Scotland Fintech Festival

10am - 11am

Following on from the insights in our Leaders & Laggards eBook, this exclusive webinar will cover: 3 key challenges faced by today's FinTechs and non-banks, Expert advice on overcoming those challenges, A 5 point plan to fast-track payments innovation

4pm - 5pm

Now that the CMA has mandated the UK’s nine largest banks to implement Variable Recurring Payments (VRPs) for sweeping, Customers will be entitled to make automatic transfers of money between accounts using Open banking. This regulatory move made by the CMA and OBIE can be a real game-changer. But what does VRPs for sweeping mean for innovation and competition? Would VRPs-powered user-cases be likely to become the new constant over the next year? Has it gone far enough?

9am - 5pm

Now in its eighth year, the Fintech Summit has established itself as the largest annual gathering of financial technology leaders in the country, and will serve as the launch event of the Scotland Fintech Festival. The event will be run in a hybrid format, and delegates can attend the physical Summit in Edinburgh, or join online through a full-spec virtual conference platform. The agenda will reflect on a period of significant volatility for the FS community; examining the key trends, challenges, and market disruptions, and discussing the role of Fintech in driving customer innovation and positive socio-economic impact.

11am - 12pm

An outline of how you can be involved in two important FCA initiatives designed to bring new solutions to challenges faced by firms and regulators in the area of ESG data and disclosures.

2pm - 2.45pm

This session will provide overview of firm support services offered by the FCA’s Innovate team: Direct Support, Advice Unit and Regulatory Sandbox.

2pm - 3pm

Across the UK, digital payments have become the most popular way for people to pay for goods and services, and their use continues to grow. At the same time, the sector is undergoing a period of significant change. Growth in the use of interbank payments has the potential to offer more choice, support innovative new products and inject competition into payments markets. However, there are a number of technical and commercial challenges that might limit the role that interbank plays. We have launched a new piece of work to understand the potential for interbank payments to increase choice and competition. We’ll look at the opportunities and risks, issues and barriers to this happening, and the likely impact on people making interbank payments at the point of sale. Register today by emailing events@psr.org.uk

12pm - 1.15pm

Hosted by Beth Welsh, CEO, Tail O’ The Bank Credit Union, and presented by Nicola Anderson, CEO, Fintech Scotland; providing an overview of the sector and what the future holds. Fintech plays a role a vital role in not only supporting the most vulnerable in society, but all walks of life as well supporting the most innovative projects.

10am - 10.30am

The FCA’s sandbox team will walk attendees through our journey since inception in 2016 to our August 2021 milestone of moving to being always open for business. 

4pm

FWB Park Brown are delighted to be partnering again with Fintech Scotland to deliver what should be a fascinating round table discussion across a number of industries. The event, co-chaired by FWB Park Brown and Fintech Scotland will engage business leaders from both the Fintech and Non-Fintech communities to discuss the financial, payment and data led solutions businesses are seeking, and the wide variety of applications created by the fantastically innovative Fintech community. FWB Park Brown are known for our connectivity and the purpose of this event is to bring the two communities closer together and openly discuss the application of ‘Fintech Solutions’ within wider industries, to solve a variety of challenges.

9am - 10am

(Prof) Christine Bamford shares Women's Coin journey to revolutionise charitable giving through tokens and bringing innovation to Education As part of Scotland Fintech Festival Women's Coin brings a unique insight into the world of Fintech social value. A firm believer in triple bottom line and the role Fintech can play in building social value Christine will provide a thought provoking interactive session. Women's Coin nominated top 50 Innovators by CIO (Prof) Christine Bamford featured in the Sunday Times as top 4 women driving crypto

8.30am - 9.30am

The introduction of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) across the world is a major milestone in the history of money, but how far away is the UK from launching a digital currency underwritten by the Bank of England, and how would it change the way we save, borrow and spend? Join PwC UK cryptocurrency specialist Haydn Jones and a panel of experts to find out. Speakers: Marjan Delatinne, Managing Director of Payments, SETL, Jonny Fry, Co-founder and CEO of TeamBlockchain Ltd and Csilla Zsigri VP Marketing & Strategy of BTP

9.30am - 10.30am

Sustainability and lowering your Carbon Footprint is high on almost everyone's agenda these days. Part of the challenge is around the IT infrastructure and how it is used, with recent examples of the issues discussed in articles like "Dirty streaming: The internet's big secret". So how can you ensure the IT resources you use for your business are as responsible and sustainable as possible? David Spurway, IBM Systems Architect discusses how recent developments and techniques can help lower your IT resource energy consumption, your carbon footprint, and your bills!

