Banxware Co-Founder and COO Fabian Heiß to Depart as He Pursues New Frontiers in AI and Tokenisation

Introduction

Fabian Heiß, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Banxware, the Berlin-based fintech specialising in embedded lending infrastructure for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), has announced his departure from the company at the end of December 2025. After more than five years with the firm, Heiß has shared that he is stepping back to explore opportunities in agentic artificial intelligence (AI) and the tokenisation of real-world assets — areas he describes as extensions of his professional interests and expertise.

His exit marks an important leadership transition for Banxware, which has grown significantly under his stewardship and established itself as a leading player in embedded finance in Europe.

Fabian Heiß’s Journey at Banxware

Heiß’s fintech journey at Banxware began at the company’s inception in September 2020, when he co-founded the firm alongside co-CEOs Jens Roehrborn and Miriam Wohlfarth. Banxware was built with a mission to enable digital platforms — including marketplaces and payment providers — to offer white-label financial products like embedded business loans, helping platforms deepen engagement and drive revenue.

In his early years at Banxware, Heiß served as managing director, where he played a key role in building the product, design, and marketing functions. He led the company’s in-house software engineering teams and contributed to its fundraising efforts — helping shape Banxware’s vision and execution during the early phases of development.

In mid-2024, Heiß transitioned into the COO role. In that capacity, he oversaw core operational functions such as underwriting, customer service, and collections teams. He also led initiatives to integrate AI agents into operations — a move designed to enhance automation and scale the company’s internal capabilities.

Key Achievements Under Heiß’s Leadership

Under Fabian Heiß’s leadership, Banxware achieved several important milestones:

• Growth in Embedded Lending: The company scaled its embedded lending infrastructure and solidified relationships with more than 40 digital marketplaces.
• Investor Backing and Expansion: Banxware attracted investment from strategic backers such as Fabrick, Redstone, and Fin Capital. In June 2025, the company received a €10 million investment from Italian banking group UniCredit, reinforcing its expansion plans.
• Market Positioning: Through product and operational development, Banxware strengthened its position as a leading provider of white-label financing solutions for digital platforms, particularly within the European SME segment.

Heiß has noted the momentum Banxware achieved during his tenure, including substantial year-over-year growth in loan origination and a scalable team and product infrastructure capable of supporting widespread adoption among partners.

Reasons for Departure and Future Focus

In his statement to FinTech Futures, Heiß emphasised that his departure is not the result of internal conflict or performance issues but rather a personal choice to pursue emergent technology domains that deeply interest him. He stated that he felt the timing was right — “not too early to weaken Banxware and also not too late in my professional life.”

Looking forward, Heiß said he is excited to explore developments in agentic AI — systems designed to perform increasingly autonomous decision-making tasks — and the tokenisation of real-world assets, which aims to bridge traditional financial markets with blockchain-enabled liquidity and infrastructure. These areas align with larger trends in fintech and Web3 that seek to combine automation, compliance, and new asset paradigms.

Heiß described himself as being in “active exploration mode,” considering whether his next steps will involve founding again, joining an early-stage team, or partnering with visionary operators.

Implications for Banxware and the Embedded Finance Sector

Banxware — which was founded to enable embedded financial services on digital platforms — operates in a highly competitive space that blends fintech, lending, and platform infrastructure. The company has continually emphasised its mission to simplify capital access for small and medium businesses by integrating financing into platforms they already use daily.

With the departure of an operational leader like Heiß, Banxware will likely undergo shifts in leadership dynamics and strategic focus. However, the company has established a strong foundation, diverse executive team, and growing partner network that should support continuity.

For the broader embedded finance ecosystem, Heiß’s move toward agentic AI and tokenisation highlights the intersection of fintech operations with automation and digital asset innovation — two trends expected to shape the next wave of financial services infrastructure.

Conclusion

Fabian Heiß’s departure as COO and co-founder marks a milestone in Banxware’s growth story. His contributions over five and a half years were central to building and scaling the company’s embedded lending capabilities. As he transitions into new domains like agentic AI and tokenisation of real-world assets, his next ventures will likely continue to influence fintech’s evolution.

Heiß’s exit underscores a broader narrative within the fintech sector: that operational experience, strategic product development, and a curiosity for emerging technology together drive both company success and individual careers. For Banxware, the journey continues with a strong foundation and the opportunity to innovate further in the embedded finance landscape.

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