Kontist

Kontist is a Berlin-based financial technology company founded in 2016 that provides digital banking and administrative services tailored to freelancers and the self-employed in Germany. The company was established by serial entrepreneur Christopher Plantener, a former freelancer who identified a gap in the market after traditional banks showed no interest in developing specialized products for the self-employed. He launched Kontist in collaboration with Solaris SE (formerly Solarisbank), a licensed German bank that provides the underlying banking infrastructure and deposit protection. The company's core offering is an intelligent business bank account that integrates banking with bookkeeping and tax services to simplify financial management for its target clientele. Key features include real-time tax estimation, where a percentage of income for sales and income tax is automatically calculated and set aside into virtual sub-accounts. This provides freelancers with a clear, real-time overview of their disposable funds, mitigating the risk of unforeseen tax payment difficulties. The platform also offers automated transaction categorization, digital receipt management, invoicing tools, and integrations with accounting software such as lexoffice and sevDesk. Kontist operates on a subscription-based model, offering several account tiers, from a free basic account to premium plans that include more advanced features and higher transaction volumes. For a fixed monthly fee, the firm also provides a comprehensive tax service, which manages bookkeeping, VAT returns, and annual tax declarations by connecting users with qualified tax advisors. In mid-2022, Kontist was acquired by the Ageras Group, a Danish company that provides a suite of financial and accounting software for small businesses across Europe and North America. This acquisition was a strategic move by Ageras to enter the German market and integrate Kontist's specialized technology into its ecosystem. Following the acquisition, Kontist's team of approximately 150 employees, along with its management, joined Ageras. The provided LinkedIn URL indicates a subsequent branding change to 'Kontist by Shine', reflecting Ageras's 2024 acquisition of the French neobank Shine, as Ageras aims to unify its brands. Keywords: freelancer banking, business account Germany, self-employed banking, tax automation, fintech, neobank, bookkeeping software, Christopher Plantener, Ageras Group, Solaris, Shine, digital banking, tax estimation, VAT returns, expense management, invoice software, Geschäftskonto, Kleinunternehmer, solo entrepreneurs, financial management, lexoffice integration, sevDesk integration