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FinTech Scotland strengthens fintech cluster with global leaders CMS and Mastercard

FinTech Scotland has announced that law firm CMS and international payments leader Mastercard have joined the Scottish Fintech Cluster as Strategic Partners; an exciting development enhancing the cluster’s collective strengths. The new strategic partners bring additional world-class financial and professional services expertise that will support fintech innovation and accelerate economic growth across Scotland and the UK.

Their involvement reflects the continued momentum for growth across the FinTech Scotland Cluster and its commitment to collaborative innovation, to shape the future of next generation financial services.  

Payment giant Mastercard is championing fintech developments across the world and is driving innovation in fields such as AI and Open Finance, both themes closely aligned to FinTech Scotland’s Research and Innovation Roadmap. This new partnership will present fintech businesses in Scotland with more innovation and collaboration opportunities that can build new commercial pathways and access to global markets.

CMS, which has more than 5,000 lawyers across 70 offices worldwide, brings extensive expertise in advising high growth fintech and established financial institutions in cutting-edge developments that are transforming the financial services sector. Their expertise in fields such as digital assets and blockchain technology supports Scotland’s plans for the new Centre of Excellence in Distributed Ledger Technologies developed by FinTech Scotland in partnership with Edinburgh Napier University.

The two new strategic additions further strengthen an already dynamic group of over 35 strategic partners, all working together to shape a world-class environment for fintech development and regional growth. The diversity of experience and perspective within the cluster continues to drive impactful collaboration and positive impact for the sector and society. These partnerships align with the UK Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy announced on the 23rd of June, highlighting firstly the importance of industry-wide collaboration in delivering economic growth alongside more place-based approaches and the importance of regional clusters to deliver successful growth.

Nicola Anderson, CEO at FinTech Scotland said: “We are delighted to welcome CMS and Mastercard to the FinTech Scotland Cluster. Their global reach, commitment to innovation, and deep sector expertise align perfectly with our ambition for the future of fintech innovation in Scotland. Together with our existing strategic partners, we are building a purposeful, connected, and impactful fintech Cluster, driving action for positive economic gain.”

Bruce Harvie and Fiona Henderson, Partners at CMS Scotland, said: “We are delighted to announce CMS’s strategic partnership with Fintech Scotland, a collaboration that underscores our shared commitment to driving innovation, excellence and growth across Scotland’s financial services ecosystem. This collaboration brings together our deep industry expertise and Fintech Scotland’s dynamic cluster to support the development of cutting-edge solutions that will benefit businesses and consumers alike. We look forward to contributing to Scotland’s thriving fintech community that champions collaboration, sustainability, and economic growth.”

Major Financial Institutions Unite to Drive Innovation in Operational Resilience 

A coalition of leading financial institutions including Sword Group, Natwest, Morgan Stanley, Dudley Building Society, The Tipton, Unity Trust Bank, M&G, Pinsent Masons, Tesco Bank, Aberdeen, KPMG and EY have joined forces to launch a UK-wide innovation challenge focused on strengthening operational resilience across the financial sector. Delivered in partnership with FinTech Scotland through the Financial Regulation Innovation Lab (FRIL), and collaborating with SuperTech WM to help expand the reach and impact across the UK, this initiative calls on fintech innovators to co-create next-generation solutions that can safeguard the financial system in an increasingly digital world. 

Operational resilience is a top priority for the UK’s regulators, including the FCA, Bank of England and HM Treasury, as the sector adapts to growing digital disruption, complex supply chains, and rising consumer expectations. This challenge reflects a shared commitment from industry to proactively address these risks through collaboration and innovation. 

In the face of escalating demand for seamless digital services, the challenge is designed to source practical, scalable solutions that can help firms stay resilient, responsive, and secure. It will offer selected fintechs the opportunity to work directly with financial institutions, gain valuable insights into real-world resilience challenges, and receive expert input from leading academics from the University of Strathclyde and the University of Glasgow.  

Successful applicants may also be eligible for up to £50,000 in grant funding to accelerate the development of their solution. The programme will culminate in a showcase event in Glasgow, where participants will present to industry and regulatory stakeholders. 

FinTech firms from across the globe are encouraged to apply before the deadline on August 15th.  More details can be found here. 

Nicola Anderson, CEO of FinTech Scotland:  “This challenge is a powerful example of how collaboration can drive meaningful change. By bringing together fintech innovators, academic insight, and industry expertise, we’re not only responding to the increasing demands of the digital economy, we’re actively shaping a more resilient and adaptive financial system for the future.” 

