Meet the tech team behind SumUp at OutGeekWomen x Berlin this March!

As a Berlin-based fintech leader with a global vision, you focus on empowering small businesses. Can you tell us more about how SumUp helps entrepreneurs run their businesses more effectively?

Our vision is a world where everyone can build a thriving business. Through our integrated and comprehensive multi-product ecosystem, we give small businesses a toolkit to run their entire operations. Our simple and affordable tools empower small businesses to efficiently manage payments, business finances and customer relationships.

Our extensive product suite includes card-present payment services, a bank-like business account with a debit card, remote payments, invoicing, point-of-sale (POS) software and registers, loyalty and rewards solutions, online stores, and a consumer wallet. Everything you need to run a successful business! We constantly think of new ways of reducing pain points for our merchants and these are just a few examples of the areas we are tackling right now.

During our intro call with Nastasia Neumann, she shared an interesting insight: the key to SumUp’s success lies in developing supportive products tailored to the needs of businesses that use SumUp. Could you elaborate on why this has become such a core focus for your team?

At SumUp, our core mission is to empower small businesses of all kinds, such as coffee shops, flower shops, beauty salons in local neighborhoods by developing products that are specifically tailored to their unique needs. We understand the challenges these so-called small, micro and nano businesses face and are committed to providing solutions that simplify their operations, drive growth and ultimately add value to the lives of merchants..
Small businesses often encounter obstacles such as limited resources, complex payment processes, and the need to manage various operational tasks efficiently. Recognizing these challenges, we prioritize creating user-friendly, cost-effective solutions that address these specific pain points.

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Our customer-centric product development approach involves direct engagement with its merchant community to gather insights and feedback, ensuring products evolve in line with their needs, emphasizing agility, rapid iteration, and innovation to stay ahead of market trends and provide innovative tools that support their success.

Hiring top talent is essential for success. How does SumUp approach the hiring process, and what qualities do you prioritize when building your team?

Hiring the right talent is crucial to fulfilling our mission of empowering small businesses globally. We want to identify individuals who not only possess the necessary skills but also align with our core values and culture.
On average, our interview processes consist of 5 interviews, which vary depending on the position and seniority level of the role.

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In addition to experience, skills, and technical expertise, candidates have an interview with a bar raiser as the final step for the majority of our roles. An interviewer from a different team will be part of the process to give an unbiased perspective on your abilities and values. We're passionate about finding the right candidates for SumUp, focusing on hiring people who will have a long-lasting impact on the services we provide for our merchants and the workplace we build together.  

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The bar raiser interview focuses on our core values – Founder's Mentality, We Care, and Team First – the bedrock of our culture that dictate how we operate. Founder's Mentality is particularly important at SumUp because it is essential to cultivate the autonomy of every SumUpper and team. We want to empower SumUppers to act as a founders and candidates should be prepared to talk about how their past behaviours and experiences reflect this value.

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Founders mentality means taking personal responsibility for the success of the business and acting in the best interest of SumUp - regardless of our role within the organisation. As a founder, you constantly face tough decisions. Should you invest in a new product or improve what you already have? You must weigh potential returns against financial constraints, making choices that steer SumUp’s future. Leading by example is key. Your dedication, resilience, and innovative spirit set the tone for the entire team. As a driving force behind SumUp, your actions inspire and create a culture of excellence and accountability.

If you had to describe the atmosphere at SumUp’s Berlin Office in just three words, what would they be?

Empowering: SumUppers are given autonomy, trust, and the tools they need to make a real impact, both internally and for SumUp’s global merchant community. We cultivate an environment where people can learn, ask questions, share ideas and bring projects to life, regardless of whether they just joined or have been in the company for 10 years.

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Fun & Dynamic: The atmosphere at SumUp’s Berlin office is lively, with a strong emphasis on enjoying the work, team events, and fostering creativity in a fast-paced environment. We get together for Mario Kart tournaments, fitness sessions in our on-site gym or share food from our home countries in our fully equipped kitchens.

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Mission-Driven: Every team member is united by a shared goal -empowering small businesses globally no matter what their job title is. Many of our SumUppers are or have built their own businesses, so their passion is very personal and authentic.

What sets SumUp apart from other companies in Berlin?

What makes SumUp unique is our mission-driven culture, our global vision and impact, and strong sense of community. For us, empowering small businesses worldwide means fostering a global presence with a local feel, prioritizing sustainable, long-term impact over rapid growth. We are fostering a tech-driven but human-centered approach to innovation by promoting a culture of collaboration and ownership and employee well-being. Our emphasis on transparency, teamwork, Founder's Mentality, and people positivity approach creates an environment where employees can make meaningful contributions, enjoy a healthy work-life balance, and feel empowered to drive the company's mission forward.

What sets SumUp apart from other companies in Berlin?Supporting women in tech is more important than ever, especially amidst backlash from some who believe DEI initiatives should be abandoned. How does SumUp champion and support women in the tech community, both in Berlin and across the globe?

At SumUp, supporting women is not just a focus but a core part of our DNA and values, and we are fully committed to advancing diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiatives across the company. We embed D&I principles in our Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) and actively track and measure our progress, for example in leadership hiring. This ensures that D&I is not an afterthought but a fundamental aspect of our organizational structure.

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Moreover, SumUp creates safe and empowering spaces for women in tech through our dedicated employee resource groups (ERGs) Women’s Circle and Women in Tech that enables SumUppers to connect, share knowledge and support each other. Additionally, SumUp regularly organizes career talks and events that bring together diverse voices, providing a platform for discussions on career growth, challenges, and innovations. We also started a leadership development program specifically for women at SumUp in 2024 that we are excited to continue and build grow this year.