Why Scottish fintech GiftRound made UX a priority?
For GiftRound, creating a frictionless, intuitive and customer-centred experience is core to their mission: making it easy for people to contribute to group gifts online.
As the platform gained traction and the customer base grew, founder Craig Forsythe saw the opportunity to strengthen the user journey and make every interaction more seamless.
“User experience isn’t just about how things look,” Craig explains. “It’s about making people feel confident using the platform, whether they’re setting up a collection or chipping in for a friend’s birthday.”
The GiftRound team began looking more closely at how people moved through the product, from the first visit to completing a group contribution. Small moments of friction, unclear messaging, or awkward flows were quietly affecting engagement and satisfaction.
To explore improvements, GiftRound partnered with design studio Interaktiv for a free user experience design workshop.
In just an hour, they had:
- Identified specific ways in which the brand could be elevated to reflect the strength of the product, then set out practical steps for how that could be done.
- Pinpointed parts of the user journey that weren’t working as hard as they could, and made recommendations on how to go about fixing them.
What began as a one-hour design conversation led to a deeper review of the platform, a new brand, thoughtful changes across the customer journey, and a new website.
“The UX changes we made have had a huge impact for our team and for our customers,” Craig says. “It’s made the whole GiftRound experience feel easier, faster, and more enjoyable.”
Live podcast episode from Money20/20
A conversation live from Money20/20 2025 in Amsterdam with 4 fintech businesses, part of a Scottish delegation that saw 10 fintechs exhibiting at Europe’s largest fintech conference led by Scottish Development International and FinTech Scotland.
Dan from CreditNature, David from BigSpark, Jamie from Aveni and Michael from Transwap offer their views on the conversations they’ve had, the speakers they’ve listened to and reflect on the impact that Money20/20 can have for their business.
Turning the Tide: How SensFish Is Powering Better Maritime Investment and ESG Decisions
Financial institutions are sharpening their focus on climate risk, ESG disclosures, and sustainable investment. At the same time supply chains, shipping emissions and biodiversity-linked investment products, are increasingly on the balance sheet but reliable, decision-ready data has been hard to come by.
The Challenge: Ocean Impact, Low Visibility
Financial stakeholders are under pressure to assess the environmental impact and transition readiness of companies operating in ocean-related sectors. Yet data on maritime carbon emissions, biodiversity, and regulatory compliance remains fragmented, inconsistent, or inaccessible, making it difficult to price risk accurately, validate sustainability claims, or identify new opportunities.
The Solution: Ocean Intelligence for Finance
SensFish delivers a scenario-led analytics platform that turns open, maritime-specific data into actionable intelligence. The solution integrates historical, real-time, and predictive datasets such as satellite tracking, vessel surveillance, and ecosystem modelling. By doing so, SensFish enables users to:
- Quantify and forecast carbon impact across maritime supply chains (including sequestration potential and emissions),
- Verify compliance with sustainability standards (e.g. reducing IUU fishing via vessel monitoring),
- Support biodiversity-linked investments through monitoring of wild fish stocks and aquaculture patterns,
- De-risk projects by modelling scenarios for ESG outcomes, operational constraints, and regulatory exposure.
All this is delivered in a user-friendly platform that simplifies complex data and aligns with global Net Zero and ocean disclosure frameworks, turning compliance into strategy and reporting into opportunity.
SensFish’s traction is growing. In the past year, the company has:
- Been selected for the European Space Agency Business Incubation Programme,
- Partnered with UNCTAD and presented at the Monaco Ocean Finance Forum, part of the UN Ocean Conference,
- Joined the Innovate UK InvestAbility programme and Converge Net Zero cohort,
- Secured support from Glasgow City Council and received international investor interest,
- Onboarded a publicly listed UK client with global operations.
These milestones reflect a rising demand for deeper ocean intelligence among forward-looking financial institutions and corporates alike.
Discover more about SensFish
Supporting Scale: Addleshaw Goddard Opens Applications for 2025 AG Elevate Accelerator
Addleshaw Goddard has launched the latest edition of AG Elevate, its accelerator programme aimed at supporting ambitious tech scale-ups with legal expertise, strategic mentorship, and industry connections.
Now in its eighth year, the ten-month programme is designed for businesses with growth ambitions and existing funding in place, offering them legal insight, access to industry events, and monthly one-on-one guidance from AG’s senior legal professionals.
