Bravura double win at pensions age awards 2023

Scottish fintech Bravura is delighted to announce two award wins at this year’s Pensions Age Awards.

Taking place on 21 March 2023 in London, the Bravura team brought home trophies for Best Marketing Campaign and Pensions Personality of the Year for its Principal Consultant and Pensions Specialist, Jonathan Hawkins.

After working more than 25 years in the pensions space, Jonathan joined Bravura in 2018 and has worked within the Group ”“ including its subsidiary Delta Financial Systems ”“ to expand the company’s offering in the pensions space. This includes him leading a highly skilled mixed team of developers, consultants, testers, infrastructure, service design and more across the globe to design and build its industry-leading Integrated Service Provider (ISP), Dashboards Connect, as well as acting as a vital source of inspiration for the industry to challenge the status quo and use dashboards to effectively digitise the industry and bring substantial benefits to individuals and firms once dashboards are available to the public.

Last year, Jonathan took a leading role in the company’s Pension Dashboard Week initiative, which also secured gold for Best Marketing Campaign of the Year. The campaign, which saw more than 1,500 industry participants register for its awareness raising week, aimed to inspire the pensions industry to think beyond the upcoming Pensions Dashboard Programme staging deadlines and focus on the benefits the regulation could bring to both providers and individuals. The campaign featured a range of talks, webinars and Q&As, designed to inspire and educate Pension Providers, Schemes, TPAs and Wealth Platforms about what is involved and required to connect to the pensions dashboards ecosystem, whilst also highlighting how best-in-class technology can turn the possibilities that dashboards present into reality.

Jonathan Hawkins, Principal Consultant and Pensions Specialist, said:

“I’m obviously over the moon to be named Pensions Age’s Pensions Personality of the Year. I’ve been following the development of the pensions dashboards programme for at least seven years now and it’s a hugely exciting initiative to be part of and help the industry take one step closer to the holy grail of open finance as well as encourage people to better understand and engage with their pensions. It’s not just a huge privilege for me, but a massive validation for the entire talented Pensions Dashboards project team at Bravura and our subsidiaries Delta Financial Systems and FinoComp, who have all been instrumental in creating our scalable ISP microservices ”“ Dashboards Connect ”“ and leading the industry with our innovative and inclusive events. The digitisation of pensions is coming, and I’m excited to be at the vanguard of that revolution and commit to further helping the industry imagine the future.”

Justine Pattullo, Marketing Manager EMEA, added:

“Despite our rich history in pensions in Australia and Delta having more than 30 years’ experience in the UK SIPPs market, this is relatively new territory for Bravura and a fantastic achievement to celebrate two wins at one of the industry’s most prestigious awards. This all in-house-created campaign brought together deep expertise from right across our business and showed how we are able to break into new ground as a Group using the huge amount of talent we have within the business. Huge thanks to all the team for helping to make this happen.”

One year on, the FinTech Research & Innovation Roadmap drives FinTech growth in Scotland

A year on from publishing the FinTech Research and Innovation Roadmap, FinTech Scotland announced today that it is on track to hit its targets for economic growth.

In March 2022, FinTech Scotland, the independent cluster body, published a strategic FinTech Research and Innovation Roadmap, identifying industry priorities for the UK to accelerate its fintech ambition through research and development (R&D) and targeted innovation.

The Roadmap was developed in close coordination with fintech entrepreneurs, the financial services sector, academia, regulators, Government bodies and consumer groups, and provides a pathway and action-oriented framework to increase the positive impact of FinTech Innovation across Scotland and the UK.

The Roadmap also supports the recommendation in the Kalifa Review of UK Fintech, for increased R&D investment in fintech innovation to accelerate fintech cluster excellence, and was positively welcomed by Ron Kalifa, the financial services sector, UK and Scottish Government and the City of London Corporation.

The priorities laid out in the Roadmap centred on four strategic innovation themes:

Climate Finance
Open Finance Data
Payments and Transactions; and
Financial Regulation

Over a ten-year period, the ambition is to significantly increase fintech related jobs across Scotland and the UK, as well as produce an increase in economic gross value add (GVA) through fintech innovation.

