Investor Network — NeoBank Funding Strategy

Strategic Overview

Mission: Become the best mortgage lender in the world. Built on PropTech → LegalTech → Mortgage/Underwriting foundations. Innovator Visa in London. Term sheet target: June 2026.

Mission & Thesis

Become the best mortgage lender in the world.

Built on a PropTech foundation, innovated through LegalTech, and now specialising in mortgage financing, underwriting, and structured financial products. Pursuing a full banking licence via the OakNorth / New Bank Start-Up Unit (NBSU) route — UK-first, then Canada.

              UK-First Strategy
            

FCA Sandbox → EMI Licence → Full UK Banking Licence (PRA/FCA) → Canadian Schedule II/III via OSFI. A UK banking licence is the strongest foreign credential for OSFI expedited review. Innovator Visa already signals UK establishment to regulators.

🚨 Top 4 Immediate Actions — Do These Now

                ① URGENT — THIS WEEK
              

Get IFGS 2026 tickets + book FCA Office Hours

IFGS is April 21–24 (Guildhall, London). FCA offers 1:1 meetings with startups onsite on April 21st. Seats are limited and FCA reviews all registrations. Ticket first, then register for FCA office hours.

                ② AT IFGS — PRE-BOOK NOW
              

Pre-book 1:1 meetings via IFGS conference app

Targets: Tim Levene (Augmentum), Jan Hammer (Index Ventures), Rob Moffat (Balderton), Louis Taylor (British Business Bank). Book 4+ weeks before.

                ③ BRYAN — THIS WEEK
              

Join LSE Banking & Finance Alumni Network

OakNorth founders Rishi Khosla and Joel Perlman are both LSE alumni. This is your documented access route to OakNorth. Join the network and the LinkedIn group.

LSE Alumni Network ↗ LinkedIn Group ↗

                ④ REGISTER + BOOK MEETINGS
              

CVCA Annual Summit — Halifax, May 26–28

Every major Canadian VC attends. Register on cvca.ca and book 1:1 meetings on the conference platform at least 4 weeks in advance (by April 28). Targets: Karim Gillani (Luge), Harry Briggs (OMERS), Jordan Jacobs (Radical), Courtney Cooper (Alate).

Most Important Contacts & Why

The six relationships most likely to close your term sheet by June. Each has a direct connection to your mortgage lending thesis.

Rishi Khosla — OakNorth Bank

            CEO & Co-Founder · London · LSE Alumni
          

OakNorth IS your template. They received a full PRA/FCA banking licence in 2015 — exactly the path you are pursuing. Their lending book is real estate and SME lending, mirroring your mortgage thesis exactly.
Portage Ventures (Adam Felesky) is an investor in OakNorth — making Felesky a warm intro path to Khosla.
Access route: LSE Banking & Finance Alumni Network. Bryan joins this week.

Adam Felesky — Portage Ventures

            Co-Founder & CEO · Montréal/London · Canadian-Founded
          

Portage invested in both OakNorth (UK) and Nesto (Canadian digital mortgage). No other fund on this list has done both. This makes Felesky the single investor most likely to immediately understand and fund your thesis.
Paul Desmarais III (Sagard/Power Corp dynasty) is Executive Chairman — the LP network behind Portage is among the most powerful in Canada.
Access route: Inovia Capital co-investment overlap; Portage FinTech Summit (Montréal, annual).

Tim Levene — Augmentum Fintech

            CEO & Founding Partner · London · LSE-Listed Specialist
          

Only publicly listed fintech-only VC on the London Stock Exchange (AUGM). Strong FCA Regulatory Sandbox relationships — the sandbox is your entry point to the banking licence.
Portfolio includes Monese (neobank) and Trade Ledger (B2B lending) — closest UK portfolio analogues to your thesis.
Access route: IFGS April 21 — pre-book 1:1 via conference app. LinkedIn cold outreach also works per founder accounts.

Karim Gillani — Luge Capital

            Founder & General Partner · Montréal/Toronto · FinTech Specialist
          

Luge invested in Nesto (Canadian digital mortgage) and HonestDoor (proptech pricing). The most direct Canadian portfolio match to your mortgage lending thesis.
$180M AUM across two funds. CDPQ (Caisse de dépôt) is a core LP — institutional credibility with Canadian pension capital.
Access route: Payments Canada Summit (May); Fintech Drinks Montréal at Espace CDPQ. CVCA Halifax (May 26–28).

Harry Briggs — OMERS Ventures

            Managing Partner, UK & Europe · London · Canadian Pension-Backed
          

OMERS is the Ontario pension fund — a Canadian institution running a transatlantic VC from London. The $750M Fund IV is specifically transatlantic. Harry Briggs leads UK/EU deal flow and is highly accessible on LinkedIn.
Portfolio includes Float, OneVest, and Moves — active in Canadian fintech at Series A–C, your likely raise stage.
Access route: LinkedIn direct outreach to Harry Briggs. CVCA Halifax (May 26–28). IFGS (April 21).

Dominic Barton — Radical Ventures

            Partner · Toronto/London · ex-McKinsey Global MD · ex-Canadian
            Ambassador to China
          

Radical invested in Blue J (AI legaltech) — the most direct portfolio analogue to your legaltech vertical. Barton's McKinsey alumni network and diplomatic relationships give him extraordinary breadth across both geographies.
Chancellor of the University of Waterloo. Chair of Rio Tinto. Former Canadian Ambassador to China. This is an introduction multiplier, not just a single fund relationship.
Access route: McKinsey alumni events; UWaterloo President's Circle; FT/Globe & Mail tech summits.

All Contacts at a Glance

Full contact directory — click a tab above for detailed fund profiles and connection strategies.

