Engine by Starling, the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business born from Starling Bank, has created its first overseas subsidiary in the US as a platform from which it will expand in the North American market.

Engine by Starling Services US LLC, registered in Delaware, is now building a team and scouting for a regional headquarters on the US East Coast, with North Carolina, Florida and Washington DC shortlisted as the likely locations.

The team will be a mix of local hires, led by a President, and secondees from Engine's UK-based team of product specialists.

The US presents significant opportunities for Engine because it is home to about 4,000 mid-tier banks, community banks and credit unions, many of which are keen to launch new digital services for their customers. Drawing on Starling Bank’s experience and next-generation, cloud-native technology, Engine can enable these organisations to redefine customer experience while improving their operational efficiency and reducing costs.

Raman Bhatia, Group CEO, Starling Bank commented “This is a significant step as we take the technology that has enabled Starling’s success in the UK to more financial institutions around the world. In Engine we have a world-class SaaS business that delivers the technology and the expertise that banks need to succeed in the digital age. We’ve been successful in Europe and in Australia, so now is the right time for us to start competing in the exciting North American market.”

Sam Everington, CEO, Engine by Starling, highlighted “We are already having really positive discussions with a number of potential partners in North America because Engine solves some of the major challenges facing banks and credit unions here. Engine delivers a unique ability to unify tech stacks, drive efficiency and encourage innovation through one managed service. It is a very compelling proposition that’s specifically designed to bring digital propositions to life faster and with very high quality outcomes.”

Since launching in 2022, Engine has helped build Salt Bank, Romania’s first digital bank, which has captured 4% of the country’s banking market since launch in 2024. AMP in Australia also built their new digital bank targeting small businesses on Engine’s core banking platform, launching in February 2025. Both digital banking programmes were delivered in 12 month timeframes.