Fintech company Seopa Ltd, the parent company of financial comparison platform Quotezone.co.uk, has announced the return of its highly sought-after scholarship programme for higher education students, an initiative that has been specifically designed to help foster greater diversity in the fintech sector here in Wales.
The aim of the scholarship is to encourage students from outside the world of fintech to explore what it could potentially offer them as a career and enter a short but insightful blog post on what the next generation see as the future of fintech. The industry is facing a very serious talent shortage which is a growing concern across the sector. This scholarship hopes to attract a diverse range of students from across the academic syllabus, who may never before have considered this path as a viable option.
Data from a wide range of research firms and government agencies, including the Department for Education, suggests the talent shortage is the single biggest concern for senior leaders in the financial services industry. PwC’s Global Fintech Report found 42% of both financial services (FS) and Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) organisations are struggling to fill roles.
As an emerging tech region, Wales is home to 3,500 homegrown multinational technology operations and has the fastest-growing digital economy outside of London. The nation’s tech sector is worth an estimated £8.2bn to the Welsh economy, employing almost 44,000 people. The growth of the financial and professional sector in Wales has led to a thriving Fintech community, supported by the region’s incubator and co-working spaces.
Seopa’s approach to fostering greater diversity in its sector has been hailed by politicians, academics and business leaders across the UK. Sarah Williams-Gardener, CEO of Fintech Wales comments: “The Quotezone Fintech Scholarship recognises that Fintech companies require more than just the highly valued financial and computer science skills. Innovative transformational solutions require marketeers, lawyers and product designers – as it takes the full complement to create the next evolution of financial services, embracing open finance, digital currencies, green finance and most importantly, designing with the consumer at the heart. At Fintech Wales we truly believe an inclusive and diverse team can result in great innovation.”
Greg Wilson, the fintech entrepreneur behind comparison site Quotezone.co.uk, had this to say about the company’s Quotezone Fintech Scholarship:
“Talented graduates are the lifeblood of the fintech sector and in our experience, teams that are more diverse tend to perform better and create more sustainable growth for the business.
“The financial sector is being reinvented and we need aspiring students to think outside the box and drive innovation forward. The list of contributions made to fintech by those with non-traditional backgrounds is extensive and the main driver behind the disruptive nature of fintech which has been so pivotal in embracing change.
“We want this scholarship to be a trigger that opens minds and shows talented young Welsh students where they could be in 5 years’ time.”
Quotezone.co.uk’s parent company, Seopa, renowned for its pioneering comparison technology, was founded by entrepreneur, Greg Wilson in 2003 and has now grown to more than 50 team members spread across two European offices.
The company has been recognised with six Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Awards and has been awarded a Deloitte Best Managed Company Award each year for the past three years – topped by the Gold Standard Deloitte Award for Best Managed Company in 2020 – making it four consecutive wins.
Quotezone.co.uk helps around 3 million users every year, with over 400 insurance brands across 60 different insurance and personal finance products – recommended by 97% of reviewers on Reviews.co.uk.
The deadline to apply for Quotezone.co.uk’s Fintech Scholarship is 31st December 2021, full details of how to apply are available here: https://www.quotezone.co.uk/fintech-scholarship.htm
The successful candidate will receive a £1,000 bursary which can be used to cover part of the cost of their studies, course materials or any other living expenses. Each of the UK's four regions will have its own individual winner.
