The new report, funded by Trethowans, Dorset LEP and BCP Council through the UKSPF, is the output of a project completed in partnership with FinTech West, with engagement from a range of stakeholders from across the ecosystem.
It was launched at a FinTech West showcase hosted at Bournemouth University’s Fusion Building, an event which was opened by Professor Alison Honour (Vice Chancellor & CEO) and featured speakers from some of the region’s FinTech ecosystem including Vitality, Just Move In, Twenty7tec, Passenger, Ratio, and Crowdfunder.
The report finds Dorset to be a growing hub of FinTech activity, with the number of FinTech firms up 32% since 2023, and now standing at 37. It highlights regional strengths spanning sub-sectors such as Payments, Lending, WealthTech and InsurTech, reflecting the wide ranging capability of firms within Dorset.
Councillor Rich Herrett, Portfolio holder for Destination, Leisure and Commercial Operations, BCP Council, said:
“Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP), in Dorset, is a thriving financial centre, home to significant global financial businesses. The region has seen a trend of financial and professional services firms relocating jobs from London or overseas back to the UK. Working together, FinTech West and BCP Council’s Economic Development team are positive that the future of the South Coast’s FinTech centre is strong.”
The data in the report shows the region is performing strongly in terms of gender diversity, with 46% of FinTech firms having a female director, and 27% having a female founder. Diversity is a widely acknowledged as an area requiring improvement across UK FinTech, but Dorset compares favourably with other regions Whitecap has analysed.
Additionally, seven FinTechs with their HQ in Dorset have raised more than £25m over 34 equity funding rounds. These numbers will soon be boosted further, because Just Move In, which has been responsible for more than half of the funding raised, announced at the launch event that it has just closed a further equity funding round and will be confirming details soon.
Julian Wells, Director & FinTech Lead at Whitecap Consulting, said:
“We are delighted to publish this report and shine a spotlight on FinTech in Dorset. The region’s growing FinTech ecosystem is made up of established financial services brands, a diverse cohort of FinTech innovators, and tech firms, enhanced by a supportive ecosystem across the public and private, and education sectors. Based on what we have observed in other regions, future growth can by fuelled by meaningful collaboration within the region and beyond.”
Laura Trapnell, Partner – IP/IT/Commercial Contracts, Trethowans LLP, said:
“It is exciting to watch and be a part of the accelerating development of the FinTech Eco-system in Dorset. Bournemouth and Poole in particular are seeing growing interest from FinTech companies due to their technology infrastructure and talent pool. Banks and financial institutions are increasingly collaborating with FinTech startups to integrate new technologies and reach a wider customer base and BCP Council and Dorset LEP are actively promoting FinTech innovation and providing support to start-up and scale-up companies alike. Some of the fastest growing FinTech companies in the UK have started their journey in the area and many are still here.”
The report is Whitecap’s 17th report on regional FinTech over recent years, and builds on its South West FinTech Report 2023, which identified Dorset as the second largest FinTech hub in the South West and led to the creation of FinTech West’s South Coast Hub.
Stuart Harrison, Director of FinTech West, said:
“When we launched the South Coast Hub with BCP Council, we started talking about the possibility of growing FinTech in the region to be bigger than tourism. Having seen the vibrant level of activity and enthusiasm for collaboration here coupled with the strength in digital technologies and finance, that’s not just a pipe dream. This report shows we’re well on track to achieve that in the next few years which will bring substantial economic benefit and help drive GDP per capita growth, hopefully for the benefit of all who live and work here.”
Claire Main, Economic Development Officer, BCP Council, has been involved in the South Coast Hub from the outset, and added:
“Dorset has a strong tech foundation, but focusing on key areas like FinTech allows us to make a bigger impact. Prioritising FinTech helps build an ecosystem that drives innovation across other sectors, with funding and focus acting as catalysts for wider growth.”
Dorset FinTech Report 2025