A Track Record of Impact
Since its inception in 2017, AG Elevate has worked with more than 60 companies across fintech, clean-tech, prop-tech, and beyond. Notable alumni include Tumelo, Amiqus, Finance Unlocked, and Fuuse. Several participants have gone on to raise significant funding or complete acquisitions, such as SymPhysis Medical and EpiCapture.
Scottish representation in the 2024 cohort included CataNiTek (specialist chemical manufacturing), Coastr (vehicle rental technology), and Frontier Robotics (autonomous underwater exploration) highlighting the programme’s commitment to fostering innovation across the UK’s regions.
What’s on Offer
Participants in AG Elevate receive:
- A dedicated legal mentor with monthly strategy sessions
- 25 hours of complimentary legal support
- Access to AG seminars, insight sessions, and networking events
- Legal publications and updates from AG’s sector experts
- A 30% discount on any further legal work during the programme
David Anderson, Partner at Addleshaw Goddard, said:
“Early-stage and scale-up companies often face legal challenges that can delay growth or investment. AG Elevate is about addressing those challenges early with the right support. We’re particularly keen to hear from businesses in fintech and digital assets this year—areas where we’ve built deep capability.”
Eligibility and How to Apply
AG Elevate is open to tech businesses based in the UK, Ireland, France, Spain, or Germany that have received seed or later-stage investment and have clear plans for rapid growth.
Applications are open now and will close at the end of July 2025.
Apply here
Applications Open for the JPMorganChase Fintech Forward Programme
Applications are now open for the JPMorganChase Fintech Forward Programme, a new 12 week in-person and virtual accelerator designed to help fintech leaders realise their business vision.
Backed by JPMorganChase’s extensive network, the programme offers tailored support to help scale high-potential fintech companies across the UK.
Selected fintech leaders will gain access to a suite of resources designed to drive sustainable business growth. These include:
- Executive sponsorship for a senior JPMorganChase leader
- Mentorship from an experienced advisory team
- A customised programme focused on strengthening a founder’s network and impact
- Opportunities to present to JPMorganChase stakeholders, external investors and partners
- A sponsored trip to Slush, one of Europe’s leading startup events, held in Helsinki
To reduce barriers to participation, travel, accommodation and other reasonable costs for in-person events will be covered by JPMorganChase if required.
The programme begins with two days at JPMorganChase’s Glasgow Technology Centre on 10th and 11th September 2025 with full-day in-person sessions in London every two weeks. Virtual sessions every other week for between 3-4 hours per week. The trip to Slush 2025 takes place between 18th November and 21st November 2025.
Who should apply?
We are seeking applications from businesses that:
- Apply technology to create scalable solutions within financial services.
- Have a live product demonstrating market traction, with annual revenues not exceeding £1 million.
- Show a commitment to making a positive impact on individuals and/or businesses in the UK.
- Are dedicated to active participation in the programme.
We are actively encouraging applications from founders or business leaders who have encountered obstacles to growing their business, including a lack of proximity to funding and networks, and/or those addressing the needs of underserved consumers, businesses or communities.
Applications are assessed on a rolling basis, and early submission is encouraged. The deadline for applications is 27 June 2025.
Scotland Showcases Fintech Leadership at Money2020
Scotland’s thriving fintech cluster is set to showcase its growth at Europe’s largest fintech conference. Ten scaling fintech SMEs will showcase their businesses as they look to expand into new markets. With this force of fintech innovation, Scotland is showcasing the country’s thriving fintech cluster on a global stage.
This initiative, led by Scottish Enterprise and FinTech Scotland is a testament of Scotland’s fintech cluster’s exceptional growth which is seeing over 30% of its scaling-up companies exporting or ready to grow internationally.
Such a presence at one of the largest global fintech conference continues to signal Scotland’s growing reputation as a world-class fintech cluster, in line with the Scottish Government’s National Innovation Strategy which highlights fintech as a key sector for the country.
The Scottish pavilion will showcase the following companies:
- Aveni – AI-driven technology transforming financial advice compliance
- BigSpark – Next-generation data analytics and orchestration
- CreditNature – Focused on nature-positive credit risk and biodiversity
- docStribute – Secure digital document distribution
- Recast – universal media wallet to access media on a pay-per-view basis.
- Encompass – Global leader in KYC automation and digital onboarding
- Inicio –AI for ethical and accessible consumer finance journeys
- Korelabs – Product intelligence for financial services
- Transwap – Business accounts for the unbanked. Payment infrastructure for banks and fintechs
- OneBanx – Banking access for underserved communities
Delegates are invited to meet the companies and Scotland’s cluster leadership team at Pavilion 1F10.