One year on, industry-led collaborations have driven growing action against each of the strategic innovation themes. These collaborations, at the cutting edge of innovation, are driving results. Examples include:

Climate Finance
- 100% increase in fintech enterprises in Scotland focused on climate finance
- Accelerated fintech partnerships and fintech adoption through new innovation labs launched with Lloyds Banking Group and TSB with outcomes helping UK customers towards carbon efficiency
- Climate finance enabled through cross-sector collaboration with Space Scotland, accelerating innovations in ESG using data from satellite sources

Open Finance Data
- 26% increase in fintech enterprises developing innovative solutions using Open Banking
- Accelerated fintech adoption and creation of commercial opportunities through the launch of Phoenix’s innovation forum to build greater engagement and support the well-being of its customers, driving forward greater financial inclusion
- The Smart Data Foundry’s research on vulnerability in the pension market, the impact of late payments on the SME market, and on the net zero agenda, all enabled through Open Finance Data

Payments & Transactions
- 19% increase in fintech enterprises in Scotland developing payment solutions
- Investment of £94m into fintech enterprises focused on payment innovation in the last 12 months
- Development of Cryptofinance, blockchain and Distributed ledger courses at leading Scottish universities

Financial regulation
- 13% increase in fintech enterprises specialising financial regulation innovation
- Investment of £83m into fintech enterprises focused on financial regulation innovation in the last 12 months
- Confirmed government and industry support to accelerate innovation in financial regulation enabling the creation of the Financial Regulation Innovation Lab

Nicola Anderson, CEO of FinTech Scotland, said:

“By enabling collaborative innovation across the fintech ecosystem not just in Scotland but the whole of the UK and beyond, we can see how the FinTech Research and Innovation Roadmap is already making a real difference ”“ helping businesses to build economic growth, create jobs, work through climate finance to enable a future net zero economy, and helping to alleviate the cost of living crisis.

“The FinTech R&I Roadmap demonstrates how collaboration and innovation can change people’s lives, driving positive outcomes for both business and citizens both in Scotland and across the UK.”

Charlotte Crosswell OBE, Chair of the Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology, said:

“The UK Fintech Sector Review clearly set out recommendations to ensure the country retains its global leadership position in financial innovation. An important component of that success is increased investment in fintech, and ensuring the brightest minds across the UK are involved. It’s encouraging to see that in just one year, the FinTech Research and Innovation Roadmap has enabled more of that important R&D collaboration and aligns with our approach at CFIT.”

Damian Nussbaum, Executive Director, Innovation and Growth City of London Corporation, said:

“FinTech continues to be a major success story for the UK, and its development is critical to ensuring the UK maintains its position as a global financial hub. The UK has a unique innovation ecosystem where research and development play a critical role. The Roadmap highlights the power and potential of that ecosystem and the transformative impact that collaboration in this sector can have across society. The City of London Corporation welcomes the progress made and we look forward to working with Scotland and the other nations and regions of the UK to drive further fintech growth.”

Jane Martin, Managing Director of Innovation and Investment at Scottish Enterprise, said:

“Strong, effective and purposeful collaboration between industry, academia and the public sector is key to delivering much needed innovation and growth for Scotland. The FinTech Research and Innovation Roadmap is a demonstration of how collaborative action through purposeful strategic action can drive good economic outcomes and accelerate future growth.”

Catherine Martin, Vice Principal Corporate Services at the University of Edinburgh, said:

“As a founding partner of FinTech Scotland the University of Edinburgh is fully committed to the role R&D plays in developing fintech economic opportunities in Scotland and across the UK. Our experience and academic excellence in both disruptive technologies and other sectors has shown how strategic and purposeful partnerships can shape the future direction of vital industries and sectors in our economy and society. We’re committed to playing our role as a leader and as a collaborator in fintech and financial services innovation, pushing forward the FinTech Research and Innovation Roadmap priorities”.

Pardeep Cassells, Head of Securities and Claims at AccessFintech, said:

“Fintech innovation can’t afford to slow down. Technologies advance fast, customer expectations faster and the need for a fairer, more inclusive and more sustainable financial sector is still to be fulfilled. The fintech community has welcomed the FinTech Research and Innovation Roadmap. It focuses the mind, helping fintech businesses like AccessFintech accelerate through understanding the points of convergence across the sector which in turn enables more collaborations and innovations.”

