NatWest Group has opened applications for the 2026 edition of its Fintech Programme, inviting UK fintechs using artificial intelligence to transform customer experience across financial services.
Building on last year’s success, the 2026 programme encourages more fintechs from across UK regional hubs and will address rapid technological change and evolving customer expectations, including agentic AI and the emergence of smart devices. It targets pre-series A and series A fintechs with proven product-market-fit and traction, delivering solutions for the customer of the future – whether that’s improving engagement and customer relationships in an agentic AI landscape, creating immersive banking experiences beyond apps, or supporting vulnerable customers.
David Grunwald, Director of Innovation at NatWest Group, said: “The pace of advances in AI and technology is fundamentally changing how customers interact with financial services. To stay ahead – whether through new channels, emerging technologies, or smarter engagement – innovation and collaboration are non-negotiables. Fintechs play a vital role in meeting these challenges, so it’s essential we support them to thrive as we come together to shape the future of banking.”
Programme participants can explore collaboration opportunities with NatWest – with several of last year’s start-ups engaging in extended discussions with the bank and its partners. This includes Tunic Pay, an award-winning, real-time payment intelligence platform dedicated to preventing fraud and scams, which formed a partnership with NatWest following the access and support the programme provided. Together, NatWest Group and Tunic Pay are now piloting fraud prevention for NatWest’s Retail customers through transaction authentication in the mobile app.
Nicky Goulimis, Co-founder at Tunic Pay, said: “Joining NatWest’s Fintech Programme gave us a unique opportunity to connect directly with the bank’s teams and learn from their experience serving millions of customers. The access and support we received helped us understand how our platform could make a real difference for NatWest’s business and its customers. Working together, we’re now able to pilot new ways to protect people from fraud and scams, using technology to make banking safer for everyone.”