Resident FinTech Futures expert Greg Watts launches Findr
Resident FinTech Futures expert, Greg Watts, has launched Findr – a platform for automating the creation of commercial partnerships.
Findr CEO, Greg Watts
Findr notes that it has created an artificial intelligence (AI) platform that enables fintechs to identify, assess and connect with prospective retailers, financial institutions and investors in minutes or hours instead of the industry average of 12-18 months – in just a few clicks.
The fintech is currently in the midst of a £300,000 seed funding round, with full SEIS & EIS available pending approval. It is targeting angel investors and high net-worth individuals with an interest in early-stage tech companies. The company will initially focus on the UK fintech market.
This virtual partnership approach eliminates the requirement for face-to-face interactions, providing a safe solution for business continuity during the COVID-19 pandemic, and one that supports the expected increase in digital collaboration once the crisis ends.
After signing up to the Findr platform, users create a profile with information about their company and the type of partnerships they are looking for. Thereafter, they gain access to a rich, single view of prospective partner profiles and are ‘matched’ if there is common interest or appetite based on specified criteria. Findr users will pay a monthly fee and a fee for each accepted match.
The Findr platform is fuelled by data from Crunchbase – with which Findr has signed a strategic partnership. Over time, profiles will be supplemented with data from additional partners as well as Companies House and The Office for National Statistics.
Findr is currently in the midst of a £300,000 seed funding round
“Findr solves a problem endemic not just among fintechs, but among any start-up or early-stage company: a short runway in which to set up vital partnerships before cash runs out,” says Greg Watts, founder and CEO of Findr. “Using Findr, fintechs and prospective partners can radically cut down the time and effort it takes to connect with each other and grow.”
Watts says: “The industry’s response to Findr has been swift and enthusiastic. The common thread is that we’re fulfilling a vital need. While other organisations provide data insights on potential partners, none deliver a matchmaking capability that significantly reduces the time it takes to sign an agreement and go to market.”
Watts was the former head of market acceleration and partnerships for Visa Europe and founder of Demand Creation Partners, a growth accelerator for fintechs. Findr was born out of a desire by Watts – while at Visa and Demand Creation Partners – to automate the multiple, manual steps involved in creating effective, lasting partnerships.
Watts is joined on the Findr leadership team by two co-founders: chief technology officer Makis Saridis, and board advisor David John. Saridis was previously a technical director at Oracle, Asos and Primark, while John was a former commodities trader and founder of Loyalize, an engagement platform for retailers and financial institutions.
Findr has already signed up a number of fintechs, retailers, financial institutions and investors for early beta access, with testing expected to start this summer.
Ask the expert: to outsource lead generation or not – that’s the question!