Rob Mossop, COO Financial Services and International, Sword: “As a trusted technology partner, we recognise that operational resilience is moving beyond meeting regulatory requirements. It has become a business imperative with clear impact on business growth. We understand the critical role that trusted and adaptable solutions play in helping financial institutions respond to disruption and build competitive advantage. We are excited to see how this challenge brings together the best of industry, academia, and innovation to utilise technologies that don’t just withstand disruption but enable agility and enhance trust in the face of it” 

Hilary Smyth-Allen, CEO SuperTech:“Our longstanding partnership with FinTech Scotland, to expand the reach of the Financial Regulation Innovation Lab, has delivered fantastic impact in previous programmes for both the fintech innovators and financial services participants. We look forward to seeing the collaborative opportunities arising from this open innovation challenge focusing on operational resilience.”  

Nicole Alston, Innovation Engagement Manager, NatWest: “Natwest Group are proud to support this challenge, which represents a fantastic opportunity to work hand-in-hand with fintech innovators to shape the next generation of operational resilience. By combining industry insight with fresh thinking, we can build smarter, more adaptive systems that protect customers and maintain trust” 

Luke Scanlon, Pinsent Masons: “Strengthening operational resilience isn’t just a regulatory expectation, it’s a shared responsibility across the financial ecosystem. This challenge is a compelling example of how partnerships between fintechs and industry, can drive innovation that’s both agile and aligned with evolving regulatory frameworks. It’s a chance to build practical solutions that work in the real world” 

Samuel Kennedy, Head of Operational Risk, Dudley Building Society: “For building societies, operational resilience is fundamental to maintaining the trust of our members and communities. This challenge is a chance to work alongside fintechs to explore innovative solutions that protect continuity of service, while ensuring we remain agile and responsive in a changing digital landscape.” 

Will Lynch, Group Deputy COO, Aberdeen: “Aberdeen’s involvement in FRIL has shown the power of collaboration in tackling complex regulatory and operational challenges. We are looking forward to contributing the next phase of FRIL in an increasingly important part of the regulatory landscape.” 

David Owen, Head of Business Risk at Unity Trust Bank: “Operational resilience isn’t just about meeting regulatory compliance; it is about reinforcing our customers’ confidence that we can withstand disruptions and continue to serve them effectively. At Unity Trust Bank, resilience is fundamental to our double-bottom-line approach: it supports sustainable business growth while deepening the trust that our socially minded customers place in us. By collaborating with fintech innovators, industry partners, and thought leaders, we are developing smarter, more adaptive systems that not only ensure continuity but also strengthen the core principles of ethical banking.”

Tom McFarlane, Partner, EY – “Building on the success of our collaboration with FRIL, we’re delighted to be supporting this innovation challenge focused on strengthening operational resilience. The FRIL programme presents a unique opportunity to deepen our relationships with innovators across the cluster – bringing together diverse thinking, regulatory insight, and practical expertise. Through these collaborations, we can co-create solutions that are not only innovative, but also scalable and grounded in the realities of today’s financial landscape.” 

The Financial Regulation Innovation Lab is part of the larger Glasgow City Region Innovation Accelerator programme.  Led by Innovate UK on behalf of UK Research and Innovation, the pilot Innovation Accelerators programme invested £100m in 26 transformative R&D projects between 2022-25 to accelerate the growth of three high-potential innovation ecosystems – Glasgow City Region, Greater Manchester and West Midlands. The programme was boosted by an additional £30m of public funding for 2025/26 spread equally across the regions.  Innovation Accelerators is piloting a new model of R&D decision making that empowers local partnerships to harness innovation to drive regional economic growth, attract private investment, and develop future technologies. 

FinTech Scotland Festival: Accelerating Regional Fintech Innovation

The eighth annual FinTech Scotland Festival will take place between the 22nd and the 26th of September 2025, showcasing the innovation of the Scottish fintech cluster.

Bringing together entrepreneurs, policymakers, global financial leaders, investors and innovators to demonstrate how the Scottish fintech cluster is translating the UK Government Modern Industrial Strategy into tangible economic growth, jobs and attracting the capital to scale enterprises in the UK and globally.

Across five days the festival will showcase fintech businesses and FinTech Scotland’s strategic partners who are fostering economic growth by driving innovation in Financial Regulation, Open Finance, Payments, Climate Finance utilising expertise Artificial Intelligence, Distributed Ledger Technologies and Quantum.

The festival highlights how the fintech cluster is aligned behind the new UK Government Financial Services Strategy unveiled on Tuesday, 15 July by demonstrating productivity improvement through digital innovation, the role of regional cluster leadership and supporting the national payment vision.

