The University of Nottingham’s Inclusive Financial Technology Hub (INFINITY) has been awarded a new £1.4 million grant from Research England to develop a fintech hub at the heart of the city.
The Hub will contribute to developing the next generation of financial technology start-ups and firms by creating a pathway for university-inspired research to give rise to early-stage commercialisation ventures in financial services.
Provided by Research England’s Connecting Capability fund, the grant is designed to support levelling up and contribute to the UK’s tech sector. The Hub aims to become a focal point for Nottingham’s thriving financial services sector.
The award will fund the creation of an agile pathway for commercialisation of financial technology research, taking early-stage research-inspired commercial propositions on a journey to being realised as live commercial prospects.
Concurrently, it will provide training and support for academics at an early stage in the commercialisation journey, overcoming the barriers to engagement. The Hub brings together an existing ecosystem of three leading Midlands-based universities with financial technology expertise (Nottingham, Birmingham and Warwick).
Situated on the University’s new Castle Meadow Campus, the hub will co-locate alongside Nottingham University Business School and local businesses, including KPMG, who are relocating their Nottingham office to the new campus. Castle Meadow Campus will create a unique environment in which students and businesses creatively engage and innovate together.
Professor John Gathergood, the co-director of INFINITY, said: “We are delighted to receive this support from Research England, which will allow us to work with businesses to develop a unique environment in which university-inspired research can be translated into next generation financial services.”
“It is brilliant news to hear about this new grant from Research England. We hope this grant will allow the INFINITY hub to expand on its work and strengthen the university’s ties with businesses and offer great opportunities for our students in Nottingham,” said professor Jane Norman, provost and deputy vice chancellor at the University of Nottingham.