Eleanor Shaw, Associate Principal at the University of Strathclyde, said:

“Strathclyde is proud of its role in shaping the future of fintech. It was one of the first universities to launch an MSc in fintech in the UK. Very early on we understood the importance of financial innovation to re-invent a sector that was built to benefit the many, not the few. R&D is key and the Roadmap is a fundamental tool. It’s been a key component in advancing our fintech strategy at Strathclyde. As a result we’re working in collaboration with FinTech Scotland, the University of Glasgow and the industry to establish the Financial Regulation Innovation Lab, to advance innovation in financial regulation.”

Frank Gauld, CEO at Smart Data Foundry, who sponsored the Roadmap, said:

“When it comes to data and innovation, the potential is exciting and unlimited. The FinTech R&I Roadmap focuses the mind and provides a clear industry view on innovation priorities. In the last year we’ve worked closely with FinTech Scotland, progressing research and innovation to unlock the power of financial data to improve people’s lives across society, the economy and the environment. Examples include our work with the FCA to innovate in the area of APP Fraud, research on consumer vulnerability in the pension market, the impact of late payments on the SME market, and working with Bankers for Net Zero to support the initiative to transition to a zero carbon economy. The insights are used across the industry and by regulators to change outcomes for people and businesses for the better”.

Lloyds Banking Group launches Innovation programme

Lloyds Banking Group has opened applications for its Launch Innovation program aimed at discovering potential FinTech partners. The 12-week program is designed to foster collaboration with FinTechs and InsurTechs, and successful applicants will work with the Group to further develop their business. The top performers will have the opportunity to run a commercial experiment in partnership with Lloyds Banking Group, potentially leading to a further partnership. Last year’s participant, Caura, received a £4 million investment from the Group. The Launch Innovation program aims to support emerging FinTech and InsurTech companies.

The program provides FinTechs and InsurTechs with expert guidance from Lloyds Banking Group, enabling them to develop their businesses further. The most successful applicants will be invited to participate in a commercial experiment in partnership with Lloyds Banking Group. The Launch Innovation program was highly successful in 2022, with Caura receiving a £4 million investment from the Lloyds Banking Group FinTech Investment team. Applications for 2023 are now open, and successful applicants will have access to senior management and subject matter experts, who will provide valuable insights into working with large financial institutions. The Group’s FinTech Investment Team will also review applications and have funds available to invest in seed to Series B businesses.

Kirsty Rutter, FinTech Investment Director at Lloyds Banking Group, stated:

“Our ambition is to become the best bank for FinTech and InsurTechs to work with, and we recognise that better collaboration with FinTechs and InsurTechs is key to delivering exceptional service and enhancing our capabilities. We are excited to hear from this year’s applicants and to explore ways to build the bridge between the needs of our business and personal customers and the FinTech community.”

Age Partnership partners with Scottish fintech Aveni

Scottish fintech Aveni.ai, the AI fintech business, has been chosen by Age Partnership, one of the leading Equity Release Advisory firms in the UK, to transform its Quality Assurance systems and set new standards for customer service and outcomes.

After a successful pilot scheme, Age Partnership has implemented Aveni Detect, an AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP)-based technology platform, to increase oversight of client interactions, maximize process efficiencies, and ensure data-led evidence of compliance to meet Consumer Duty regulations from the FCA.

The adoption of the latest advancements in generative AI, NLP, and large language models will enable Age Partnership to offer an automated element to Quality Assurance (QA) processes across all applications received. This will eliminate errors and increase the speed and effectiveness of customer interaction monitoring. It will provide unparalleled risk management and oversight, which will assist the business in expanding its operations to support more customers and enhance outcomes for them.

Aveni Detect has been established as a “Machine Line of Defense” to analyze all customer interactions, mitigating against a variety of risks, from conduct and complaints to customer vulnerability. It will comply with the data-first requirements of the new Consumer Duty regulation, which takes effect in July 2023.

