Hogan Lovells announces cohort of female founders for its Fintech Mentor Program

Hogan Lovells is committed to fostering an inclusive environment and has long been a leader in advancing gender equality within the legal industry. As one of the first global law firms to publish specific goals for women partners and women in management, Hogan Lovells' commitment to diversity is reflected in the composition of its Fintech Mentor Program. The firm remains dedicated to empowering women in fintech and promoting financial inclusion through this initiative. 

This year’s cohort includes:

• ESG Stream: A platform addressing the increasingly complex ESG requirements for institutional investors.
• Hello Flute: A self-driving money platform that automates personal finance decisions, offering customers access to the best financial products effortlessly.
• Deriskly: An AI company focused on developing safe and compliant GenAI solutions for financial services firms.
• This is Penny: A platform revolutionizing how private pensions are purchased by women, aimed at ensuring women are aware of and can mitigate the risks of poverty in retirement.

The increasing presence of women in fintech is a testament to their resilience in overcoming barriers and bringing innovative products to market. Hogan Lovells takes pride in supporting these trailblazers in driving industry progress. Notably, the FinTech Mentor Program was founded by partner Sharon Lewis and senior counsel Emily Reid, further underscoring the firm’s commitment to advancing gender diversity in the sector. To date, the program has supported over 50 fintech start-ups, providing each with up to £25,000 in free legal advice and regulatory consulting services, along with access to a robust network of industry experts.

To enhance collaboration among current and former program participants, Hogan Lovells has also launched the FinTech Mentor Program Hub. This platform offers key industry insights, webinars, recordings, podcasts, and more, facilitating knowledge sharing within the fintech community.

The firm is also pleased to highlight success stories from previous cohorts. For instance, Hogan Lovells recently assisted Shuttle (formerly PitchedIt), a 2023 program participant, in securing authorization from the Central Bank of Ireland. 

As partner lead of the Fintech Mentor Program, Eimear O’Brien shares that “I’m excited for Hogan Lovells to be instrumental in driving the success of our participants, fostering innovation and growth across fintech sectors including payments, digital assets, and ESG initiatives. We look forward to facilitating meaningful collaboration and networking opportunities that will empower our participants to thrive in the fintech industry.”

Additionally, alumni member Updraft was recently recognized on the Sifted 100: UK & Ireland list, ranking among the top 30 fastest-growing start-ups in the region by revenue growth. The key relationship partner for Updraft, at the time they onboarded and was the firm’s Head of FinTech, Emily Reid comments “Spotting opportunities in underserved sectors is a key ingredient to success for a start-up. By providing an alternative to expensive overdraft funding, Aseem has found a strong area for growth and assisted customers in need of affordable funding. We’re delighted to have supported Updraft’s journey from the outset.” 

Hogan Lovells remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing diversity and innovation within the fintech sector.

Further information and updates on our next application process can be found here.