Adam Felesky

Portage CEO

🇨🇦🇬🇧 Both

Paul Desmarais III

Portage Chairman / Sagard

🇨🇦🇬🇧 Both

Hélène Falchier

Portage Europe Partner

🇬🇧 London

Harry Briggs

OMERS MD London

🇬🇧 London

Jennifer Janson

OMERS Partner

🇨🇦🇬🇧 Both

Aaron Rosenberg

Radical London / ex-DeepMind

🇬🇧 London

Jordan Jacobs

Radical Co-Founder

🇨🇦 Toronto

Dominic Barton

Radical Partner / ex-McKinsey

🇨🇦🇬🇧 Both

Karim Gillani

Luge Capital Founder/GP

🇨🇦 Toronto/MTL

David Nault

Luge Capital Partner

🇨🇦 Montréal

Courtney Cooper

Alate Partners

🇨🇦 Toronto

David Unsworth

Information VP Partner

🇨🇦 Toronto

Rob Antoniades

Information VP Partner

🇨🇦 Toronto

Matt Cohen

Ripple Ventures Founder

🇨🇦 Toronto

Ed Sonshine

Awz Chairman / RioCan

🇨🇦🇬🇧 Both

Stephen Harper

Awz Advisory / ex-PM Canada

🇨🇦🇬🇧 Both

Rishi Khosla

OakNorth CEO

🇬🇧 London

Joel Perlman

OakNorth Co-Founder

🇬🇧 London

Ben Barbanel

OakNorth Head RE Lending

🇬🇧 London

Lord Adair Turner

OakNorth Chairman

🇬🇧 London

Tim Levene

Augmentum CEO/Founder

🇬🇧 London

Nick Millican

Augmentum Investment Dir.

🇬🇧 London

Louis Taylor

British Business Bank CEO

🇬🇧 London

Catherine Lewis La Torre

British Patient Capital CEO

🇬🇧 London

Rob Moffat

Balderton FinTech Partner

🇬🇧 London

Saul Klein

LocalGlobe Co-Founder

🇬🇧 London

Jan Hammer

Index Ventures FinTech

🇬🇧 London

🇬🇧 London — Priority Investor Targets

Your Innovator Visa makes you fully eligible for FCA/PRA processes. These are your highest-leverage London relationships for the banking licence pathway and VC funding.

TIER 1 — STRATEGIC PARTNERS (HIGH)

Portage Ventures

VC · FinTech/Financial Services · Seed → Series C

🇨🇦 Canadian-Founded London Office Active OakNorth Portfolio Nesto (Mortgage)

portageinvest.com ↗

Key Contacts

Adam Felesky

Co-Founder & CEO

🇨🇦🇬🇧 Both

Hélène Falchier

Partner, Europe (London)

🇬🇧 London

Paul Desmarais III

Executive Chairman / Sagard

🇨🇦🇬🇧 Both

Why Critical

The only Canadian VC that has invested in both OakNorth (UK neobank) and Nesto (Canadian digital mortgage). Felesky explicitly named the UK a priority market for 2024/25. Paul Desmarais III's Sagard/Power Corporation LP network is a direct warm pathway from Canadian institutional investors to Portage's London desk.

Relevant Portfolio

Wealthsimple (neobank CA) KOHO (neobank CA) Nesto (digital mortgage CA) OakNorth (UK neobank) ZILO (UK fintech, £25M 2024)

⚡ Connection Strategy

Warm intro via Inovia Capital co-investment overlap — both invest in Canadian fintech/neobank space
Reach Hélène Falchier through EU-Startups network or Innovate Finance Global Summit (April 14–15, London)
Portage FinTech Summit (annual, Montréal) — apply directly via portageinvest.com
Paul Desmarais III: approach via Sagard/Power Corporation LP events or CDPQ Montréal events

OMERS Ventures (London)

VC · Pension-Backed · Series A → C · European HQ in London

🇨🇦 Canadian Pension London Base FinTech + PropTech

omersventures.com ↗

Key Contacts

Harry Briggs

Managing Partner, UK & Europe

🇬🇧 London

Jennifer Janson

Partner, Business Operations

🇨🇦🇬🇧 Both

Why Critical

Harry Briggs runs the London/EU desk and is highly accessible on LinkedIn — this is one of the most direct warm-outreach opportunities on the London list. OMERS is the Ontario pension fund with a direct fiduciary mandate for Canadian founders. Their $750M Fund IV is transatlantic.

Relevant Portfolio

Float (corporate fintech CA) OneVest (wealthtech CA) Moves (gig fintech) Tessian (cybersecurity UK) Shopify (IPO)

⚡ Connection Strategy

Harry Briggs on LinkedIn — direct, personal outreach citing Canadian neobank + UK banking licence strategy
CVCA Annual Summit (Halifax, May 26–28) — OMERS attends; Canadian founders can request 1:1 meetings
Subscribe to OMERS newsletters: Green Room, This Month in Fintech, Insurtech Rap — engage with content before outreaching
ULI Toronto — OMERS is a major real estate owner; shared proptech interest

OakNorth Bank ★ Strategic Model

Full UK Banking Licence · Lending £500K–£50M · Real Estate Focus

Full PRA/FCA Licence 2015 RE Lending Your Template £187M Profit 2023

oaknorth.co.uk ↗

Key Contacts

Rishi Khosla

CEO & Co-Founder

🇬🇧 London

Joel Perlman

Co-Founder

🇬🇧 London

Ben Barbanel

Head of Debt Finance (RE)

🇬🇧 London

Lord Adair Turner

Chairman

🇬🇧 London

Why Critical

OakNorth is not a VC — it is your direct strategic model and potential partner. They followed exactly the path you are planning: PRA/FCA application 2013 → Full banking licence 2015 → £10B+ in lending → ON Credit Intelligence licensed to 12+ banks globally. Ben Barbanel is your most direct point of contact for real estate / mortgage lending discussions. Note: Access Rishi Khosla via LSE alumni network.