11am

Cantor Fitzgerald, a Global leader in SPAC issuance (#1 2017-19 on both number of deals and notional transacted, #1 in number of deals 2020) and with deep understanding of the acquisition structure, offers the FinTech Scotland community a chance to gain insights into this evolution for Capital Markets.

2pm - 2.45pm

Learn how to deal with threats to your business from fraudsters and cybercriminals.

10am - 11am

Join Tech Nation’s Fintech Delivery Panel Masterclass for fintech start-ups and scale-ups on their top tips for working with financial institutions. This series allows participants to hear from signatory institutions of the Fintech Pledge and ask their questions and advice for building productive partnerships.

6pm

Blockchain and crypto are such buzzwords nowadays - but have you ever wondered what the technology behind them is? This workshop is designed to introduce you to the concepts, how they are being applied in the real world, and announce an upcoming speaker event!

12pm - 1pm

We will explore what organisations are doing at a foundational level to ensure an inclusive future workforce. The purpose is to advise Fintech Leaders on what processes and procedures they should be implementing and how best to tap into this talent pool.

2pm - 3.30pm

What exactly are Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals - and why are they so important to Scotland's fintech future? The webinar will examine why ESG is so important to banks and investors looking to buy or invest in fintechs - and look at examples of fintech companies that have put ESG goals at the heart of everything they do. What are the global market opportunities for those Scottish fintechs who really embrace ESG in a meaningful way - and how can their work help tackle financial exclusion and give consumers what they want? Join our panel of experts to discuss how ESG can shape an even brighter future for Scotland's booming fintech sector.

8am - 9am

An invitation-only virtual roundtable for Scottish fintechs considering Australian fintech partners in their export journey. Moderated by an industry professional, this intimate roundtable will explore topics such as Australia’s new Consumer Data Right, Open Banking and financial services regulation. Contact Fintech Scotland regarding future events with Fintech Australia.

9am - 10am

Most customers have a "Cloud First" strategy, and that can often be interpreted as needing to drive to one of the hyperscale cloud vendors. But, simply moving all workloads to a given Cloud vendor may not be the best choice for all elements of your IT infrastructure. Cloud brings a range of benefits, and you can access many of the most important (flexibility, pay-as-you-go, reliability and more) without having to hand all your workloads to a single Cloud vendor. Picking the best elements of the various options available can save your money too! David Spurway, IBM Systems Architect discusses hybrid cloud, and the benefits of putting the right workload on the right platform in the right location, and achieving the full potential of cloud computing.

12pm - 1pm

Presenter - Martin Thorn - Head of Data Science : Standard Life Aberdeen

10am- 10.30am

Spotlight on FCA Innovate’s Direct Support function, giving insights into how we consider and assess applications for our services. We will discuss a fictional application from a fintech firm and seek attendees’ views on whether the proposal meets our eligibility criteria.

4pm - 5pm

The key to growing your business is having the right people. With so many choices out there for candidates at the moment, attracting talent is tough. Ensuring you hire the right talent first time is extremely difficult! To consistently hire and retain top talent having a robust talent management plan that encompasses things like value proposition, brand, competitive salaries and benefits, an engaging candidate experience, feedback, a commitment to diversity and inclusion, stakeholder alignment, development opportunities and overall organizational health is crucial. Let us show you where to start.

4pm - 4.45pm

Introducing Scotcoin and The Scotcoin Project - the unique cryptocurrency that is also a Community Interest Company (CIC). Practically this means it has charity and doing good built into its DNA. Our ambition is for Scotcoin to become the de facto choice of crypto currency and transfer within the Third Sector in the UK and beyond and act as a fuel for change. We also have a strong green agenda using deployment of Scotcoin to address wastage and are advocates of the virtues of the safety of blockchain.

9am - 10am

11am - 12pm

This session will provide an overview of the FCA’s role in the RegTech ecosystem, the growing overlap between RegTech and SupTech, and discuss how RegTechs in Scotland can engage with the regulator.

10am - 10.45am

New Home Office guidance on right to work checks came in to effect from the 1st of July 2021 for those employed on or after that date. Join our webinar to hear more about: • The changes to right to work checks as a result of the new Home Office Guidance; • How to carry out a right to work check for an EEA or Swiss citizen employed from the 1st of July 2021; • What employers should be doing in relation to existing employees who are EEA and Swiss nationals; and • The Brexit and COVID transitional right to work arrangements in place.

10am - 11am

FinTech businesses are being challenged when determining the skills they need for growth and appealing to a small pool of new talent. Join Andragogy, Golden Charter, and Traktion to explore how to reach the very best FinTech talent.

