Kenja Consulting, a boutique investment consultancy, has revealed plans for a new event series designed to enhance fintech collaboration between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the United Kingdom (UK). This initiative aims to build bridges between these two prominent financial centres, fostering investment opportunities and strategic partnerships.
Named Fintech Futures: UAE-UK Connection, the series will debut in Dubai in May 2025 and alternate between the UAE and the UK over the course of 2025 and 2026. The programme will include high-level networking sessions, startup showcases, and targeted roundtables to connect investors with emerging fintech ventures.
“The UAE and UK represent two of the world’s most dynamic fintech ecosystems, each with unique strengths and complementary opportunities,” said Zoe Bardet, Manager at Kenja Consulting and the driving force behind the project. “Through this series, we’re creating a structured platform for meaningful dialogue and investment opportunities between these markets.”
The inaugural event will align with the Dubai FinTech Summit in May 2025, leveraging the international audience already drawn to the region for this flagship conference. Subsequent events will coincide with other leading industry gatherings, such as the FTT Fintech Festival in London and Abu Dhabi Finance Week, both happening in November 2025.
Key elements of the series include curated matchmaking sessions between investors and carefully selected fintech startups, expert-led panels discussing cross-border investment prospects, regulatory workshops addressing compliance across both regions, and exclusive networking events for seasoned investors and entrepreneurs.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi are rapidly becoming global fintech powerhouses, complementing London’s established dominance in the sector. This initiative addresses the growing demand for cross-border fintech investments between the UAE and UK markets.
“We’ve observed increasing demand from our clients for opportunities to expand their fintech portfolios across these markets,” Bardet said. “This series will provide a structured approach to identifying and evaluating investment opportunities while building lasting relationships between the two ecosystems.”
The initiative will conclude with a flagship summit in Dubai in February 2026, showcasing successful partnerships and investments resulting from the series.