David Wing, Director of Risk & Compliance at Age Partnership said,

“The pilot with Aveni was a real success. It demonstrated that by using their call transcription service to provide machine-based monitoring across our equity release customer journey, we were able to speedily identify key areas such as potentially vulnerable customers and subsequently then support advisers further through training.

“Ultimately, the technology provided by Aveni Detect helps us at Age Partnership to build upon the high level of service and advice that we provide to every individual client.”

Jamie Hunter, COO, Aveni explains,

“The chance to work with an innovative business like Age Partnership is exciting for Aveni as we work to help enhance its service and maintain its leading position. The business has embraced our AI platform from the very beginning of the pilot and is committed to using it to push boundaries and genuinely deliver better customer outcomes. With oversight across 100 percent of its customer interactions, the emphasis placed on the Quality Assurance function is unparalleled for Age Partnership and will allow real scalability whilst delivering data-led Consumer Duty compliance. The power of generative AI presents the dawn of a new era for financial advice and will be a key determinant in future success when placed at the heart of business operating models.”

Standard Life partners with FinTech Scotland on responsible investing

Standard Life, the UK’s most prominent long-term savings and retirement business, has launched its second annual Innovation Forum. The focus of the forum this year is to find and develop innovative solutions to help pension customers become more engaged with their investments, especially in terms of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors. The winning fintech partner will work alongside Standard Life to implement their solution for over three million customers.

The Innovation Forum aims to embed sustainability and prioritise the environment and people’s well-being in Standard Life’s operations. It seeks to find a fintech company that shares a commitment to responsible investing and can bring the benefits of digital innovation to savers. Potential ideas include ways to visualise how customer pensions are invested, methods to evaluate investments through ESG lenses, or demonstrating how investing responsibly now can lead to positive outcomes in the future.

This initiative is a collaboration between five organizations: TCS’s Co-Innovation Network (TCS COIN™) innovation ecosystem, Fintech Scotland, Women In Banking & Finance (WIBF), and Scottish Financial Enterprise (SFE). The Innovation Forum builds on the success of last year’s event, which was won by Behavioural Finance, an Edinburgh-based company that uses psychometric testing to help users understand how their personality affects their relationship with money. Standard Life plans to introduce the wealth personality test developed by Behavioural Finance to some of its customers, with the goal of expanding it to more customers later this year.

This year’s Innovation Forum will follow a similar process, with fintechs presenting their innovative solutions to senior leaders across Standard Life and the wider Phoenix Group. Each shortlisted participant will work closely with a Standard Life mentor to refine their proposal before a long-term partnership is established with the winning company.

Standard Life’s Managing Director, Pensions and Savings, Colin Williams, said:

“This is a fantastic opportunity for Standard Life to connect with creative thinkers to enhance our proposition development and better support customers to engage with their investments and understand the impact they have on the world. This is key to our Group’s wider social purpose and sustainability strategy and follows the transition of £15bn of workplace assets to our new sustainable default fund. We are looking forward to hearing from innovators from across the FinTech Scotland, TCS COINTM and broader start-up community.”

Fintech Scotland Chief Executive, Nicola Anderson, said:

“We’re delighted to be partnering with Standard Life and Phoenix Group for a second year in a row to bring innovation and better outcomes to its customers. The first iteration of their Innovation Forum in 2022 was a real success and we’re very excited to see Standard Life’s plans for integrating the technology from Behavioural Finance into customers’ journeys. This year, they’ve set themselves an even bigger challenge as they’re looking to bring more innovation to ESG investing. Customer outcomes are directly linked to environmental and social issues, and vice versa – bringing this relationship to life is vital as we move towards a net zero future. At FinTech Scotland we identified Climate as one of the 4 key areas of focus in our Research and Innovation Roadmap and this innovation challenge will help us achieve our goal to move towards greener finance and have the sector contribute to the net zero agenda.”

Companies interested in applying can do so here.

FinTech Scotland secures UK Government funding to Accelerate Innovation in Financial Regulation

FinTech Scotland has secured UK Government funding to accelerate innovation in Scotland’s fintech cluster. The funding will advance research and innovation in financial regulation.

The FinTech Scotland initiative in partnership with industry partners, and with Strathclyde and Glasgow universities includes the creation of a new collaborative centre of excellence, called The Financial Regulation Innovation Lab.

