In May 2025, FINE piloted an enhanced in-person engagement format through a live investor simulation at the Fintech Corridor’s Fifth Anniversary event in Belfast. The session, titled “The Syndicate Challenge”, brought together approximately 50 participants, including early-stage fintech founders, active angel investors, and regional innovation stakeholders, in a highly interactive and gamified scenario that replicated real-world syndicate investment dynamics.
Although FINE was not involved in organising the wider event, the session offered a valuable opportunity to test a replicable investor matchmaking format and to raise awareness of the project’s objectives. It also supported geographic diversification by increasing FINE’s presence in the North of Ireland, an area not heavily represented in earlier stages of delivery.
Structured around a realistic investment challenge, the 40-minute session asked participants to act as fintech investors and form syndicates. Each participant received a fictional “investment token” valued at £50k, £100k, or £250k, simulating constrained individual capital. Attendees were required to pool their resources, agree on an investment thesis, and decide whether to invest in one of three fictional fintech ventures:
• FlowPay – a real-time SME payments platform
• NeuraCredit – an AI-driven credit scoring engine for the unbanked
• Vaultify – a crypto asset insurance product
After forming syndicates, each group nominated a spokesperson to pitch their decision, including the total capital committed, their rationale for selecting a particular venture, and any concerns that would require further due diligence. The format encouraged peer learning and demonstrated the complexities of collaborative investment decisions in a safe, low-risk environment.
The session concluded with a short debrief that connected the experience to FINE’s wider goals. Participants were introduced to the upcoming virtual investor matchmaking event scheduled for 25th of June, which builds on the approach tested in Belfast. Key outcomes from the session included:
• Seventeen direct investor conversations, with follow-up introductions initiated between six investors and five founders 30• Strong interest in FINE’s methodology, with multiple attendees confirming participation in the forthcoming virtual event
• Improved visibility for FINE in a previously underserved region, helping to extend the reach of the project and validate investor demand for early-stage fintech opportunities
• Positive feedback on the format, with several investors expressing interest in replicating the simulation within their own ecosystems
Aligned with WP3 objectives, this activity served as a practical test of FINE’s replicable matchmaking approach. It also contributed directly to KPI delivery by building the investor pipeline, surfacing potential deal flow, and laying the groundwork for wider engagement at the June virtual event.
On 25 June 2025, FINE delivered a virtual investor matchmaking event designed to showcase high- potential fintech startups from across Europe and further validate the project’s model for curated, cross-border investor engagement. The session attracted 70 registered participants, with 34 attendees joining live, comprising a mix of early-stage investors, ecosystem stakeholders, and founders.
The format built directly on insights gathered during the in-person simulation held in Belfast and aligned with FINE’s WP3 objectives by providing a structured platform for deal flow visibility, founder-led pitching, and peer networking. The event also served as a live test of FINE’s matchmaking methodology in a virtual environment and further promoted its core tools, including the Ecosystem Map, Investor Map, and Investor Academy.
The session was introduced by the FINE team, including representatives from project partners, and featured short startup pitches followed by interactive breakout rooms for investor–founder dialogue. A dedicated Slack community was promoted during the event to encourage ongoing deal sharing and informal follow-up.
Four startups were selected to present:
• Narrative Banking – AI-driven conversational banking, targeting 24 million users across 15 EU banks; currently raising seed funding following Enterprise Ireland pre-seed support.
• UELZ Pay – Subscription management API for recurring payment businesses; €200k ARR in 2024, targeting €500k+ in 2025, currently raising convertible funding.
• Bloom Money – Digital money clubs for immigrant communities; 13,000 users, £400,000 processed to date, currently raising a £2 million seed round.
• MyBrain Bankers – Mental health fintech tackling impulsive spending in bipolar patients; seeking £250,000 in seed funding for AI-led product development and expansion.
Each startup delivered a concise pitch outlining their business model, market traction, and funding ask, followed by Q&A opportunities and deeper conversations in assigned breakout rooms.
