It’s a real privilege to welcome you to this special finance and tech edition of Cardiff Life as guest editor, and to invite you into the front-row seat I’m lucky enough to have every day.
As CEO of FinTech Wales, I see first-hand the extraordinary innovation taking place across Wales’ fintech, finance and wider tech ecosystems. This is innovation with purpose; technology that is improving lives today and laying the foundations for a more inclusive, resilient future. From global payment platforms and insurtech pioneers, to healthtech breakthroughs and tools that help people manage money, energy and wellbeing more efficiently.
Wales’ innovative solutions are leading globally and the world is paying attention.
What excites me most is that these stories aren’t just about growth or scale. They’re about impact. They’re about founders building businesses that solve real problems, leaders rethinking how we work and live, and a city that continues to prove itself as one of the best places in the UK to start and grow a business.
Just as important is how people show up for one another. Ours is a community where founders share hard-earned lessons, support each other through challenges, and are honest about the realities of building a business – something reflected in the advice and insights shared in these pages.
This magazine offers just a glimpse of what’s happening in finance and tech across Wales. If it sparks curiosity or a desire to get involved, I’d love to hear from you. The FinTech Wales community is deeply collaborative, united by a shared ambition to build meaningful, impactful solutions - there’s a place in it for everyone who wants to help shape what comes next.
Sarah Jones
Cardiff’s wellness scene is growing with the arrival of Hikitalo, a Scandinavian-inspired space dedicated to contrast therapy. Following its success in Porthcawl, this third location brings mindful recovery to the heart of the capital.
Hikitalo focuses on the physical and mental benefits of hot and cold therapy. Through sauna and cold plunge practices, visitors are encouraged to slow down, reset, and prioritize intentional recovery.
As the demand for accessible stress management rises, Hikitalo offers a fresh addition to Cardiff’s lifestyle scene. Whether you’re a wellness enthusiast or a curious beginner, it’s a timely new destination for those investing in rest and resilience.
Ready to refresh your home for the year ahead? Look no further than RAO INTERIORS and RAO HOME. Founded by Suhasini Rao Jones, a British designer of Indian-Irish heritage, and Samuel Rao Jones, a Welsh creative with an environmentally focused perspective, together they create spaces and objects that tell a story and bring a lasting sense of sanctuary to contemporary interiors.
RAO HOME offers bespoke handmade rugs and homeware defined by quiet elegance and exceptional craftsmanship. Each rug is handmade to order by master artisans. The brand’s first exclusive collection, ‘In the Beginning - Jaipur’, is inspired by the city where its story began.
Transform your space today. Get in touch via studio@raohome.co.uk, follow their Instagram (rao_interiors_ / rao.home) and schedule a design session now!
A new chapter is starting for the historic Warden’s House. Roo’s is set to bring a relaxed, communityfocused dining experience to the heart of Sophia Gardens in early 2026.
Taking its name from Bute estate architect Alexandre Roos, the venue will focus on quality, atmosphere, and “honest cooking” in one of the city’s most beautiful parkland hideaways.
As Cardiff ’s indie scene continues to fl ourish, Roo’s promises to be a welcome spot to unwind and connect, just steps away from the city bustle.
The legendary Brains Brewery site is offi cially fi nding its new voice. 2026 marks a major milestone for Central Quay, with Phase 1’s luxury apartments and 40,000 sq ft of offi ce space nearing completion. Anchored by the iconic brewery chimney, this new district fi nally reconnects the city centre to the Taff , blending sleek tech hubs with a restored historic brewhouse.
Cardiff is offi cially the UK’s third-largest media producer, with the creative sector now accounting for 15% of city businesses. Beyond hosting global hits like Doctor Who, the capital has evolved into a world-class creator in its own right. Anchored by the Media.Cymru hub, our surge in high-tech VFX and virtual production is cementing Cardiff ’s status as a global heavyweight.
Cardiff is set for a cosmic takeover as the world-renowned Museum of the Moon lands at National Museum Cardiff from 10th March to 12th April 2026.
Created by artist (and Cardiff alum) Luke Jerram, this breathtaking seven-metre-wide sculpture uses high-defi nition NASA imagery to bring the lunar surface to life. Suspended in the Grand Hall and paired with an ethereal soundscape, it’s a rare chance to experience the moon in extraordinary detail. For tickets and more events go to museum.wales
3 February MAGDALENA BAY DEPOT
Alt-pop duo Magdalena Bay bring their surreal synth-pop universe to Cardiff. Expect infectious hits from the acclaimed album, Imaginal Disk.
3 - 7 February
HERE & NOW: THE STEPS MUSICAL WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE
Get your party on with this hilarious brand-new musical featuring Steps’ hits. A feelgood celebration of love and friendship in a seaside supermarket.
7 February - 31 March
GWEN JOHN: STRANGE BEAUTIES NATIONAL MUSEUM WALES
Celebrate one of Wales’ most extraordinary artists on her 150th birthday. This landmark, once-in-ageneration retrospective, features rarely seen works and reveals Gwen’s life and modern vision as never before.
10 - 28 February TINA WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE
The West End mega-hit arrives in Cardiff! Discover the exhilarating untold story of the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll, set to pulse-pounding
hits like ‘The Best’. Simply a five-star, must-see celebration of a legend.
14 February
BURLESQUE LOVE AFFAIR CABARET
Be swept away by showgirls, drag, and cheeky comedy this Valentine’s. Featuring TikTok sensation Stage Door Johnny and cabaret icons, it’s a glamorous, hilarious night of glitz, song, and dance.
15 February
WALES V FRANCE PRINCIPALITY STADIUM
Sunday rugby returns as Les Bleus arrive in Cardiff. Soak up the electric stadium atmosphere in this highstakes championship clash.
16 - 17 February
ANIMAL ADVENTURES CARDIFF CASTLE
Enjoy a wild half-term adventure at the Castle! This hands-on animal encounter features exotic species that walk, slither, and fly. An educational, entertaining, and perfect family show for all ages.
16 - 21 February
2:22 : A GHOST STORY NEW THEATRE CARDIFF
Danny Robins’ supernatural thriller hits Cardiff. This award-winning show stars James Bye and Natalie Casey. Adrenaline-filled, funny, and genuinely frightening.
18 February
AFTER DARK: SCIENCE ON SHOW
NATIONAL MUSEUM WALES
Explore science after hours with this free, hands-on family evening. Meet experts from Cardiff University, interact with robots, and discover sustainability through fun activities. A perfect night of discovery in the museum’s galleries.
20 February OF MONSTERS AND MEN
THE GREAT HALL
Icelandic indie-folk stars Of Monsters and Men bring their “Mouse Parade” tour to Cardiff. Expect a magical night of soaring melodies and hits like Little Talks in the intimate Great Hall setting.
21 February WALES V SCOTLAND PRINCIPALITY STADIUM
The battle for the Doddie Weir Cup lands in Cardiff. Witness electric rugby as Scotland defend the trophy against Wales.
26 - 28 February
DIVERSITY: SOUL 2026 NEW THEATRE CARDIFF
Britain’s biggest dance group brings their ‘Soul’ tour to Cardiff. Explore humanity in the age of AI through breathtaking choreography.
7 - 8 March
MUSEUM SLEEPOVERS: DINOS
NATIONAL MUSEUM WALES
Discover the ultimate dinosaur sleepover! Enjoy torch-lit tours and dino shows before camping under the dome. Includes breakfast and yoga.
Cardiff boasts the UK’s second-largest insurtech sector, second only to London, cementing its reputation as a powerhouse for insurance innovation. Flagship success stories such as Admiral, Confused.com and Go.Compare laid the foundations, proving that global-scale insurtech businesses can be built and scaled from the Welsh capital. That momentum has continued with highgrowth firms scaling throughout Wales including Bikmo, Comparison Creator, ActiveQuote, Acquis Insurance, pH Innovate Group, and many others, expanding the city’s influence across distribution, data and platforms. Now, a new wave of insurtech startups are emerging from Cardiff - bringing fresh solutions, sharper specialisms and the next chapter of innovation to an ecosystem that shows no sign of slowing down.
Learn more about the new insurtech businesses emerging from Cardiff:
Driverly is a Cardiff-based Insurtech, specialising in driving intelligence, powering smarter insurance decisions. From customisable driving apps to plugand-play data enrichment solutions, Driverly offers a range of technologies that help its motor insurance partners improve their risk selection and pricing, retention and general book performance. Started by ex-Admiral Group founders and backed by Development Bank of Wales and a number of high calibre angel investors, Driverly has grown its customer base in the UK and Spain. The startup prides itself on its AI-powered proprietary technology and the ease of implementation of its solutions, leading to significant reduction in time to market. www.driverly.ai/
Creating empowering experiences through Agentic AI. PeppercornAI is helping insurers safely adopt Agentic AI in one of the world’s most highly regulated industries. Its specialist insurance AI platform, Pipr, goes beyond chatbots to autonomously carry out complex insurance tasks - from buying a policy to servicing changes and handling enquiries, with humans stepping in only when needed.
