We recently ran a series of guest lectures from experts in the FinTech and Financial Services industry for our MSc FinTech students. MSc FinTech is a course that equips students to address the pervasive impact of disruptive financial technologies. This programme is jointly run by Bristol Business School and The Department for Computer Science and Creative Technologies.
The aim of the guest lecture series was to give the students real insight into what it takes to start, run and grow a FinTech. From day one we wanted to ensure that understanding around the importance of compliance, risk and legal were understood. If our students go on to start their own ventures in the future, better that they understand these requirements from day one.
The series gave students an insight into the different types of technology and applications, helping them to imagine and innovate. This included Open Banking, AI, Blockchain, NFTs, Metaverse, Payments, Automated Investing and Cyber to name a few.
We also regularly share news articles from the world of FinTech and discuss the impact they might have on the future of finance. Four lucky students attended FinTech Talents event in London where they heard from headline speakers from across the world of FinTech and Financial Services.
Below is a summary of each of the guest speakers that came to campus to present to the students and what they discussed:
Glenn Smith – Founder and CEO of Roqqett
- Fintech is not new: Financial Technology over the last century
- Technology in the FX markets
- When the rules change: the opportunities when disruption occurs from new tech or new regulation
Ali Kazmi – Founder of Ethical Equity
- Steps to launch and funding
- Get your MVP. Minimum Viable Product
- The importance of a business plan
- Write and Exec Summary
- Develop a 5 year forecast
- Apply to incubators and Angel investors.
Ali also explained Shariah investing and broke down many preconceived misconceptions on how they work and who they are suitable for.
Martin Cook – Director of FinTech at Burges Salmon
- The regulatory environment
- Managing regulatory change/implementation
- Policy and Lobbying
- Expanding overseas
- A perspective on working with FinTechs
Ed Hayes – Partner at TLT Solicitors
- How data protection law affects FinTechs.
Karl Sweatman and Chad Edgecombe – Peaple Talent
- What FinTech roles and opportunities are there in the region?
- What are the skills employers are looking for?
- The difference between applying and working for a start-ups versus a larger corporate
- You don’t have to be a coder to work in FinTech! It is much more than that and includes all the supporting functions – marketing, compliance, legal, design, project management etc.
Julian Wells – Director at Whitecap Consulting
Julian is behind FinTech North and FinTech West, which make up part of the National FinTech Network. Julian discussed the UK fintech ecosystem and clusters and reflected on the Kalifa review. A government backed review into FinTech in the UK that identified Bristol and Bath as a fintech cluster.
Tim Hegarty – Founder of Blockchain Ventures Ltd / Early NFT pioneer
Tim discussed the history of blockchain and the early explorations into the new technology.
Anna Lisa Wesley – Founder of start-up advisory Sapphire & Steel
Customer research for market leadership.
Daniel Gold – Founder of Stratiphy
Introduction to Investment Strategies.
Karin Rudolph – Founder of Collective Intelligence
An introduction into AI and Ethics.
Josh Stott – CEO and founder of TryPenny
- Nuts and bolts of their 2-year fintech journey
- Pivoting
- Building an MVP
- Raising a pre-seed
- Getting regulated
- Legals and Accounting
- Rating a seed
Marty Reid – Director, Engine Shed and SETsquared
What makes a business innovative?
Kathy Griffin – Director of Compliance at Monzo Bank
How to have a successful and rewarding career in Compliance.
Sandeep Roy – Founder and CEO of Innovate2Grow
Digital Business Models.
Richard Norton – Founder of GetNorts
Creativity, design, advertising, marketing and NFTs.
Reid Derby – Director of Strategy at CyNam and Strategic Advisor on Innovation at Golden Valley Development
Golden Valley Development and the cyber tech ecosystem in Cheltenham and opportunities to develop a career in this sector.
“It was a fantastic experience to have delivered a guest lecture to the students of the Masters in Fintech at UWE.
The students were very engaged and interested in the topic of AI ethics, and the session sparked tough provoking and interesting conversations about the ethical considerations of technology and their impact on society”
Karin Rudolph – Collective Intelligence UK
“It was a pleasure being able to give a talk to the UWE Fintech Masters students. The audience was super engaged and asked loads of pertinent questions. They were really interested in both previous experiences and my views on how various areas of Fintech were developing. Overall, it was great to have such enthusiastic interest from an audience and to get their perspective as well on emerging trends. “
Glenn Smith – Founder, Roqqett