On July 1st, Kani Payments joined over 140 fintech leaders, investors and innovators at the FinTech North Newcastle Conference 2025. Hosted at the iconic Wylam Brewery, the event showcased the strength of the North East’s fintech ecosystem, with a packed agenda covering everything from data and AI to scaling, regulation and purpose-driven innovation.
As networking sponsors of the event, we were proud to support the day and even prouder to join the main stage alongside our investment partners at Maven Capital Partners to share the story behind Kani’s next chapter.
From Investment to Impact: What It Really Takes to Scale
In our joint panel session, Rebecca Minchella of Maven opened with the investor perspective: what makes a fintech company “investment ready,” and how Maven evaluates long-term potential. She spoke candidly about the signals that matter, like strong fundamentals, clear product-market fit and a resilient leadership team.
Kani CEO Aaron Holmes then took the baton to explore the founder’s perspective: what changes after you raise your Series A? From building out the team to navigating internal scaling challenges, Aaron reflected on the mindset shift that comes with leading a growth-stage business.
Finally, Roger Binks, Kani’s Chief Commercial Officer, shared how we’re translating that momentum into market traction. From refining our ICP to investing in customer success, Roger spoke about the importance of scaling the vision, not just the founder. As he put it, “You can’t scale Aaron, but you can scale the values and focus that made Kani what it is.”
The session offered a rare end-to-end view of the scale-up journey—from initial investment decisions through to post-funding execution. One takeaway rang especially true: growth isn’t just about raising capital, but about using it well.
Celebrating the North East’s Fintech Future
Throughout the day, speakers from Atom Bank, Innovate Finance, Mastercard, and the Payment Systems Regulator explored the future of fintech—from embedded finance and international expansion to AI regulation and talent development.
The event’s regional focus was clear. With over 80 fintech firms expected in the North East by the end of 2025, collaboration and momentum are building fast—and we’re proud to be part of it.
A huge thank you to FinTech North and the event organisers for another standout day. We’re already looking forward to next year.
