NatWest Group has revealed the fintech companies chosen for its 2026 Fintech Programme after a selection process involving applicants from across the UK.
The group includes early-stage firms using AI to address issues in financial services, including customer experience, customer vulnerability, financial crime, compliance and risk.
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The statement formally opens the programme and comes after a founder roundtable organised by NatWest.
The 12-week initiative is centred on the theme “How AI is Shaping the Future of Customer Experience”.
It is aimed at pre-Series A and Series A fintechs developing AI tools described as safe, responsible and customer led.
Those taking part will work with NatWest’s Open Innovation team to examine possible areas of collaboration within the bank.
They will also receive guidance from senior leaders and be able to take part in in-person events and workshops within NatWest’s broader innovation network.
The companies in the 2026 cohort are Aveni, Condukt, DeepFlow, Empath_AI, Galveston Group, Gradient Labs, Murphy AI and Round Treasury.
Aveni provides an AI platform for financial services that uses proprietary language models for agentic customer engagement, realtime compliance and conduct risk assurance.
Condukt offers an always-on agentic compliance platform for real-time business onboarding and automated decisioning across the customer lifecycle.
DeepFlow has developed a cross-silo agentic orchestration layer for financial crime and risk operations, with a focus on efficiency and human oversight.
Empath_AI uses vocal biomarker technology to help banks identify and support vulnerable customers who may not disclose their needs.
Galveston Group runs an AI-native geopolitical intelligence platform that links live global events to portfolio, trading and balance sheet risk.
Gradient Labs builds AI agents for financial services to automate customer support and operational workflows with embedded guardrails.
Murphy AI has created an AI-first operating system for debt collections that uses autonomous agents to improve customer outcomes while cutting operational cost.
Round Treasury provides an agentic treasury and payments platform bringing together banking, automations, payments, liquidity and FX across more than 2,000 banks in real time.
NatWest Group Innovation director David Grunwald said: “All of the fintechs joining this year’s programme are using AI in innovative ways – whether maximising the opportunities it presents or providing solutions to some of the challenges faced by banks and our customers.
“From safer AI adoption and better protection for vulnerable customers, to smarter risk management and simpler business banking, this cohort demonstrates the power of focused collaboration. We are excited to work closely with these teams and explore how their solutions could help shape the future of banking.”
