Nationwide Innovation Call Launches to Bridge the UK’s Financial Advice Gap

A coalition of leading financial institutions including PWC, NatWest, Barclays, Standard Life, M&G, Lloyds Banking Group, Dudley Building Society and BNP Paribas Personal Finance have joined forces to launch a UK-wide innovation challenge to explore how technology can reshape consumer access to financial support at the critical advice-guidance boundary. 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 help consumers make more confident and informed financial decisions.

Aston University and SuperTech WM announce strategic partnership to strengthen the region’s innovation-led economy. The collaboration will help accelerate growth in the Business, Professional and Financial Services (BPFS) sector. Aston University will contribute research, skills and thought leadership in areas such as AI.

Packed house at our recent BPFS event.

The event marked a milestone for the region, as the Business, Professional and Financial Services (BPFS) sector has been confirmed as a core growth sector in both the recently-published national and soon-to-be-announced Local Growth Plan.

The Innovation Lab is back! We’re delighted to announce the return of BNP Paribas Personal Finance’s FinTech Incubator programme, in collaboration with SuperTech WM, for the third year running.

The return of the Innovation Lab forms part of our renewed commitment to drive financial services innovation in the West Midlands region. As the FinTech industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace, enabling innovation through collaboration is essential to unlocking new opportunities across the financial services sector.

We believe that SuperTech WM is the first cluster organisation in England to achieve Bronze Award status within the European Cluster Management Excellence accreditation scheme from the European Secretariat for Cluster Analysis (ESCA) - fantastic recognition for how we have supported our ecosystem and our innovative ambitions for the future. 

A timely opinion piece from Jof Walters, WM FinTech Leader and CEO of Greater Things on the recent launch of PISCES, the FCA and LSE’s response to the new market context, where companies remain private longer and IPO activity has slowed significantly.