In a significant move, Paris-based business banking startup, Qonto, has announced the acquisition of Regate, an accounting and financial automation platform. Despite the current VC funding crunch, Qonto has managed to secure a robust cash reserve, a portion of which is being used for this acquisition.
Qonto originally started with online business accounts with debit cards specifically tailored for small and medium businesses. Over time, the company expanded its product offering to include invoicing tools, features to manage expenses and plenty of integrations with the fintech ecosystem to facilitate bookkeeping, payment reconciliation, etc.
An enhanced finance solution for European SMEs Founded in 2020, Paris-based Regate already serves 10,000 SMEs and 500 accounting firms with its all-in-one accounting and financial automation platform. By joining forces, Qonto and Regate will create the most comprehensive offer for SMEs and accounting firms available to date. More than 450,000 companies use Qonto to simplify their finance management, thanks to an online business account that's combined with advanced financial tools.
The integration of Regate will further enrich this offer with additional Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and bookkeeping features to ensure a smooth end-to-end data flow between SMEs and their accountants. A dedicated solution for accounting firms Thanks to the integration of the Regate product & team, Qonto will now have a new dedicated offer for accounting firms. Currently, 6,000 such companies in France are already using Qonto to save up to two hours per month for each client file they manage.
Qonto aims to facilitate even further the exchanges between SMEs and their external accounting partners. With Regate’s product integrated into the Qonto offer, accountants will benefit from a shared and collaborative interface with their customers, from which they can start generating accounting entries in a matter of seconds.
All this is automated, leveraging their existing accounting tools, such as European market leaders Sage, Cegid or ACD. Qonto will also be launching a new feature by the end of this month that enables certified accountants to initiate the capital deposit process on behalf of their clients, making business creation possible in just under a week, from start to finish. New business unit at Qonto Regate’s team of 100 employees will be integrated with the existing Qonto organization, counting 1,400 people today, as part of a dedicated business unit focusing on financial tools for accountants.
This unit will be led by the two Co-Founders of Regate, Alexis Renard as Managing Director and Laura Pallier as Product Director. Qonto already has a proven track record of successfully integrating new teams: by the end of last year it had officially finalized the onboarding of German fintech champion Penta, following its acquisition in July 2022.
With this new acquisition, Qonto continues to build its reputation as one of the major consolidating players in European fintech.
“Teaming up with Regate enables us to offer the best finance solution on the market for both SMEs and accounting firms. It will not only further accelerate our growth but it also significantly reinforces our market leadership in an increasingly crowded space. With our new dedicated offer, which includes Regate’s existing partnerships with industry leaders like Sage or Cegid, we can now perfectly address the needs of accountants and be a true partner, both to them and to the businesses they work with,”
explains Alexandre Prot, CEO and Co-Founder of Qonto.
“We can not wait to welcome the Regate team onboard – looking at their impressive growth journey and ambition, there is a great fit with our 1,400 Qontoers.”
“We are really excited about this unique opportunity to join Qonto and shape the future of a true European fintech champion together as one team. I am convinced that we can be an integral part in this success story, not only enriching the product offer but also bringing additional expertise and experience in the finance and accounting space to the team – it’s a real win-win for the customers of both Qonto and Regate!”
says Laura Pallier.
About Qonto
Qonto is the leading European business finance solution with over 450,000 customers. The company makes day-to-day banking easier for SMEs and freelancers by offering an online business account combined with finance tools, such as invoicing, bookkeeping, and spend management. Founded in 2016 by Alexandre Prot and Steve Anavi, Qonto operates in 4 European markets (France, Germany, Italy, and Spain), and employs more than 1,400 people. Since its creation, Qonto has raised €622 million from well-established investors. With its innovative product, highly reactive 24/7 customer support, and clear pricing, Qonto has become a European leader. More information on Qonto.com
About Regate
Regate is an European all-in-one Finance automation platform that streamlines accounting and financial processes for SMEs and their accounting firms. Designed from scratch as a shared interface, Regate already helps 20,000 users from finance teams and accounting firms automate painful time-consuming manual tasks, centralize financial data, and improve real-time collaboration. Thanks to strong integration with market leading accounting software - especially Sage and Cegid - Regate makes all accounting processes simpler, faster, and more reliable. Founded in 2020 by Laura Pallier and Alexis Renard, Regate raised €20 million in 2022 from Valar Ventures and 360 Capital to accelerate its growth in France and Europe. With a team of 100 employ