⚡ Connection Strategy

LSE alumni network — Khosla and Perlman are both LSE alumni; register for LSE Finance Society / Mentorpreneurship programme
Ben Barbanel — approach directly via LinkedIn for RE/mortgage lending discussion; most accessible entry point
Portage Ventures (investor in OakNorth) — a warm intro from Adam Felesky is ideal
Request a meeting with the New Bank Start-Up Unit (NBSU) at FCA — OakNorth alumni are involved in advising new applicants

Augmentum Fintech plc

VC · Listed on LSE (AUGM) · Seed → Series B · UK FinTech Specialist

LSE Listed FCA Relationships NeoBank Portfolio

augmentum.vc ↗

Key Contacts

Tim Levene

CEO & Founding Partner

🇬🇧 London

Nick Millican

Investment Director

🇬🇧 London

Why Critical

Publicly listed fintech-only VC on the London Stock Exchange — this means transparent portfolio and financials. Strong FCA Sandbox relationships. Portfolio includes Monese (neobank) and Trade Ledger (B2B lending). Being publicly listed also means an investor relations route exists alongside direct founder outreach.

Relevant Portfolio

Monese (UK neobank) Volt (open banking) Trade Ledger (B2B lending) iwoca (SME lending)

⚡ Connection Strategy

Tim Levene via LinkedIn — direct, personal message citing Canadian neobank + UK banking licence roadmap
Innovate Finance Global Summit (April 14–15, London) — Augmentum is a regular presence; highest-priority event for this contact
Shareholder meeting / investor relations route as a publicly listed company (AUGM on LSE)
FCA Sandbox connection — Augmentum portfolio companies have used the sandbox; frame your sandbox application as alignment

British Business Bank

UK Government · VC/Debt · All Stages · £2.5B British Patient Capital

UK Gov Backed Non-Dilutive Available LP in Every UK VC

british-business-bank.co.uk ↗

Key Contacts

Louis Taylor

CEO, British Business Bank

🇬🇧 London

Catherine Lewis La Torre

CEO, British Patient Capital

🇬🇧 London

Why Critical

The BBB is an LP in virtually every UK VC on this list (Balderton, Index, Octopus, LocalGlobe). British Patient Capital (£2.5B fund) provides co-investment at growth stage. Non-dilutive Start Up Loans (up to £25K) available immediately. Catherine Lewis La Torre is your direct target for the Patient Capital co-investment programme. Your Innovator Visa makes you directly eligible.

⚡ Connection Strategy

Apply to British Patient Capital co-investment programme directly via british-business-bank.co.uk
BBB Annual Symposium (Autumn, London) — access to every UK VC BBB backs as LPs
UK FinTech Ambassador network — register via british-business-bank.co.uk/fintech
Start Up Loans programme — non-dilutive up to £25K; immediate cash flow bridge

Radical Ventures (London)

VC · Deep AI · Series A → C · Toronto + London + SF

🇨🇦 Canadian-Founded London Partner (Aaron Rosenberg) LegalTech Portfolio

radical.vc ↗

Key Contacts

Aaron Rosenberg

Partner London / ex-DeepMind

🇬🇧 London

Jordan Jacobs

Co-Founder/MP, Toronto

🇨🇦 Toronto

Dominic Barton

Partner / ex-McKinsey Global MD

🇨🇦🇬🇧 Both

Why Critical

Radical invested in Blue J (AI legaltech) — the closest portfolio analogue to your legaltech vertical. Aaron Rosenberg is ex-DeepMind and heads the London office. Dominic Barton's McKinsey global network and ex-Canadian Ambassador role gives extraordinary relationship breadth across both geographies. Barton is also Chancellor of University of Waterloo.

Relevant Portfolio

Blue J (AI legaltech/tax) Cohere (LLM unicorn) Clarifai (AI vision)

⚡ Connection Strategy

Aaron Rosenberg — DeepMind/London AI alumni network; Vector Institute events (Radical co-founded)
Dominic Barton — McKinsey alumni network, UWaterloo President's Circle events, FT/Globe & Mail tech summits
Barton is Chair of Rio Tinto — corporate board introductions are possible via mutual contacts

TIER 2 — LONDON VCs (MEDIUM PRIORITY)

Balderton Capital

VC · European Early Stage · Series A → C

🇬🇧 UK Native Revolut Early Backer Rob Moffat = FinTech Lead

balderton.com ↗

Rob Moffat

Partner – FinTech Lead

🇬🇧 London

⚡ Connection Strategy

Rob Moffat is the fintech partner — connect via Innovate Finance or FinTech Alliance UK
Money20/20 Europe (Amsterdam, June 3–5) — Balderton attends consistently
Balderton open to inbound via website; personalized pitch citing Revolut/Airwallex banking infrastructure thesis

Index Ventures (London)

VC · Multi-Stage · Seed → Growth · $2.3B new funds 2024

🇬🇧 London + SF Revolut Backer Wise/Plaid Portfolio

indexventures.com ↗

Jan Hammer

Partner – FinTech (London)

🇬🇧 London

⚡ Connection Strategy

Jan Hammer is the fintech partner — approach via FinTech Alliance UK or Money20/20 Amsterdam (June 3–5)
Warm intro via Wise or Adyen alumni networks
London Tech Week (June 9–13) — Index participates across multiple satellite events

LocalGlobe

VC · Seed Stage · Pre-seed → Series A · Kings Cross London

🇬🇧 UK Native Wise Early Backer Open Banking Focus

localglobe.vc ↗

Saul Klein

Partner & Co-Founder

🇬🇧 London

⚡ Connection Strategy

LocalGlobe founder events — open community, approachable fund
London Tech Week (June 9–13) — Klein family deeply involved
Tech Nation events — approach Nicole Woodward (fintech) or Saul Klein via LinkedIn for seed-stage introduction

🇨🇦 Canada — Priority Investor Targets

Canadian VCs are your warmest network. Many have London offices or transatlantic deal flow. The CVCA Halifax summit (May 26–28) is your single highest-leverage Canadian event before the June deadline.