Built by insurance experts, Pipr is designed to deliver measurable cost reduction, highly personalised customer experiences and deeper behavioural insight, while ensuring consistent regulatory compliance. With deep insurance domain expertise embedded into the technology, PeppercornAI enables insurers to move from AI experimentation to trusted, real-world deployment at scale. www.peppercornai.com
Properties are as individual as the people who live in them. Planna builds a uniquely detailed understanding of every home using patent-pending technology that delivers highly accurate, property-level data. Insurers can use this data at quote, throughout the policy lifecycle, and at the point of claim.
Our approach recognises that properties evolve over time - shaped by how they’re built, maintained, and used. By making this intelligence available across the insurance lifecycle and reducing reliance on customerdeclared information, Planna gives insurers a deeper, more dynamic view of risk. The result: more confident underwriting, fairer pricing, and better-informed claims decisions.
www.planna.ai
BY LAURA THOMSON CO-FOUNDER, GOPHER ZERO
Many small businesses see sustainability as meaning higher costs and tighter procurement rules. But tackling sustainability can also be a commercial benefit.
• Many buyers now expect evidence of environmental action, even from small suppliers. Creating a Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP) is fairly simple and could help you stay competitive.
• Remember, it’s better to show credible action than make glossy claims.
• Working with local suppliers not only reduces transport emissions (a tick for your CRP) but means fewer points of failure and potentially faster recovery when disruption does occur.
• Check your flood risk with Natural Resources Wales and make sure you are insured for flood disruption.
• Create an emergency plan with clear procedures and emergency contact info.
• Check for missing actions using our free climate resilience checklist which you can download from www.gopherzero.co.uk, to make sure you’re ready when extreme weather strikes.
• Start with the basics: a smart meter provides excellent data to track progress, and LED lighting and timers usually have a quick payback.
• Get your staff involved. Whether that’s switching off lights and equipment, reporting draughts or noticing opportunities to cut waste. Experts agree that changing behaviours has the potential to cut bills by 20%.
Small sustainability steps taken now can save money, win work and keep your business running smoothly.
Gopher Zero supports small businesses to create a Carbon Reduction Plan online starting from £299+VAT and offers climate resilience building for businesses, local authorities and supply chains. For more information go to www.gopherzero.co.uk
Llys Cyncoed care home
Open Weekend and talks taking place
Saturday 21st March at 11am and Sunday 22nd March at 3pm
Llys Herbert care home
Wednesday 25th March, 2pm -4pm
Join us as we explore how to communicate more effectively with people living with dementia. Together, we’ll learn simple, practical ways to stay connectedhelping to build understanding, ease frustration, and create more meaningful moments in everyday life.
You’ll also be able to pick up a free copy of our new guide, full of practical tips to help you communicate more easily and confidently with your loved ones.
Trusted to care
Our care homes in Cardiff
Llys Cyncoed, Cyncoed
Llys Herbert, Lisvane
To attend please call 0330 822 1522
As working patterns continue to evolve, so do the responsibilities that many of us juggle outside the office. While flexible working initially focused on child-care needs, a new generation of workers are facing equally demanding roles as carers for ageing parents or ill loved ones. For many, navigating employment while supporting family members can feel overwhelming, fragmented and unsupported - a reality that impacts wellbeing, productivity and long-term life choices.
Welsh tech platform Carers Cloud is helping businesses with well-being risk by identifying employees with caring responsibilities, and supporting them to plan and work through their caring journey. Built around the real-world experiences of carers, the platform provides practical guidance, support tools and access to community knowledge that help individuals balance work and care responsibilities more sustainably.
BY IRENE WATKINS, FOUNDER CARERS CLOUD
Rather than treating care as an add-on, Carers Cloud recognises that for millions it’s a central part of daily life - one that intersects with employment, finances and personal wellbeing.
As workplace cultures adjust and flexible working becomes more than a perk, understanding and supporting caring roles is becoming a critical priority for employers and employees alike. By providing accessible resources and a community-driven approach, Carers Cloud reflects a broader shift in Welsh tech that has responded to the ever-changing work/life juggles and helps people navigate it with confidence and dignity.
www.carerscloud.com
Dental Lounge is a premium dental clinic redefining the patient experience in Cardiff. Set within a calm, contemporary space, the clinic is known for exceptional cosmetic dentistry, meticulous hygiene care, and trusted emergency treatments.
The highly skilled and welcoming team take a personalised approach to every patient, combining advanced dental technology with an unwavering attention to detail. From routine check-ups to complete smile transformations, each treatment is carefully tailored to support outstanding oral health and naturally beautiful results.
Welcoming new patients from Cardiff, and surrounding areas, Dental Lounge is offering exclusive introductory offers to its services, for a limited time.
98 Cardiff Rd, Llandaff, Cardiff, CF5 2DT 02922 973 717
A comprehensive dental assessment, including a full examination of the teeth, gums, bite, and soft tissues. Advanced digital imaging may be used to identify concerns not visible to the naked eye. Each appointment concludes with a personalised treatment plan - and includes a complimentary smile simulation, allowing patients to visualise potential results from treatments such as Invisalign or composite bonding in just minutes.
£69
Expert hygiene care focused on gum health, freshness, and refined, long-lasting results.
A signature treatment combining professional hygiene with advanced stain removal for a visibly brighter, polished smile.
At Dental Lounge, dentistry is unhurried, considered, and discreet - where clinical excellence meets luxury, and every smile is treated as unique.
Experience premium dental care, beautifully delivered.
Based in Chepstow, South Wales, Creo Medical is at the forefront of a quiet healthcare revolution. The company is developing and delivering cutting-edge technology that is changing how cancer and precancerous conditions are treated, reducing the need for major surgery and dramatically improving patient recovery.
Creo specialises in minimally invasive endoscopy and advanced energy technologies designed to treat cancer and pre-cancerous lesions. Its proprietary CROMA™ Advanced Energy platform uniquely combines bipolar radiofrequency and microwave energy, enabling clinicians to perform complex procedures that were previously only possible through open surgery. This innovation has already helped more than 4,000 patients worldwide, offering safer procedures, fewer complications, and faster discharge from hospital.
One of Creo’s most impactful innovations is its Speedboat™ technology, which allows doctors to precisely remove lesions from the gastrointestinal tract without removing sections of bowel. Traditionally, patients with large or complex lesions would face major surgery, often followed by long hospital stays and extended recovery. Speedboat changes that pathway entirely.
The human impact of this technology is illustrated by the experience of Liz Thomas, a retired headteacher from near Chepstow. After a scan revealed a large pre-cancerous lesion in her colon, Liz was advised that she might need a full bowel resection. Instead, she underwent a Speedboat procedure, which removed the lesion in one piece without invasive surgery. She experienced no significant pain and returned to normal life – baking a cake for her grandson’s birthday partywithin days. The lesion was confirmed as pre-cancerous and successfully treated before it could develop into cancer.
While Liz initially accessed the procedure privately, her story reflects a wider shift now happening in Wales. Since then, Speedboat technology has been adopted locally, with Aneurin Bevan Health Board becoming the first in Wales to pilot the service, bringing world-class cancer care closer to home for Welsh patients.
Beyond gastrointestinal care, Creo is also advancing cancer treatment in organs such as the lung, liver, pancreas, and kidney through its MicroBlate™ microwave ablation technology. In collaboration with Intuitive, the global leader in robotic-assisted surgery, Creo has also enabled the world’s first robotic-guided lung ablation. From its base in Wales, Creo Medical is proving that global healthcare innovation doesn’t have to come from global giants.
By combining advanced technology with patientcentred care, the company is helping redefine how cancer is treated - less invasively, more effectively, and closer to home.
Residents of Wood Street House demonstrate a deep commitment to social responsibility through various charitable initiatives across Cardiff and beyond.
Through a partnership with St David’s Shopping Centre, residents supported a toy donation drive in aid of the Salvation Army, helping to provide gifts for disadvantaged children during the festive period.
This initiative not only brought joy to children less fortunate but also strengthened collaboration between fellow Cardiffians, businesses, and charitable organisations within the city. Residents also worked closely with FoodForEveryoneUK to help distribute food to people experiencing homelessness in Cardiff. By preparing and distributing meals from our private dining room, residents played a direct role in helping the most vulnerable while promoting compassion, dignity, and inclusion within the local community.
In addition, residents participated in charity static bikerides, raising funds and awareness for national charities including Comic Relief and Children in Need. The challenge involved collectively cycling the equivalent distance from Cardiff to Brighton and Manchester, encouraging teamwork, perseverance, and shared purpose while supporting causes that benefit individuals and families across the UK.
Together, these initiatives highlight the positive social impact of Wood Street House residents, reflecting a strong sense of community spirit and a commitment to making a meaningful difference both nationally and locally in Cardiff.
Our community turns individual good intentions into collective impact.
Harriet Rees is Chief Information
Offi cer at Starling, a bank on a mission to help customers become good with money. Starling believes that AI-powered banking tools are key to this, and Harriet has led the bank to introduce a number of tools that are fi rsts for the industry.