Nicola Anderson, CEO of FinTech Scotland, said:
“We’re delighted to showcase the FinTech Scotland Cluster at Money 2020 and looking forward to expanding fintech growth with European partnerships. The strength of fintech innovation and growth in Scotland is demonstrated in the growth of the fintech SMEs and the businesses attending Money 2020. It’s a testament to the strength of Scotland’s cluster and the continued collaborative environment that drives innovation and commercial outcomes.”
Lorraine Anderson, who leads Scottish Enterprise’s Global Trade team for Fintech, said,
“Scotland’s fintech sector continues to go from strength to strength, with Money 20/20 providing an ideal platform for ambitious Scottish businesses to showcase their offerings.
“Fintech is a key area of focus at Scottish Enterprise and plays a vital role in transforming our economy through companies scaling-up, creating high value jobs and competing internationally.”
Fundraising? Here’s why you should optimise Quality Outreach Over Quantity
If you’re a founder looking for investment, you have a dilemma.
How much time to invest in identifying and building connections with investors, or to invest in immediate business traction.
Daniel Sawko, co-founder of shipshape.vc, the free to use investment search engine, shares his tips on how to maximise your chances of success.
Focus on Relationship-Building
When raising capital, a common misconception is that contacting more investors improves your chances of success.
This “spray and pray” approach—sending generic messages to numerous potential investors—has gained popularity with the rise of mass emailing tools.
However, analysis by Adam Shuaib, a Data Scientist and General Partner at Episode One Ventures reveals that this strategy is suboptimal.
Beyond a certain point, there’s no increase in the chance of success for the number of investors you contact. Instead, founders should focus on building meaningful relationships with carefully selected investors.

Research Potential Investors
The challenge lies in identifying which investors deserve your attention, as this data is often disparate and poorly organised. This is one of the problems we’re solving with shipshape.vc.
Shipshape.vc aggregates data from over 25,000 funds, identifying the types of companies that they are investing in and the individuals that work at those funds. This enables founders to significantly cut down on the research time it takes to identify relevant investors.
Identify Investors who Understand Your Niche
Beyond identifying investors who focus on, for example, Fintech, determine if they understand your specific niche. For example, if you’re developing credit decisioning technology using open banking data, look for investors with experience in related domains.

Be Aware of the Fund Lifecycle
Most venture funds operate on a lifecycle, say of 10 years. Funds deploy capital primarily in their early years to ensure returns before the fund closes. Recently raised funds are more likely to be in an active “planting phase,” while those 5+ years into their lifecycle may be in “harvesting mode”—focusing on existing portfolio companies rather than new opportunities.

Examine Recent Investment Activity
Monitor when funds last deployed capital. A fund that hasn’t invested in the past three to six months might lack fresh capital or be moving to a different phase of its lifecycle.

Target the Right Team Members
Research which individuals at the fund understand your space. See if you can deduce from the team descriptions on a fund’s website, their social media, or from a search engine, like shipshape.vc (which will often include team descriptions), with whom at the fund you should be building a relationship.
Approaching someone with the wrong specialisation signals poor research—and how you sell your equity reflects how you sell your product!
Don’t Present Investors with a Transaction aiming at an immediate “Yes” or “No”
Fundraising is not about getting an immediate yes or no. Your company is not a simple product and ‘sales discovery’ applies for potential purchasers of your equity.
Investors will almost always need multiple data points about your company over time before making decisions. The saying of “investors invest in lines, not dots” is real.
Each interaction and update (in-person or via other mediums) helps to build a trendline that either increases or decreases confidence in your venture.
Prioritise Depth over Breadth and Quality over Quantity
This approach requires depth rather than breadth. Similar to bulk mail outreach for selling products or services, founders will struggle to create sufficient data points and depth of relationship with hundreds of investors simultaneously via bulk outreach.
Focus on building relationships with a few dozen carefully selected investors you have determined demonstrate genuine interest in your sector and stage, have dry powder (e.g. via a recent fundraise for the fund) and identify those that can potentially lead a round.
By narrowing your funnel and prioritising quality connections over quantity, you’ll optimise your fundraising process and increase your chances of finding the right investment partners who truly understand and value what you’re building.
Want to share your thoughts?
If you have a question or further thoughts on this article – feel free to reach out to Daniel Sawko on LinkedIn!