FinTech Scotland has built a week with key events including a Global Fintech Forum for international visitors, the Annual Fintech Summit on fintech trends, an awards ceremony to recognise fintech excellence and a day of workshops and knowledge sharing to support the growth of fintechs in Scotland

Nicola Anderson, CEO, FinTech Scotland, said:

“The FinTech Scotland Festival supports the UK Government’s ambition to make the UK, the world’s fintech capital. It will demonstrate how regional clusters can deliver jobs, inward investments, exports and societal benefit. I’m looking forward to welcoming individuals and organisations from around the UK and beyond to develop new connections and collaboration opportunities.”

Discover the festival agenda at www.fintechscotland.com/events/

Aveni brings wealth-management heavyweights together to accelerate responsible AI

Edinburgh-based fintech Aveni has brought together a new Customer Advisory Board made up of senior technology and operations leaders from Succession Wealth (part of Aviva), Schroders Personal Wealth, 7IM and Rathbones. The group will act as a sounding board for Aveni’s product roadmap while driving industry wide collaboration on safe and effective AI adoption in financial advice and wealth management.

By pooling insight from four major advice firms, the board will help ensure new tools are built with practitioners, not just for them. It aligns with the collaborative ethos we see across the Scottish fintech community.

Early priorities include balancing client expectations, regulatory obligations and operational pressures. Regular workshops will provide an agile feedback loop so that lessons learned in one organisation can quickly inform solutions used across the market.

Building on FinLLM

The board’s formation follows Aveni’s May launch of FinLLM, one of the UK’s first domain specific large language models trained on financial services data and aligned with FCA and forthcoming EU AI Act requirements. Early benchmarking shows FinLLM outperforming general purpose models on specialist tasks while maintaining strong baseline accuracy.

Bringing Cash Closer to Digital: OneBanx Integrates Cash Access into Banking Apps

Scottish fintech OneBanx is launching a strategic initiative to ensure cash access doesn’t get left behind by working with partner banks to embed cash withdrawal and deposit functionality directly into mobile banking apps.

This new integration means customers will soon be able to use their bank’s app to initiate transactions at OneBanx kiosks, without needing a physical card or third-party wallet. It’s a move designed to enhance customer experience while making in-person cash services more accessible through digital channels.

While digital wallets have simplified spending, OneBanx aims to complement this trend by boosting the utility of banks’ own apps. The company’s joint white paper with Enryo, “Cash as Payments Infrastructure,” reinforces the point: most people in the UK still use cash occasionally, even in an increasingly cashless society.

The integration also offers tangible benefits for banks:

  • A seamless customer journey within their existing app;
  • Greater engagement with less digitally-active customers;
  • And a cost-effective way to extend reach without reopening branches.

Pilots with partner banks are underway, with full deployment expected later this year.

“Our goal is to create real-world utility for digital banking while still supporting essential in-person needs,” said Javed Anjum, CEO of OneBanx. “This initiative helps banks stay connected to communities in a way that’s sustainable and scalable.”

FinTech Scotland and TSB Launch latest Innovation Labs programme to Combat Fraud and Enhance Trust in Digital Banking

FinTech Scotland unveiled today the latest innovation programme in collaboration with TSB Labs at Money20/20, Europe’s largest fintech conference.

TSB Labs, the award-winning fintech accelerator, is once again partnering with FinTech Scotland to identify, support and scale innovative solutions tackling some of the most urgent challenges in banking. This year, the focus is on preventing one of the nation’s most prevalent crimes – fraud, while delivering a seamless customer journey.  

The programme builds on the success of previous cohorts, which resulted in several pilot projects  as well as being recognised at the Scottish Financial Technology Awards for Best Financial Services Innovation..

The 2025 innovation programme is now open to fintechs from across the globe who are ready to deploy real-world solutions in a live retail banking environment. Interested parties can apply here.

Nicola Anderson, Chief Executive of FinTech Scotland, commented:

“We are delighted to be partnering once more with TSB and announce this innovation programme at Money20/20. TSB Labs is a powerful example of how established financial institutions can partner with fintechs to deliver real impact for customers. Thanks to our work on the topic of fraud as part of the Financial Regulation Innovation Lab, we’ll be bringing a significant amount of knowledge, expertise and connections to this programme from across the Scottish Fintech Cluster.”

The Lab’s three challenge statements invite creative, practical solutions in:

  • Smart Messaging and Education: improving fraud detection through timely, trusted, and effective customer communication.
  • Empowered Customer Controls: making faster decisions about authorised payments by giving customers more control and clarity.
  • Seamless Resolution: transforming fraud reporting and resolution into a streamlined, customer-centric journey.

Richard Daniels, Fraud and Financial Crime Operations Director at TSB, said:

“Fraud is constantly evolving, and so must we. The TSB Labs programme is a brilliant opportunity for us to work shoulder-to-shoulder with innovative fintechs to find smarter, faster and more effective ways to continue protecting our customers.”