Harriet puts this expertise to good use in her role as Co-Chair of The Bank of England’s AI Task force, where she’s shaping the future of AI in banking. We caught up with Harriet to learn more about AI-powered money management.
Absolutely! Much like Chat GPT and Google Gemini have transformed how we search online, AI is starting to infl uence how we manage our money, too.
Whether it’s across banking apps, generative AI platforms, or simply in a spreadsheet, AI can respond to prompts, expressed in our everyday human language, and then crunch fi nancial data at pace before giving instant answers. We’re already seeing AI tools that help people to budget better, understand their unique spending habits, and protect themselves from scams.
We launched a number of AI tools last year to help our customers supercharge their money management.
Spending Intelligence, for example, lets our customers ask questions about their spending habits such as ‘How much did I spend on DIY last year?’ or ‘How much did I spend on groceries last week?’, before receiving an instant answer. It makes it easier than ever for our customers to truly understand their spending patterns so they can make budget adjustments if needed.
Our Scam Intelligence tool detects the warning signs of scams in online marketplace ads. Customers upload an image of a listing, from Facebook Marketplace for example, and Starling’s app will fl ag the signs in seconds, whether a price is too good to be true or the seller is using pressure tactics. It detects scams in the moment, but it also educates people on the warning signs so they can better spot scams themselves.
These are just a few examples of what we’re up to, but all of our AI tools have the same goal - to empower our customers with the knowledge they need to make more informed decisions about their fi nances. Starling Bank
The truth is, you’ve been interacting with AI in your everyday life long before this point, whether it’s on social media platforms, your online grocery shop or behind the scenes in your banking app.
The opportunities for AI are endless and, particularly in banking, we’ve only touched the surface of what can be achieved. 2026 will be a big year for the wider adoption of this technology across banks and their customers.
Excitement is building for AI Agents, which can carry out actions on your behalf. In banking, you could ask an agent to do simple things like set up recurring payments or analyse your monthly spend, or more complex tasks such as creating a personalised budget for you, or purchasing items that you’ve had your eye on online as soon as they hit the sales. Watch this space!
www.starlingbank.com
For more than forty years, Giovanni’s has stood as one of Cardiff ’s most enduring cultural meeting places. As the longestestablished independent familyrun Italian restaurant in Wales, it has become synonymous not only with hospitality, but with creativity, community and philanthropy.
Founded by Giovanni Malacrino, whose contribution to the city ranges from pioneering Cardiff ’s Café Quarter to preserving the turf of the former Arms Park, Giovanni’s has long supported projects that celebrate Welsh identity and ambition.
Over the years, Giovanni’s has welcomed royalty and countless international celebrities through its doors, establishing itself as an ambassador for Wales on the world stage. Through frequent television appearances and high-profi le events, Giovanni Malacrino has consistently sought to place Cardiff fi rmly on the cultural map, believing that food, storytelling and shared experiences can promote both the city and the nation. Outside the restaurant, striking tenfoot dragon sculptures stand as a tribute to Wales and to the Malacrino family’s journey from
Italy in search of opportunity, refl ecting a story of migration, resilience and belonging.
That spirit was evident recently when Giovanni’s Restaurant in Cardiff Bay hosted the preproduction launch of Iniquity, the debut feature fi lm from emerging Welsh production company Calon Films. The evening brought together fi gures from South Wales’ creative and business communities to mark the beginning of a project rooted in national history and
contemporary relevance. More than a conventional fi lm launch, the gathering refl ected the values Giovanni’s has embodied for decades: a place where ideas are exchanged, partnerships are formed and local talent is encouraged. A supporter of the fi lm from its earliest stages,
Giovanni Malacrino welcomed Calon Films into his venue, continuing a long tradition of opening his doors to ventures that seek to give voice to Welsh stories.
Iniquity recounts the story of Dic Penderyn, the innocent man executed following the Merthyr Rising of 1831. Regarded as one of the most signifi cant untold episodes in Welsh history, the fi lm examines themes of injustice, resistance and working-class dignity, while aiming to bring a distinctly Welsh narrative to an international audience.
and thoughtful enthusiasm. Guests including singer and broadcaster Charlotte Church and former Welsh international rugby player Scott Quinnell attended in support of the production, alongside Calon Films directors Hannah Fitt and Dean Lawrence.
Founding director and writer
Stuart Broad expressed his gratitude to production partner Sterling Pictures, led by Mike Riley, as well as director Chris Crow, Alan Barham of Chemical Corp, and Wayne Derrick and Amy Cuff of Inspire TV. He also acknowledged the support of executive producers Brian Jones and Professor Sir Christopher Evans, together with a private investor whose backing has been instrumental in advancing the project.
initiatives rooted in his “Making
A Diff erence” ethos, Giovanni has for many years provided meals for the homeless, established a therapeutic mini-farm for children with autism and Down syndrome, raised funds for local charities, and supported emerging artists and fi lmmakers by off ering his venues as platforms for their work. His restaurants have become spaces where culture and social purpose intersect.
As the evening drew to a close, it underscored South Wales’ growing confi dence as a centre for creative production. Iniquity represents another step in that evolution, and its journey began in surroundings that have long nurtured conversation, collaboration and civic pride.
It was therefore fi tting that the fi rst chapter of Iniquity should be marked at Giovanni’s, a restaurant whose legacy is defi ned not only by cuisine and longevity, but by its sustained belief in people, heritage and the future of Welsh storytelling.
The Hayes: 029 2022 0077
onthehayes@giovanniscardiff.co.uk
Park Place: 029 2022 6299 inparkplace@giovanniscardiff.co.uk
The Bay: 029 2049 5480
inthebay@giovanniscardiff.co.uk
www.giovanniscardiff.co.uk
The atmosphere throughout the evening was one of anticipation
Giovanni’s involvement in Iniquity refl ects a broader commitment to the city beyond the hospitality sector. Through
BY NEIL WILLIAMS, CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, CREDAS
Repeat compliance checks are one of the property sector’s most persistent challenges. Each transaction in the home-buying journey is estimated to require an average of 5.4 checks, creating needless drag. But they’re far from the only challenge.
AI-enabled fraud represents an ever-increasing threat: 62% of homeowners now worry about AI-driven identity theft. Deepfakes are enabling bad actors to impersonate identities with increasing sophistication, emboldening the need for digital identity verification (IDV) tools that can authenticate IDs and enhance security. Firms must incorporate robust liveness and document integrity checks that can adapt as fast as the threats. Then, there’s increasing regulatory scrutiny that demands higher auditability and demonstrable AML controls from firms.
All of this has created a need for a secure, reusable and portable way of completing the IDV process. That’s why we’ve developed an industry-first digital Compliance Wallet. The wallet places fullyverified identity and compliance credentials directly into the hands of consumers and acts as a reusable compliance solution across the sector.
Consumers only need to upload and verify their identity in the wallet once. And uniquely, not only does the wallet hold the verified identity, but it also builds a complete compliance profile, encompassing elements like age verification, address validation, and real-time AML screening. These details can be instantly shared with everyone involved in a transaction, and consumers can carry the wallet on their phones, selectively sharing any elements needed for a specific transaction.
The arrival of digital wallets in the property sector will radically transform the speed of transactions while simultaneously reducing duplicated eff ort. It will tackle growing AI-enabled fraud risks. And, above all, it will establish a new benchmark for trust, transparency and interoperability across the sector.
Our Wallet recently completed its fi rst live transaction in partnership with DezrezLegal, one of the UK’s leading residential property conveyancers. This is a real
milestone in building the next era of property compliance.
Driven by digital services in other areas of life, consumers now expect verifi cation processes to be seamless, near-instant and mobilefi rst. By the end of 2026, we expect reusable digital identities to become the default expectation for property transactions. They won’t be mandatory, but highly preferred by consumers and property fi rms alike.
The companies that take to digital wallets early will unlock quicker purchases, less fraud risk and a seamless compliance process that matches expectations. The wallet era has offi cially begun.
Established in 2016, Credas helps businesses quickly and securely capture and verify due diligence on their customers through remote identity verifi cation technology. Based in Cardiff , the company is a leading provider of compliance and onboarding software for legal, property, and business professionals, verifying over four million individuals a year.
Credas was the fi rst Identity Service Provider to be certifi ed to a ‘very high’ level of confi dence under the UK Government Trust Framework. credas.com
Having savings behind you doesn’t just help you be ready for those unexpected costs that always seem to crop up at the worst time, but to achieve bigger life goals down the road.
For simplicity’s sake, you may be tempted to rely solely on your savings account. While it makes sense to keep your emergency fund (to cover things like urgent repairs and a loss of income) in an easy access account, savings towards longer-term goals could be given more potential if invested - such as through a Wealthify Stocks and Shares ISA.
By longer-term savings, this could mean those earmarked for buying a new home, funding retirement, or giving your child a hand with university costs. Essentially, money you won’t need for at least five years.
And with interest rates falling last year, investing could offer the potential for higher gains than a savings account, though performance can vary and returns aren’t guaranteed.
