The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Innovation Hub, part of Project Innovate[1], is now open and offering support to innovators.
Project Innovate has been developed by the FCA to foster competition and growth in financial services by supporting both small and large businesses that are developing products that could genuinely improve services for consumers.
The FCA’s chief executive, Martin Wheatley, will mark the opening of the Innovation Hub in a speech at Financial News’ Fintech Conference in London later today.
“The Innovation Hub is part of our commitment to support innovation by opening doors to those – regulated and not – who come with fresh ideas about how to deliver financial services.
“This work levels the playing field by giving all firms eager to innovate access to our expertise so that the process of joining the financial markets or introducing new products does not seem so daunting.”
The Innovation Hub will provide direct support from a team of dedicated FCA staff to both regulated and non-regulated innovators. In order to receive support from the FCA, businesses will need to show that their innovation could bring benefits to the end consumer, either an individual or business.
The Innovation Hub will provide businesses who qualify with access to the following services:
- a dedicated contact for innovation-related queries, including provision of individual guidance and informal steers, as appropriate
- continuation of additional support for up to a year after authorisation (for those firms who have been supported through the authorisations process)
- help to understand the regulatory framework and how it applies
- identify areas where the regulatory regime needs to adapt to facilitate innovation
- use the expertise gained through our work with firms to inform future policy development in a way that supports innovation
The full criteria that will be used to assess requests for support is available on the FCA website.[1]
Notes to editors
- Feedback statement[2].
- On the 1 April 2013 the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) became responsible for the conduct supervision of all regulated financial firms and the prudential supervision of those not supervised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA).
- The FCA has an overarching strategic objective of ensuring the relevant markets function well. To support this it has three operational objectives: to secure an appropriate degree of protection for consumers; to protect and enhance the integrity of the UK financial system; and to promote effective competition in the interests of consumers.
- Find out more information about the FCA.[3]