TIER 1 — HIGH PRIORITY

Luge Capital

VC · FinTech Specialist · $180M AUM · Montréal & Toronto

Nesto (Mortgage Fintech) HonestDoor (PropTech) CDPQ LP

luge.vc ↗

Key Contacts

Karim Gillani

Founder & General Partner

🇨🇦 MTL/TOR

David Nault

Partner

🇨🇦 Montréal

Why Critical

Luge has invested in Nesto (Canadian digital mortgage) and HonestDoor (proptech) — the most direct portfolio analogues to your thesis. Pure fintech/AI-applied-to-financial-services mandate. Expanding to Calgary (2025). CDPQ is a core LP — Caisse events are a pathway.

Relevant Portfolio

HonestDoor (proptech) Nesto (mortgage fintech) OneVest (wealthtech) Cybrid (fintech infra) Buckzy (cross-border)

⚡ Connection Strategy

Attend Fintech Drinks Montréal — Luge hosts regularly at Espace CDPQ; most accessible entry point
Payments Canada Summit (Toronto, May/June) — Karim Gillani attends
CDPQ LP connection — Caisse de dépôt events in Montréal are a secondary pathway
Money20/20 (Luge publishes post-event reports confirming attendance)

Alate Partners

VC · PropTech Specialist · Canada's only dedicated PropTech fund

PropTech Only Ownright (RE Legal) Female-Led Fund

alatepartners.com ↗

Key Contacts

Courtney Cooper

Partner (co-founder Proptech Collective)

🇨🇦 Toronto

Why Critical

Alate invested in Ownright (real estate legal services) and Doormat (RE legal) — the most direct legaltech/proptech intersection with your thesis. Courtney Cooper co-founded the Proptech Collective and sits on the ULI Toronto advisory board. Dream Unlimited is a founding LP — RE network is deep.

Relevant Portfolio

Ownright (RE legaltech) Doormat (RE legal) Lane Tech (acq. VTS) Uniti AI (commercial RE) Mave (RE transactions)

⚡ Connection Strategy

Proptech Collective (co-founded by Courtney Cooper) — events are open; Growth Summit Toronto is annual flagship
ULI Toronto — Courtney Cooper on advisory board; overlap with proptech investors and real estate leaders
RENX (Real Estate News Exchange) events — Alate founders appear regularly
CVCA Women in Private Capital events — relevant for intro

Information Venture Partners

VC · B2B Enterprise FinTech · GRC · Toronto · ex-RBC team

FinTech Only Deep RBC Roots Series A Focus

informationvp.com ↗

Key Contacts

David Unsworth

Partner — B2B FinTech, GRC, Mobile

🇨🇦 Toronto

Rob Antoniades

Partner

🇨🇦 Toronto

Why Critical

Information VP is exclusively focused on North American enterprise & financial technology — B2B fintech, GRC, cybersecurity, mobile. Team has deep RBC roots. They led the Wisedocs Series A (AI medical records / insurance legaltech). David Unsworth is active on the Toronto fintech circuit.

⚡ Connection Strategy

David Unsworth is active at Payments Canada Summit and Fintech Cadence — attend these
Warm intro from an Information VP portfolio founder is ideal — identify via Crunchbase
Osler law firm — Information VP uses Osler; Osler fintech events are a touchpoint
Toronto Finance Innovation Hub (TFIH) events

Awz Ventures

VC · Israeli-Canadian Deep Tech · Toronto + Tel Aviv + London

🇨🇦🇮🇱 CA-IL Bridge Ed Sonshine Chairman Stephen Harper Advisory

awzventures.com ↗

Key Contacts

Ed Sonshine

Chairman / RioCan Founder

🇨🇦🇬🇧 Both

Stephen Harper

Advisory / ex-PM Canada

🇨🇦🇬🇧 Both

Why Critical

Ed Sonshine founded RioCan REIT (Canada's largest retail REIT) — the most direct RE/proptech bridge in the Canadian Jewish business community. Stephen Harper's network spans Canadian government, CAF, CSIS, and global leadership. Both are LPs with political and community influence that extends well beyond the fund itself.

⚡ Connection Strategy

UJA Federation Toronto Annual Gala (Spring) — Ed Sonshine is a major donor; THE event for Toronto Jewish business community
Canada-Israel Chamber of Commerce (Toronto & London) — Awz LP network is accessible here
BIIA MPower Gala (London, Spring) — London entry point to Awz advisory network
UK-Israel Tech Hub Showcase events — government-backed bilateral tech bridge

Ripple Ventures

VC · B2B SaaS · Seed · Toronto · $50M+ Fund III

VCCI Backed Levr.ai (SMB Lending)

rippleventures.com ↗

Matt Cohen

Founder & Managing Partner

🇨🇦 Toronto

⚡ Connection Strategy

Matt Cohen is highly accessible on LinkedIn — direct, personal outreach works per multiple founder accounts
RippleX Fellowship program — community touchpoint
Communitech Waterloo events — Ripple co-invests with Techstars Toronto frequently

Events Calendar — Priority Sequence

All events ordered by proximity to your June 2026 term sheet deadline. Dates are estimates based on historical patterns — verify directly with each event's website before registering.

