About Innovate Finance

Innovate Finance is the independent industry body for UK FinTech.

Our mission is to accelerate the UK’s leading role in the financial services sector by directly supporting the next generation of technology-led innovators to create a more inclusive, more democratic and more effective financial services sector that works better for everyone.

Innovate Finance’s membership and partnership community ranges from seed stage startups to scale up and high growth FinTechs; from multinational financial institutions to big tech firms; and from investors to global FinTech hubs. Innovate Finance supports our members and the wider financial innovation ecosystem by promoting policy and regulation that allows innovation to thrive, encouraging talent, diversity and skills into the sector, facilitating the scaling journey, fostering business opportunity, partnerships and domestic and international growth, and driving capital into UK FinTech.

By bringing together and connecting the most forward-thinking participants in financial services, Innovate Finance is helping create a financial services sector that is more transparent, more sustainable and more inclusive.

Our numbers

8

Years Supporting FinTech

18

Industry Verticals

1:5

Financial Institutions to FinTech startups

Industry numbers

$11.6 Billion

Invested into UK FinTech in 2021

2nd

UK is the second biggest market in the world for FinTech investment.

71%

FinTech adoption rate in the UK

Priority Programmes And Initiatives For 2022

Shining a Spotlight On FinTech Verticals

Showcasing the latest and greatest UK FinTech.

Our “Shining a Spotlight On” Series provides a platform for the brightest and best in UK FinTech to showcase their business and solutions. In each event, experts from across the FinTech ecosystem come together to discuss the latest innovations, trends and issues on the hottest FinTech verticals.

 

Coffee With Innovate Finance

Real conversations. Real insight.

Our premier podcast series, Coffee With Innovate Finance provides a weekly platform for FinTech leaders to share their opinions and insights with the rest of the global FinTech ecosystem.

 

Capital and Investment

Highlighting the UK as a leading, investment-friendly centre for FinTech globally.

We understand that access to capital is a crucial aspect for any growing company. Opportunity and insight seem to be everywhere, but it is often difficult to cut through the noise and gain real value. Through our Capital and Investment Programme Innovate Finance is opening up access to capital for our FinTech members, providing connections to the venture community and delivering unrivalled insight with our seminal UK VC investment landscape. The Programme will run throughout the year and provide ongoing insights and events such as speed-dating between startups and investors.

 

Regulation, Policy and the Future of Finance

Supporting the UK’s advancement of proportionate and effective regulation.

We will continue to work with regulators and government to help ensure the voice of the FinTech sector is heard across key policy areas. Our mission is to ensure the UK remains a leading global FinTech ecosystem and the most attractive hub for setting up a FinTech business. Our policy work helps promote innovation in the UK, and supports our members as they navigate the shifting political and economic landscape following the Coronavirus and Brexit. The input of our Members is vital helping us to ensure that we are representing the needs of an evolving sector.

Growth and Partnerships

The power of partnerships: Making it easier for FinTech companies and financial institutions to work together for mutual benefit.

The strength of the UK’s existing financial centre is a magnet for FinTechs and a route to growth. However, FinTech and institutional partnerships are not without difficulties, there can be cultural, technical and logistical differences. This poses challenges for early-stage companies light on resources and revenue, even where they have the best team in place and most up-to-date ideas and technology to pitch. Innovate Finance is committed to connecting FinTechs and institutions to overcome the challenges boost collaboration. We also want to drive FinTechs to form partnerships with other FinTechs too, to drive growth and enhance propositions

 

Skills, Talent and Culture

Promoting awareness of FinTech and the different careers on offer from an early age.

Supporting talent and skills in FinTech is one of our key priorities and we recognise it is one of the biggest issues for our community. So this is why we created FinTech for Schools, to promote awareness of FinTech in young people: What sort of careers are on offer? What is FinTech anyway and what does it stand for? How do you use it in your everyday life?

We want to give young people the opportunity to access information in multiple ways so that they can learn how to manage their finances better, consider FinTech as a career choice or gain work experience and insight. Most importantly, we want to encourage the broadest range of talent at an early age from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Diversity Programme, including Women in FinTech

Improving diversity in FinTech and financial services and creating positive action and inclusion.

Our Diversity Programme, led by the Women in FinTech initiative, is a key 2021 priority and we look forward to working with those who would like to be actively involved in its development.

Diversity is no longer an act of simple awareness building. The dialogue has shifted and is now geared towards action and we want to ensure the change actually happens. The programme will include hosting tailored workshops and sessions dedicated to providing support for under represented employees at every level and stage in FinTech.

 

FinTech as a Force for Good

Supporting programmes which aim to ensure FinTech contributes to social betterment.

We are working closely with our members to create programmes, events and campaigns which aim to ensure FinTech and financial services increasingly contribute to social betterment both in the UK as well as globally.

It is crucial to showcase the difference technology and innovation can make as a force for good. We will be actively raising awareness of FinTech with new and diverse audiences and highlighting the importance of education, sustainable finance, financial wellness and inclusion.

 

Global Connectivity

We continue to work closely with the FinTech National Network and our International Partners and Hubs to support national connectivity and international attractiveness and competitiveness. If you would like further information on this, then please get in touch.

Partners

Programmes and Initiatives Supported

We’re committed to net zero by 2050 at the latest and will update our target when we measure our emissions and publish a NetZero plan within the next 12 months.