N26 Mobile Bank: Start-up and Growth of a Direct Bank

This case portrays the German neo bank N26 and its co-founder Valentin Stalf. He started the company in 2013 with the aim of creating a digital pocket money app. However, Stalf and his co-founder soon had to pivot. By widening the targeted market to potentially any retail bank customer, they were able to gain the necessary traction for successfully growing N26 into one of the leading fully digital banks. The case study presents the trajectory of the company during its first ten years of existence and provides insights into managerial challenges during its start-up and growth phase.