About us
Learn about our team, our mission and how it all started.
How it started
Kontist is not one of those flash in the pan ideas...
Kontist is the solution to a very tangible problem: there are no banking products specifically tailored to the needs of freelancers in Germany.
Our team began as a group of current and former freelancers who have experienced first-hand how badly prepared traditional banks are to help the self-employed. As freelancers, we want banking products that focus on our needs and help us better organize our finances.
This was exactly the feedback our CEO Chris Plantener (2016-2022) heard from the growing freelance community in Germany at his last company Debitoor, an accounting software for SMEs and freelancers.
However, Chris' subsequent attempts to convince traditional banks to develop products for the self-employed fell on deaf ears. Inspired and motivated by the idea, he assembled a team of current and former freelancers from all over the world to create the first banking solution exclusively for the self-employed.
When I was a freelancer, I had trouble with traditional banks who did not understand me because I was not a traditional employee.
- Chris Plantener, CEO (2016-2022)
Our mission
We believe freelancers shape the future of work, challenging traditional company structures and combining flexibility and individuality to create successful businesses. However, there are still a lot of obstacles freelancers face, especially when it comes to their finances. This is where Kontist comes in with a bank account tailored for freelancers that understands you and helps you stay on top of your finances.
Kontist is part of Shine
Back in 2022 Kontist became part of Ageras, an umbrella group of brands around Europe all with a common goal to make financial admin easier for freelancers and small business owners.
In 2025, we united all brands in Ageras group under one unified brand; Shine, united by a common mission and purpose: to help entrepreneurs reclaim the joy of running their business.