How we work with fintechs

We're always looking to engage and work with fintechs who can help us transform our business and deliver innovative customer propositions. Find out more about collaborating with us.

We recognise that the fintech industry is transforming the way financial institutions operate, and we're committed to strengthening our collaboration activities in this area.

We're an active member of the Fintech Delivery Panel and have signed up to the Fintech Delivery Pledge to make it as easy as possible for fintechs to work with us. Initially this takes the form of a Proof of Concept (PoC) to establish the use case and value which can be delivered to our customers. The PoC approach is a proven method of working with fintechs quickly and efficiently, enabling both of us to learn and innovate at pace. 

We also run our annual Launch Innovation Programme in partnership with Fintech Scotland. We share a set of business challenges from across the Group and then work with fintechs to co-create solutions. Successful solutions are then onboarded and implemented. 

 

We have a specialist Fintech Investment team that takes minority equity stakes in fintechs to help bring innovative solutions to market, while also contributing to the growth of these companies.

Get in touch if you'd like to speak to the team about investment opportunities. 

Email the team

Onboarding steps

We understand the process of entering into a partnership with a bank can be a daunting task, but we're here to support you and make it as straightforward as possible while ensuring we deliver the best solutions for our customers.  

To provide more guidance and clarity on our process, we've outlined the steps that need to be taken below.

  • Identify fintech

    Our Business and Strategy teams extensively scout for the best-in-class fintechs and insurtechs which can collaborate with us to improve our transformation capabilities and customer journeys.

  • Engage with fintech

    At this stage we will engage with our Sourcing Business Partners to assess several fintechs and insurtechs by asking you to pitch and demonstrate your technology and capabilities against our business needs.

  • System registration

    Before we enter into an agreement with you, we will register your organisation on our sourcing system. There will be some basic information required from you at this stage. During this process we will complete the necessary due diligence checks – for a PoC engagement this will be reasonably light-touch.

  • Sign NDA

    Subject to the due diligence checks being completed successfully, we will share our Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) which will be electronically signed by both parties.

  • Complete IT requirements

    Depending on the risk level of the engagement and the integration of the product/service, we may need you to complete our Architecture and Data governance to help us assess any potential risks or assurance gaps for our customers. We will work together with you to complete this as quickly as possible.

  • Contract discussions

    Together with our Business and Sourcing teams, we will commence more detailed discussions around the scope of the engagement and share our scaled-back terms and conditions for your review and consideration. This is your chance to make sure you are comfortable with everything, and our team are more than happy to assist with any queries.

  • Finalise contract

    Alongside the previous step, we will work through the governance process on our side and contact you if we need any more information. This is the final step before we can sign a contract.

  • Project start

    After finalising internal governance, the final contract will be executed through electronic signature, with a start date agreed and a purchase order raised if necessary.

Hear about some of our recent partnerships
 

Llaunchpad Corporate Ventures Panel

Video | 3 mins

Hear about three of our recent fintech startup partnerships – with Form3, CFP Green Buildings, and AND Digital.

Watch videoVideo opens in new tab

Ongoing partner appraisal


We will continue to work with you to ensure all parties are getting value from the collaboration. After the initial engagement is complete, we will work with you to evaluate its success through pre-defined criteria and assess the next steps we can take together. This might be a pilot, a full integration, and the potential for equity investment.