What I Do
LinkedIn
Fractional CFO & Head of Legal
Jens Jennissen - Founder, Investor & Advisor

For Startups (Pre-Funding to Series B) or Established Companies

In AI, Fintech, Crypto, Saas, Tech

About me

Founder of fairr (Exit to Raisin) and JJs Manöverschluck

18+ Years in Law & Finance roles at fairr, Raisin, Dresdner Kleinwort, E.ON Energy Trading and Fractional Roles

Business Angel and LP

Studied International Business at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, Law at Bucerius Law School in Hamburg and Finance at London Business School.

Served on the FinTechRat at the German Ministry of Finance for over 4 years; Capital 40 under 40

What I Do
Fractional CFO Pillar
Core (retainer-based):
  • Financial modeling & runway forecasting (12–24 month rolling models, realistic burn & hiring plans)
  • Cash & Cashflow management & runway monitoring (cash management, 13-week cash forecasts, payment prioritization)
  • Board & investor reporting (monthly KPI packs, quarterly deck updates, investor-grade narratives)
  • Budget, planning & performance (annual budgets, rolling forecasts, unit economics, CAC/LTV)
  • Finance function setup (choosing and managing accountants, payroll, tax advisors, internal controls)
  • Compensation & incentives design (ESOP/VSOP strategy, equity grant frameworks, market benchmarks)
Optional projects:
  • Fundraising readiness & process (funding strategy, data room setup, investor coaching, metrics refinement)
  • M&A due diligence & exit preparation
  • Business model & pricing optimization
  • Venture debt or banking negotiations
Head of Legal Pillar
Core (retainer-based):
  • Fundraising legal orchestration (translate term sheets commercially, negotiate key points, liaise with counsel)
  • Corporate governance (board cadence, consents, signature policies, decision frameworks for stage)
  • Contract & risk triage (review key commercial agreements, identify risks, propose mitigations)
  • Regulatory awareness (identify licenses/obligations early—fintech, crypto, AI, investment products; scope specialized counsel)
  • Labor law (contracts, policies, manuals)
  • ESOP/VSOP design & legal setup
  • Data privacy compliance
  • ISO 27001 certifications
  • Legal vendor selection and price negotiation


Optional projects:
  • Major fundraising rounds (Seed, Series A deep involvement)
  • Regulatory projects (gap analyses, project steering with specialized counsel)
  • Complex partnerships or distribution agreements
  • M&A/exit legal workstream management
Why Both Finance and Legal?

Most startups face an impossible choice: hire a CFO for finance strategy or bring on legal counsel for governance and compliance. At your stage, you can't afford both full-time—but you can't afford to skip either one.

The reality? Finance and legal aren't separate functions—they're intertwined. Your cap table affects your fundraising model. Your regulatory obligations shape your burn rate. Your ESOP strategy impacts both your budget and your corporate structure.

I deliver founder-level finance and legal strategy as one integrated service. You get the strategic thinking of two C-suite executives without the overhead of two salaries, two onboarding processes, or two competing priorities. Move fast, stay compliant, and maintain investor confidence—all with one partner who speaks both languages fluently.

Service Tiers & Pricing

All tiers include both Finance + Legal as integrated services or just one of the two, if that's what you need. Pricing is net of VAT. Choose the tier that matches your stage and complexity and let's have a discussion on how to tailor it to your situation.

Additional Options

Project Fees

For intense workstreams like fundraising, regulatory projects, or M&A: €5k–20k fixed or €2k/day depending on scope and complexity.

Equity Co-Investment

Available for aligned clients: 0.5–1.0% equity (vested over time) can reduce or defer cash fees for the right partnership.

Initial Diagnostic

Paid deep-dive: €1.5k–3k for comprehensive risk/opportunity mapping and a prioritized 6–12 month roadmap.

The Value Case
You Get 1–2 Days Per Week Back

Most founders at your stage spend 1–2 full days per week—that's 40–80 hours per month or 20–40% of your working time—on finance and legal work they're not expert at:

Wrestling with Excel models that never quite balance correctly

Writing and rewriting investor updates and board decks from scratch

Reviewing contracts and trying to decode dense legalese without context

Chasing accountants for numbers, lawyers for drafts, tax advisors for confirmations

Being overcharged by lawyers for marginal work

Stressing about whether you're missing something critical on the regulatory front

I take that off your plate. You get 1 full day per week back. That's 4–5 days per month (50–60 days per year) to focus on what actually scales the business.

What You Do With That Time
Ship Product Features

Build and launch features that unlock the next customer segment instead of debugging financial models.

Close More Deals

Focus on closing 2–3 more enterprise deals per quarter that drive real revenue growth.

Hire Key Talent

Finally bring on that technical lead or sales director you've been delaying for months.


Think Strategically

Actually sleep and think about the big picture instead of firefighting spreadsheets and contracts.


Case studies
  • Modern ESOP/VSOP design
    Designed and implemented a §19a EStG-compliant employee participation plan for an AI startup and a VSOP structure for a fast-growing fintech, aligning incentives with future funding rounds.
  • Multi-round fundraising
    Led fundraising processes that brought in several million euros from angels, VCs, media-for-equity investors and public research grants, including pitch decks, financial forecasts, full due diligence and negotiation of shareholder agreements.
  • Regulated product launch
    Coordinated with specialized external counsel to navigate regulatory requirements for launching the first fully online pension products in Germany, ensuring compliance while maintaining a fast go-to-market.
  • Fintech exit execution
    Managed legal and financial workstreams for a successful fintech exit, including buyer due diligence, contract negotiations and closing documentation.
  • Cutting external legal costs by 60–70%
    For General Terms and Conditions, reduced external legal spend from an initial €10–15k quote to a final invoice of €3.5k by scoping tightly, preparing internally and steering counsel efficiently.
Who This Is For
Stage

Pre-funding through Series A

You've raised €250k to €10m and need professional finance and legal infrastructure that scales with rapid growth.

Geography

Germany/DACH base with global vision

English or German-fluent teams or international ambitions. You're building for Europe and beyond, not just one market.

Complexity

Regulated or complex

Operating in fintech, crypto, AI, Saas or other sectors where compliance isn't optional and mistakes are expensive.

Mindset

Finance and legal as competitive advantage

You believe investor-grade reporting and clean governance attract better investors and unlock faster growth—not just tick boxes.

Why I'm Different
I've Been in Your Shoes

I founded fairr, raised multiple rounds totaling €5m+, managed board relationships and investor expectations, navigated regulatory complexity, and successfully sold to Raisin. I know what it feels like to wake up at 3am worrying about runway.

Triple Expertise: Finance + Legal + Regulatory

Most fractional CFOs offer pure finance. I bring deep expertise across corporate law, transactional work, regulatory compliance, and financial strategy. You get three specialists in one.

Bilingual in Founder and Investor Language

I've sat in both seats—pitching and being pitched to, fundraising and evaluating deals, building board decks and critiquing them. I know where the real friction points are and how to defuse them.

Operator, Not Consultant

I don't theorize or create PowerPoint recommendations. I execute: build financial models, simulate funding rounds, negotiate term sheets, manage regulatory risk, and deliver board-ready materials. You get hands-on execution, not advice.