Unicorn Builders Marc-Alexander Christ: the Story of SumUp ($8.5 Billion Valuation)
In today’s episode of Unicorn Builders, we speak with Marc-Alexander Christ, Co-Founder of SumUp, a mobile point of sale solution that’s raised $1.5 Billion in funding, about the trials and challenges of disrupting the established payments industry, as well as the benefits it brings to small businesses everywhere. By simplifying orders, unifying payment processes and providing critical insights on everything from tax payments to business performance, SumUp is empowering small businesses with software tools that, until now, have been the reserve of major enterprises.
We also talk about Marc-Alexander’s background in banking and real estate finance, the inspiration for revolutionizing existing payments systems which inspired founding SumUp, causing a major market disruption and the inevitable skepticism that brings from incumbents, and why small businesses became the focus of this global-facing payments platform.
Topics Discussed:
- Marc-Alexander’s background in banking and real estate finance, and how he eventually found himself in the startup sector
- The inspiration for SumUp’s disruptive payments system and what it means for small businesses
- Why doing something new will always bring skepticism from incumbents, but why real disruption is always worth it
- Why focusing on payments addresses a critical pain point for SumUp’s clients in the small business world
- How resilience and investor appeal have both contributed to SumUp’s success in the startup economy