The ground-breaking collaborative Lab will focus on leveraging new technologies to accelerate efficiencies, revolutionise risk management and shape future regulatory developments, accelerating the UK’s ability to seize competitive advantage in the future of financial regulation and fintech innovation.

The new funding is part of a broader successful bid by Glasgow City Region included in the UK Government’s initiative to accelerate the growth of high-potential innovation clusters’ in Glasgow, Greater Manchester, and the West Midlands. All of the projects in the Innovation Accelerator Programme will commence in the Spring, following Innovate UK’s normal diligence.

The funding allocation to fintech in Glasgow demonstrates the national commitment to drive fintech innovation across the UK.

The Lab enables FinTech Scotland to deliver one of the strategic recommendations laid out in the FinTech Research & Innovation Roadmap, launched in March 2022 and aligns with the recently announced UK innovation initiative, the CFIT, formed in response to the HM Treasury FinTech Sector Review.

FinTech Scotland will work across industry leading the development of the Lab, with initial actions focused on

A sandbox to test and advance fintech innovations that meet industry demand.
A facility to develop new businesses with an accelerated path to commercial success.
Industry driven academic research, advancing new deployment of tech in finance.
A technology focused skills programme for risk and regulatory professionals.
Researched, data driven contributions helping advance financial regulation policy.

Nicola Anderson, CEO at FinTech Scotland commented:

“I am delighted to see the commitment and recognition from the UK Government in the high-growth potential of fintech innovation in Glasgow. The Innovation Accelerator funding will help push this forward.

The Financial Regulation Innovation Lab is a ground-breaking initiative. It brings together, industry partners, fintech entrepreneurs, universities, and regulators to revolutionise the future of financial regulation and risk management through technology and data. The outcomes will shape jobs for the future and propel our fintech ambition, here in Scotland and across the UK. “

Charlotte Crosswell OBE, Chair at the Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology (CFIT) commented:

“The development of the Financial Regulation Innovation Lab is an exciting opportunity both for Glasgow and for the UK.

We have significant potential across the UK to drive fintech innovation and realise our full fintech potential. Drawing on our regional strengths and bringing experts across the finance and technology ecosystem is key. This is our mission at CFIT, and we’re delighted to support FinTech Scotland as it continues to demonstrate its impact, identifying opportunities for fintech growth and working in collaboration to drive the Innovation Acceleration across the UK.”

Encompass unveils pKYC maturity model

Encompass Corporation has recently introduced a perpetual Know Your Customer (pKYC) maturity model, which aims to set a new standard for regulatory compliance to combat financial crime. The model has been developed by the pKYC Advisory Board, a group consisting of representatives from global banks and trusted data, technology, and consulting partners. It aims to evaluate financial systems and assess their readiness to identify and prevent financial crime by placing them in a pKYC framework.

pKYC is a desirable state for many in the banking industry, as it uses automation technology to detect risk more accurately and quickly, while also increasing operational efficiency without the need for more headcount or time commitment. Typically, financial institutions re-evaluate customer data every one, three, or five years, depending on the level of risk, leaving the door open for undetected activity to occur over long periods.

The pKYC maturity model evaluates financial institutions in five core areas: Policy, People, Process, Data, and Technology. These factors are then further broken down into subcategories and assessed against the four stages of KYC: Manual KYC, Early Automation, Mature Automation, or pKYC. This provides a benchmark to determine the institution’s readiness for pKYC.

Encompass is providing banks with the means to assess their readiness for pKYC, facilitate discussions among stakeholders, and evaluate the progress of their transformation journeys. They are offering advice and technology solutions to expedite the process. According to Howard Wimpory, KYC Transformation Director for Encompass, financial institutions need to adopt automation technology to avoid undetected financial risks, comply with regulatory requirements, and protect themselves and society against financial crime.

Encompass has also released an industry whitepaper titled Planning your journey to perpetual KYC, which offers a comprehensive understanding of pKYC and the core components necessary to achieve this goal.

Scottish fintech Biscuit Tin shortlisted for UK StartUp Award

Biscuit Tin, a startup based in Dunbar, Scotland, has been announced as a finalist for the Fintech StartUp of the Year award at the upcoming Scottish Final of the StartUp Awards.