5.30pm - 6.30pm

Our panel will discuss how businesses in the financial services industry can achieve the goal of being “cyber resilient” - looking at some real life examples and cautionary tales of when things “go wrong” and practical ways that businesses can address cyber risk, including by engaging with fintechs.

9am - 10am

Empirical data indicates that financial institutions can require 36 months or more to move from concept to production in the public cloud with regulated workloads; what’s more most projects have failed to progress to production. The data is based on dozens of Chief (executive) Officer discussions with worldwide banks, industry experience of IBM, and third-party advisory firms. A primary cause is that clients are required to fit their controls to constantly changing architectures in a do-it-yourself model across environments that require repeated, manual controls attestation by the risk and security functions of the financial institution. In this talk we will cover the emerging approach of pre-configured controls and reference architectures, paired with compliance and security monitoring tools to accelerate the use of public cloud for regulated workloads

6.30pm - 7.30pm

Edinburgh has one of Europe's strongest entrepreneurial ecosystems, propelled by the number of 'unicorn' startups, world leading universities, highly skilled workers, and the availability of early stage investors and mentors. This, linked with a world renowned finance services sector and a growing strength in Big Data, means that the local FinTech entrepreneurial space is flourishing. However, one challenge to the community, recently highlighted in recent ‘Mark Logan Report into the Scottish Technology Ecosystem’ commissioned by the Scottish Government is that of scaling. The report talks of the need for the ecosystem to reach a ‘tipping point’ in its development where virtuous network effects strengthen the ecosystem and provide the conditions for start-ups to scale. To reach the ‘tipping point’ requires interventions in the areas of education, infrastructure and funding. Professor Neil Pollock, Chair in Innovation and Social Informatics and Nicola Anderson, CEO of FinTech Scotland head up a panel to discuss the dynamics of our local FinTech entrepreneurial ecosystem and the contribution of the Logan report to the challenges of scaling.

9am - 10am

3pm - 7pm

Csilla Zsigri VP Marketing & Strategy @ BTP will be presenting - https://www.linkedin.com/in/csillazsigri

3pm - 3.30pm

Security will play a key role in enabling new hybrid ways of working as the world begins to re-open, with employees increasingly on the move. As hybrid working increases, firms need to be able to quickly adapt their operations to continue to work effectively and compliantly. Register now for our 30 minute session, where we are joined by security experts to look at what the future of work means for security within Financial Organisations.

1pm

Organisations are increasingly trying to put data at the heart of their business and decision making. With the growth in processing and storage capabilities we are able to collect and analyse vast amounts of structured and unstructured data, but should we be doing this in all cases? Alongside the right tools, right people and right culture, having the right data foundations at the start is critical for ensuring both trust in results and that these results can be activated on to drive value based outcomes.

10am - 10.30am

Building on the success of the pilot Green FinTech Challenge in 2018, we will be running a second Green FinTech Challenge to support development and live market testing of new products and services that will aid the transition to a net zero economy. This session will give an overview of the objectives of the challenge, and what firms can expect from applying and participating.   

10am - 1pm

Are you a B2B or B2C fintech? Do you want help managing your business risks and seizing the opportunities ahead of you? Our award winning fintech experts – bringing their experience of working in and for leading domestic and international fintechs – are offering a drop in clinic (on a no charge / no obligation basis). For example: Are you trying to innovate and want to chat things through? Do you have questions about managing your legal risk? Do you have scaling challenges and want to speak to people who have worked through the typical problems? Do you have a recurring legal problem and want to strategise a way around it? Give it a go; we might be able to help you push your business to new heights!

10am - 4pm

This year's data conference - a joint venture between The Scotsman and DDI - brings together experts from a range of fields. It builds on the two previous events, which focused on ethics (DOING DATA RIGHT) and collaboration (DOING DATA TOGETHER) and examines how we are harnessing that ethical, collaborative approach - and DOING DATA BETTER as a result.

1.30pm

How do rapidly rising fintech ecosystems band together and help each other compliment legacy eco-systems like London or NYC. Is global interconnectedness now the coin of the realm and the differentiator of the future winning ecosystems?

12pm

Fraud poses serious financial threats to us all in both our professional and private lives. You are far more likely to fall victim to this type of crime than any other in the UK and we strongly advocate the best way to fight fraud is to share knowledge and raise awareness.