Although many are put off investing because they don’t know where to start, there are providers, like Wealthify, whose experts do everything for you. From choosing what you invest in based on your appetite for risk, to monitoring the markets and adjusting your investments accordingly, they make investing simple.
• Have clear, achievable goals so you know what you’re working towards.
• Pay yourself first by setting up monthly payments into your savings / investment accounts.
• When you’re on track with your emergency savings, consider investing for long-term goals. If you don’t know where to start, Wealthify can do this for you.
• Track your spending to see where you could make additional savings.
• Compare providers and review subscriptions to ensure you’re not wasting money.
• Have a clear out and pop the money you make from selling unwanted items into savings or investments.
• Commit to at least one no-spend day per week to reduce unnecessary spending.
Balancing short-term savings and long-term investments may help you to weather today’s challenges, while working towards your future ambitions.
Learn more about Wealthify’s savings and investment accounts at www.wealthify.com.
This article was written by Wealthify. With investing, your capital is at risk, and you could get back less than you put in. Tax treatments depend on individual circumstances and could change. Wealthify is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
The FinTech Wales Foundry is FinTech Wales’ award-winning, no-equity accelerator programme. Through world-class mentorship, practical support and deep ecosystem connections, the Foundry helps startups from Wales and around the world to incubate, accelerate and scale.
The 2025 cohort has exemplifi ed what the programme is about: thoughtful innovation, openness to challenge and a genuine commitment to solving real problems.
Over the last six months, these founders have refi ned their propositions, strengthened their leadership and built meaningful momentum across fi ntech and beyond.
We’re proud to showcase the FinTech Wales Foundry Class of 2025 - sharing what they’ve gained from the programme and what they’re focused on next. Together, they refl ect the diversity, creativity and ambition that continues to defi ne the Welsh fi ntech ecosystem.
banxlocal.uk is creating the UK’s first independent, multi-bank, multi-service distribution model. Allowing access to multiple banks and services from any one branch location.
What’s the biggest lesson or advantage you gained from the FinTech Wales Foundry?
“Being around like-minded entrepreneurs with the support and enthusiasm of the team at FinTech Wales. The Foundry helped to define our mission and open up a network of talented and skilled mentors from the wider ecosystem in both fintech and other supporting sectors.”
Looking Ahead: What’s your focus, or what are you most excited about for the next 12 months?
“Our goal now is to open our first proof of concept branch in a location TBC. This follows a career of nearly 30 years in retail banking and financial services, and seeing first-hand the impact of branch closures in local communities throughout the UK. We now have the opportunity to close the gap in financial and digital exclusion.”
From data chaos to clarity: Capitawise streamlines financial operations with secure, intelligent workflows that ensure accurate, efficient management of critical financial data.
Key Takeaways:
“FinTech Wales’ accelerator programme has given Capitawise invaluable exposure, with one of the biggest advantages being access to a powerful network of experts and mentorship. Through sessions on marketing, finance, funding, organisational management, and recruitment, the Foundry provided a solid real-world foundation that strengthened our strategy and gave a significant boost to our growth.”
Looking Ahead:
“Capitawise is excited to introduce a new category of platform to the finance world. Over the next 12 months, we aim to drive revolutionary growth as we challenge the status quo and deliver an innovative, powerful product that redefines how businesses manage their financial operations.”
Cavefish builds Welsh-born emotional intelligence technology that helps financial services and marketing teams understand behaviour, detect vulnerability, and communicate more responsibly.
Key Takeaways:
“The Foundry was genuinely game-changing. It helped us refine a Consumer Duty-led proposition and sharpen our pitch around real fintech problems like vulnerability detection in customer calls. “It forced clarity, confidence, and commercial focus,” and the support from the Foundry team has been exceptional.”
Looking Ahead:
“Our focus is scaling from Wales to global markets. “Consumer Duty isn’t a tick-box exercise - it’s a design challenge,” and “trust will be the most valuable currency in financial services.” We’re building technology that helps brands earn it.”
Chest is the pension for Millennials & Gen Z, helping them save with cashback, auto-savings and gamified tools.
Key Takeaways:
“The biggest lesson was learning how to adapt the same core story for different audiences. Each month we were given a scenario to pitch to a different person - an angel investor, fund, journalist and commercial partner. The core message stays the same, but tone and language matter far more than I realised.”
Looking Ahead:
“We’ve just received FCA permissions and are entering beta testing, with a full launch to follow. The focus now is real users, real behaviour and real feedback. Seeing Chest quietly help people build their pensions without changing how they spend is what excites us most.”
CloudBank.Digital is a cloud-native core banking platform enabling regulated fintechs, EMIs, and PIs to launch compliant, scalable financial products across the UK and EU.
Key Takeaways:
“The Foundry helped me validate our role within the UK fintech ecosystem, sharpen our go-to-market strategy, and build strategic relationships - including with Mastercard and regulatorsstrengthening our position as a trusted infrastructure partner for regulated financial institutions.”
Looking Ahead:
“Over the next 12 months, we are focused on scaling CloudBank. Digital across the UK and EU, expanding into crypto compliance infrastructure, and forming strategic partnerships with banks, investors, and accelerators to support responsible growth in regulated fintech. Our roadmap prioritises real-time risk controls, modular KYC capabilities, and deeper integration with the UK’s digital finance ecosystem.”
COLFI enables instant asset transfer, either cash or securities, eliminating 2-3 day settlement delays that trap billions in idle capital.
Key Takeaways:
“The Foundry taught us how to structure a compelling fundraiser and position ourselves for investment readiness. We learned to build a focused MVP that demonstrates core value without over-engineering, enabling us to efficiently validate our settlement infrastructure with real financial institutions.”
Looking Ahead:
“Our main focus for the next 12 months will be closing our £800,000 seed round to fund regulatory authorisation. Submitting FCA Regulatory Sandbox application in March 2026, targeting full authorisation by Q4 2026 and building a team and onboarding tier-2 banks and asset managers to reach £1Million ARR.”
Humoni helps international students and newcomers complete the hardest parts of settling into the UK by removing trust barriers that cause housing and early onboarding breaks.
Key Takeaways:
“The Foundry pushed us to stop talking about problems in the abstract and instead design around the moments where trust breaks, settlement stalls and people get stuck. That shift changed how we build, partner, and measure progress.”
Looking Ahead:
“We are running live pilots in Wales, tightening the settlement workflow with partners, and turning successful completion into something repeatable before scaling to other UK student corridors.”
Simplifyer turns receipts into structured, actionable data, helping consumers gain financial clarity while powering smarter insights for businesses and financial institutions.
Key Takeaways:
“Clarity and credibility. The programme helped us make hard but necessary structural decisions, refine our growth strategy, and understand the compounding effect of execution. Thanks to the credibility gained through Foundry, we entered other international programmes, secured partnerships, and, as a Portuguese startup, decided to move our business to Wales to scale in the UK.”
Looking Ahead:
“We are now scaling Simplifyer in the UK with Wales as our base, fundraising, strengthening partnerships, and growing traction. We’re targeting one million users, with four pilot projects launching across Europe in the next three months. I’m especially excited about building the company long-term within the FinTech Wales ecosystem and contributing back as we grow.”
Zugo is a white-labelled UK wealth technology platform that integrates into advice businesses, using AI-driven, targeted journeys to widen mass-market access to financial advice.
Key Takeaways:
“The Foundry delivered exceptional mentorship, a highly engaging and knowledgeable programme director, and a genuinely supportive cohort. The quality of challenge and shared experience significantly accelerated strategic clarity and execution.”
Looking Ahead:
“Our focus is on expanding product capability, including more sophisticated advice journeys, deeper integrations, and enhanced automation, while scaling adoption across UK wealth and advice firms.”
What stands out most about this cohort is not just what they’re building, but how they’re building it - with purpose, resilience and a clear sense of responsibility to customers and communities. As these companies move into their next phase, we’re excited to see how their priorities over the next 12 months translate into growth, impact and long-term value. Find out more about FinTech Wales’ Foundry at fintechwales.org
BY AMMAR AKHTAR, FOUNDER & CEO, FINAL RENTALS
Final Rentals, an international car rental business, moved its operations from Poland to Cardiff, and here’s why.
For a long time, the UK tech narrative has been heavily centred on a handful of cities. But my journey building Final Rentals has taught me that great companies aren’t built by postcodes, they’re built by people, culture, and clarity of purpose. That’s why choosing Cardiff was not a compromise for us. It was a strategic decision.
Building Final Rentals in Cardiff has given us something invaluable: focus. The city allows founders to work without distraction, to build with intention, and to grow with discipline. There’s space here to think long-term, to experiment responsibly, and to stay close to the fundamentals that actually matter - the customers, product, and people.
The talent in Cardiff consistently exceeds expectations. Welsh universities produce exceptional engineers, commercial thinkers, and creative problem-solvers. More importantly, the people here bring a sense of ownership and commitment that’s hard to replicate elsewhere. At Final Rentals, we’ve built teams who think globally but operate with care, accountability, and pride in what they’re building.
