Helene Panzarino

Originally a Commercial Banker, Helene is an experienced FinTech Programme Director, Exited Entrepreneur, and Educator, and currently MD of the global Rainmaking Colab FinTech Programme, a world-first, post-accelerator programme connecting Series A+ FinTechs to Tier 1 banks financial institutions in order to create genuine commercial opportunities for both. She also successfully created and launched the Inaugural Programme of Education and Events for Innovate Finance, the UK FinTech trade body. Helene has worked to enable commercial engagement, investment and genuine growth for the SBC and Rainmaking FinTechs as well as those she’s worked with during her time at Grant Thornton on accessing finance.

Passionate about the future generation of FinTech founders, she is also helping to shape the next generation as the Lead Fellow (and creator) on a world-first FinTech Pathway in a Masters in Tech Entrepreneurship Degree for UCL, and co-creator and lead delivery partner on the Imperial College FinTech Executive Education Programme. Named a Top 10 Influencer in SME Funding, Helene is the sole author of Business Funding for Dummies (Wiley), and a contributor to The Parliamentary Rose Report on Female Funding in FinTech. She adds a voice to the FinTech community with articles such as ‘Has Open Banking Moved the Needle?’ and ‘AI in Financial Services’.

She is a regular judge, speaker and moderator for the FIA Awards, Global Mobile Congress, FinTech Week London, EFMA (European Finance) on FinTech and Corporate collaboration, Money Live on FinTech/Corporate Collaboration, the Retail Banking Conference London, Lendit (FinTech Partnerships, Open Banking) and the Great British Entrepreneur Awards. Helene is a member of The FinTech Advisory Board for the BSI and on the Steering Group of the TLA FinTech Working Group. Named on the Computer Weekly 100 Women in Tech Award 2018, she was also recently inducted into the St George’s Leadership Foundation at Windsor Castle.