Northern Regions unite for major global FinTech event
The four main regions in the North of England have announced they are to come together as part of a single presence at the FinTech Connect conference in London on 3-4 December 2019, an which is expected to attract over 6000 people.
Greater Manchester, Leeds City Region, Liverpool City Region and North East England will each have a brand presence and representatives on the stand at the event as part of an initiative organised by FinTech North, the event-based northern FinTech community organisation that has delivered over 50 FinTech events across the north since 2016.
Chris Sier, Chairman of FinTech North, says:
“I’m delighted to see the different regional ecosystems around North of England coming together like this. I have long championed the view that a collaborative and open approach is the route to success, and I’m confident that both the northern and the national FinTech sector will be stronger when this happens. I hope it will be the first of many such joint initiatives, and I’m proud that FinTech North has been part of making it happen.”
Rachel Eyre, Business Development Manager at MIDAS – Greater Manchester’s inward invest agency, says:
“We’re delighted to be representing the Northern FinTech scene alongside our friends at FinTech North and those from other cities that form the Northern Powerhouse. Greater Manchester is home to the UK’s largest regional financial services industry as well as one of Europe’s largest digital and technology clusters, which has enabled the city region to establish a strong reputation as a leading UK FinTech hub. The local ecosystem and industry is evolving rapidly but still has great growth potential so we’re looking forward to showcasing the Greater Manchester offer in the capital.”
Roger Marsh OBE DL, Chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and NP11, says:
“There is a significant level of tech investment and activity in Leeds City Region, which is increasingly being seen as the UK’s digital heartland. A recent report revealed that our region has 209 starts ups attracting £10.8 million in venture capital, the most in the North by 82 per cent. We’re lookingforward to joining the northern delegation at Fintech Connect, showcasing the northern fintech ecosystem and the Leeds City Region as the ideal location to scale operations.”
Stephen Chapman, Economic Development Lead at Wirral Council, says:
“Liverpool City Region is a designated centre of excellence for financial services with a deep knowledge base, long history and outstanding reputation across all business and financial service sectors. Cited as a ‘digital hotspot’, in recent years our city region’s digital sector has experienced GVA growth of over 52%; the second largest GVA growth figure amongst Northern cities. We’re well positioned to support FinTech investment, both from the large financial institutions growing their technology operations to the smaller disruptive companies developing new and innovative business models.”
Guy Currey, Director, Invest North East England, says:
“We are delighted to be part of a wider Fintech North stand showcasing the strength of the sector in the North of England. In the North East we have a really strong FinTech ecosystem, supported by five universities and home to some of the most innovative start-ups and established corporates in the UK.”
FinTech Connect will bring together 6,000+ of the FinTech community to share best practice, showcase new products and solutions and shape financial services of the future. The two day conference features five conference streams and an extensive exhibition floor, as well as offering a programme of interactive workshops, a blockchain-backed live trading floor, a startup hackathon and multiple networking opportunities.
The event is free to attend and more information can be found here: https://www.fintechconnect.com/events-london