Cardiff’s cost-effective environment is another quiet strength. Lower operating costs don’t just help balance spreadsheets, but they shape better businesses. They encourage thoughtful hiring, sustainable growth, and smarter allocation of capital. For us, that meant investing more into technology, partnerships, and international expansion rather than overheads.
And while Cardiff off ers calm and clarity, it’s by no means isolated. From here, we’ve built a global platform, formed international partnerships, and expanded across multiple regions. The city’s connectivity, combined with a global mindset, ensures ambition is never limited by geography.
Final Rentals’ journey shows what’s possible when a company grows in an environment designed for sustainable ambition. Cardiff doesn’t need to be louder to be relevant. It simply needs to keep doing what it does best, and that is nurturing talent, backing founders, and enabling companies to scale with purpose.
For us, Cardiff hasn’t just been where we built Final Rentals. It’s been one of the reasons we’ve been able to build it well.
Moving Final Rentals to Cardiff was a Neil Armstrong moment. A small step but a giant leap. Building tech? Build it in Cardiff .
What truly stands out is Cardiff ’s collaborative ecosystem. Founders, mentors, accelerators, and institutions here are generous with time and support. Conversations are honest. Advice is practical. Progress feels shared. That sense of community has played a meaningful role in Final Rentals’ growth and resilience.
BY EMMA WILLIAMS, CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER, SERO
With winter here and energy bills rising, improving your home’s energy efficiency has never mattered more. Rightmove’s 2025 Greener Homes Report shows that 84% of people are motivated by lower bills, which is no surprise when EPC A-rated homes cost around £571 a year to run, compared to £6,367 for EPC G-rated homes.
At Sero, our mission is to make net-zero homes simple and affordable. That’s why we take a “Fabric Fifth” approach, prioritising renewable technologies such as solar panels, batteries and heat pumps alongside basic insulation, before expensive upgrades. Some homes do need insulation, but starting with loft and cavity wall insulation (where safe) is often more cost-effective and less disruptive than external wall solutions.
Solar panels paired with a battery are a strong starting point, especially as costs fall and flexible tariffs improve payback times. Our top tip is to get advice on setting up your battery to take advantage of smart tariffs and maximise savings.
Add a heat pump and the benefits grow further. While they’re often thought to suit only highly insulated
homes, modern heat pumps perform efficiently when combined with smart tariffs and off-peak rates. Hightemperature models can even work with existing radiators, reducing cost and disruption. Although heat pumps cost more upfront than gas boilers, falling installation prices, government grants of up to £7,500 and interest-free finance (see Nest for details) make them more accessible than many expect.
Replacing old windows with high-quality, well-fitted, high-performance alternatives is another effective upgrade when the time is right.
Finally, don’t forget ventilation. Good airflow is essential for preventing damp and mould and maintaining healthy indoor air, so ensure a proper ventilation strategy is included, such as extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms.
Energy efficiency isn’t just about saving money; it’s about creating a healthier, more comfortable home. Start small, think smart, and you’ll feel the benefits for years to come. Improving your home’s energy performance could increase its value by up to 15%, while lower bills may boost mortgage affordability too.
Quick, Low-Cost Energy Efficiency Wins
• Switch to LED bulbs to cut energy use by up to 90%
• Seal draughts around doors, windows and loft hatches
• Retain heat by insulating hot water tanks, lagging pipes and using radiator reflector panels
• Choose energy-efficient appliances when replacing white goods
• Rearrange furniture to keep radiators clear and use thick curtains
• Install a smart thermostat to heat your home more efficiently and cut energy costs.
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BY LUCY BULLEY, PROGRAMME DIRECTOR, FINTECH WALES FOUNDRY
“ Shiny software will not fix unclear ownership or broken workflows.
One of the most valuable shifts I see founders make is when they stop building for now and start working backwards from where they want the business to be.
In practice, that means being hyper aware of who and what you’ll need to reach your goals. I love having three organisation charts at all times: one for now, one for 12 months’ time and one for two years out. Not because you are planning to hire all of those roles imminently, but because it forces clarity on what actually needs to exist for the business to scale safely.
For the roles you’re looking for in the next 12 months, I encourage founders to try a simple test. Can you write a clear job description and define three meaningful KPIs? If you cannot, there is not yet a job to hire for. There may be work to do, but that does not always mean a new role. This discipline alone saves founders from premature hires, overlapping responsibilities and expensive people problems later.
The same principle applies to processes. Early stage businesses often swing between chaos and over engineering. Neither scales. Start with the simplest possible process that works today, document it lightly and revisit it regularly as you learn more. Processes should evolve with the business, not slow it down.
When it comes to systems, spend money only on tools that will grow with you. Choose platforms that can scale in functionality over time and keep what you use proportionate to the size and complexity of your business.
Finally, remember that you are human. Founders naturally lean towards what they enjoy and what they are good at. Be honest with yourself and with your team about where your strengths and limitations lie. The strongest founders are not the ones who can do everything, but the ones who design a business that does not rely on them to.
See how Lucy can support your startup or scaling business at www.lucybulley.com
Wales has long been recognised for its industrial heritage and creative talent. Today, it is quietly earning a new reputation as a place where worldclass technology is being built. One of the companies helping to put Wales on the global map is Burbank, a technology business headquartered in Usk that is rethinking how people pay online.
For many years, online shopping has relied on a compromise. Typing card details into a website is fast and convenient, but it does not always feel safe. Businesses take on the risk of fraud, while customers are expected to trust security systems they cannot see or fully understand. As online shopping has grown, so too have problems such as fraud, failed payments, unnecessary security checks and shoppers abandoning their baskets at the fi nal moment.
Burbank’s approach is based on a simple idea: paying online should feel just as safe and familiar as paying in a shop. Instead of entering card numbers into a browser, customers using Burbank’s technology complete online payments by tapping their card and entering their PIN on their own mobile device, just as they would at a physical till. The customer remains in control throughout the process, and their card details are never shared with the website they are buying from. Because the experience mirrors something people have done for decades, it feels natural and reassuring.
That sense of familiarity matters. When people feel confi dent, they complete purchases. When they do not, they hesitate or walk away. By making online payments feel more like paying in person, Burbank removes one of the biggest sources of doubt in digital shopping.
The benefi ts extend to businesses as well. Lower fraud, fewer disputed payments, more completed sales and a smoother checkout experience all follow when customers feel confi dent paying.
This Welsh-built innovation moved from concept to global reality last year. In March 2025, Burbank hosted its global launch in South Wales. The event marked the fi rst ever live transaction using the technology and brought together senior executives and organisations from 22 countries. The launch was broadcast live by the BBC, placing Wales at the centre of a global milestone for online payments.
What makes this story particularly signifi cant is where it began. The technology was designed, built and launched in Wales, demonstrating that globally important innovation does not have to come from Silicon Valley or London.
To fi nd out more about Burbank, visit www.burbankdev.co.uk
As work and life become faster, louder and more demanding, many people are beginning to rethink what sustainable success really looks like. Increasingly, the focus is shifting from simply doing more to thinking more clearly, responding more thoughtfully and protecting long-term wellbeing. This is where Welsh wellbeing platform Samten is focusing its attention.
Rather than positioning wellbeing as a luxury, Samten is built around the idea that mindfulness can be learned as a practical, everyday skill. Mindfulness is often misunderstood as switching off, when in reality it’s about learning to notice thoughts, emotions and reactions with greater awareness. Practised consistently, it can help lower anxiety, improve sleep, strengthen emotional resilience and encourage clearer, more creative thinking.
Samten’s approach is structured but accessible, using guided practices led by world-renowned teacher Gelong Thubten, teaching you through a 30-day journey. It takes individuals through practices working
BY SIMON DELVE, CEO, SAMTEN
with anxiety, depression, grief and sleep, helping to find inner calm. For businesses, this kind of support goes beyond individual wellbeing. Mindfulness can contribute to healthier workplace cultures by reducing stress-related absence, improving focus and helping teams navigate pressure with greater clarity.
For individuals, mindfulness offers a practical counterbalance to constant demands, whether at work, at home or on the move. By making these practices accessible through technology, Samten reflects a broader shift in Welsh tech: innovation that supports people not just to work better, but to live better too.
www.mysamten.com
BY EAMON TUHAMI, FOUNDER OF X8IQ.COM
As a founder who’s built and exited businesses, every conversation I have with potential entrepreneurs follow the same pattern. Brilliant idea, solid market insight, then the inevitable question: “How do I raise investment?” They assume funding comes first, building second. I understand why - historically in Wales, we’ve been underserved from an investment perspective. While things are changing for the good, raising capital remains challenging.
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We’re standing at the edge of a transformation. The data tells the story: solo-led exits now account for 52.3% of successful startup exits, while solo-founded businesses have surged from 22% in 2015 to 38% in 2024. AI startups are reaching one million pounds ARR four months faster than traditional SaaS companies. We’re approaching an era where oneperson unicorns aren’t fantasy - they’re inevitable.
The question isn’t whether you can build something. It’s whether you can test ideas faster, fail quicker, and iterate more rapidly than ever before.
