Northern FinTech Summit Day 2 Write-Up
Northern FinTech Summit – Day 2
On the 10th and 11th of October, the Northern FinTech community came together for a milestone event for FinTech North: The Northern FinTech Summit, the organisation’s first-ever two-day event. The Summit had a pan-northern focus and a national audience, covering four key themes across the two days including Market and People on Day 1 and Money and Tech & Product on Day 2.
Click here to read about Day 1 of the Summit.
Click here to read about the Northern Showcase, part of the Tech & Product segment.
The event was hosted in partnership with Barclays Eagle Labs, the University of York, Rise, Created by Barclays, Squire Patton Boggs, as well as the North’s inward investment agencies, MIDAS, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Invest North East England, and Invest Liverpool City Region.The Market segment was sponsored by York Central and the Money segment was sponsored by Marqeta.
The Summit saw fantastic engagement from all across the north and beyond, with 80 per cent attendance on each day, as well as a buzzing and jam-packed room at the Northern Social on the evening of Day 1. We were delighted to be joined by over 90 delegates on Day 1 and over 80 on Day 2, who were a highly engaged and focused audience.
Money Segment – Innovate Finance
Following a welcome message from FinTech North, the first speaker of the day and kicking off the Money segment, sponsored by Marqeta, was Peter Cunnane, Director of National and International Initiatives at Innovate Finance, who from provided an overview of the UK FinTech ecosystem. He emphasised the importance of five key pillars within the organisation : skills and talent, investment growth, FinTech as a force for good, regulation, and thought leadership. Tying in with the ‘money’ focus of the morning. Peter noted that the UK stands as the second-largest hub for FinTech, with £2.02 billion invested in the sector. He called for an ambitious and inclusive economy, underscoring the need for a skilled workforce and innovative regulatory frameworks.
Money Segment– Innovation SuperNetwork
Next to the stage was Charlotte Scott, Senior Investor Relations Manager at Innovation SuperNetwork, who in her talk covering ‘The Funding Landscape and Angel investment into FinTech,’ addressed the challenges of funding within the North East, highlighting its position as the region with the lowest number of angel investors in the UK.
She shared insights on the creation of a Northern Investor Hub to foster connections between businesses and investors. The discussion emphasised the importance of visualising the startup journey and understanding the risks and opportunities within the angel investment landscape.
Money Segment – Funding a FinTech Panel
A panel featuring Ben Davies, Group Marketing Director at Praetura Ventures, Ant Barker, Director of Venture Capital from Aviva, and Tom Purvis, Inward Investment Manager at West Yorkshire Combined Authority provided a deeper understanding of the funding landscape from a Venture Capital (VC) perspective.
Ben stressed the importance of early engagement with venture capitalists, advising startups not to underestimate how long the deal cycle will take end-to-end.
Ant gave an overview of corporate venture capital and how this could add value beyond pure funding, and the panel had a good discussion on the differences between financial VCs and Corporate Ventures.
All agreed that it was important for founders to know who they want on their cap table and why and to be intentional about this in the fund raising process.
The panel highlighted the necessity of transparency in the investment process and the value of building relationships with investors as early as possible.
Ben encouraged founders to cast a wide net to secure feedback and refine their pitches, while Ant focused on the importance of having a clear articulation of the problem you are looking to solve and being able to explain why you & why now.
The discussion underscored the need for startups to approach funding as a sales opportunity, with clear objectives in mind and a strong understanding of the value they offer to potential investors.
Money Segment – Marqeta and Intercash
The concluding session was a forward-looking fireside chat, facilitated by the sponsors of the Money Segment, Marqeta.
During the talk, Sofie Churchill, Enterprise Key Account Manager at Marqeta, and Lucy Mounter, Director of Business Development & Strategy UK at Intercash presented insights into the future of money, with a particular focus on embedded finance.
Sofie explained how their open API platform helps businesses to implement card solutions within days or weeks instead of months, streamlining the process for start-ups and established businesses alike.
Lucy highlighted the significant shift in consumer behaviour towards embedded finance, discussing how it can enhance accessibility for underserved communities. They discussed the facilitation of peer-to-peer payments and the growing importance of programmability in banking, which allows consumers to have greater control over their financial transactions. This shift enables users to tailor their financial solutions to meet individual needs, building trust and fostering financial inclusion.
Lucy also emphasised the goal of making payments more accessible to those traditionally excluded from financial services. This focus aligns with broader efforts to improve financial inclusion, enabling individuals to take charge of their finances and make informed decisions. As embedded finance continues to evolve, the emphasis will be on creating user-friendly solutions that enhance the overall financial experience, reducing friction and promoting ease of use.
Tech & Product Segment – Northern Showcase
As part of our first-ever two-day event, our Northern FinTech Summit, we hosted a Northern FinTech Showcase during our Tech & Product Segment, highlighting FinTech start-up innovation taking place across the North.
During the showcase which was moderated by Rachel England, Events Coordinator at FinTech North and Charlotte Scott, Senior Investor Relations Manager at Innovation SuperNetwork , we heard from four brilliant speakers:
• Dan Graf, CEO & Co-Founder, Earthchain
• Daniel Goldstone, CEO & Co-Founder Rangeteller
• Tim Kinslow, CEO, Yield Yeti
• Milan Bilimoria, Founder, RoundRaise
Click here to read more about the showcase.
