Industry body FinTechNZ has inked a deal with like-minded Australian start-up ‘hub’, Stone and Chalk, to bolster trans-Tasman networking among the next generation financial firms.
James Brown, FinTechNZ general manager, said the group signed a memorandum of understanding with Stone and Chalk late in August to share ideas and resources.
“We want to support NZ start-ups looking to Australia as either their first market or for growth opportunities,” Brown said. “And, vice versa, we also want to partner with Australian businesses – especially around payments and open banking.”
As well, he said the Stone and Chalk deal could lead to joint Australasian delegations to other burgeoning fintech centres such as in Singapore, Asia, the UK and Canada.
Brown said the agreement should also see FinTechNZ, which boasts over 100 members, hosting Australian start-ups at events this side of the Tasman.
Launched in August 2015, Stone and Chalk moved to swank Sydney premises last year before opening a Melbourne office later in 2017.
“After just three years of operations, S&C now houses over 500 entrepreneurs working in over 100 fintech startups that have already collectively raised over AU$260 million in funding and employed an additional 50 people,” the Stone and Chalk website says.
Last week the Australian ‘Blockchain Centre’ also linked up with Stone and Chalk Melbourne chapter.
FinTechNZ, meanwhile, is forging further offshore partnerships including joining a new “supercluster” of global fintech organisations and initiating formal talks with the UK government, the group’s latest newsletter says.
“Discussions have begun with Minister for Investment for the UK Graham Stuart, including the opportunities available for New Zealand and the UK with a post-Brexit Free Trade Agreement, focussing on services leaning towards FinTech,” the newsletter says.
This year FinTechNZ will also co-produce the annual industry summit launched by Finnotec in 2016. Now in its third year, the Finnotec event, created by SavvyKiwi founder Binu Paul, has been booked for Auckland’s Pullman Hotel on November 29.
Fintech will get an earlier airing next week the joint Financial Services Council/Workplace Savings NZ (FSC/WSNZ) conference. In a first for the FSC/ASNZ, start-up technology firms will get to flaunt their wares down a conference side-street dubbed ‘fintech alley’.
The FSC/WSNZ ‘Shaping futures’ conference is set down for September 6-7 – also at the Auckland Pullman.