Can you build something within sixty days? Can you monetise it within sixty days after that? Within one hundred and twenty days, you’ve gone from zero to proving market fit. Either it’s able to be monetised at a low level - creating excellent side income - or it scales dramatically, potentially becoming your next business. If it fails, you’ve invested weeks, not years.
The tools exist today. Lovable lets you build applications through conversation. Replit enables coding without setup. Gemini Studio processes complex workflows. ChatGPT GPTs and Claude projects can automate almost anything. These aren’t just business tools, or even worse, fun image generation toys - they’re efficiency multipliers for all of us and launchpads for new ventures.
The solopreneur economy is already worth 1.7 trillion dollars globally. MVPs now launch for as little as two hundred pounds instead of two hundred thousand.
Here’s my challenge to Cardiff’s brilliant minds: don’t just chat with AI tools - build with them. Whether it’s something simple that helps your daily life, improves your work efficiency, or becomes your next spin-up idea, start playing with these tools. They’re not just reshaping business - they’re dramatically reshaping the future we’re all going to live in.
In January, I wrote about recalibration - that unsettled stretch of time when the year has begun, but something in us hasn’t quite caught up. The responses were thoughtful and revealing, but one question appeared more than any other:
How do I feel more confident?
Not louder confidence. Not the kind required in meetings, social settings, or carefully curated online lives. But the quieter kind - the confidence that steadies your choices, supports your relationships, and stays with you when no one is watching.
It’s not surprising this question arises now. February has a way of stripping back January’s optimism. The rush of fresh starts fades, routines return, and what remains is real life - unfiltered and ongoing. Most of us were raised on a specific idea of confidence: that it is something to project. Something to perform.
“Fake it till you make it” became shorthand for courage - a way to step forward before certainty
arrived, to keep going when selfdoubt lingered. And for a while, it worked. It opened doors. It stretched our sense of what was possible. It helped many of us become women we once only imagined we could be.
But the world in which that advice was born no longer exists. We now live inside constant visibility. Confidence isn’t merely admired; it is expected. We are watched, evaluated, and interpreted more than ever before. Even vulnerability risks becoming another form of performance. In this landscape, “fake it till you make it” no longer builds confidence. It depletes it.
When confidence becomes something you must maintain, it turns into labour. You perform assurance not once, but daily - often without space to be uncertain, contradictory, or unfinished. Gradually, the performance replaces self-trust. You become skilled at appearing steady, while feeling increasingly unmoored.
This is why modern burnout so often hides in plain sight. It looks like capable women who are articulate, productive, and outwardly successful - yet privately disconnected from themselves. They are not failing. They are exhausted from carrying an identity that no longer fits.
The confidence culture many of us inherited teaches us how to speak, but not how to listen inwardly. How to craft an image, but not how to inhabit it.
Authenticity, then, is not about confession or retreating from ambition. It is about coherence - the quiet relief of no longer living at odds with yourself. This is where confidence as inner authority begins.
Inner authority is subtle. It doesn’t announce itself. It doesn’t seek consensus. It is the capacity to choose without rehearsing your reasoning aloud. To set boundaries without apology. To trust your own pace in a world that is always urging speed. And crucially, it cannot be imitated.
If you’re curious what this might look like in your own life, consider: where am I maintaining an image of confidence that no longer feels true? What might I lose, and gain, if I stopped?
Then try one small experiment this week. Pause before replying. Say no without explanation. Rest without defending the decision.
This quieter, more refined, confidence sits at the heart of The Re/Set Salon - a boutique retreat day for women designed to be as joyful as it is meaningful.
On Friday, March 20th, I’ll be hosting the Confidence Edition in Cardiff, at New House Hotel. We’ll explore confidence not as something to perform, but as something to quietly embody, alongside an expert
stylist leading a workshop on the relationship between personal style and self-belief and a special guest speaker.
Add beautiful food, fun and provocative workshops, thoughtful details, and a room full of warm, interesting women, and it becomes something closer to a modern salon than a workshop: part retreat, part masterclass, part joyfully grown-up day out.
Tickets are available at: www.rhianlindley.com/the-reset-salon
Because in a culture that rewards constant display, the most radical form of confidence may be this: to be settled, coherent, and quietly sure of yourself. I would love to have you join me.
FinTech Wales regularly hosts Founder Meet Ups, bringing together leaders from a wide range of backgrounds, industries, and growth stages. These sessions create a rare, honest space to share the highs, the lows, hardwon lessons, and practical advice that doesn’t always make it
into boardrooms or pitch decks. Described as “therapy” these conversations remind leaders that they’re not alone. Below, a group of respected leaders share their advice for fellow entrepreneurs who might need a moment of reflection, reassurance, or reset.
“Having the confidence to know that perfect is rarely possible and making mistakes is all part of learning. What you take from those failures and lessons is way more important.”
“Stop getting in your own way. Tame imposter syndrome, act despite fear, know your audience, and price your value confidently. Growth lives beyond comfort zones, and no one else will push you there.”
“I wish someone had told me that uncertainty never goes away - you just get better at carrying it. Confidence doesn’t come from knowing the outcome, it comes from trusting your ability to respond. Build systems early, protect your energy, and remember that resilience compounds faster than revenue.”
“Early on, I gave away too much equity. It taught me the importance of self-belief, alignment, and treating equity as long-term strategic capital, not a short-term solution. Don’t underestimate the importance of self-belief and focus, and build a trusted team.”
Neil Cocker, Founder & Investor
“Validation beats vision. Fall in love with problems, not your product, and measure progress by real customer behaviour, not awards, programmes, or vanity metrics.”
“Give first, take later. Value exchange is real if you don’t create value for others early, you’ll struggle to earn it back.”
“Too many founders spend their time focusing on funding, instead of profit. If you build a profitable business, then you may not need funding, or if you do, it is much easier to obtain. Focusing on profit also sets good behaviours within the business, it drives efficiency and is easy to measure.”
Across Cardiff and beyond, thousands of people living in financial hardship face an exhausting reality: being asked to explain their income, debts and personal circumstances again and again to different creditors, utility companies and support organisations, often at moments of extreme stress. The repetition wastes time, increases anxiety and can delay or derail vital help.
The mission is simple but powerful: to support financially vulnerable people by making budgeting easier, more connected and more compassionate. Developed in direct response to the growing fragmentation of financial support systems, the platform allows people to input their income and expenditure, complete an affordability assessment and securely share both with multiple organisations, at a time that works for them.
At the heart of this innovation is IE Hub’s CEO, Dylan Jones, who is leading the mission to build an inclusive platform that works for real people in times of crisis.
The platform means one shared assessment can help users budget better, possibly unlocking access to benefits and social tariffs for thousands who might otherwise have fallen through the cracks.
Over the past year, Dylan has led the most significant technological evolution of IE Hub to date. Machine-learning models now pro-actively identify signs of vulnerability, a built-in
benefits checker automatically highlights missing entitlements and automated referrals connect users directly to trusted support organisations such as YES Energy Solutions and Make Life Better.
Inclusion and accessibility has also been strengthened through integration with Recite Me, offering translation, screen readers and neurodivergent-friendly tools that thousands of users rely on each month.
The results are striking. In the last 12 months alone, IE Hub has identified £26 million in unclaimed benefits. 77% of users discovered financial support they didn’t know they were entitled to, while vulnerability identification rose from 57.5% to 65%, a clear
sign that people feel safer and more understood. IE Hub has also donated hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of IE Hub technology and access to over 40 UK charities, reflecting Dylan’s belief that technology should serve the most vulnerable in society.
Behind the data are real lives.
Jaz, facing £3,000 in unexpected energy debt, discovered an unclaimed Personal Independence Payment through IE Hub, leading to nearly £5,000 in backdated and ongoing support. Caleb, unable to work after a neurological diagnosis, completed one form and shared it with 15 creditors, uncovering £1,793.92 a month in benefits. Sarah, a newly divorced parent earning £1,000 a month,
found eligibility for an extra £550 after discovering IE Hub on social media.
Today, IE Hub - who won the ‘Best Digital Inclusion’ Award at the 2025 Wales Technology Week - is trusted by all four UK Gas Distribution Networks, many major financial institutions, utilities and retail finance providers. It has transformed how financial vulnerability is disclosed, recognised and responded to, turning a fragmented system into one that is cohesive, respectful and human-focused.
If you’re struggling with money, IE Hub can help you budget, find support and share your circumstances securely.
If you’re a business, IE Hub may be able to help improve outcomes for your customers - get in touch. Scan to access IE Hub.
B CORP-CERTIFIED ZERO FINTECH IS RESHAPING HOW WE THINK ABOUT OUR MONEY AND THE PLANET.
With a mission to redefine banking for the generation putting the planet first, Zero, the sustainable alternative to banks which has just been listed in the 2026 Startups 100 Index, the UK’s longest-running index of disruptive new businesses, wants to see money used as a force for the good of the planet. Zero recognises that climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time and as such puts sustainability at the core of everything it does.
