Demystifying Tech

This episode of Demystifying Tech features Lara Gilman, co-lead at iwocaPay. iwocaPay is a fast-growing B2B payments product which has been built within business loans platform iwoca, star of our FinTech 50 ranking last year. Lara joined iwoca as head of product and strategy after attempting to build a FinTech startup in the remittance space. The experience helped to shape her approach to building iwocaPay, which now employs 27 people. The episode covers: • What Lara learned from her failed startup Yooz (01:51) • How iwocaPay has been built (07:43) • Optimal ways for teams to work together (16:22) • Design sprints and their benefits (19:47) • Tips for building a tech product from scratch - 'Tech Takeaways' (26:07) • Why this isn't Lara's first rodeo - literally... (27:22)

This episode of Demystifying Tech, co-hosted by Zoë Clark of Tyto PR, is a special feature on the state of UK FinTech. We are joined by founders at two companies which featured on our FinTech 50 - Collctiv and GFA Exchange. Manchester-based Collctiv, which topped the ranking, simplifies the money collection and payment process. Founded by former Twinkl executives Amy Whitell and Pete Casson, it is expanding rapidly in the United States and was recently the subject of a docuseries created by LinkedIn. CTO Casson joins us to discuss his experiences in the FinTech sector since launch. GFA Exchange, based in Birmingham, uses artificial intelligence to identify risk in B2B finance and has a clear mission around financial inclusion. Founder Joel Blake OBE explains his motivation for starting the business and how it works with incumbent institutions such as banks. Clark, head of media and influence at Tyto, has long experience in B2B FinTech and financial services. The episode covers: • How the FinTech industry has evolved (11:32) • Barriers to entry in FinTech & the failure of open banking to reach the end-user (19:28) • FinTech innovation away from the London bubble (24:43) • Challenges in the current investment market (31:23) • The importance of brand awareness and marketing for growing startups (39:38) • What's to come in 2024 (49:14)

Ali Hamriti, CEO & co-founder of Rollee, considers how businesses can create fairer financial products in the latest episode of Demystifying Tech. The growing army of ‘gig economy’ freelance workers across sectors including taxis, deliveries, care, journalism, public relations and coding may have flexibility and independence, but an alarming 70% of them have been denied a loan despite having good credit scores. More than half have missed out on opportunities such as buying a new home due to being declined by building societies and banks. Hamriti witnessed this growing problem first-hand while working in FinTech and resolved to help change the out-of-date financial system and serve the changing employment landscape. His startup Rollee aims to improve financial inclusion for self-employed workers through an open finance solution. The episode: • Discusses the problems faced by those operating in the gig economy (01:35) • Explains how Rollee is helping them to access products such as credit and mortgages (05:35) • The importance of the UK market to French firm Rollee (15:23) • Reveals plans to expand its data sources (18:43) • Advises startups on how to improve financial inclusivity - 'Tech Takeaways' (22:17)

Holly Grace Williams, MD of Akimbo Core, explains the cybersecurity threats facing businesses in the latest episode of Demystifying Tech. Ex-military figure Holly has 16 years of experience working within cybersecurity. She has performed a significant number of penetration testing engagements for a wide range of companies from innovative startups to multinational corporations, in fields ranging from eCommerce to banking. She is an experienced conference speaker on cloud computing, cybersecurity and chaos engineering. The episode: • Explains the cybersecurity threats facing businesses (03:15) • Looks at Holly's career and the benefits of penetration testing (14:15) • Breaks down chaos engineering (21:26) • Offers practical tips for protecting your business – ‘Tech Takeaways’ (26:23) • Reveals who Holly has been rescuing outside of work... (28:26)

Spencer Earp, MD for the EMEA region at global enterprise Pendo, discusses how tech can be adopted by traditional enterprises in this episode of Demystifying Tech. Pendo helps clients to develop software products and serves Fortune 500 enterprises, B2B tech startups, educational institutions and healthcare systems.  Earp joined the company a year ago from Salesforce and has a 25-year career behind him, building and propelling organisations’ European go-to-market strategies. The episode: • Defines a ‘tech mindset’ (00:59) • Explains why every business is now effectively a tech business (02:10) • Discusses Pendo’s research into the adoption of tech by traditional enterprises - link below (12:33) • Reveals the features, priorities, tools and strategies traditionally associated with tech companies which they should be looking to adopt (16:47) • Describes what a good product looks like (21:48) • Offers practical tips for businesses looking to embrace a tech mindset – ‘Tech Takeaways’ (24:12) 'Traditional to Tech' report:  https://www.pendo.io/resources/from-traditional-to-trailblazer-how-non-tech-companies-are-forging-ahead-with-digital-transformation/

The opening episode of Demystifying Tech features INEVITABLE CEO Ben Grubert. Featuring technologists at the UK’s most innovative companies, Demystifying Tech - brought to you in association with Tyto PR - will examine the impact of tech on industry & the world around us. Grubert founded artificial intelligence lab INEVITABLE in Manchester with Sean O’Mahoney. INEVITABLE aims to make innovative technologies such as machine learning accessible to all, working with startups and larger enterprises to develop bleeding-edge ethical AI. Its services include development, CTO-as-a-service and technical due diligence for investors looking to invest in tech startups. The episode covers: • Defining AI (00:46) • The rise of ChatGPT & other generative AIs (03:59) • The purpose and work of INEVITABLE (08:30) • Reader questions, including the rapidly evolving regulatory landscape (16:37) • Practical tips for harnessing responsible AI within your business – ‘Tech Takeaways’ (26:16) • The unusual story behind the name INEVITABLE (30:38)