The StartUp Awards aims to celebrate the thriving startup scene across the UK, which has seen a 4.3% increase in new businesses founded since 2021, totaling over 800,000.

The program received a record-breaking number of applications this year, with 1,100 firms shortlisted across ten UK regions, all of which were started in the last three years.

These startups have collectively created over 5,000 new jobs and generated annual sales of £584 million. Biscuit Tin, launched in 2020 by serial entrepreneur Sheila Hogan, is a personal, digital legacy vault designed to simplify life administration for individuals and their loved ones by creating a digital legacy.

The StartUp Awards are supported by several national sponsors, including Starling Bank, BT, and British Business Bank. The finalists will be judged by a panel of experienced judges, including entrepreneurs and industry experts. The StartUp Awards were launched in 2022 in collaboration with the team behind the successful Great British Entrepreneur Awards.

New solution for Pensions Dashboards onboarding

A consortium of four leading technology providers has joined forces to offer a comprehensive end-to-end solution for pension providers seeking to integrate into the UK pensions dashboards ecosystem.

The collaboration between Target Professional Services, mypensionID, Bravura, and Delta Financial Systems is designed to simplify the complex processes and regulatory requirements that providers face when connecting to the ecosystem.

Each firm specialises in a particular area of expertise to ensure a seamless journey toward dashboard readiness before the staging deadline. Target Professional Services uses its leading tracing capabilities to screen and cleanse member data while mypensionID verifies and traces individual members using a verification app tailored to the pensions industry.

Bravura and Delta then provide a jointly developed cloud-hosted Integrated Service Provider (ISP) solution for providers’ data, with a focus on configurability and compliance with the Pensions Dashboards Programme’s (PDP) Code of Connection. The four firms’ technical expertise and market knowledge combine to create a unique solution capable of addressing pensions providers’ urgent and specific needs.

Jonathan Hawkins, Principal Consultant & Pensions Specialist at Bravura, said:

“Delta, mypensionID and Target’s deep expertise and technical know-how in the pensions and data sectors, combined with our ability to process huge volumes of assets and trades on our systems, brings a level of reliability and scalability that pensions providers require right now.

“Pensions dashboards are a crucial step towards modernising and digitising the UK’s pensions sector and, with the clock ticking, pensions providers up and down the country need tech partners with proven scale and expertise. This unique collaboration delivers that solution.”

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/young-woman-helping-senior-man-with-payment-on-internet-using-laptop-3823488/

Strategic AI Investment Partnership in fintech Level E Research by M&G

Level E Research has announced that it has received a minority stake investment from M&G plc in its latest seed funding round. The two companies are collaborating to develop a suite of investment strategies using Artificial Intelligence (AI). The AI investment strategies will be focused on regional equity markets and will be supported by an initial investment of GBP £100 million each. The first strategy, AI Smart US, has already been launched, with the aim of outperforming the US S&P 500 Index. The other strategies will have a similar aim of delivering excess investment returns compared to specific financial indices.

AI investment strategies rely on powerful computers to analyse vast amounts of data to identify investment opportunities. They can uncover value in areas that are difficult for humans to recognise and execute investment decisions faster and more efficiently. Additionally, they benefit from economies of scale and scope, making them more cost-effective.

Edinburgh-based Level E Research, founded by Dr. Sonia Schulenburg, is pioneering an innovative approach to AI-driven investing using a process called “Co-Creation.” Institutional investors can use this approach to create bespoke AI-driven investment strategies that run on Level E’s in-house “E-platform.” The strategies are backed by rigorous academic research.

M&G and Level E Research aim to bring AI and Machine Learning to the forefront of investment management. Dr. Sonia Schulenburg, CEO of Level E Research, expressed her excitement about the partnership with M&G and stated that Level E Research is perfectly positioned to provide AI solutions that empower the investment industry in the UK and beyond. David Montgomery, Managing Director at M&G Wealth, emphasised that AI solutions are becoming increasingly important in constructing bespoke investment options and that the partnership with Level E Research will help to offer a wide range of investment choices at a great value to financial advisers and clients.