Top 3 Strategies for Media and Communications in Fintech
Over the past three years we have seen significant changes, within the fintech sector, in how companies engage with investors, stakeholders, and customers – particularly in their use of digital communication. Through our partnerships, such as the London Stock Exchange, we have witnessed a growing trend toward high-quality virtual and hybrid events. These formats, which combine livestreaming, on-demand content and video conferencing, are becoming standard tools for fintech firms looking for greater transparency whilst maintaining global reach. Companies, now, have more ways than ever to see – and show – themselves through multimedia. To unpack this, we’ll look at three key areas.
Live Streaming – it’s a game changer
In the financial sector, where precision and trust are everything, live streaming may feel like a bold move. The idea of broadcasting high-stakes communications in real-time can understandably raise concerns what if something goes wrong? What if a question catches the C-suite off guard?
But here’s the truth: live streaming isn’t a risk, it’s an opportunity.
When used effectively, live streaming offers an unparalleled level of transparency and authenticity. Whether it’s half-year or full-year results, investor updates, or a capital markets day, going live enables executive leadership to speak directly to stakeholders, unfiltered and in the moment.
This format invites questions, promotes real-time engagement, and fosters trust in a way that pre-recorded or written statements simply can’t match. Stakeholders appreciate being part of the conversation, not just recipients of information. The result? A stronger, more connected relationship between companies and the audiences that matter most.
Pre-Recorded Content – Say it once, use it twice (or ten times).
While live streaming brings immediacy and authenticity, pre-recorded content opens the door to precision, polish, and depth.
For Fintech companies and C-suite executives navigating complex topics, pre-recording offers the ideal environment to deliver clear, considered messages with confidence. Whether it’s a fireside chat, product announcement, or strategic update,
this format allows for multiple takes, seamless editing, and visual enhancements ensuring every word lands exactly as intended.
But the value of pre-recorded content goes beyond production quality.
It’s a powerful tool for repurposing and reach. A single piece can be tailored to different audiences from institutional investors to internal teams while still maintaining time sensitivity. Fireside chats are an excellent alternative to traditional presentation formats. They invite discussion, showcase leadership personality, and provide space for more nuanced opinions and analysis.
Plus, pairing pre-recorded content with a live Q&A session can offer the best of both worlds: the confidence of a polished presentation and the connection of real-time engagement.
For forward-thinking companies, it’s not just about choosing between live or pre-recorded it’s about using both strategically to elevate communication.
Portfolio & Brand Content: Capture Their Imagination
In today’s landscape, the C-suite isn’t just thinking in slides they’re thinking in stories. The most impactful leaders are turning to video as a powerful tool to bring their ideas to life, not just explain them.
Whether it’s showcasing a fintech portfolio, launching a new product, or highlighting future growth areas, video helps translate abstract concepts into compelling, visual narratives. It captures imagination, sparks curiosity, and most importantly sticks. Audiences remember what they can see, hear, and feel. And in boardrooms or investor meetings where attention is limited, a well-crafted piece of brand content can be the difference between passive interest and real engagement.
But this isn’t just about external storytelling. Internally, portfolio and brand videos help teams align behind a shared vision. When introducing new business verticals or rolling out strategic updates, video can communicate ideas clearly, quickly, and with emotional resonance. It helps employees see where the company is going and why it matters.
In short, videos don’t just inform they inspire. They turn complex strategies into memorable stories and make big ideas feel tangible. In a world full of noise, that’s how you make your message land.
At the heart of it, fintech is about innovation and your communications should be too. Whether you’re streaming live, crafting polished pre-records, or telling stories through brand content, the goal is the same: to connect, to clarify, and to captivate.
These tools aren’t just trends they’re opportunities. When used well, they can elevate your message, engage your stakeholders, and bring your boldest ideas to life.
So don’t be afraid to mix formats, try new approaches, and think beyond the slide deck. The future of FinTech communication is already here and it’s more dynamic, more visual, and more human than ever.
Written by Ruairidh Duguid and Robbie Durham – CutAcross ™
Email:hello@cutacrossmedia.com
Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-camera-zoom-lens-in-close-photography-159442/
Equifax UK and CienDos Partner to Revolutionise Financed Emissions Reporting
FinTech Scotland’s strategic partner Equifax UK has partnered with Scottish fintech CienDos to launch the Financed Emissions Calculator™, a game-changing solution designed to streamline sustainability reporting and help financial institutions track their carbon footprint with greater precision.