35d

Apr 14–15

IFGS — Innovate Finance Global Summit FCA OFFICE HOURS: APR 21

📍 London, UK (Guildhall) · April 20–24, 2026 · ifgs.innovatefinance.com ↗

                🔴 FCA OFFICE HOURS — APRIL 21, 2026 — BOOK NOW
              

FCA offers 1:1 meetings with fintech startups onsite at IFGS on April 21st. These sessions cover your regulatory journey, Innovation Pathways, Regulatory Sandbox, and expansion into the UK. This is the fastest way to begin your FCA Sandbox application. FCA reviews all registrations — registration does not guarantee a meeting. Ticket required first.

Premier UK fintech conference. FCA keynotes every year. Every major UK neobank and fintech VC present. Highest single-event ROI for Augmentum and Index Ventures warm introductions.

Augmentum Fintech Balderton Index Ventures British Business Bank

ACTION

HIGH

38d

Spring (confirm date)

BIIA MPower Annual Gala

📍 London, UK (Savoy or equivalent) · biia.com ↗

Single best room in London for Israeli-British investor introductions. Directly connects to Awz Ventures LP network, JVP, and the UK-Israel Tech Hub diplomatic community.

Awz Ventures LP network JVP UK-Israel Tech Hub

ACTION

Join as BIIA member. Request invitation. Target: Awz LP community, Ed Sonshine London contacts.

HIGH

55d

May

Payments Canada Summit

📍 Toronto, ON · payments.ca/summit ↗

Core Canadian fintech conference. Luge Capital and Information VP are consistently present. Best in-person access to Karim Gillani and David Unsworth outside a formal pitch meeting.

Luge Capital Information VP Portage Ventures

ACTION

HIGH

60d

May

Future:PropTech London

📍 London, UK (The Brewery) · futureproptech.co.uk ↗

UK flagship proptech conference. Intersection of real estate and fintech directly relevant to your mortgage/lending product. OakNorth (RE lending) and Octopus Ventures attend.

OakNorth Bank Octopus Ventures CBRE Knight Frank

ACTION

Register. Target: Ben Barbanel (OakNorth RE lending) — most accessible OakNorth contact. Reach out to schedule 1:1 before the event.

HIGH

77d

May 26–28

Invest Canada — CVCA Annual Summit

📍 Halifax, NS · cvca.ca ↗

Canada's premier VC/PE conference. Virtually every fund on the Canadian list attends. OMERS, Inovia, Luge, Ripple, Radical, Georgian, Panache all confirmed CVCA members. Single highest-impact Canadian networking event before the June deadline.

OMERS Ventures Inovia Capital Luge Capital Radical Ventures

ACTION

REGISTER IMMEDIATELY — this is your most important Canadian event given the June deadline. Book meetings via CVCA platform 4+ weeks in advance.

HIGH

85d

Jun 3–5

Money20/20 Europe

📍 Amsterdam (1hr from London) · europe.money2020.com ↗

Largest European fintech trade show. Every investor on the London list attends. Structured investor meetings available via the conference app — this is one of the few events where cold outreach is normalized. Portage, Index, Balderton, Anthemis all present.

Portage Ventures Index Ventures Balderton Anthemis

ACTION

Register. Use the structured investor meeting app 4 weeks before. This is immediately after your June deadline — treat it as a closing event if term sheets are not yet signed.

HIGH

91d

Jun 9–13

London Tech Week

📍 London, UK (various venues) · londontechweek.com ↗

Largest tech festival in Europe with hundreds of satellite events. Balderton, Index, MMC, LocalGlobe, Octopus all accessible in informal settings. Better for secondary introductions after term sheets.

Balderton Index Ventures LocalGlobe Octopus Ventures

ACTION

MEDIUM

30d

Quarterly

FinTech Alliance UK Roundtables

📍 London, UK · fintechalliance.co.uk ↗

Quarterly FCA/regulatory intelligence roundtables. Meet FCA Sandbox team directly — critical for banking licence pathway. Introduction route to Augmentum and Anthemis.

FCA Sandbox Team Augmentum Fintech Anthemis British Business Bank

ACTION

HIGH

21d

Throughout year

LSE Finance Society & Alumni Network

📍 London, UK (LSE) · alumni.lse.ac.uk ↗

                🔴 BRYAN — ACTION THIS WEEK
              

Join the LSE Banking & Finance Alumni Network. OakNorth founders Rishi Khosla and Joel Perlman are LSE alumni. This network is your documented access route. Email: [email protected]

Join LSE Alumni Network ↗ LinkedIn Group ↗

Rishi Khosla and Joel Perlman (OakNorth founders) are both LSE alumni. The LSE Mentorpreneurship programme is the documented access route for OakNorth. This is your most specific and actionable path to Rishi Khosla.

OakNorth Bank (Rishi Khosla, Joel Perlman)

ACTION

Register for LSE Finance Society events and Mentorpreneurship programme THIS WEEK. This is your fastest path to OakNorth.

CRITICAL for OakNorth

UK → Canada Banking Licence Pathway

The OakNorth template. UK EMI → UK Full Banking Licence → Canadian Schedule II/III via OSFI using UK track record as precedent.

