Annual Review 2023
Looking North not only allows us to face a cardinal direction but to think differently, to move towards the coal-face of UK innovation, to be part of a thriving and collaborative community. The North of England is a region synonymous with frontier technology, a distinct collaborative spirit, and a commitment to community values. Our events, grand in scale yet friendly in atmosphere, aim to reflect Northern spirit and soul – we are proud to represent a place where great thinkers in the field gather as part of a warm and welcoming community to share, learn and grow.
Since our inception in 2016, FinTech North has evolved from a one-day event into a thriving ecosystem facilitator, uniquely positioned to foster collaboration across the entire North. Operating as a pan-Northern organisation, without allegiance to a specific city or region, we stand as a platform to enable collaboration and celebrate the innovation within Northern FinTech, and to uplift the sector on an international scale. As a founding member of the FinTech National Network, FinTech North has become a prominent force in championing diversity, sharing best practices, and providing a platform for the region’s FinTech community.
Growing the Team
We are proud to have experienced organic growth as an organisation in the past couple of years, aided by the support of our brilliant partners, sponsors & a strong national FinTech economy. We have gone from one to three employees in two year – our team now have distinct responsibilities pertaining to FinTech North’s event, marketing and commercial operations, increasing our efficiency and output as a team.
More Events, More Attendees
Leeds, Newcastle, and Manchester witnessed record-high attendances and registrations. We had a 50% increase in delegates, and a 71% increase in events, closing the year with 24 under our belt. The Manchester conference, our largest ever, achieved an incredible NPS score of 90! With over 260 attendees throughout the day, our final conference of the year was truly representative of our amazing community, forever growing, evolving and showing strong engagement. You can find out more about our recent Manchester conference here, and more about our upcoming Liverpool conference here!
Increasing Diversity and Inclusivity
We are pleased to share that our speaker diversity has increased over the past year with 28% more female speakers and 41% more speakers from underrepresented backgrounds. Our number of male speakers has shown a slight decrease, which can be attributed to our continual aim to promote a diverse range of speakers.
While progress has been made, we acknowledge that there is more work to be done in this area. In 2024, we aim to build on this, and dedicate our increased resource to ensuring that speakers from all backgrounds are represented and given a platform to showcase their work.
International Reach
Our global engagement expanded with participation in a mission to Poland and speaking engagements at a FinTech and eCommerce conference. We united the North at Money20/20 and represented the region on panels at our Leeds Conference. Additionally, we shared insights at a national conference in Edinburgh, showcasing our commitment to international collaboration.
National CFIT Launch Event
We played a key role in delivering the national CFIT launch event in Leeds, contributing positively to the regional FinTech landscape and showcasing our leadership beyond Leeds and the North. It’s fantastic to see a national initiative being developed in the North, a further testament to the wealth of innovation and continual growth in the region.
Delivering more value for our Partners
Despite working with fewer partners, our strategic approach resulted in a significant increase in “revenue per partner,” demonstrating our ability to deliver more value to our existing partner base. We deliver value to our partners in various ways, including speaking, exhibition, profile and business development opportunities.
Marketing and Engagement Milestones
Our marketing and engagement outputs reached an all-time high, contributing to increased traction within the industry. We’ve had an immense 238% increase in LinkedIn impressions, and a 46% increase in followers from 4,500 to 6,629, showing our community’s continual growth and interest in our activity.
Ryan Walsh, Marketing and Events Executive at FinTech North:
‘We’ve had a record breaking year at FinTech North and experienced so much community growth- it’s been great to see so many familiar faces and we’re excited to see some new ones in the new year!’
FinTech North’s 2023 Performance
In 2023, FinTech North achieved significant milestones. The launch of our digital sandbox and dedicated FinTech marketplace in partnership with NayaOne marked a pivotal moment. We integrated the marketplace onto our website, onboarding several FinTech organisations from across the North.
What’s Next for FinTech North?
Commitment to our community is the most important thing to us, and we would love to hear from you. Our Community Survey 2023 will be live in early January, providing an opportunity for our community to shape our activities for the next 12 months. We eagerly await your thoughts and insights to adapt our offerings and continue serving the Northern FinTech community effectively.
As we reflect on our achievements in 2023, we look forward to the future with optimism and excitement, building on the momentum created and continuing to make FinTech North an integral part of the Northern FinTech landscape in 2024. Thank you for being a part of our community.
