The UK fintech sector has been buzzing with activity in 2025, and one of the biggest startup news stories revolves around London-based unicorn GoCardless. Known for its innovative bank payment solutions, GoCardless has been crucial in simplifying transactions for businesses large and small. Now, as acquisition talks heat up between GoCardless and Dutch payments firm Mollie, this could mark a significant turning point for European fintech consolidation.
But what does this mean for startups, founders, and entrepreneurs across Europe who are tracking the actions of established unicorns like GoCardless? Let’s dive into what’s happening, learn key lessons, and explore tools like PlayPal and the F/MS AI Grant Finder that are shaping startup decision-making.
GoCardless: A Snapshot of the Unicorn in Acquisition Talks
Founded in 2011 by Hiroki Takeuchi, Matt Robinson, and Tom Blomfield, GoCardless specializes in direct bank payments via open banking, processing over £40 billion annually while catering to companies like Klarna and TripAdvisor. It achieved unicorn status in 2022 following a $312 million Series G funding round, valuing it at $2.1 billion.
Key Stats and Timeline:
- 2024: Reduced losses from £77.6m in 2023 to £34.5m, signaling operational improvement.
- 2025: Acquisition talks point to Mollie, a Dutch fintech, as the likely buyer. Earlier interest from Swedish payments player Trustly reportedly fell through.
Strategic Implications:
In a fintech market recalibrating toward profitability, GoCardless’s acquisition by Mollie could signal an industry trend of consolidation. This is supported by increasing fintech acquisitions, 62 deals closed in H1 2025 compared to 57 in the same period last year, highlighting the drive for scale.
Read more on consolidation trends in fintech: Sifted fintech acquisition tracker
Lessons Startups Can Learn from GoCardless
Whether you're crafting an MVP or scaling your business, the GoCardless story provides invaluable insights:
1. Prioritize Profitability Over Growth
Investors and buyers are increasingly favoring startups with a clear path to profitability. GoCardless halved its losses and is actively pursuing full-year profitability by 2026.
2. Strategic Acquisitions Are Game-Changers
GoCardless’s acquisition of Nuapay in 2024 expanded its capabilities, enabling it to offer both payment collection and distribution. Entrepreneurs should consider strategic acquisitions (or partnerships) to scale further and diversify their offerings.
Learn how startups can evaluate acquisitions through tools like AI Startup Lawyer, perfect for navigating legal agreements and avoiding pitfalls.
3. Keep Investor Alignment in Focus
GoCardless's Board and funding rounds show strong alignment. Founders can use platforms like PlayPal to seek advice on interacting with board members and investors.
The AI Startup Facilitator Tools You Need
1. PlayPal: Your AI Co-Founder
Meet PlayPal, the innovative AI friend developed by Fe/male Switch. Specifically designed to support entrepreneurs, PlayPal helps with brainstorming, drafting strategies, language learning, and even mental health check-ins. Its unique customization features allow users to tailor its personality and skills to suit their needs.
2. F/MS AI Grant Finder and Application Writer
Securing funding has always been a challenge for entrepreneurs. With the F/MS AI Grant Finder, startups can quickly identify relevant EU grants and receive AI-generated application drafts, saving countless hours and improving their chances of success. Simply add details about your project, and the tool will guide you step-by-step.
A Startup Guide to Strategic Acquisitions
Steps for Entrepreneurs:
- Identify the Strategic Fit: Ensure the acquisition aligns with your long-term goals, whether it’s increasing capabilities like GoCardless did or entering new markets.
- Perform Due Diligence: Platforms like AI Startup Lawyer can analyze legal agreements, detect harmful clauses, and provide negotiation tips.
- Embrace Feedback Loops: Use resources like the F/MS Startup Game to validate ideas, test business models, and refine your approach with AI co-founder tools like PlayPal.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Ignoring Market Trends: Failing to recognize profitability-focused investment priorities can result in overvaluing growth prospects.
- Underestimating Legal Nuances: Not safeguarding intellectual property or failing to review contracts carefully can hinder expansion.
Deep Insights: Why European Fintech Holds Promise
Entrepreneurs in Europe can find encouragement in the growing fintech ecosystem, enhanced by tools and platforms like Fe/male Switch. From grants to valuable feedback systems, emerging solutions prioritize accessibility while addressing complex startup challenges.
For example, check out Malta’s Startup Visa Programme that encourages international founders to launch ventures in Europe. See the interview with Brian Camilleri from Malta Enterprise on startup visas in Malta.
Conclusion: Stay Ahead with Strategic Startup Moves
As GoCardless nears the finalization of its acquisition talks with Mollie, startups watching from the sidelines can take actionable lessons from this fintech giant. Tools like PlayPal and the F/MS AI Grant Finder are increasingly pivotal in sharpening strategies, securing funding, and scaling sustainably. Let’s embrace these innovations and make 2025 the year of startup success.
Ready to take your startup journey to the next level?
Try PlayPal today → Chat with PlayPal
Explore Funding Options → AI Grant Finder
Your entrepreneurial future starts now. Stay tuned for more startup news, tips, and guides tailored to founders like you!
FAQ
1. What is GoCardless, and why is it in the news?
GoCardless is a UK-based fintech specializing in direct bank payments via open banking. It processes over £40 billion annually and serves businesses like Klarna and TripAdvisor. Recently, it entered acquisition talks with Dutch fintech Mollie, marking a trend in European fintech consolidation. Learn more about GoCardless
2. Who are the founders of GoCardless, and when was it founded?
GoCardless was founded in 2011 by Hiroki Takeuchi, Matt Robinson, and Tom Blomfield.
3. What role does profitability play in GoCardless’s current strategy?
Profitability has become a key focus for GoCardless. In 2024, the company reduced its losses from £77.6 million in 2023 to £34.5 million, aiming to achieve full-year profitability by 2026. Read more about their financial performance
4. Why is Mollie considered the likely buyer for GoCardless?
Mollie, a Dutch payments firm, emerged as the frontrunner in the acquisition talks after earlier interest from Swedish fintech Trustly reportedly fell through. Learn more about Mollie
5. What has been GoCardless's funding journey so far?
GoCardless raised $312 million in Series G funding in 2022, which valued the company at $2.1 billion. Its total funding exceeds $600 million from investors like Passion Capital, Accel, and Balderton. Discover GoCardless’s funding milestones
6. How has GoCardless expanded its services through acquisitions?
In 2024, GoCardless acquired Nuapay to enhance its payment capabilities, allowing the company to offer both collection and distribution of funds. Learn more about the Nuapay acquisition
7. What tools can help entrepreneurs with strategic acquisitions like GoCardless?
Tools like the AI Startup Lawyer can assist entrepreneurs in understanding legal agreements, while PlayPal, an AI friend, can help strategize acquisitions. Learn more about PlayPal
8. What’s the broader trend behind the GoCardless-Mollie acquisition talks?
The talks highlight a trend toward consolidation in the fintech space, with 62 mergers and acquisitions recorded in H1 2025, up from 57 in the same period in 2024. Explore fintech consolidation
9. What growth trends make Mollie and GoCardless complementary?
Both companies specialize in payments, with Mollie seeking to expand its capabilities and GoCardless moving toward profitability. Together, they align with the market's focus on efficient and scalable fintech solutions.
10. What advice can startups draw from GoCardless’s journey?
Startups should prioritize profitability, engage in strategic acquisitions to scale, and maintain alignment with their investors. Tools like F/MS AI Grant Finder can also assist in securing funding. Explore F/MS AI Grant Finder
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch. The Fe/male Switch team is located in several countries, including the Netherlands and Malta.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