Strategic Logic

A UK full banking licence is the strongest foreign credential for OSFI expedited review. The sequencing — UK EMI → UK Full Bank → Canadian Schedule II/III — is the optimal path for a Toronto-based founder with an Innovator Visa already in hand. OakNorth (2015), Starling (2016), and Monzo used this infrastructure. The New Bank Start-Up Unit (NBSU) at the FCA provides free pre-application meetings.

Pinsent Masons (UK Law) Osler Hoskin (CA Law) Stikeman Elliott (CA Law) FCA New Bank Start-Up Unit OSFI Schedule II/III

FCA Regulatory Sandbox (Entry Point)

⏱ 3–6 months test period 💰 No capital requirement to enter Apply Now — Spring Cohort Open

10–15% acceptance rate. Apply at fca.org.uk/regulatory-sandbox. OakNorth, Monzo, and Starling all used this pathway. The sandbox alumni network is the best fintech ecosystem in London. Canadian founders with Innovator Visa are fully eligible. This is the fastest and lowest-cost way to establish FCA credibility.

Electronic Money Institution (EMI) Licence

⏱ 12–18 months 💰 £350,000 minimum initial capital Target Q3 2026

Allows stored-value accounts, debit cards, multi-currency wallets. Cannot lend out deposits (that requires Step 3). Revolut held an EMI licence for 9 years before obtaining a full banking licence in 2024. Monzo, Monese, and Starling all started here. Pinsent Masons has a dedicated New Bank team and has advised OakNorth and multiple EMI applicants — initial consultation is typically free.

Full UK Banking Licence (PRA + FCA Authorised)

⏱ 2–4 years total from application 💰 £5M–£15M (PRA sets case-by-case; £1M is published floor) Target 2027–28

Full credit institution. Can accept deposits, lend, offer mortgages and savings with FSCS protection (£85K per depositor). OakNorth template: 2013 application → 2015 licence. PRA/FCA New Bank Start-Up Unit (NBSU) provides free pre-application meetings — book this as early as possible. Application requires a Regulatory Business Plan, stress tests, and Independent Model Validation. Do not DIY — Pinsent Masons is mandatory at this stage.

Canadian Schedule II/III Bank (OSFI)

⏱ 18–36 months post-UK licence 💰 CAD $5M minimum (Schedule II federally regulated) Target 2028–29

OSFI's foreign bank equivalency principles mean a UK full banking licence significantly expedites Canadian review. This is the author's assessment based on OSFI's publicly stated principles — it is NOT a published OSFI guarantee. Recommend legal advice from Osler Hoskin & Harcourt or Stikeman Elliott (both have top OSFI banking licence practices) before relying on this sequencing. Note: your Innovator Visa itself signals UK operational presence to OSFI, which is supplemental evidence.

All Contacts — Complete Directory

Every named contact from both the Canadian Fund Tracker and London Investor Tracker. Data confidence varies — verify current roles via LinkedIn before outreach. Contacts without photos are listed in the table below the photo grid.

          ★ Strategic Rationale — OakNorth Bank
        

Why OakNorth Is the Most Important Organisation on This Entire List

              They Are Your Template
            

OakNorth followed exactly the path you are planning: applied for a PRA/FCA banking licence in 2013, received it in 2015, and became one of the most profitable UK challenger banks ever built. Their 2023 pre-tax profit of £187M — on a lending book of £10B+ — is the proof case that the UK licensing route produces a real business, not just a regulatory credential.

              Their Model Mirrors Yours
            

OakNorth specialises in real estate and SME lending — the same credit market you are entering. They built an AI-driven credit intelligence platform (ON Credit Intelligence) that is now licensed to PNC Bank and 12 other institutions globally. This is what a well-executed version of your technology roadmap looks like at maturity.

              The Canada Bridge
            

OSFI (Canada's banking regulator) uses foreign banking licence precedent in its review process for new Schedule II/III bank applications. A full PRA/FCA UK banking licence is the strongest foreign credential you can present to OSFI — stronger than any provincial or territorial licence in Canada. This makes UK-first the correct sequencing for a Toronto-based founder seeking a new-entrant banking licence in Canada.

              Portage Ventures Is the Bridge
            

Portage Ventures — the Canadian VC co-founded by Adam Felesky and Paul Desmarais III — is an investor in OakNorth. This means a warm introduction from Adam Felesky is the highest-quality possible pathway to Rishi Khosla and Joel Perlman. The LSE alumni network is the alternative direct route. Both paths should be pursued simultaneously.

2015

              Full UK Banking Licence
            

              £10B+
            

              Lent Since 2015
            

              £187M
            

              Pre-Tax Profit 2023
            

13

              Banks Licensed ON Credit Intelligence
            

              $2.8B
            

              SoftBank Valuation
            

Data quality note: Financial figures sourced from OakNorth annual results press releases and Companies House filings (HIGH confidence). OSFI foreign bank equivalency claim is the author's assessment based on OSFI's published foreign bank principles — not a published OSFI guarantee. Consult Osler Hoskin or Stikeman Elliott before relying on this sequencing.

Complete Contact Directory

All named individuals from both trackers. ★ = has photo in dashboard. Roles are as recorded in the source data — verify current titles via LinkedIn before outreach.

