Some of Wales’ most promising fintech startups and scaleups are preparing to go head-to-head as Innovate Finance brings its prominent Pitch360 competition to the first-ever Wales Fintech Festival. Taking place on June 3, 2026, at the Swansea Building Society Arena, the live “pitch battle” will position emerging entrepreneurs directly in front of leading venture capitalists, ecosystem stakeholders, and an expert judging panel.
The event marks a significant moment for the Welsh financial technology cluster, highlighting its growing standing as a major regional engine for the UK’s broader digital economy.
An Elite Judging Panel
Adding significant weight to this year’s competition is the confirmation of prominent entrepreneur and Admiral Group founder Henry Engelhardt as part of the judging panel. Engelhardt will lend his extensive experience in building scalable financial services businesses to evaluate the finalists on stage.
The rest of the multi-disciplinary judging panel includes:
-
Kevin Smith – Venture Comet
-
Siwan Rees – NatWest
-
Rachel Hillier – Capital Law
-
Jerry Main – Philip Hare & Associates
-
Yan Manka – Mastercard
The live showcase offers finalists a rare level of exposure to decision-makers who can directly impact their funding and growth trajectory. The eventual winners will walk away with a highly valuable support package, including a one-year complimentary Innovate Finance membership, an official speaking slot and tickets for the Innovate Finance Global Summit (IFGS) 2027, direct one-to-one investor matchmaking, and a dedicated multi-channel marketing campaign.
Empowering the Next Generation
Reflecting on his role, Henry Engelhardt emphasized the value of early-stage visibility for scaling businesses. “Wales has a strong track record of building innovative, high-growth businesses, and pitch sessions like this play an important role in giving entrepreneurs the visibility, connections and confidence they need to take their ideas further,” Engelhardt stated. He added that he looks forward to exploring the real-world problems the next generation of founders are solving.
Sarah Jones, CEO of FinTech Wales, noted that bringing the Pitch360 competition to the nation’s debut festival reinforces a shared cross-border commitment to unlocking growth opportunities. “The calibre of judges joining our Pitch360 session reflects the expert profile of Wales as a fintech destination,” Jones said.
Janine Hirt, CEO of Innovate Finance, expressed similar enthusiasm for the partnership. “We know that the next generation of transformative fintech businesses will come from every corner of the UK, and the Welsh fintech ecosystem boasts some of the most exciting businesses and talent across the country,” Hirt commented.
The Grand Stage in Swansea
The Pitch360 competition is set to be a core highlight of the wider Wales Fintech Festival program, which has secured Vodafone Business as its official headline partner. The full-day event will serve as a high-energy convergence point for policymakers, investors, and technologists to address vital industry themes, including artificial intelligence efficiencies, cross-sector challenge solutions, and financial technology for good.
Alongside the startup pitches, attendees will hear from industry disruptors across multiple stages, including a highly anticipated headline address delivered by Anne Boden MBE, the visionary founder and former CEO of Starling Bank.
Established in 2019 as a independent, not-for-profit champion for the regional technology sector, FinTech Wales now numbers over 200 members. By collaborating with Innovate Finance to host this milestone event, the group continues to execute its long-term strategy of turning Wales into an internationally recognized hub for financial innovation.
The post Admiral Group founder Henry Engelhardt to Judge Innovate Finance’s Pitch360 at Debut Wales Fintech Festival appeared first on The Fintech Times.
