Teylor - fast and digital lending for a flourishing SME landscape 

Patrick Stäuble founded Teylor in 2018, driven by his passion for fintech and his prior experience in this space. Reflecting on the fintech wave from 2013 to 2018, which mostly focused on B2C applications, he saw a massive opportunity in B2B financing.

Stäuble shared, "If I'm going to pour my heart and soul into my venture, I want it to be in an industry with cutting-edge potential." His vision was to build a major player in the SME segment, similar to what companies like Neon and Revolut achieved in B2C fintech.

Intense product and business development

Initially, Teylor focused on building a fully digital and uncomplicated lending platform for SMEs. As financing business loans through partner banks had scalability issues, Teylor started financing loans through its own Private Debt Fund funded by institutional investors. As financial institutions became increasingly interested in Teylor’s technology, the team developed a SaaS business and started licensing its platform to banks. Stäuble highlighted, "We run two separate business units internally, lending and SaaS, but at the core is one tech product."

The company has grown fast since 2018, leading to intense workdays. Daily life was and continues to be intense, often involving long workweeks. "We wouldn't achieve all this without the support and understanding of our families," Stäuble acknowledged. As the management team expanded, Stäuble was able to delegate tasks and focus on strategic issues like acquiring Teylor’s biggest competitor creditshelf in 2024 and fundraising. "I'm proud of what we have achieved in such a short time and that we’ve managed to grow even during the COVID-pandemic and the subsequent economic slowdown," Stäuble says.

Building a high-performance team

In building the team, Stäuble emphasizes entrepreneurial thinking and problem-solving skills. He is transparent about what it means to work at a startup. Teylor recruits individuals ready to embrace the demanding journey and who appreciate the high standards and direct feedback culture. "We've always been transparent about the risk and pressure involved in building a successful startup. On the other hand, at Teylor, you can achieve a lot, have a lot of freedom, and create something new," he explained.

Additionally, all employees, including interns, are given a stake in the company's success through an attractive ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan). "I want everyone to be part of the success, not only of the hard work. And I want the team to think and act like business owners. Giving them shares of Teylor supports this," Stäuble explains. 

Perseverance in tough times makes Teylor resilient

Challenges and perseverance marked the early stages of Teylor. Stäuble started the company as the sole founder and was later joined by Joshua Mauk, his technical co-founder. Teylor went live in the summer of 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic created challenges. Despite these setbacks, Stäuble and his team never gave up. "Perseverance describes our team culture. We have a fantastic product and managed to grow sales even in difficult environments," Stäuble proudly says.

An open mindset towards competitors and unexpected developments was critical to Teylors unshakable journey. Stäuble emphasizes that Teylor is open to cooperation with banks and other fintechs, which led to unanticipated positive developments. For example, banks showed interest in using Teylor's technology, significantly influencing the company's business model. "I never expected banks to approach us to use our tech solutions. It has massively influenced our business model," he admitted.

Teylor aims to increase its revenue to 100 million euros in the coming months. The vision is to grow quickly and exploit market opportunities in the DACH region. "In the next 18 to 24 months, we aim to quadruple our revenue from 20 to 100 million euros," Stäuble stated.

Recognition in the industry grows

The SEF.Growth process brought valuable input and helped Teylor gain more brand recognition in Switzerland. "The label helped us gain more visibility in Switzerland," he recalled. The company's initial focus on the German market was due to its linguistic and regulatory homogeneity, making it easier to expand into other European markets.

Overall, Teylor's story demonstrates that perseverance, a clear vision, and the ability to adapt to market changes are crucial for a startup's success. Patrick Stäuble and his team have shown they can overcome challenges and develop Teylor into a significant player in the fintech sector.