Name	Title / Role	Fund / Organisation	Geo	Priority
Adam Felesky ★	Co-Founder & CEO	Portage Ventures	🇨🇦🇬🇧 Both	HIGH
Hélène Falchier ★	Partner, Europe	Portage Ventures	🇬🇧 London	HIGH
Paul Desmarais III ★	Executive Chairman	Portage Ventures / Sagard	🇨🇦🇬🇧 Both	HIGH
Sean O'Sullivan	Partner	Portage Ventures	🇨🇦 Montréal	MEDIUM
Harry C.D. Briggs ★	Managing Partner, UK & Europe	OMERS Ventures	🇬🇧 London	HIGH
Jennifer Janson ★	Partner, Business Operations	OMERS Ventures	🇨🇦🇬🇧 Both	MEDIUM
Jordan Jacobs ★	Co-Founder & Managing Partner	Radical Ventures	🇨🇦 Toronto	HIGH
Dominic Barton ★	Partner (ex-McKinsey Global MD; ex-Canadian Amb. to China)	Radical Ventures	🇨🇦🇬🇧 Both	HIGH
Aaron Rosenberg ★	Partner, London (ex-DeepMind)	Radical Ventures	🇬🇧 London	HIGH
Tomi Poutanen	Co-Founder & Partner	Radical Ventures	🇨🇦 Toronto	MEDIUM
Salim Teja	Partner, GM (ex-MaRS)	Radical Ventures	🇨🇦 Toronto	MEDIUM
Tim Levene ★	CEO & Founding Partner	Augmentum Fintech plc	🇬🇧 London	HIGH
Nick Millican ★	Investment Director	Augmentum Fintech plc	🇬🇧 London	HIGH
Richard Matthews	CFO	Augmentum Fintech plc	🇬🇧 London	MEDIUM
Rishi Khosla ★	CEO & Co-Founder	OakNorth Bank	🇬🇧 London	HIGH ★ STRATEGIC
Joel Perlman ★	Co-Founder	OakNorth Bank	🇬🇧 London	HIGH ★ STRATEGIC
Ben Barbanel ★	Head of Debt Finance (Real Estate)	OakNorth Bank	🇬🇧 London	HIGH ★ STRATEGIC
Lord Adair Turner ★	Chairman	OakNorth Bank	🇬🇧 London	MEDIUM
Lord Philip Hammond	Advisory Board (ex-UK Chancellor)	OakNorth Bank	🇬🇧 London	MEDIUM
Louis Taylor ★	CEO	British Business Bank	🇬🇧 London	HIGH
Catherine Lewis La Torre ★	CEO, British Patient Capital	British Business Bank	🇬🇧 London	HIGH
Karim Gillani ★	Founder & General Partner	Luge Capital	🇨🇦 MTL/TOR	HIGH
David Nault ★	Partner	Luge Capital	🇨🇦 Montréal	HIGH
Chris Arsenault	Co-Founder & Managing Partner	Inovia Capital	🇨🇦 Montréal	HIGH
Dennis Kavelman	Managing Partner, Growth	Inovia Capital	🇨🇦 Montréal	MEDIUM
Sharon Brown	Partner	Inovia Capital	🇨🇦 Toronto	MEDIUM
Patrick Pichette	Senior Advisor (ex-CFO Google)	Inovia Capital	🇨🇦 Montréal	MEDIUM
Courtney Cooper ★	Partner (co-founder Proptech Collective; ULI Toronto board)	Alate Partners	🇨🇦 Toronto	HIGH
Stephanie Wood	Team	Alate Partners	🇨🇦 Toronto	MONITOR
Jeannette Wiltse	Team	Alate Partners	🇨🇦 Toronto	MONITOR
Rachel Hay-Ching Yuen	Team	Alate Partners	🇨🇦 Toronto	MONITOR
David Unsworth ★	Partner — B2B FinTech, GRC, Cybersecurity, Mobile	Information Venture Partners	🇨🇦 Toronto	HIGH
Rob Antoniades ★	Partner	Information Venture Partners	🇨🇦 Toronto	HIGH
Yaron Ashkenazi	Founder & Managing Partner (ex-Shin Bet)	Awz Ventures	🇨🇦🇮🇱 Toronto/Tel Aviv	HIGH
Ed Sonshine ★	Partner & Chairman (Founder RioCan REIT)	Awz Ventures	🇨🇦🇬🇧 Both	HIGH
Stephen Harper ★	Advisory Committee (ex-Prime Minister of Canada)	Awz Ventures	🇨🇦🇬🇧 Both	HIGH
Daniel Mak	General Partner	Awz Ventures	🇨🇦 Toronto	MEDIUM
Roni Alsheich	General Partner Israel (ex-Shin Bet Director)	Awz Ventures	🇮🇱 Tel Aviv	MEDIUM
Aviv Kochavi	Chairman, Awz X-TECH (ex-IDF Chief of Staff)	Awz Ventures	🇮🇱 Tel Aviv	MEDIUM
Howard Tanenbaum	LP Partner	Awz Ventures	🇨🇦 Toronto	NETWORK
Kenny Finkelstein	LP Partner	Awz Ventures	🇨🇦 Toronto	NETWORK
Matt Cohen ★	Founder & Managing Partner	Ripple Ventures	🇨🇦 Toronto	HIGH
Dominic (Dom)	Partner	Ripple Ventures	🇨🇦 Toronto	MEDIUM
Nazuk Thakkar	Team	Ripple Ventures	🇨🇦 Toronto	MONITOR
Katie Ko	Team	Ripple Ventures	🇨🇦 Toronto	MONITOR
Patrick Lor	Managing Partner (Calgary; leads BC)	Panache Ventures	🇨🇦 Calgary/Vancouver	MEDIUM
Prashant Matta	Partner (Toronto)	Panache Ventures	🇨🇦 Toronto	MEDIUM
Geneviève Tanguay	Partner (Montréal; ex-CEO Anges Québec)	Panache Ventures	🇨🇦 Montréal	MEDIUM