The programme offers two phases of structured engagement, culminating in a final pitch to TSB decision-makers and the opportunity to progress to pilot deployment.

Full details and the short application form can be found on FinTech Scotland’s website . Applications close on 25 June 2025.

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.

Apply here.

HAELO and RegGenome Partner to Launch Horizon Scanning Platform

The pace of regulatory change continues to intensify, with new updates emerging globally every few minutes. In response, Scottish fintech HAELO has partnered with regulatory data specialist RegGenome to introduce REGENESIS, a new platform designed to support compliance professionals in navigating complex and rapidly evolving requirements.

REGENESIS combines RegGenome’s structured and AI-powered regulatory datasets with HAELO’s automation capabilities to streamline the horizon scanning process. The solution targets mid-tier financial institutions and SMEs initially, with plans to scale toward larger firms.

The platform offers governance, risk, and compliance teams a single access point to regulatory information from hundreds of authorities across jurisdictions. It integrates into existing workflows, helping teams prioritise responses to emerging obligations while reducing reliance on manual tracking.

Key features include automated rule detection, curated insights, and contextual tagging to assist users in identifying regulatory developments relevant to their operations. This shift toward automation is expected to allow compliance professionals to reallocate time toward higher-value tasks such as risk analysis and controls assessment.

The collaboration between HAELO and RegGenome has already attracted attention from a broad cross-section of the industry. The platform was recently introduced to representatives from organisations including HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group, Citi, Baillie Gifford, Virgin Money, and FinTech Scotland.

Commenting on the partnership, Mick O’Connor, Founder and Managing Director of HAELO, said:


“I was looking for a partner who could deliver validated, explainable regulatory data. RegGenome demonstrated both the technical expertise and openness to collaborate in bringing effective GRC solutions to market.”

Mark Johnston, CEO of RegGenome, added:


“HAELO brings a practical approach to regulatory automation. This partnership complements our existing ecosystem and strengthens our efforts to help firms adapt to ongoing regulatory change.”

Forging the Future of Financial Services: TSB Spotlight Innovation in Open Banking

Three fintech innovators, Sikoia, Credit Canary and Aperidata, have been named winners of the 2024 TSB Innovation Labs programme, a partnership between TSB and FinTech Scotland. This is a collaborative effort to shape the future of financial services through responsible use of data and technology.

Now in its fourth year, the Innovation Labs programme offers early-stage fintech firms a platform to explore real-world applications of their technology. With access to expert mentorship at TSB’s Technology Hub in Edinburgh, the cohort has worked over the last year to develop propositions that aim to improve customer experiences across banking.

The focus of this year’s winners is very much Open Banking technology to simplifies and accelerates customer support.

Sikoia is working to streamline finance applications, potentially reducing barriers for new customers. Meanwhile, Credit Canary and Aperidata are exploring solutions to improve credit scoring and accelerate lending decisions. All three firms will now develop proof of concepts in partnership with TSB, testing how their solutions might translate into practical improvements for customers.

The TSB Labs programme has previously seen success with fintechs such as Lightning Reach, which helps users access benefits and financial support through a single portal. Since its implementation, TSB customers have accessed over £160,000 (£500 per customer) in grants. Another alumnus, ApTap, has supported customers in saving more than £65,000 (£150 per customer) on broadband bills by helping them switch to better deals.

Speaking on the latest announcement, Nicola Anderson, CEO at FinTech Scotland, said:

“We are delighted to witness the success of Sikoia, Credit Canary and Aperidata through the TSB Labs programme. These innovative fintech companies show how data and AI can be harnessed to deliver real impact for people and communities. At FinTech Scotland, we believe meaningful collaborations are the key to unlocking innovation and this partnership with TSB demonstrates the powerful outcomes that can be achieved when new innovative firms and progressive established companies work together to shape the future of financial services.”

Adam Betteridge, FinTech & Open Banking Lead at TSB said:

“We are incredibly proud of the progress made by these three innovative fintechs during the TSB Labs programme. Over the last 12 months, Sikoia, Credit Canary and Aperidata have demonstrated exceptional potential to help TSB customers get support more quickly. Their innovative solutions use data and technology in new creative ways to help provide an even better experience for TSB customers. We’re looking forward to what comes next.”

The programme reflects wider themes highlighted in the FinTech Research & Innovation Roadmap 2022–2031, developed by FinTech Scotland. Central to that vision is the role of Open Finance and collaborative innovation in addressing societal, economic and environmental needs. The roadmap points to a future where fintech drives financial inclusion, better consumer outcomes and a more sustainable economy.