With a strong ecosystem of support that includes an unrivalled business network, five world-class universities and a highly-skilled talent pool, the North East of England makes for a great location for fintech (finance technology) companies to grow.
We have expertise in open banking, blockchain, mortgages, savings, insuretech and fraudtech. And, we’re the only region in the North of England to have a dedicated fintech cluster group, operated by Dynamo North East.
Five fintech sub-sectors are thriving in the region: payments; software; data analytics; platforms; and cybersecurity. We have innovative businesses working in these fields as well as academic expertise supporting their growth and development.
Fintech companies moving to the North East have a huge choice of dedicated office accommodation and innovation hubs, including Sunderland Software City, TusPark and Salvus House all nurturing fintech, insuretech and cyber businesses. Our digital infrastructure is second-to-none, with undersea cable connections to Europe and North America offering additional resilience.
Many leading fintech companies are located in the North East. Global company Sage, Newcastle Strategic Solutions, Kani Payments and True Potential are all headquartered here, as well as Atom, one of the UK’s foremost neobanks, which is based in Durham. HMRC has its digital delivery headquarters in the region and employs specialists across various technical digital fields to deliver new digital technologies to its customers.
The region is also home to several enterprise software development companies that have tech teams embedded in top-tier investment banks. This cohort is set to grow even further as several other regional operators have banking licence applications well underway.
Fintech companies choosing to locate in North East England will benefit from a wide range of business support and cluster networks primed to offer guidance and advice across a range of topics. They will also be within three hours of Edinburgh and London by train, be able to tap into an extensive pool of skilled employees and have access to academic expertise in the technologies that underpin fintech.
To support a smooth transition to the region, Invest North East England can provide a range of services, including property searches, data on skills and guidance on incentives, as well as making introductions to specialist networks that can offer guidance and links to potential customers, opportunities and research and development support.