At Calm/Storm, we’re known for our focus on Healthtech - but there’s more to our story. What many don’t realise is that we also back exceptional Austrian founders - agnostic of industry. An Austrian Founders’ Fund. Our mission is clear: to support Austrian talent in building globally relevant companies. Ginkgo is a perfect example. By modernising pensions and improving financial security for SMB employees, Ginkgo is leveraging technology to reshape an industry.

Closing the Pension Gap: Why We’re Backing Ginkgo’s Vision for SMBs

In the rapidly evolving landscape of employee benefits, one essential component remains largely neglected for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in Germany: occupational pensions, or betriebliche Altersvorsorge (bAV). Traditional bAV products have been expensive, opaque, and administratively cumbersome, leaving both employers and employees underserved. That’s why we’re excited to announce our investment in ginkgo—a pioneering fintech startup dedicated to reimagining pensions for SMBs.

Tackling the Pension Gap

Germany faces a significant pension gap, where the current system fails to meet the long-term financial needs of retirees. SMBs, which make up the backbone of the German economy, struggle to provide effective pension solutions due to high costs, complex administration, and a lack of transparency. This challenge is compounded by employee retention issues, with businesses looking for innovative tools to retain top talent.

Ginkgo steps in to address these pain points with an ETF-based, commission-free pension product. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and an exclusive partnership with an insurance provider, Ginkgo offers a transparent, low-cost solution that increases employee pension returns by an average of 20% compared to traditional plans.

The Gingko Difference

At the heart of ginkgo’s offering is their unique vesting mechanism—an employee retention tool that ties pension benefits to tenure. This creates a win-win scenario: employees are incentivised to stay longer, while employers benefit from reduced churn and improved talent retention.

Additionally, Ginkgo’s digital-first platform integrates seamlessly with HR systems, providing employees with real-time visibility into their pension growth. Employers are empowered with tools to automate administrative tasks, taking the complexity out of managing bAV programs.

A Perfect Market Opportunity

The occupational pension market in Germany alone represents a €1 billion opportunity, with SMBs being an underserved segment. Ginkgo’s initial go-to-market strategy focuses on two high-potential customer profiles: white-collar service industries and lower-income craftsmen.

A Team with Vision

Ginkgo is led by Philip Liebenow (CEO) and Carl Meran (Product & Growth), a complementary team with extensive fintech expertise. Philip’s background as Chief of Staff Moss and Head of Operations at Trade Republic has honed his skills in scaling operations and managing financial products. Carl, a coder himself, brings a complementary skill set that combines deep technical product knowledge with a strong understanding of growth dynamics in financial technology, along with hands-on experience in bringing products from “0 to 1” in the market. Together, Philip and Carl bring the ideal blend of operational and product expertise needed to successfully navigate Ginkgo’s early-stage growth.

Why We Invested in Gingko

At Calm/Storm, we invest in startups that challenge the status quo and deliver meaningful solutions to pressing societal issues. Ginkgo’s mission to modernize pensions addresses one of the most critical gaps in Germany’s labor market, empowering SMBs to attract and retain talent while improving financial outcomes for employees.

Ginkgo’s innovative approach aligns with our vision of supporting ventures that combine impact with scalability. By tackling the pension gap with technology and transparency, Ginkgo is not just reshaping the future of pensions—they’re redefining employee benefits as a whole.

Lastly, supporting Austrian entrepreneurial talent on a global stage is core to our mission, and Ginkgo is a perfect example of the kind of innovation we aim to champion.

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