What creditshelf does

creditshelf Aktiengesellschaft was a Frankfurt-based, publicly listed (etr:CSQ) digital lending platform founded in 2014 that arranged alternative financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany. The company operated a self-serve online origination channel through which German SMB borrowers could apply for customized business loans, bypassing traditional bank intermediation. Its product was a domain-specialized loan-arrangement workflow rather than a balance-sheet lender, with revenue derived from transaction fees on the loan volume arranged.

Under the hood, the platform digitized SME credit applications and underwriting workflows, with reported benefits including faster processing and improved unit economics (Q3 2022 margin expansion despite lower loan volume). The company supplemented its own origination with strategic debt capacity — notably a €100 million financing facility from Goldman Sachs secured in November 2022 — and extended its technology stack via the September 2019 acquisition of Valendo. Leadership included co-founders Tim Thabe (CEO) and Daniel Bartsch, alongside CFO Fabian Brügmann and CTO Dr. Gregor Heinrich.

In April 2024, Swiss fintech Teylor AG acquired creditshelf to strengthen its product lineup and expand its SME customer base in Germany. Following the deal, creditshelf's capabilities were integrated into Teylor's broader digital SME financing platform, which spans firmenkredit, leasing, factoring, and mietkauf products. The standalone creditshelf entity no longer operates independently.

Name

creditshelf

Legal name

creditshelf Aktiengesellschaft

Website

https://creditshelf.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

creditshelf was a Frankfurt-based digital lending platform that arranged alternative financing for German small and medium-sized enterprises via an online origination channel, earning transaction fees on loan volume. Founded in 2014 and publicly listed (etr:CSQ), it was acquired by Swiss fintech Teylor AG in April 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alternative SME Lending

NAICS

Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (52231), Nondepository Credit Intermediation (5222)

SIC

Loan Brokers (6163)

akta.pro primary industry

SME Lending & Working Capital Platforms (FSAGAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

SME Lending Platforms & Embedded SME Credit (FSAKAGAJ), SME Business Lending (Term Loans, Lines of Credit, Overdrafts) (FSABABAB)

Keywords

• SME lending platform
• Alternative financing
• Digital business loans
• SME credit
• Loan arrangement services

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfurt

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Loan Arrangement Fees: creditshelf generated revenue by arranging loans for SMEs, earning fees from the loan volume arranged. The company reported improved revenue and margins despite decreased loan volume in Q3 2022.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Core offering

creditshelf operated a Germany-based digital lending platform that arranged customized loan products for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), enabling businesses to apply for financing online as an alternative to traditional bank lending. The company connected SMEs seeking capital with institutional financing partners and earned transaction fees on loan volume arranged. Following its April 2024 acquisition by Swiss fintech Teylor AG, creditshelf's SME lending capabilities were integrated into Teylor's broader digital SME financing platform.

Product overview

creditshelf operated as a Germany-based alternative lending platform focused on SME financing. The company offered digital lending services including loan products for small and mid-sized businesses. Following its acquisition by Swiss fintech Teylor AG in April 2024, creditshelf's capabilities were integrated into Teylor's broader digital SME financing platform, which also includes offerings such as firmenkredit (business credit), leasing, factoring, and mietkauf (rent-to-own).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Alternative SME Lending Platform Digital lending platform providing customized loan products for small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs), enabling businesses to access financing through an online application process as an alternative to traditional bank lending. Targeted at German SMEs seeking alternative financing solutions.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Grenke AG: Grenke AG is a German-listed leasing and factoring specialist serving SMEs. Teylor acquired grenke's factoring business in 2025, making grenke a relevant broader incumbent whose customer base overlapped with creditshelf.

Regional players

• auxmoney: auxmoney is Germany's largest peer-to-peer consumer and SME lending platform. While P2P-focused, it is comparable as a German-headquartered digital alternative lending platform operating in the same regulatory environment.

Direct peers

• Spotcap: Spotcap (formerly Zencap) provides online working capital loans to SMEs across European markets including Germany. It is a direct competitor in the digital SME lending space.
• Younited Credit: Younited is a European consumer and SME credit platform offering instant credit decisions and digital loan origination. It is comparable as a digital-first European lender serving underbanked SMEs and consumers.
• Lendio: Lendio operates an SMB lending marketplace matching small businesses with multiple lenders. It is comparable as a digital SME lending intermediary platform, though focused on the US market.
• Iwoca: Iwoca is a leading UK-headquartered but Germany-focused digital SME lending platform providing flexible working capital loans to small businesses. It is a direct competitor in the German alternative SME finance market.
• Funding Circle: Funding Circle operates a global SME lending marketplace connecting small businesses with institutional and retail investors. It is a comparable digital SME lending platform operating across multiple European markets.
• Kreditech: Kreditech is a German-headquartered digital lending platform using alternative data for credit decisions, serving consumers and small businesses in emerging and developed markets. It is comparable as a German fintech lender.
• Teylor AG: Teylor AG is creditshelf's direct acquirer and the leading digital SME financing platform in Europe, offering firmenkredit, leasing, factoring, and mietkauf. It is directly comparable as a digital SME lender serving the DACH market.

Emerging players

• Capify: Capify provides online working capital and small business loans across the UK, US, and Australia. It is comparable as a smaller-scale digital SME lender using alternative data for underwriting.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/creditshelf-ag
• Facebookfacebook.com/creditshelf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about creditshelf