Fintech and other financial services firms must work harder to be able to secure the skills they need for the future. That is one of the main findings from a recent report from TheCityUK and recruitment firm Odgers Berndtson.

At a time where graduates with fintech expertise are increasingly in need, the Spotcap Fintech Fellowship programme offers young talent the opportunity to pursue studies in fintech. Now in its third year, the Fellowship offers an £8k award to one postgraduate student studying a fintech related course at a UK university. Applications open today and close on  August 15, 2019.

“The fintech industry is worth £7bn to the UK economy and there is a lot of talk about the flourishing fintech sector without acknowledging the elephant in the room — the growing skills gap,” says Niels Turfboer, Managing Director of Spotcap. “The Fintech Fellowship aims to support industry efforts to plug this gap by raising awareness of the issue and encouraging other stakeholders in the industry to get involved and to help attract the right talent.”

Charlotte Crosswell, CEO of Innovate Finance, comments on the launch: “Fintech is one of the UK’s fast-growing industries and one where we hold a strong competitive advantage. Success is however heavily dependent on talent, which is in short supply both domestically and globally. It is vital that we ensure we are inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators, and equipping them with the skills they will need to succeed."

Previous Fellowship Winners

Previous winners of the Fintech Fellowship include Mohammed Hussan, who – after his successful completion of an MSc in Computer Science at Imperial College London – co-founded Tru-Source, which automates blockchain oracle development. He comments: “The Fellowship helped improve my network and opened up opportunities to work with knowledgeable and talented people in the space.”

Sophie Peacock, last year’s winner, is currently completing a at University College London. “The Fintech Fellowship enabled me to do a MSc in Machine Learning and to gain the technical skills and knowledge necessary for a career in fintech. I would strongly encourage anyone studying a fintech related masters course to apply!”

The 2019 Judging Panel

Every year, a selected number of key industry leaders and fintech experts come together and join the Fintech Fellowship’s judging panel. For 2019, Spotcap is delighted to welcome:  

• Greg Michel, Head of Sectors (Fintech, Cybersecurity and Applied AI) at Tech Nation

• Julian Wells, Director at Fintech North & Whitecap Consulting

• Emily Nicolle, Technology Editor at City AM

• Sarah Kocianski, Head Of Research at 11:FS

• Ina Yulo, Global Head of Fintech & Financial Services at BrightTALK

• Niels Turfboer, Managing Director at Spotcap

For more details on the fellowship and how to apply, visit: https://www.spotcap.co.uk/fintech-fellowship/.