The Investment Association (IA) has today launched its latest initiative through Engine, its specialist FinTech accelerator and innovation hub for the investment management industry. The new, three-month Advanced Access Initiative is an accelerator programme specifically designed for advanced stage FinTechs looking to provide their services to investment managers.

OpenFin, a unified workspace for enterprise productivity used by over 90% of major global banks, and FINBOURNE Technology, a provider of cloud-based investment data management software, have been selected to take part in the first cohort of the Advanced Access Initiative.

The launch of the Advance Access Initiative complements Engine’s two existing programmes –  SPARKS, which supports the advancement of pre-seed and early-stage solutions, and the Engine Innovator Programme that supports post seed/series A FinTechs. Engine’s suite now champions FinTech firms from the initial first steps and ideation through to maturity and expansion.

The Advanced Access Initiative concludes at the IA’s EmTech Global conference on March 7, where the seventh cohort of the Engine Innovator Programme will also be announced.

In its sixth year, EmTech Global 2024 brings together investment management industry leaders and technology experts from around the globe to discuss innovations and opportunities affecting the sector. With sessions exploring tokenisation, AI, quantum and space tech, it provides valuable insight for leaders, technologists and practitioners. Keynote speakers including The Lord Mayor Michael Minelli and Charlotte Crosswell, Chair of the CFIT.

Gillian Painter, Head of Membership and Engine, at the Investment Association, said:

“Innovation is crucial to provide the UK investment management industry with its competitive edge and enhance the customer experience. I’m therefore excited to announce the launch our Advanced Access Initiative to support maturing FinTech firms – working together, we look forward to building industry access, engagement and best practice”.

Chris Brook, Co-Founder and Head of Architecture at FINBOURNE Technology said:

“FINBOURNE are pleased to take part in this initiative in its inaugural year. Collaborating with the Investment Association and its wider member base will enable us to demonstrate the value that our innovative solutions are bringing to the market, as we continue our mission to transform the financial industry”.

Vicky Sanders, Chief Digital Officer, at OpenFin said:

“We are delighted to join the IA Engine Advanced Access initiative and look forward to working more closely with the investment management industry. New technology has great potential to benefit investment managers, with our tried-and-tested solution enabling firms to boost their enterprise productivity through better workspace management, app utilisation and workflow automation.”

Notes to Editor

To read more about Engine’s Advanced Access Initiative, click here.

To register or read about Engine’s Global Emergent Technology Conference, click here.

For further information, please contact:

Helen Ayres, Head of Communications: [email protected]

T: +44 (0)20 7269 4620

Arianna Schardt, Communications Executive: [email protected]

T: +44 (0)20 7269 4625

Ismail Abdi, Communications Trainee: [email protected]

T: +44 7596 872575

IA press office: [email protected]

About the Investment Association (IA):

• The IA champions UK investment management, supporting British savers, investors and businesses. Our 250 members manage £8.8 trillion of assets and the investment management industry supports 126,400 jobs across the UK.
• Our mission is to make investment better. Better for clients, so they achieve their financial goals. Better for companies, so they get the capital they need to grow. And better for the economy, so everyone prospers.
• Our purpose is to ensure investment managers are in the best possible position to:
  • Build people’s resilience to financial adversity
  • Help people achieve their financial aspirations
  • Enable people to maintain a decent standard of living as they grow older
  • Contribute to economic growth through the efficient allocation of capital.
• The money our members manage is in a wide variety of investment vehicles including authorised investment funds, pension funds and stocks and shares ISAs.
• The UK is the second largest investment management centre in the world, after the US and manages 37% of all assets managed in Europe.

About Engine:  

• Engine is the Investment Association’s FinTech hub, launched in 2018.
• Engine’s mission is simple: To fuel the adoption of technology within investment management, for the benefit and changing needs of clients.
• We’re working with 150+ FinTech firms and partners across the investment value chain to open tech-driven possibilities and solve the challenges faced by investment firms, both big and small.

About FINBOURNE Technology:

At FINBOURNE, we offer investment, banking and capital markets firms a compelling and interoperable approach to data management, lowering total cost of ownership and achieving value within a faster time to market. Our solutions empower investment data processes and drive operational growth for emerging hedge funds, through to established global institutions. Leveraging SaaS technology and a secure cloud infrastructure, we liberate, simplify and connect data. FINBOURNE is trusted by some of the world’s leading financial services firms, including Fidelity International, London Stock Exchange Group, Baillie Gifford and Railpen. https://www.finbourne.com/

About OpenFin:

Move Fast. Break Nothing. OpenFin is the operating system for enterprise productivity, enabling app distribution, workspace management and workflow automation. Used by 90% of major global banks, OpenFin deploys more than 3,500 desktop applications to more than 3,800 firms. OpenFin investors include Bain Capital Ventures, Barclays, In-Q-Tel, CME Ventures, DRW Venture Capital, HSBC, J.P. Morgan, ING Ventures, NYCA Partners, Pivot Investment Partners, Standard Chartered and Wells Fargo Strategic Capital among others. The company is based in New York with an office in London and presence in Hong Kong and Singapore.