czechia stands out as a market where fintech is not a buzzword but the default. Traditional banks and startups alike operate as digital-first companies, with a shared tech-savvy mindset driving fast product development and elevated customer expectations.

The local fintech ecosystem is thriving—over 200 startups operate efficiently and often profitably, many choosing to bootstrap and stay under the radar. Prague’s appeal as a startup hub is growing, thanks to its quality of life, talent pool, and access to EU markets.

What sets Czechia apart is its unique ability to foster meaningful collaboration between banks and startups. Rather than competing, they often co-create—when internal cultures allow it. Expansion into other Central and Eastern European markets reveals stark differences in openness and ecosystem maturity, highlighting the importance of local context.

Finally, AI is seen not as a novelty but a competitive lever. Czech founders recognize that while everyone has access to similar tools, the edge lies in execution—using AI to scale faster and smarter.

Make sure you don’t miss the session for more insights into Czechia’s fintech ecosystem! Dive into the heart of the region’s booming digital finance scene, where collaboration between startups and traditional banks is key. Discover how Prague is positioning itself as a startup hub and why AI is becoming a powerful competitive advantage. Don’t miss out on the chance to gain insider knowledge that could shape your next move in the fintech world!

But first—here are some big ideas you don’t want to miss:

Poland’s Leading Role in the Fintech Ecosystem: Poland is the largest financial market in Central Eastern Europe, with a growing fintech landscape, including over 400 fintechs. The country also boasts the highest financial inclusion rates in the region, with 95% of the population using banking services.

Importance of BLIK for E-commerce: BLIK is a major player in the Polish payment ecosystem, covering 65% of e-commerce transactions in Poland. With 18 million users, it is positioned to become a significant European payment option, expanding into other markets.

Digital Transformation in Poland’s Banking Sector: The Polish banking sector has undergone rapid digitalization, with institutions like PKO Bank Polski leading the way. Mobile applications, digital identities, and digital services are all integral parts of Poland’s digital banking infrastructure.

Challenges and Opportunities in Open Banking: Poland is advancing in open banking, but there are still challenges related to regulatory compliance. The implementation of PSD2 was a significant step, but adoption has been slower compared to the UK. There’s optimism for future improvements with upcoming regulations like PSD3 and FIDA.

Scaling Fintechs Beyond Poland: Companies like AutoPay are looking to expand internationally due to the relatively slow growth of the Polish market. The main hurdles for expansion include compliance and governance challenges within the payments ecosystem.

Tokenization and Embedded Finance: Both Verestro and other fintechs like BNP Paribas are focusing on tokenization, which has already been widely adopted by European banks, yet still presents opportunities in regions like Switzerland and the Balkans. Embedded finance, where financial products are integrated into non-financial services, is also highlighted as a major trend. This allows banks to offer financial services without directly branding themselves, as seen with collaborations between banks and telecommunications companies.

Cooperation Between Banks and Fintechs: Banks are eager to work with fintechs to innovate and improve their services. This cooperation often starts with a Proof of Concept (POC), which is tested on a smaller scale before full commercialization. For example, BNP Paribas uses a program called Let’s Fintech to cooperate with startups at various stages. Their goal is to identify new fintech products that can help improve their digital services, and they also focus on “beyond banking” solutions that provide value to clients without being strictly financial.

Regulatory Challenges and Opportunities for Innovation: For larger banks, regulatory issues and security are the primary challenges when implementing new technologies like AI and blockchain. However, these technologies are also seen as essential for future innovation. AI, in particular, is being integrated into customer service solutions like chatbots, and blockchain is being used for document management.

Future Trends: Digital lending and stablecoins are expected to be key areas for fintechs. The need for simplified lending processes is also growing, especially for offline transactions, as the Polish population continues to utilize credit products. The challenge is not the technology itself but rather the complexity of implementing it into existing systems.

ESG and Green Transformation: Banks are becoming more involved in sustainability initiatives, helping clients transition to greener practices. This is part of a broader effort to meet regulatory requirements and support green transformations in various sectors.

Make sure you don’t miss the session for more insights!

From Warsaw to Sofia, from Budapest to Ljubljana—UNCHAIN is scouting the region’s most promising fintech startups. The goal is to give them unmatched exposure in front of a live audience with C-level executives, VC partners, corporate scouts, and accelerators actively looking for what’s next.

“This is where ideas meet capital, and founders meet the people who can help them scale,” says Alexandra Pollack, Founder & CEO of UNCHAIN Festival. “We don’t just put startups on stage. We actively surround them with the kind of people they need to scale.”

If you’re selected, you’ll be one of just 25 startups in this year’s official UNCHAIN cohort, pitching live on the main stage in front of key players from across the financial and tech landscape. You’ll meet top-tier investors, accelerators, and regional banks face-to-face, with curated matchmaking built right into the experience. 

Who You’ll Meet:

Expect to pitch in front of decision-makers from leading VC funds, fintech-focused investors, and top regional banks. Notable representatives includes names like International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group), PortfoLion, Day One Capital, LAUNCHub Ventures, Fiedler Capital, Presto Ventures, Early Game Ventures, GapMinder, Fil Rouge Capital, Truffle Capital, Depo Ventures, Transylvania Angels Network, OUVC – Venture Capital & Venture Studio, Pulsar Venture Capital, Growceanu, SQ Capital, Tech Angels and many more. Whether you’re looking for pre-seed fuel or Series A firepower, the right people will be in the room and watching.

Beyond the Pitch: Exclusive Growth Opportunities for Startups at UNCHAIN

In addition to pitching on stage, selected startups will unlock access to high-value activities designed to accelerate growth. These include Speed Meetings with innovation leads from regional banks, 1-to-1 Investor Matchmaking with active fintech VCs, and closed-door roundtables powered by Startup Wise Guys—offering real talk on funding, expectations, and smart capital strategies.

Founders will also join a hands-on workshop powered by StartupYard, focused on turning leads into customers and building scalable go-to-market strategies. It’s not just about the pitch — it’s about traction.

1. Apply online via unchainfestival.com/startups
2. Applications are reviewed as they come in, so applying early gives you an edge.
3. Finalists will pitch live in Oradea on June 17-18, 2025

The deadline for applying is May 31st, 2025. 

“We are extremely proud that the jury at UNCHAIN Fintech Festival honoured our B2B BNPL solution with the first prize. The entire event surpassed all our expectations with top quality speakers and participants. Looking forward to next year!” Benjamin Berényi, CEO & Co-founder PastPay, winner of last year’s UNCHAIN Startups Tournament.  

Think your startup has what it takes? Apply now: https://unchainfestival.com/startups/
Applications close May 31, 2025 – don’t wait!