The event returns to Leeds and Newcastle, which collectively contribute over £1bn in FinTech value to Northern economy
FinTech North will return in force to Leeds and Newcastle this summer, with two highly anticipated conferences celebrating the best of FinTech within the two city regions.
In a testament to their thriving FinTech ecosystems, Leeds and Newcastle are set to host the eagerly awaited FinTech North conferences this summer. The events, featuring an impressive lineup of speakers from prominent FinTech companies such as Atom Bank, CFIT, Mastercard, Kani Payments, and Leeds Building Society, will shine a spotlight on local innovation, foster idea sharing, and provide valuable insights from industry giants.
Kicking off proceedings on the 29th June, the Leeds conference will cover themes including financial inclusion, green finance, banking, lending and the regulatory landscape. It will be held at the University of Leeds’ Cloth Hall Court and will be delivered in partnership with Leeds Building Society, Mastercard, Axiologik and Leeds City Council.
Leeds has experienced a boom in FinTech in recent years, with the city now home to over 100 FinTechs and the sector contributing approximately £700m per year to the regional economy, according to the latest research from Whitecap Consulting. Delegates will hear about some of the drivers behind this growth, as well as opportunities and plans to build on this further.
Speakers include Ezechi Britton MBE, CEO of CFIT, Janine Hirt, CEO of Innovate Finance, Natasha Jamal, Vice President of Social Impact at Mastercard, and Vanessa Roberts, Head of Strategy & Responsible Business at Leeds Building Society.
A panel discussion will focus on the initial findings and outcomes from the FinTech Challenge Leeds, a new initiative spearheaded by FinTech North and funded by the UK Government. The Challenge has facilitated greater engagement between financial services firms and FinTechs, with the latter understanding the challenges FS firms face, and FS firms being exposed to the solutions FinTechs could offer. It focuses on five core areas: homeownership; green finance; AI, banking and payments; financial inclusion; and equality, diversity and bias.
The Newcastle conference will take place on the 20th July at the Common Room of the Great North, in Newcastle’s old Mining and Mechanical Engineering Institute. While the agenda is still being finalised, two of the North East’s biggest and brightest FinTech stars are already confirmed: Atom Bank and Kani Payments.
They will appear alongside Invest Newcastle, Mastercard and CFIT, in a day that will explore themes including payments, open banking, AI and cyber security.
Both conferences will feature the renowned FinTech showcase session, which will see FinTech start-ups from the city regions and further afield participate in a quick-fire pitching exercise – including green neobank Tred, debit card and app Sibstar which is designed to help families living with dementia, and energy efficiency platform Snugg, winner of the Scottish FinTech Rising Star Award 2022.
Chris Sier, FinTech North Chairman and HM Treasury FinTech Envoy for England, comments:
“We’ve just returned from Money20/20 in Amsterdam where we flew the flag for northern FinTech as part of the UK Pavilion, and the collective power of our regions was on full display. We’re excited to bring that energy back to home turf once again.
“While we firmly believe that the whole really is greater than the sum of the parts when it comes to regional FinTech in the UK, the conferences in Leeds and Newcastle provide a brilliant opportunity for a closer look at what is going on in the city regions and how we can push for further growth.”
The Leeds agenda and registration page can be accessed here, and for Newcastle here. Early bird tickets are still available for Newcastle. Both conferences will also be live streamed.
