Welsh Fintech Startups and Scaleups Invited to Pitch at UK FinTech Week
16 February, 2026
Welsh Startups and Scaleups Invited to Pitch at UK FinTech Week as Pitch360 Returns
Welsh fintech startups and scaleups are being encouraged to seize a national stage opportunity as Innovate Finance brings back Pitch360 as part of UK FinTech Week 2026 in London on 22 April 2026.
The annual pitching competition will spotlight the next wave of UK fintech founders as they present solutions addressing some of the sector’s biggest challenges — from payments and open finance to AI and financial inclusion.
For ambitious Welsh fintech businesses, Pitch360 offers a high-profile platform to demonstrate innovation in front of investors, partners and leaders from across the UK fintech ecosystem.
Building on Cardiff’s Inaugural Success
The return of Pitch360 follows a successful inaugural Welsh leg of the competition in Cardiff, delivered in collaboration between Innovate Finance and FinTech Wales as part of UK FinTech Week.
Pitch360 Cardiff brought together five innovative fintech companies — all members of FinTech Wales — to pitch their ideas to a panel of expert judges in a Dragons’ Den-style format, with three-minute pitches followed by a quick-fire Q&A.
The Cardiff finalists were:
- Driverly
- Serene
- EA Global AI
- Zero
- Menna
Richard Theo, Founder of Zero, was awarded first place at the inaugural Cardiff competition. Zero, a sustainable money app and digital bank for climate-conscious consumers, impressed judges with its commitment to supporting sustainability as an alternative to traditional consumer banking practices.
The judges for the Cardiff final included Claire Mongeau and Abraham Mauleon Amieva, with a fireside chat featuring Justin Pike alongside Sarah Kocianski.
At the London final during UK FinTech Week, Sprout Financial was crowned winner. The competition recognised game-changing ideas with the potential to shape the future of finance, with finalists pitching in front of senior leaders from across the UK fintech ecosystem.
Winners of the regional Pitch360 competitions received full Innovate Finance membership for one year, alongside the opportunity to showcase their innovation and connect with fintech leaders and investors at the Innovate Finance Global Summit 2026.
The Opportunity in 2026
Pitch360 2026 will select:
- Five fintech startups
- Five fintech scaleups
Finalists will compete live on stage in London, with one startup and one scaleup crowned winners by an expert judging panel.
Who Can Apply?
Startups
- UK-headquartered fintech companies
- Pre-seed to seed stage
- Funding under £2m
Scaleups
- UK-based fintech companies
- Seed to Series A/B stage
- Funding under £20m
The live final will take place in London on 22 April 2026.
Applications are now open, with Welsh fintech founders encouraged to apply and build on the strong representation demonstrated at last year’s Cardiff event.