Unlike traditional banks that may fund environmentally harmful industries, Zero operates with a clear climate promise: its customers’ money will never be directly used to support fossil-fuel extraction or other damaging activities. This commitment resonates strongly with today’s consumers and businesses, who increasingly want their financial choices to reflect their environmental values.
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Richard Theo
Our vision is a world where money is a force for the good of the planet, and never directly invested in environmentally harmful activities. We’ve proved there’s strong demand for a green alternative in personal nance, and our recent funding rounds will help us expand our reach and impact in the year ahead.
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Richard Theo CEO & Co-Founder
For Cardiff and Wales, Zero represents more than just a fintech success story - it is a local business with a planetary mission. With more than 20,000 app registrations since launch early in 2025, and almost 8,000 active customers, Zero showcases Welsh tech’s ability to lead in innovation that matters. By aligning financial services with sustainability, Zero supports individual efforts to live greener lives and contributes to a broader shift towards a more responsible economy, helping to safeguard our planet’s future.
Zero recently broadened its product offering with the launch of its Planet Safe Saver account, an easy-access savings account available to all customers that currently offers a competitive 3.40% AER. Customers deposited more than £1 million in the first 50 days after launch, proving the appeal of doing good with money while earning a good rate of interest at the same time.
SIGN UP TO ZERO TODAY https://zero.co.uk/
In 2025, Cardiff was recognised as the UK’s top city for business growth, outpacing traditional economic giants like London and Manchester, according to new research from private and commercial bank Arbuthnot Latham.
The Business Growth Index 2025 analysed business density by comparing new company registrations with local population figures, and the result showed that Cardiff leads the way, with one new business registered for every 10 residents - the highest business density in the UK.
Meet some of the organisations who have recently chosen Cardiff to start and scale their business.
DataWollet is the UK’s first open finance solution; collecting evidence including bank data, statements and payslips, confirming income and analysing expenditure to unlock a clear view of every customer and transform productivity.
“As a remote-first team, we could have based ourselves anywhere, but Cardiff was a slam-dunk. The city’s fintech and finance ecosystem has a genuine “we win together” mentality that’s unlike any other hub. From day one, we’ve been welcomed and championed and as an early-stage business, we’ve had the sort of access to decision-makers that simply isn’t available in places like London, where I previously worked for 15 years. We’re proud and grateful to be part of this exciting period of Cardiff’s growth and look forward to being able to contribute in every way we can, especially as we grow our team.”
www.datawollet.com
ANJU RAMKHALAWON, DIRECTOR THE CLOUD FACTORY
The Cloud Factory drives measurable business growth through expert Microsoft 365, Azure, and AI services, delivering secure, scalable, and transformative cloud solutions since 2015.
“Cardiff provides the strategic advantages we need to scale our UK and EU operations, complementing The Cloud Factory’s established delivery presence in Mauritius. Its thriving tech ecosystem, skilled talent pool, and strong government support make it the ideal base for our regional HQ. We’re investing in a local delivery center to lead our “AI for All” initiative – bringing practical, secure, and scalable AI solutions to businesses across sectors. By combining Cardiff’s connectivity and cost-effectiveness with our Mauritiusbased engineering and support capabilities, we’re positioned to grow sustainably while delivering highimpact cloud and cybersecurity services across Wales, the UK, and Europe.”
www.tcf.cloud
Celtic Manor Resort for that
“we don’t do this enough” feeling
We’re bringing back the joy of getting away, the warmth of legendary hospitality and the freedom to just be yourself. Whether you’re dreaming of slow mornings, big adventures or quality time with your favourite people, your next stay is all about feeling good, your way.
scan for feel good moments
GenAirate Technologies is a UK-based AI and digital transformation firm delivering intelligent automation and GenAI solutions for insurance and related financial services organisations.
Why Cardiff?
“Cardiff offers a compelling combination of technical talent, strong academic institutions, and a rapidly growing technology ecosystem, making it an ideal location to scale our business. The city’s focus on innovation, combined with its supportive business environment and access to skilled graduates, aligns well with our long-term growth ambitions. Cardiff also provides excellent connectivity to London and other major UK hubs while offering a lower cost base, enabling us to invest more into product development, people, and innovation as we continue to grow our AI and data-driven solutions.”
www.genairate.io
My Time Pension is the UK’s first retirement-as-aservice platform. Helping people with modest pension savings to generate 40% more income at half the cost of traditional advised methods.
Why Cardiff and Newport?
“The initial idea to explore Cardiff and South Wales came from one of our female shareholders and a leadership team member, a Welsh speaker living in Chepstow. At the time, I was still stuck in the mindset that all serious business had to pass through London. I was wrong, and I’m happy to admit it. There is an untapped depth of talent, world-class institutions, and a business ecosystem that is open, supportive, and ambitious. It’s a place where you can build something meaningful without losing perspective, and that’s proved invaluable for our growth.”
www.mytimepension.com
BY JARRAD MORRIS, FOUNDER & CEO, FLEETEV & PLUG CHARGING
Net Zero isn’t a product you can buy. It’s a system you have to build. It only works when vehicles, energy, finance and data are designed to work together. When they don’t, even good intentions fail in the real world.
FleetEV and PLUG Charging were both proudly founded in Wales. Their technology is built in Cardiff, by in-house engineers who design platforms for real use, not just presentation.
That matters, because de-carbonisation only works when it fits everyday operations - in businesses, homes and public services alike.
In fleets, the shift has been fundamental. The question is no longer “which electric vehicle?”, but “how does this actually work financially and operationally?”
That is where tools like total cost of ownership modelling, salary-sacrifice platforms, utilisation-based pricing and smarter fleet planning and AI tools make the difference. They turn sustainability into something practical.
FleetEV works in that space between ambition and delivery. Not selling vehicles, but helping organisations understand how electric mobility really fits their world.
Charging has followed the same path. PLUG Charging focuses less on the charger itself and more on the system around it.
Vehicle-to-grid, home-charging reimbursement, infrastructure sharing and smarter tariffs are changing what charging means. A charger is no longer just a socket. It is part of an energy and data network.
Together, these Welsh-built platforms now support tens of thousands of drivers and vehicles across the UK. The impact isn’t theoretical. It’s felt in quieter streets, cleaner air, lower running costs and greater confidence for people making the switch.
What makes this a Welsh story is not just location, but mindset. Wales builds technology to be used, not admired. Collaboration matters. Delivery matters. Accountability matters.
Net Zero will not be delivered by single breakthroughs or bold statements. It will be delivered when systems quietly start working together in the background of everyday life.
www.fleetev.com
www.fleetev.com
That is where real change happens. And increasingly, it is being thought up and engineered in Wales.
FleetEV specialises in electric vehicle (EV) fleet solutions, driving towards net zero with innovative, sustainable practices. fleetev.com
PLUG Charging is a leading provider of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, committed to delivering sustainable, renewable energy-powered solutions across Wales. plugcharging.co.uk
BY TIFFANY JONES , CHARTERED PHYSIOTHERAPIST & FOUNDER OF SOUL & SOMA COWBRIDGE
She’s capable, composed, and highly productive. She leads teams, runs businesses, makes decisions all day - and rarely stops. From the outside, she’s thriving.
Yet many high-functioning women in business are quietly exhausted.
In my work as a physiotherapist and wellness studio founder, I specialise in supporting highfunctioning women whose bodies are quietly paying the cost of sustained pressure, responsibility and success. I see a common thread among women in leadership and entrepreneurial roles: chronic tension, disrupted sleep, persistent pain, hormonal symptoms, and an ongoing sense of being “on edge.”
This isn’t a lack of resilience. It’s nervous system overload.
When the body operates in prolonged fight-or-flight mode - driven by constant demand, decision-making and responsibility - it stops fully recovering. Over time, this can impact energy, clarity, mood, immune health and even pain perception.
What’s often misunderstood is that rest alone doesn’t reset a deregulated nervous system. Weekends away, holidays or occasional exercise may help temporarily, but without intentional down-regulation, the system remains stuck in high alert.
True nervous system regulation involves practices that signal safety to the body - slowing breath, softening muscular tension, reducing sensory load, and stepping away from performance. When regulation improves, so does leadership. Decision-making
sharpens. Energy stabilises. Pain reduces. Creativity and emotional intelligence return.
This is not about slowing ambitionit’s about supporting it.
Sustainable success for women in business depends not on pushing harder, but on learning how to restore the body that carries the ambition.
Because the future of leadership isn’t just strategic.
It’s regulated.
RESET. RESTORE. RETURN GROUNDED.
A Nervous System Reset Retreat for Women Who Carry a Lot
You don’t need fixing. You need space.
This intimate retreat is designed for women who hold multiple roles, titles and responsibilities - busy mums, entrepreneurs, professionals, leaders, and those living in constant high demand - and are ready to step out of survival mode.
Set in a calm, restorative environment, the experience blends physiotherapist-led education with nervous-system-focused movement, breathwork and deep rest, supporting both physical and mental recovery.
This is not a fitness holiday, but a carefully curated sanctuary led by healthcare professionals, focused on nervous system health and sustainable recovery.