Transforming financed emissions calculations
The Financed Emissions Calculator™ is the first-to-market solution that automates the traditionally manual and error-prone processes of measuring financed emissions. Built on Equifax’s fully cloud-native infrastructure, this innovative tool combines Equifax’s commercial credit insights with CienDos’ advanced emissions data methodologies. The result? A powerful platform that provides lenders with robust, auditable, and transparent carbon values based on sector-specific emission factors.
Financial institutions can now:
- Enhance accuracy in emissions reporting
- Improve traceability of carbon data across portfolios
- Align with regulatory compliance under frameworks like IFRS S2
- Make informed lending and investment decisions to support net-zero targets
Why financed emissions matter
Financed emissions are the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions indirectly attributed to financial institutions through their lending and investment activities. Unlike direct emissions, which stem from an organisation’s own operations, financed emissions come from the projects and businesses that banks, insurers, and asset managers fund. In many cases, financed emissions make up up to 95% of a financial institution’s total carbon footprint, forming a crucial part of Scope 3.15 reporting requirements.
Until now, many institutions have relied on high-level estimations and manual spreadsheets, making it difficult to track real-time emissions or project future climate impact scenarios. The Financed Emissions Calculator™ changes this landscape by offering an automated, data-driven solution that enhances transparency and enables more effective decision-making.
Equifax UK’s ESG Product Manager, Brad Davies, emphasised the critical role of financial institutions in tackling climate change:
“The role of financial institutions in helping to combat climate change is gaining significant attention, but indirect financed emissions associated with loans and other credit lines are among the most complex to track. By integrating environmental data with leading financial risk assessments, the Financed Emissions Calculator™ empowers UK lenders to measure and mitigate their climate impact. We’re excited to partner with CienDos to fill the knowledge gaps for clients with this first-to-market solution.”
CienDos Chief Executive Julia Salmond highlighted the collaboration’s impact on simplifying sustainability reporting:
“Equifax and CienDos have a shared vision to simplify the complex reporting requirements around financial firms’ carbon footprints. As a critical player at the heart of the UK financial ecosystem, Equifax’s extensive commercial credit data successfully combines with our own market-leading emissions data technology to help transform the management of portfolio emissions for firms, delivering greater accuracy and precision for their financed emissions reporting needs.”
NatWest Launches Fintech Growth Programme to Drive Innovation in Payments
NatWest Group is launching its inaugural Fintech Growth Programme, offering UK- based fintech startups a great opportunity to collaborate with one of the UK’s most established high-street banks. This initiative aims to empower fintechs to scale sustainably, leveraging NatWest’s resources, expertise, and expansive networks. The Fintech Growth Programme is aligned with NatWest’s ambition to lead the future of banking by addressing pressing challenges in the payments space. Through this initiative NatWest is focusing on collaboration to develop solutions that could shape the future of financial services. The programme will select five pre-Series A fintech startups based in the UK, specifically those addressing critical issues in payments. Over a 10-week period, the chosen fintechs will participate in workshops, receive personalised mentoring and coaching, and work directly with NatWest’s Innovation team to co-create innovative solutions.
David Grunwald, Director of NatWest Innovation, highlighted the program’s impact on customers and the innovation economy:
“This programme lays a pathway to create better outcomes for our customers. Working this closely with fintechs and UK entrepreneurs strengthens our ability to be future focused, while supporting the growth of the innovation economy. “ Mark Brant, Chief Payments Officer at NatWest, emphasized the importance of collaboration: “Innovation and collaboration are fundamental to growth, especially in a challenging commercial environment. This programme champions NatWest’sinnovation by working with fintechs to co-create solutions to lead the future of banking.”
The programme provides fintechs with access to:
• A Curated Scale-Up Curriculum: Designed by Aspire, a consultancy specialising in startup growth, the curriculum will deliver tailored workshops and guidance to help fintechs refine and scale their solutions.
• Senior NatWest Decision Makers: Participants will engage with key figures within NatWest, gaining invaluable insights and feedback.
• A Collaborative Network: The programme drives connections among peers, industry experts, and NatWest’s dedicated Innovation function.
NatWest is calling on innovative fintechs to seize this opportunity. If you’re a pre- Series A UK-based fintech startup looking to take your business to the next stage, this is your chance to collaborate with one of the UK’s leading financial institutions.
To learn more and apply, visit the NatWest website.