6pm

We are excited to have Mag. iur. Julia Schiestl discuss AMLD5 and its impact on the crypto market. This talk will introduce key concepts such as what is a directive, and why it's relevant to cryptocurrencies. From there, you will hear about more complex topics such as KYC, what is a virtual currency, plus more!

10am - 11.30am

We will discuss developments in the crypto assets market and the role of the FCA as a regulator that supports and encourages innovation while acting to mitigate risks it identifies.

1pm - 2pm

Join us as we discuss with Fintechs and consumer groups how to balance data-led innovation with consumer privacy and data protection rights.

12pm - 1pm

Join JP Morgan to hear how they overcome large organisational inertia to build an innovation-led culture through a mix of global programmes and local initiatives. From ground-up inspiration to top-down initiatives. Formal programmes and ad-hoc events. Dedicated Business Innovation groups and employee-led interest groups. Come along and hear how we empower and enable employees to disrupt themselves and our business.

12pm - 1pm

Join JP Morgan to hear how they overcome large organisational inertia to build an innovation-led culture through a mix of global programmes and local initiatives. From ground-up inspiration to top-down initiatives. Formal programmes and ad-hoc events. Dedicated Business Innovation groups and employee-led interest groups. Come along and hear how we empower and enable employees to disrupt themselves and our business.

2pm -3pm

Scottish Development International will host this virtual event where selected financial regulators from key markets are invited to present their profiles and a brief overview of the regulatory landscape in their country. The purpose of the event is to stimulate dialogue between fintechs and financial regulatory bodies in international markets.

Rich Wilson and Charlie Winton will host a panel discussion with a number of Scottish Fintechs. During this discussion Charlie will share statistics and advice on how Fintechs can avoid burnout in their teams. Rich will interview two leading Fintechs on the key steps they have taken to address workplace mental health and support avoiding burnout.

2pm - 3pm

With the changes to UK immigration system, which now apply equally to EU and non-EU citizens, we invite you to join us as we discuss how these changes may affect your access to talent and recruitment plans going forward.

1pm - 2pm

Climate FinTech is a relatively new term used to describe that part of FinTech which is targeted at creating products and services that help tackle climate change, in particular through addressing the regulatory needs of carbon reporting. Our panel will discuss how: -Technology can analyse the abundant geophysical data to help our understanding of climate exposure and impact -Investors can be sure that corporate net-zero ambitions are genuine and aligned with global climate goals -Technology can be used to enable regulators to verify the accuracy of firms’ sustainability related disclosures -The role of the regulator will be central to the discussion, not just in terms of the regulatory requirements (much of Climate Fintech’s needs revolve around these) but also its role in fostering innovation in a fast developing market.

1pm - 2pm

Siz (aka The Data Beautician) currently heads up Merkle’s Business Intelligence (BI) offering and has been involved in various aspects of BI from data warehousing and engineering, data visualisation and now conversational analytics/NLP. Siz’s professional passion has remained the same, leveraging technology as an enabler for business decision makers to capitalise on data, ultimately having a positive impact on organisational objectives. Isolating the technological complexities involved in harnessing, interpreting and presenting information from the end users’ experience is one of his key objectives. While Siz does manage a business function he finds real joy in working at the coalface of inception projects and regularly helps clients start their BI journey with Merkle. In this webinar, learn what Self Service Business Intelligence means today and what innovations have enabled the evolution of BI platforms toward Self Service.

4pm - 5pm

Marks & Clerk hosts a webinar on Protecting Innovations in FinTech with a spotlight on Blockchain Technology which will include advice on patenting software and other intellectual property (IP) considerations as part of Scotland FinTech Festival 2021. Pam Bryer and Jason Chester provide insights into protecting various aspects of your fintech / blockchain business.

9.30am - 10.30am

The Fintech Pledge has received signatures from the big businesses, but still there are challenges. For the Fintech Pledge to be fully incorporated, and for the FS Institutions, Fintechs and end customers to reap the benefits, it is recognised that several aspects of the procurement process are interlinked, resulting in a three-dimensional approach being required. Without this, Fintechs get bogged down in a lengthy procurement process, and the FS institutions miss out on potentially transformational innovation. Join our guests from IBM, Embark (‘Open’ FS Ecosystem & high-Growth Venture Studio), Exizent (Fintech Scale-Up) , Lloyds Banking Group and Vivolution (Fintech Venture Builder) who will share their journey on the need to be procurement ready.

12pm - 1pm

Presenter - Neil Carden, Chief Operating Officer at Forth Point - https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-carden-1177a41

8.30am - 5pm

CmdR ScotSoft is the leading tech conference in Scotland and has been running for more than 20 years. It’s an annual festival of ideas and innovation that showcases the best of the Scottish technology sector and brings you sought after speakers from far flung locations.