What you’ll experience:
• Physiotherapist-led Pilates
• Osteopath-led yoga
• Nervous-system-focused restorative movement
• Breath work to reduce stress and restore mental clarity
• Education around stress, hormones and recovery
• Guided rest, reflection and embodied awareness
• Time away from decision-making, pressure and performance
Specialist workshops include: Regulate
Hormones, pelvic health and resilient strength
Rewire
The mind–body connection and nervous system regulation
This is not a bootcamp.
It’s not about productivity or pushing harder.
It’s about recalibrating your nervous system - so you can return to daily
life feeling grounded, resilient and restored.
You’ll leave feeling restored - with tools you can integrate into real life, not just retreat life.
Pause: By Soul & Soma Nothern Portugal May 25th - 30th
Scan the QR code to learn more and reserve your place.
Spaces are intentionally limited to protect depth and experience.
BY TOBY KERNON, CEO, WAGONEX
Scott Jones
The relationship between people and cars is fundamentally changing. For decades, owning a vehicle was synonymous with freedom and independence. Today, we’re witnessing a profound shift: consumers increasingly value access over ownership, flexibility over commitment, and experiences over possessions.
In cities like Cardiff, where commuting patterns, family needs and environmental priorities are changing, the appeal is clear. Drivers increasingly favour access over assets, the ability to switch vehicles as circumstances change, and technology that reduces friction rather than adding to it. The car is still essential — but owning it outright is no longer the default solution.
Wagonex recognised this shift early, we had our ninth birthday this year! Our fully automated technology platform and infrastructure enable a seamless transition from ownership to usership. By using a fully automated website and matching
to connect customers directly with trusted suppliers, we’ve stripped away much of the manual effort, the repeated paperwork, back-and-forth conversations and uncertainty. What once took weeks can now be completed in minutes, often from home and on your own terms.
The implications are profound. Young professionals can drive the new or used electric vehicle they need today without worrying about disposal costs tomorrow. Families can switch to a larger car when a baby arrives, then downsize when the nest empties. People can test electric vehicles without the fear of commitment, accelerating the transition to sustainable transport. More importantly the price point achievable through used EV subscription or lease opens the door past the early adopters to the broader consumer market.
The shift from ownership to access represents more than a new business model; it’s a lifestyle change that empowers people to make choices aligned with their
current needs, rather than their past commitments. As we continue building our infrastructure for this new era, now supported by the advances in applied AI, one thing becomes increasingly clear: you don’t have to own everything to live well.
Wagonex is an AI-powered, customer-focused transaction layer enabling instant vehicle transactions that sits between inventory management systems and customer-facing marketplaces. Wagonex enables fleet partners to offer multiple flexible business models such as subscription, leasing, rental and test drives that were previously operationally challenged due to manual processes and fragmented systems.
www.wagonex.com
BY JULIAN MENSAH, CO-FOUNDER, VOLTRIC
The transition to cleaner transport has often been framed as a consumer challenge. In reality, many of the biggest barriers have sat with employers. Traditional salary sacrifice car schemes have historically required long-term commitments, complex administration, and a tolerance for risk - particularly around employee turnover. For fastgrowing businesses or sectors with higher staff churn, that risk has been enough to stall adoption altogether.
Welsh fintech Voltric is rethinking how salary sacrifice works by applying a subscription-based model more commonly seen in software than in vehicle leasing. Instead of locking businesses into multi-year commitments, Voltric operates on a rolling contract with just 30 days’ notice. If an employee leaves, the business isn’t left carrying the cost of a long-term lease - a concern that has quietly limited uptake for years.
This shift matters. For employers, salary sacrifice suddenly becomes a flexible benefit rather than a financial liability. It can be offered confidently across the workforce, including in organisations where headcount fluctuates or where teams scale rapidly. For HR and finance leaders, it removes one of the last major objections: being tied into something that no longer reflects the shape of the business.
For employees, the impact is just as tangible. Salary sacrifice already lowers the cost of electric vehicles by using gross salary and favourable Benefit-inKind rates. Voltric’s approach adds reassurance - schemes are simpler, clearer, and less intimidating to engage with. Combined with bundled insurance, maintenance, and servicing, cleaner transport becomes a straightforward workplace benefit rather than a complex financial decision.
This model is particularly relevant in Wales, where SMEs and high-growth tech companies form a large part of the economy. Many want to support sustainability and offer competitive benefits, but without the safety net of large balance sheets or static workforces. A subscription-based approach aligns with how modern businesses actually operate.
What Voltric demonstrates is that cleaner transport isn’t just about vehicles - it’s about removing friction from the systems around them. By redesigning salary sacrifice to be flexible, low-risk, and employer-friendly, Welsh tech is helping ensure the move to electric vehicles is practical, scalable, and inclusive.
Find out more about Voltric at voltric.co.uk
CLEANER TRANSPORT BECOMES VIABLE NOT WHEN IT’S IDEAL, BUT WHEN IT FITS REAL LIFE. VOLTRIC IS HELPING MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
Behind every pitch deck and late-night call is a leader who knows the value of stepping away. While we all live and breathe our work, it’s often time spent elsewhere that brings clarity, creativity and fresh perspective. Check out the passions of Wales’ leaders that help them reset and stay inspired.
LOUISE O’SHEA, GROUP CEO, CFC
SARAH WILLIAMS-GARDENER, CHAIR, FINTECH WALES
“We originally connected through FinTech Wales, but our relationship quickly grew beyond the boardroom. As working mothers and senior leaders with a shared passion for the outdoors, time spent in the Welsh countryside isn’t an escape from responsibility - it’s an essential part of it. You’ll often find us in walking meetings, hiking mountains, or taking on endurance challenges, creating space for clearer thinking, better decisions, and perspective. At senior level, leadership demands resilience, focus, and balance, and the outdoors is where we strengthen all three.”
SCOTT JONES, CEO, ILLUSTRATE DIGITAL
“Paddle boarding (whether it’s a Greek island or Barry Island) is where I go to get away from my desk, to think, connect with the world, and refocus.”
MIKE BECK, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, TIQTOQ
“Skiing defines me. I competed in the toughest ski race in the world, the Arctic Circle Race (160km of cross country skiing over 3 days). I’m also a qualified sit-ski guide for a local charity ‘ICE COOL KIDS’, where I take children with additional needs skiing at the local dry-slope.”
TIM
BARNETT,
FORMER CEO, CREDAS
“The perfect antidote to the pressure of running a scaling technology company is, for me, walking. We are blessed in Wales with amazing landscapes, but I recently completed a 5 day hike through the Andes to the ancient lost city of Machu Picchu.”
BORIS DIAKONOV, CO-FOUNDER & CO-CEO, ANNA MONEY
“I love sailing. It’s about connecting with myself, with nature and also a way to learn a lot of life and business lessons. It’s cliche but so true that in the midst of the calm, you always need to be prepared for the storm.”
SALLY-ANNE SKINNER, CEO, OGI
“Apart from my mandated hobby of chauffeuring children, I love running! I find it freeing and destressing, feeling the air on my face as everything else fades away around.”
SAMEER RAHMAN, CEO & FOUNDER, DATAMONET
“Badminton in the Cardiff & District League keeps me grounded as I get beaten by both younger and older cohort. Off court, I give back through cricket and football governance, championing sport and inspiring healthier, connected leaders.”
GARETH KLOET, DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS, GO.COMPARE
“Bee-keeping is my favourite hobby, blending my fascination with nature and rewarding harvests. It’s educational, a great connection with the environment and in short, I love it!.”
Fellow Cardiffian and awardwinning actor, Matthew Rhys shares with Deb, the one person, place and treasured possession that have profoundly impacted his life. Fresh from filming the critically acclaimed Netflix smash, The Beast In Me, Matthew is moved to tears remembering the man who set him on the road to stardom.
Dorien Thomas from Pontypridd came into my life at 16, when I was a student at the National Youth Theatre of Wales. He was incredibly assured of his own knowledge and attitude, which I found revelatory. He taught me the appreciation of language, and he had a true love for Wales’s identity. He made me question, Who are we as a people? His teaching was so enormous and
widespread. He introduced me to such a wealth of characters and prepared me for my RADA audition. At 18, I won an Evening Standard award and thanked him personally before he passed. He was a man held in such reverence.
I simply couldn’t choose between which area in Wales, so I have chosen the whole country! I think about it so often. I am raising my son in New York, and I long for him to have the experiences I had, from crabbing off the keystone wall in Pembrokeshire to the Boy Scout camps I attended in Brecon. These are what shaped me, and I have true halcyon memories of this time.
A pearl-handled fisherman’s knife that my grandfather bought for me aged 9. He entrusted me to look after it properly, which was my first important lesson.
When I initially got it, I held it for days. I was so ecstatic to have it. Unfortunately, I lost it in camp, and I was devastated. I hoped he would replace it, but that was not to be the case and therein lay my second lesson. I learnt about the value of things and what can’t be replaced.
Don’t miss next month’s conversation as Deb talks to a Welsh legend! We would like to give a special salute to this icon as we mark International Women’s Day.
Scan below to listen to Matthew’s full These Three Things episode.
