Valentin Stalf
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Meet Valentin Stalf
Valentin Stalf is the CEO and Co-Founder of N26, Europe’s leading digital bank. Having founded the company in 2013, he leads its team of 1,500 highly skilled professionals from more than 80 nationalities. N26 operates office hubs in Berlin, Barcelona, Paris, Vienna and other European cities.
Get to know Valentin
Under Valentin’s leadership, N26 launched a first-of-its-kind, seamless, customer-friendly digital banking experience in 2015. In 2016, it became the first 100% mobile bank with pan-European operations to receive and operate with a full German banking license.
Today, N26 is the market leading digital bank in Europe and offers a current account with a simple and secure platform for all financial needs, including saving, investing, and lending. Processing over 130 billion EUR in transaction volume per year, the company enables millions of customers across 24 European markets to improve their financial wellbeing, while protecting their finances using state-of-the-art technology.
As a true entrepreneur at heart, Valentin has always been inspired to challenge the traditional financial industry. Before launching N26, he served as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Rocket Internet, where he worked on developing several companies in the mobile payments sector. He remains actively engaged in the startup ecosystem as an investor and advisor across Europe.
Valentin holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in accounting and finance from the University of St. Gallen (M.A. HSG). He further broadened his global perspective through studies at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan. From 2018 to 2023, he was also an active member of the University Council of the Vienna University of Economics and Business.
A deeper look
From his philosophy as a leader, to the places he finds inspiration, learn about what drives N26’s CEO, Valentin Stalf, through this engaging Q&A.
“It’s always inspiring when we launch a new product and afterwards millions of people around the world are using it.”
N26 Highlights
2013
Founded N26 alongside Co-founder Maximilian Tayenthal
2015
Launched N26’s fully digital bank accounts in the German market
2016
Secured a full banking license for N26 from the European Central Bank
2018
Led the N26’s Product, Technology and Growth divisions in his role as CEO
2020
Took on responsibility of N26’s People function, growing the N26 team to 1,500 employees across the globe
2021
Worked on N26’s landmark Series E round together with his Co-founder Max, valuing the company at $9 billion
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