Tech & Product Segment – Mastercard
Liam Spence, Senior Vice President of Franchise Innovation at Mastercard, provided a fascinating historical perspective on the evolution of payments and the crucial role Mastercard has played in shaping the industry. He traced the company’s journey from its inception to becoming a global leader in payment solutions, highlighting the importance of network effects in driving growth and establishing trust within the financial ecosystem.
In discussing franchise innovation, Liam drew parallels between franchise models and FinTech, emphasising how principles of consistency and brand experience can create a sustainable competitive advantage. He argued that FinTech companies can learn from franchises in building robust networks that enhance customer loyalty and streamline operations.
Liam noted that as FinTech continues to evolve, leveraging the lessons from franchise innovation—such as maintaining a strong brand promise and fostering collaborative ecosystems—will be essential for creating long-term success and resilience in a rapidly changing landscape.
Tech & Product Segment – BankAbility
David Agar, CEO of BankAbility, addressed the transformative potential of open banking in enhancing accessibility for underserved communities, such as people with disabilities and the disabled who cannot use existing banking apps to manage their finances. He emphasised that open banking is not just about technology; it represents a significant opportunity to create inclusive financial services tailored to diverse needs.
David articulated the crucial role of accessibility in the financial ecosystem, advocating for solutions that empower individuals with disabilities and other marginalised groups. He highlighted how open banking can personalise services, providing customers with greater control over their finances and fostering trust in the financial system.
Tech & Product Segment – Aizle.AI
Dave Jennings, Strategic Accounts at Aizle.AI, introduced the work of Smart Data Foundry, a data innovation company affiliated with The University of Edinburgh. Established three years ago, Aizle.AI focuses on providing synthetic datasets to tackle the common issues FinTechs face, such as data scarcity, quality, privacy, and accessibility.
Traditional data sources often come with challenges like GDPR compliance, potential biases, and incomplete information, which can hinder innovation. To overcome these obstacles, Aizle.AI offers bespoke and ready-to-consume synthetic datasets for applications including APP fraud, consumer banking, SME banking, open banking, and open finance.
By enabling clients—ranging from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to major banks—to access high-quality synthetic data, Aizle.AI is fostering a more inclusive and innovative FinTech ecosystem.
Tech & Product Segment – FinTech Innovation 2025-2028
The closing session of the day was a forward looking panel titled ‘What will drive FinTech Innovation 2025-2028?’ with:
- Sarat Pediredla, CEO of hedgehog lab
- Neil Kay Jones, Product Manager at AccessPay
- Dr Marizah Minhat, Associate Professor in Finance and Economics from the University of Bradford
- Ben Johnson, Partner at Squire Patton Boggs
And was chaired by
- Lillia Bistacchi, FinTech PR Consultant at Started PR
The panel agreed that resilience is crucial for fintech start-ups, particularly in light of the rapidly evolving economic landscape. Sarat highlighted the challenges and opportunities for FinTech’s to respond to significant market shifts by launching new products and services tailored to changing consumer needs.
Reflecting on the penetration rate of online banking and age demographic in the UK, Marizah emphasised the opportunities for open banking to expand access and enhance consumer experiences without compromising trust and security. She noted the importance of proactive regulators and socially responsible funders in fostering an environment conducive to innovation and consumer protection. The discussion touched on the opportunities for financial institutions to leverage open finance to democratise data access and empower underserved populations through education in facilitating trust building.
Ben pointed out that while regulatory frameworks play a significant role in shaping the FinTech landscape, they must also keep pace with technological innovation. He noted that compliance could drive innovation by encouraging new solutions that align with consumer protection goals.
Neil highlighted that the introduction of regulations, such as ISO20022 and consumer duty guidelines, would raise the bar for operational resilience in the FinTech sector.
As digital adoption continues to grow, the panel underscored the importance of maintaining consumer trust, especially among older generations who may feel apprehensive about digital finance. Building trust through transparency and effective communication was identified as vital for FinTech’s looking to secure long-term relationships with customers.
The conversation concluded with a consensus on the importance of enhancing financial literacy and inclusion. The panellists noted that innovations must focus on bringing the underbanked and underserved into the financial ecosystem, ensuring that everyone can benefit from technological advancements in finance.
Overall, the panel painted a hopeful picture for the future of FinTech, highlighting resilience, regulatory adaptability, and a commitment to inclusivity as the cornerstones of innovation in the years to come.
Event Close – Thank you
As the event drew to an end, Julian Wells, Director at FinTech North thanked delegates for a final time before closing with a final networking session.
We’d once again like to share a massive thanks to everyone involved, Thank you to our partners, Barclays Eagle Labs, Rise, Created by Barclays, The University of York, Squire Patton Boggs, Invest North East England, MIDAS, Invest Liverpool City Region, and West Yorkshire Combined Authority, ‘Market’ sponsors, York Central, ‘Money’ sponsors , Marqeta, and of course, all of our wonderful speakers for sharing all of your organisation’s fantastic work and innovation.
