NatWest Launches 2026 AI Fintech Programme for Customer Innovation
NatWest Group has opened applications for its 2026 fintech programme, targeting start-ups that use artificial intelligence to transform customer experience. The 12-week initiative is framed as a partnership vehicle: NatWest offers market access, technical support and mentorship while fintechs bring specialised AI products to solve real-world banking problems.
Driving Banking’s Future with Agentic AI and Smart Devices
Banking is facing fast-moving technology shifts and rising customer expectations. NatWest is explicitly prioritising agentic AI and smart device integrations that can automate routine tasks, personalise service and surface proactive financial guidance. David Grunwald, head of group partnerships at NatWest Group, said the bank wants to work with firms using AI to reshape the customer experience and expand how customers interact with financial services.
Collaborative Approach: What the Programme Offers
The programme targets UK-based fintechs at Pre-Series A to Series A stages with proven product-market fit. Participants receive structured mentorship, engineering and compliance support, commercial pilots and introductions to enterprise teams. The model is collaborative: NatWest provides a testbed for deployment and feedback, speeding real-world validation and potential scaling across its customer base.
Success Story: Tunic Pay’s Impact on Fraud Prevention
Tunic Pay is highlighted as an alum that converted pilots into live capability. Its real-time payment intelligence flags suspicious flows and reduced fraud exposure during tests with NatWest, demonstrating how focused AI tools can protect customers and cut operational costs. Tunic Pay’s CEO, Nicky Goulimis, noted the partnership helped accelerate product refinement and go-to-market plans.
NatWest Group: Cultivating Banking’s AI-Powered Evolution
NatWest’s programme signals a strategic shift: large banks are increasingly outsourcing innovation risk to specialist fintechs while providing scale and regulatory expertise. For investors and founders, the initiative is a practical pathway to embed advanced AI into mainstream banking and prove commercial value under real-world constraints.