10.30am - 11.30am

The idea is sound, the business is created, and the Fintech is now a living, breathing, business… the next stage is just around the corner. Sourcing and nurturing the right talent for Fintechs to grow their business across the international marketplace is a challenge; it requires a global mindset and a blend of entrepreneurial flair with wanting to make a difference, across several inter-connected disciplines. Join our guests from IBM, Embark (‘Open’ FS Ecosystem & high-Growth Venture Studio), Exizent (Fintech Scale-Up) , Lloyds Banking Group and Vivolution (Fintech Venture Builder) who will be sharing their views and insights on how graduates / apprentices from the corporate world have the appetite to be an integral part of all talent development.

10am - 1pm

Recent advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning are transforming the Fintech landscape, enabling faster and more effective solutions for a wide range of use-cases, from financial trading to fraud detection. The European Commision is currently funding a 21 million Euro flagship project named Infinitech (https://www.infinitech-h2020.eu/) that aims to lower the barriers-to-entry, promote up-take and define standards and best practices for the utilization of these technologies. This workshop, run by the Infinitech consortium, is designed as an entry point for any Fintech stakeholder interested in finding out more about the technologies within the Infinitech portfolio and provide networking opportunities with the Infinitech technology developers to support future collaborations using these technologies.

4pm - 6pm

Strathclyde was the first UK University to offer a Masters in FinTech and is an active supporter of the thriving financial technology ecosystem in Glasgow. In celebration of our growing FinTech community, Strathclyde Inspire is partnering with FinTech Scotland to demonstrate and showcase the range of talent from across Scotland. We hope you can support the next generation of start-ups in reaching their goals for success by participating in this event and providing much needed support. This exclusive event will see 6 innovative FinTech entrepreneurs pitch their idea to our audience to gain valuable feedback and specific support to help move them forward.

4.30pm - 5.30pm

SFE is delighted to invite our members to a Fintech Festival event with Origo for a discussion on route to market and how fintechs can successfully work with large banks and other organisations to achieve their aims. Joining SFE CEO Sandy Begbie at the event will be: Anthony Rafferty, Chief Executive of Origo, Rozanne, Shepherd, Transformation and Tech, Lloyds Banking Group. All SFE members are welcome to attend. Feel free to share this invite with colleagues who may be interested.

11am

The Scottish Centre for Employment Research (SCER), part of Strathclyde Business School, works with organisations from lots of different sectors, including FinTech, to better understand workplace and people management practices and how they impact upon issues such as innovation, engagement and wellbeing. In this webinar, we will share the insights that have come out of the work we are doing including key considerations that organisations and policy makers in the FinTech sector need to take into account to align workplace and people management practices with EDI strategies in order to support home and flexible working (and any other relevant workplace practices) that enable employees, particularly women, to engage in innovative work behaviours and service centric behaviours essential to the sector.

9am - 10.30am

Join us to hear about the exciting developments in the space of InsurTech, including the development of InsurTech Isle of Man and the problem statements InsurTech can tackle on the island as well as hearing how Scotland and the Isle of Man will look to collaborate in the future in the space of InsurTech.

12:30-1:30pm

Hear how other FinTechs have successfully leveraged Banking as a Service to build products that customers love. Learn how Modulr provides payments and accounts infrastructure as an alternative to traditional banking services. And this session will also share the pitfalls and best practices when considering how to offer payment and account services that are easy to scale but deliver instant satisfaction and convenience for your customers.

9am - 4.30pm

The ‘FinTech Across the UK - Actions and initiatives to drive global leadership’ event is a UK wide conference bringing together key stakeholders across the private, public and education sectors who are leading fintech innovation to realise the global ambition of UK fintech. Please join the UK’s Fintech leaders for a full day conference and lunch as we close this year’s Fintech Festival. Speakers include John Glen, Economic Secretary to the Treasury and City Minister, UK Government - Ron Kalifa OBE, Chair, Fintech Strategic Review, UK Government - Maha El Dimachki, Financial Conduct Authority - Ivan McKee, Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, Scottish Government and many more

4pm - 6pm

Join this panel discussion for an overview of current trends, opportunities, challenges and risks of the new forms of digital money that are currently being developed. Two research and innovation projects will be presented. A panel of experts will discuss about digital money, touching upon the enabling technology - from decentralised ledgers and cryptocurencies, to CBDCs - the socio-economy implications, the technology, the regulatory framework, citizens' privacy, risks and opportunities, in a dialogue with the public.