Scottish fintech GiftRound, named one of ‘Nation’s Favourite Businesses’ for 2026

With over 1.2 million people helped and more than £12 million contributed across 172,088 group collections since inception, GiftRound is recognised nationally as one of 100 small businesses celebrated ahead of Small Business Saturday

A Scottish business that helps people collect money for group gifts, completely free of fees has been named one of the ‘Nation’s Favourite Businesses’ for 2026 by Small Business Saturday UK.

GiftRound, based in Bridge of Allan, near Stirling, Scotland, with team members based across Scotland and Cornwall, has been selected as part of the national campaign, which celebrates and champions small businesses across the UK, ahead of Small Business Saturday on 5 December.

Founded by Craig Forsythe in 2018, GiftRound makes it easy for groups to organise collections for gifts and special occasions, from leaving gifts and birthdays to teacher gifts, new babies, weddings, retirements and simply showing someone you care.

The national recognition comes as Small Business Saturday launches its 2026 campaign to showcase the ‘Nation’s Favourite Businesses’. This is a new format replacing the long-running SmallBiz100.

The businesses selected this year range from independent food and hospitality to makers, service businesses and innovative companies, reflecting the diversity of the UK’s small business community.

Craig Forsythe, Founder and CEO of GiftRound, says: “Being named one of the ‘Nation’s Favourite Businesses’ is a huge honour for GiftRound. As a small team of four, we’ve built the business quietly with plenty of determination and a genuine belief that bringing people together to show they care should be simple, joyful and free from any fees. This recognition feels like a wonderful vote of confidence in that vision, and we’re incredibly proud to represent Scotland’s thriving small business community on a national stage.”

GiftRound has recently expanded its ability to support group collections for local gift cards, working with Town & City Gift Cards across more than 90 UK towns and cities.

Michelle Ovens CBE, Director of Small Business Saturday UK, continues: “Small businesses have always been, and will continue to be, among the nation’s favourite businesses. Whether on our high streets, online or embedded in local communities, they play a vital role in the places we live and in the strength of our economy.

“This year’s Nation’s Favourite Businesses are a true representation of the UK’s most-loved small businesses. From independent, family-run cafés and local restaurants, to makers, services and traders, they showcase the incredible diversity of the UK’s small business community. We know how important small businesses are and the challenges they face, so as we kick off this year’s Small Business Saturday campaign, we’re urging the public to get behind them during the most critical trading quarter of the year.”

Dan Edelman, General Manager, UK Merchant Services at American Express, concludes: “Small businesses bring energy, innovation and character to our high streets and local economies. That’s why American Express is proud to have founded Small Business Saturday and why we continue to back small businesses to help them thrive.

“This year’s Nation’s Favourite Businesses are a brilliant showcase of the UK’s entrepreneurial spirit, and we’re delighted to be providing grant funding that will help two of these inspiring businesses invest in their next chapter of growth.”

Small Business Saturday is a grassroots, non-commercial campaign which celebrates small businesses and encourages consumers to support them, originally founded by American Express in the U.S. in 2010 (the principal supporter in the UK) aimed at celebrating and uplifting independent firms by encouraging the public to support and spend with small businesses.

The 2026 campaign will culminate on Saturday 5 December, with the campaign highlighting small businesses across the UK through social media, PR and its nationwide activity.

Small Business Saturday is the UK’s most successful small business campaign. A nationwide tour is planned for November, visiting towns and cities across the UK.

GiftRound is one of the fintechs in the FinTech Scotland community.

Scottish Fintech start-up MyPetCard launches an alternative to pet insurance

3 Scottish entrepreneurs are entering the fast-growing PetTech market with a proposition it says will reshape how owners save and pay for veterinary treatment.

MyPetCard has launched a prepaid Visa Card and online platform designed to help pet owners set aside money specifically for veterinary bills and other eligible pet-care expenses while retaining control of their unused funds.

Instead of paying non-refundable monthly insurance premiums, MyPetCard customers regularly load money onto their card. Those funds can then be used directly at veterinary practices and online pet pharmacies.

Any unused money remains the cardholder’s and can be withdrawn at any time, subject to the applicable account terms. If a pet dies, the remaining balance can be returned to the customer or retained to support the care of a future pet.

By regularly building a dedicated pet-care fund, comparing veterinary and medicine prices and retaining ownership of every unused pound, customers of MyPetCard will have a transparent way to plan for their pets financial planning from day one of joining.

Recent guidance highlighted some of the limitations owners can encounter with pet insurance. Routine and preventative treatments, age of the pet and pre-existing conditions are generally excluded, and, there is also a large increase in complaints to the Competitions Ombudsman* regarding policy limitations found in the small print. 

Consumer disputes regarding pet insurance remain a significant issue within the market. According to recent data released by the Financial Ombudsman Service, there were 2,065 new pet insurance complaints lodged during the 2025/26 period, with a 41% uphold rate for resolved cases. Although this represents a slight decrease from the complaints filed in 2024/25, the volume of successful claims continues to underscore the ongoing challenges and limitations owners face. 

MyPetCard provides a distinct alternative that is not insurance. By removing the need for a claims process or waiting for third-party approvals and eliminates the risk of rejections. Customers establish a dedicated healthcare fund for their animals, ensuring that their available money can be accessed immediately to provide greater transparency and most importantly care for their pet when they need it. 

MyPetCard is not insurance and is not positioned as a direct replacement insurance. Instead, it provides an alternative financial-planning tool for people who want greater transparency and control over how they prepare for pet-care costs.

Customers joining MyPetCard will receive:

• A prepaid Visa card for setting aside and paying money towards veterinary care and eligible pet expenses
• Access to the 24/7 MyPetCard Vetline for veterinary advice
• Optional access to interest-free and low-cost financing through a partner network of more than 2,000 independent veterinary surgeries, subject to status and lending terms
• Local veterinary price-comparison services
• A pet-medicine price search designed to help customers find competitive prices online

MyPetCard encourages customers to save regularly, helping them gradually build a dedicated fund for routine and unexpected veterinary expenses.

John Darlington, founder of MyPetCard, said:

“I wanted to create a simpler and more transparent solution that puts control back into the hands of pet owners. Having worked with veterinary practices and animal medicines for 20 years, I became increasingly frustrated by the dilemmas owners face sometimes having to choose between the cost of treatment and the care their pet needs.

“When two in three pet owners say they could not afford unexpected surgery and millions are already delaying veterinary visits because of cost, it is clear that people need another way to prepare.

“Insurance can provide protection, but exclusions,claim rejections, excesses, claim limits and rising premiums mean it does not always meet every owner’s needs. MyPetCard gives customers another option where there are no exclusions. 

“As MyPetCard grows, we will continue developing membership benefits, price-comparison services and a supportive community for animal lovers.

“This could also have a positive impact on animal welfare. No owner wants to postpone treatment because they are worried about the cost. Building a dedicated pet-care fund—and having access to tools that help reduce costs—can provide valuable reassurance when treatment is needed.”

The UK pet-care market has expanded significantly in recent years, driven by increased pet ownership. However, the affordability of veterinary care and the complexity of insurance remain significant concerns for many households.

MyPetCard aims to address this gap by providing a transparent and flexible way for owners to plan for their pets’ future care.

The service has launched nationwide, with ambitions to expand into the United States and other international markets.

MyPetCard is now open for join up and active use across the UK at www.mypetcard.co.uk.

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