FinTech Wales Announces 2025 Foundry Cohort

FinTech Wales is proud to announce the nine high-potential startups selected for the 2025 cohort of its flagship accelerator programme — FinTech Wales Foundry. Now in its fourth season, the no-equity programme will support these early-stage fintechs through a six-month journey of expert mentorship, strategic development, and access to the thriving Welsh fintech ecosystem.

This year’s cohort includes startups innovating across financial inclusion, core banking infrastructure, pensions, embedded fintech, data intelligence, and regtech. Collectively, they’ve already raised over £1.9 million, with many preparing to launch their first products this year.

The 2025 Foundry Cohort

• Banxlocal – a multi-bank retail branch network reinventing high street banking
  Founders: Kevin Smith, Nicholas Collinson, and Mike Ozanne
• Capitawise – a SaaS platform connecting insurer operations across capital modelling and claims
  Founder: Akanksha Rais
• Cavefish – AI-powered emotion tracking for ad testing and mental health use cases
  Founders: Jon Prescott and Andrew Davidson
• Chest – a gamified pension platform for Gen Z and Millennials
  Founders: Ali Adam and Jason Murphy
• CloudBank.Digital – plug-and-play core banking services in a product-as-a-service model
  Founders: Volodymyr Nabokov and Nataliia Muzyka
• COLFI – DLT-powered post-trade settlement for real-time collateral transfer
  Founders: Noha Berrada and Said Essoussani
• Humoni – alternative credit and housing access for migrants and international students
  Founders: Adedamola Akintunde and Brendan Legrange
• Simplifyer – smart expense management for freelancers with privacy-first data insights
  Founders: Isabel Carapeta and Elisa Tarzia
• Zugo – AI-powered financial advice for underserved wealth management clients
  Founders: Nicholas Basi, John Humpish, Mark Hipperson, and Michael Basi

Over the next six months, the cohort will take part in a five-module programme covering market fit, revenue and funding strategies, scalable operations, investor pitching, and growth through retention and partnerships.

At the heart of the Foundry is a network of experts, mentors, and supporters. This year’s programme is supported by more than 40 experienced mentors, including prominent figures such as Louise O’Shea, group CEO of CFC, Henry Engelhardt, co-founder of Admiral Group, Richard Theo, serial entrepreneur and founder of Zero, Sophie Hughes, co-founder of Mazuma and many more, who will all play a vital role offering access, insight, and real-world perspective to help each startup thrive.

Lucy Bulley, Programme Director, said:

“Season 4 builds on the success of our previous cohorts, and I’m absolutely thrilled to be leading such an inspiring and ambitious cohort – their business offering, energy, and vision are truly exciting.

The Foundry offers founders real, hands-on support and direct access to the people who are genuinely shaping the future of fintech. It’s all about creating meaningful relationships, building momentum, and empowering exceptional fintech startups to thrive.”

The cohort enters the Foundry with diverse goals: from raising their next round, entering the UK market, and strengthening sales strategies, to accessing expert mentorship and being challenged by peers and seasoned founders.

Sarah Kocianski, CEO of FinTech Wales, said:

“This year’s cohort is united by ambition but, I’m really pleased to say, diverse in background, product, and purpose. We’ve designed the Foundry to challenge and support them in equal measure — giving founders the practical tools, strategic insight, expanded network and peer community they need to take the next step towards scaling. We’re excited to work alongside each of them and look forward to seeing what they achieve.”