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Hi Everyone,

1. NewFinance Annual Survey 2015

Please take our survey so we can better tailor our programme to your needs, it’ll take no more than 5 minutes if that, like it says What you think matters!

2. Potential Event: NewFinance SIG Regulation - PSR Payments Infrastructure workshop

We're just canvassing interest in this niche area before confirming the event; if there is sufficient demand we'll plan something for early October in partnership with the PSR (Payment Systems Regulator) to get your views on the competitiveness of the infrastructure landscape for interbank payment systems.

Please RSVP if you’re interested.

3. Upcoming Event: NewFinance October Open Mic Night - Thursday, October 15^th @6pm, Layer7

Please join us for our usual mixture of networking, presentations, shout-outs and the best FinTech crowd in the scene. This monthly session is designed to provide an opportunity to catch up with your peers, to see what's going on in the London and International FinTech scenes and to tell us all about yourself and your own work.

Speaker slots available, please email me!

·       Oleg Fomenko, Founder and CEO of SweatCoin, a new financial fitness platform where movement turns into currency

·       Rob O'Donovan, Founder of Charlie, a workplace pensions product that uses free HR software as a route to market

·       Hesus Inoma, Founder and CEO of WeSavvy, a Pan-European digital insurance marketplace that enables Brokers/Agents to engage more effectively with Policyholders

4. Upcoming Event: Success in the US: Getting investment, building business with UKTI and Friends, September 10^th @6:30

Join us at WeWork’s brand new Spitalfields location for an evening exploring the world’s biggest tech market, the USA. Hosted by UK Trade & Investment, Pitch NYC and Fried Frank the evening will feature top insight fuelled by drinks and snacks from our friends at WeWork.

Discover the market opportunities, how to build your business and hear how to target US VCs to secure investment. UKTI’s staff from San Francisco, Chicago and New York will provide a pan-US perspective. Plus we'll hear the warts'n'all Entrepreneurs' perspective.

5. FinTech Accelerator: Applications now open for the 4th FinTech Innovation Lab London

You’ve heard about the FinTech Innovation Lab but, what exactly is it?  We’re an innovative, unique accelerator offering access to 16 of the world’s leading financial institutions.  In a non-sales environment, FinTech startups are given unfettered access to industry insights and mentorship, which is why our alumni have seen an average of 170% revenue growth.  Investment in FinTech grows continually and we’re on the verge of a FinTech revolution – so why not join in?

From 17 August, we’re accepting applications for our 2016 programme here: https://www.f6s.com/fintechinnovationlab-london-2016/about So if you or someone you know fits the bill, apply now! 

More info available at: www.fintechinnovationlablondon.com

6. FinTech Accelerator: Applications for The Barclays Accelerator, Powered by Techstars in London are open

Ten companies will be chosen for this prestigious UK-based program. Each successful startup will be given funding of up to $120K and have access to mentorship from two world class networks. Applications can be submitted at barclaysaccelerator.com. To find out more about the programme and some of the key challenges Barclays are looking to solve, please join us at our event on September 8th - RSVP here

7. FinTech Accelerator: Yodlee incubator has opened applications (in San Francisco, but you are only required to attend 3 boot camps over the course of the 6 month program)

Ynext Incubator is a 6-month program for developers, innovators, and entrepreneurs to launch disruptive products that leverage transactional financial data. This is your chance to develop your vision or prototype by tapping into Yodlee’s award winning platform, technical support, mentorship, guidance, and exclusive membership in the broader Yodlee ecosystem.

Applications just opened for the cohort beginning November 2015. Sign up here: https://ynext.yodlee.com/launchpad/incubator/apply/

8. London FinTech Podcast – SME Lending in the Fintech Age with Andrew Mullinger Co-Founder of Funding Circle

The latest of Mike Baliman’s interviews with key FinTech-ers. Funding Circle need no introduction being the heavyweight SME marketplace lender in the UK and the only global player to have a large footprint in both the UK and the US.  Those on the conference circuit may be more familiar with Andrew’s co-founders, Samir Desai and James Meekings; Andrew has tended to stay at home with his head under the bonnet working on the engine within Funding Circle – that of the credit underwriting process.

9. Watch 11 great San Francisco FinTech companies pitch for Seed Investment

Please check out the videos from our recent experimental San Francisco funding event, a format that we plan to deploy in all Chapters to assist Entrepreneurs meet Investors; we vet the companies and create videos to circulate to our global community and hopefully they will make some fruitful connections. There is a seed stage funding gap in all Chapters as far as I can see and it needs addressing, Series A is easier especially once you’re launched with traction so we’re focusing on the greatest pain point first i.e. early stage.

I’d appreciate it if you would help the companies out by retweeting the playlist, thx: https://twitter.com/NewFinance/status/630830165392670721

10. Reach-outs for Startups

·       AltFi aggregator NextInvest seeks expert advice and support to expand. NextInvest, based in Edinburgh, is a FinTech start-up that provides UK investors with a slick, easy-to-use and informative comparison service, presently listing P2P Lenders but with significant growth and expansion potential. Contact: Jordan Stodart (jordan [at] nextinvest.co.uk)

11. Other items that caught my eye this week…

·       USAA: Bitcoin and Blockchain Are FinTech Game-Changers – driven by differences with existing FinTech

·       Hong Kong banks turn to start-ups for tech edge – FinTech HK scene rising rapidly

·       FinTech Trends: Wealth Management and The Rise of Robo Advisors – Man or Machine?

·       This Could Be the Greatest Gambling Platform in History. Can the Government Stop It? – more disruption from Blockchain

12. Vacancies looking / offered / (please email me for a free listing)

·       Award winning cyber security innovator Digital Shadows is hiring sales, technical and security specialist talent in London, San Francisco and New York.  Apply here: http://www.digitalshadows.com/about/careers-with-us/

·       Credit Benchmark, a credit risk data Startup backed by Index and Balderton have a load of positions in product/business/tech in London and New York: http://www.creditbenchmark.org/careers

·       miiCard provides Online Identity Services for individuals, business and enterprise that enable high-value transactions to take place in a purely digital and secure environment: http://www.miicard.com/jobs

~

If you have any news to share with the group please send it to me by close on Fridays and I’ll drop it into this mailer. Remember that we have Chapters in Hong Kong, Jersey, London,  New York, Paris, San Francisco, Singapore and Warsaw, pls let me know if you need to connect in any of these cities.

You may also keep up to date with our latest events, research, guides, videos, photos and more on our Meetup, YouTube and Twitter channels.

Enjoy the weekend

Cheers

Eddie