On sustainability, a new STO-platform and a forecast into the future

Cashlink: Hello Patrick, we are happy to have you as our guest today! Since 2018 you have been working on your company neoFIN Hamburg GmbH and it has been flourishing. Before we talk about your company, why don’t you tell the readers a bit more about yourself.

Patrick: Thank you very much, I am pleased too. Sure: I have been an entrepreneur in the financial sector for over 20 years and have a strong affinity for innovative financial products and investment strategies. In this context, I became aware of cryptocurrencies relatively early on and got excited about the blockchain technology behind them. After I had placed the first mining projects, it was clear to me: there’s more to it, I have to develop an entire business model from it. That’s how neoFIN came into being. My private side: I live with my family in Hamburg, am an enthusiastic sportsman and love the sea.

Cashlink: And that affinity really came to fruition. Most people probably already have heard about neoFIN, but for the few who don’t: Can you give me an elevator pitch explaining what you guys do?

Patrick: We support companies in issuing digital financial products by offering them the complete process from finding the right vehicle to the conception and implementation to the distribution. In doing so, we focus on sustainable tangible assets. We completed the placement of our first STO, the Green Ship Token, in July 2021.

Cashlink: As you put tangible & ESG assets at the center of your company, it clearly communicates sustainability as one of your core values. How did that evolve? Is it a personal mission?

Patrick: It’s definitely a personal mission, for sure. Over the years, I have developed long-term strategies for many clients to build up their assets. So I have a soft spot for sustainable portfolio building with tangible assets.

Over the years, it became more and more important for me to pay attention to the meaningfulness of the investments. In the meantime, I have also become a family man, so I see the future with different eyes. What can I contribute to preserve our world for our descendants? How can I involve others in this?

There is no way around sustainable action in the financial sector. I am glad that this is also becoming more firmly established in people’s minds and that impact investing is becoming more and more established. Of course, I also select our issuers accordingly, design our products and make them accessible to a broader public. In this respect, yes, sustainability is one of our core values, whereby we consider both ecological and social aspects. In other words, we consider green assets such as renewable energy or alternative drive systems, but also, for example, projects from the sports sector that support young people. On our platform, we are also open to exotics.

Cashlink: Very inspiring! We hope that more companies will lead the industry in a more sustainable manner. As the new STO-platform between neoFIN, Tangany and Cashlink has also just been publicly announced: What expectations do you have for this partnership? We are beyond excited for the launch.

Patrick: Our expectations are very high and at the same time very realistic. I am convinced that we are filling a gap with our joint platform. Having all services related to the STO from a single source will make funding much easier for issuers. And it will also be very convenient for investors and distribution partners to have all assets on one platform. Then there is our expertise, which all three of us bring to our partnership. We have all already gained experience in the market and know how it works. I can hardly wait for our STO platform to launch.

Cashlink: We agree – and as we are only at the beginning of a DLT-based capital market in Germany, we want to ask you last but not least: Where do you see the industry landscape in 5 years and what do we need to get there?

Patrick: The forecasts are really coming thick and fast at the moment. In its latest Security Token Report, Cointelegraph Research calculated that the global market capitalisation for security tokens could be around 9.5 trillion US dollars by the end of 2025. Those are big shoes to fill. I remain convinced that digital securities will replace traditional ones in the longer term, but I doubt that this will be the case in five years’ time. It is a product that requires a lot of explanation, as became clear in the course of the placement of our first STO. Germany is far ahead in shaping the framework conditions, that’s a push. But to really achieve a breakthrough, a lot of education is still needed. Luckily, the topic is now also receiving attention in the major media, which definitely contributes to more knowledge. And of course we need a lot of good STOs with assets that investors understand and like, but fortunately we have that in our own hands. Then I believe that the DLT-based capital market will also catch on with the general public and take off.

Cashlink: And we are happy to witness that with you. That’s it for today – Thank you for the interesting insights!

Patrick: Thanks to you, we are looking forward to further good cooperation!