FinTech Wales, the independent members association and champion of the Fintech and Financial Services industry in Wales, has welcomed Starling Bank as the latest organization to become a Partner to empower Wales as a globally recognized hub of fintech excellence.

The leading digital bank aims to give people a fairer, smarter, and more human alternative to the banks of the past. It offers personal, business, joint, euro, and dollar current accounts alongside a children’s card.

Starling was voted ‘Best British Bank’ four years in a row at the British Bank Awards between 2018 and 2021. With its headquarters in London, Starling also made the decision to scale its business in Cardiff in 2020 due to the talent available and now employs over 1200 people in the city center.

Alexandra Frean, Starling’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, said: “The Welsh tech sector is making a significant contribution to the UK’s tech industry, especially in fintech. “As a partner of FinTech Wales, we’re delighted to demonstrate our commitment to growing the finance ecosystem in Wales and contributing to its growth.”

Starling Bank joins a thriving FinTech Wales membership alongside several key Welsh financial services organizations including Admiral, Confused.com, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, Principality Building Society, Yoello, Sonovate, Wealthify, Delio, Sero, Final Rentals, and many more.

Sarah Williams-Gardener, transitioning from CEO to Chair at FinTech Wales, was a founding member of Starling Bank.

“I’m delighted to welcome Starling Bank to the FinTech Wales community,” she said. “The Fintech ecosystem is thriving here in Wales; and we have a unique culture of support and collaboration that encourages a continuous flow of new and innovative ideas.

“I believe FinTech Wales and Starling Bank share ambitions of creating high quality employment in Wales by increasing the awareness of the career opportunities that the Fintech sector offers, and nurturing new talent.

“Working together and collaborating on our many skills initiatives to create talent and build meaningful relationships between industry and academia is making a real impact on the landscape of fintech in Wales. We are excited about the possibilities this partnership will offer.”

Launched in April 2019, FinTech Wales offers help and support to its network of members and participants, and uses the power of the collective voice to be heard by politicians, governments, and influencers in the financial services space.

As well as nurturing and supporting those businesses already in Wales, it aims to develop an ecosystem that will encourage and attract new fintech companies to start up or scale-up in our region. Ultimately, the goal is to make Wales a leading pillar in the global fintech community.

A five-year 1.6 million investment in FinTech Wales was announced by Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) in June 2022, with the two organizations working closely together in partnership to deliver on CCR’s commitment to establishing Wales as a leading fintech sector in the UK.