Domenic del Vecchio	Principal (Québec/Eastern Canada)	Panache Ventures	🇨🇦 Montréal	MONITOR
Sarah Willson	Principal (Toronto)	Panache Ventures	🇨🇦 Toronto	MONITOR
Bernie Zeisig	Managing Partner (25+ yrs VC)	Mistral Venture Partners	🇨🇦 Ottawa/Toronto	MEDIUM
Code Cubitt	Managing Director, Ottawa	Mistral Venture Partners	🇨🇦 Ottawa	MEDIUM
Mike Scanlin	Venture Partner (ex-Battery Ventures)	Mistral Venture Partners	🇨🇦 Ottawa	MONITOR
Simon Chong	Co-Founder & Managing Partner	Georgian	🇨🇦 Toronto	MEDIUM
Justin LaFayette	Co-Founder & Managing Partner	Georgian	🇨🇦 Toronto	MEDIUM
John Berton	Co-Founder & Managing Partner	Georgian	🇨🇦 Toronto	MEDIUM
Emily Walsh	Lead Investor	Georgian	🇨🇦 Toronto	MEDIUM
Rob Moffat ★	Partner — FinTech Lead	Balderton Capital	🇬🇧 London	MEDIUM
Rana Yared	Partner	Balderton Capital	🇬🇧 London	MEDIUM
Suranga Chandratillake	Partner	Balderton Capital	🇬🇧 London	MONITOR
James Wise	Partner	Balderton Capital	🇬🇧 London	MONITOR
Jan Hammer ★	Partner — FinTech (London)	Index Ventures	🇬🇧 London	MEDIUM
Martin Mignot	Partner (London)	Index Ventures	🇬🇧 London	MEDIUM
Mike Volpi	Partner (SF/London)	Index Ventures	🇬🇧 London	MONITOR
Saul Klein ★	Partner & Co-Founder	LocalGlobe	🇬🇧 London	MEDIUM
Robin Klein	Partner & Co-Founder	LocalGlobe	🇬🇧 London	MEDIUM
Nicole Woodward	Partner	LocalGlobe	🇬🇧 London	MEDIUM
Zoe Chambers	Partner	Octopus Ventures	🇬🇧 London	MEDIUM
Simon King	Partner — FinTech	Octopus Ventures	🇬🇧 London	MEDIUM
Lucy Sherwood	Principal — PropTech	Octopus Ventures	🇬🇧 London	MEDIUM
Amy Nauiokas	Co-Founder & CEO	Anthemis Group	🇬🇧 London	MEDIUM
Ruth Foxe Blader	Partner (New York)	Anthemis Group	🇬🇧🇺🇸 London/NY	MEDIUM
Karen Ottoni	Head of Research	Anthemis Group	🇬🇧 London	MONITOR
Bruce Macfarlane	Managing Partner	MMC Ventures	🇬🇧 London	MEDIUM
Ned Cranfield	Partner	MMC Ventures	🇬🇧 London	MONITOR
Dave Naylor	Partner	MMC Ventures	🇬🇧 London	MONITOR
Edwin Cass	Chief Investment Officer	CPP Investments (London)	🇨🇦🇬🇧 Both	MEDIUM
Mark Jenkins	MD, Principal Credit & Equity (London)	CPP Investments (London)	🇬🇧 London	MEDIUM
Charles Émond	CEO	CDPQ	🇨🇦 Montréal	MEDIUM
Emanuela Montagnini	EVP, London & Europe (confirm title)	CDPQ London	🇬🇧 London	MEDIUM
Nikolay Storonsky	CEO & Co-Founder	Revolut	🇬🇧 London	NETWORK
Vlad Yatsenko	CTO & Co-Founder	Revolut	🇬🇧 London	NETWORK
Francesca Carlesi	CEO, UK	Revolut	🇬🇧 London	NETWORK
Joe Heneghan	CEO, Europe	Revolut	🇬🇧 London	NETWORK
Gerald Schwartz	Founder & Chairman	Onex Corporation	🇨🇦 Toronto	NETWORK
Bobby Le Blanc	CEO	Onex Corporation	🇨🇦 Toronto	NETWORK
Mark Skapinker	Managing Partner	Brightspark	🇨🇦 Montréal/Toronto	MEDIUM
Sophie Forest	Managing Partner	Brightspark	🇨🇦 Montréal	MEDIUM
Henry Yoshida	Partner	Brightspark	🇨🇦 Montréal	MONITOR
Matthew Leibowitz	Managing Partner	Impression Ventures	🇨🇦 Toronto	MEDIUM
John Albright	Managing Partner & Co-Founder	Relay Ventures	🇨🇦 Toronto	MEDIUM
Simon Anolick	Partner	Relay Ventures	🇨🇦 Toronto	MONITOR
Aaron Block	Co-Founder (also co-founder MetaProp NY)	GroundBreak Ventures	🇨🇦 Toronto	MEDIUM
Jamie Rosen	Co-Founder	GroundBreak Ventures	🇨🇦 Toronto	MEDIUM
Tom Sherwood	Managing Director	MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund	🇨🇦 Toronto	MONITOR
Karan Mehandru	Managing Partner	Northside Ventures	🇨🇦 Toronto	MEDIUM
Irfhan Rawji	Partner	Northside Ventures	🇨🇦 Toronto	MEDIUM
Jordan Jacobs ★	Partner (also Radical Ventures co-founder)	Garage Capital	🇨🇦 Kitchener-Waterloo	MEDIUM
Gil Nayot	Partner	Vertu Partners	🇨🇦 Canada	MONITOR
John Burns	Managing Partner	Yaletown Partners	🇨🇦 Vancouver	MONITOR
Silas Janssen	Partner	Yaletown Partners	🇨🇦 Vancouver	MONITOR
Pasha Sadri	Connection noted	Velocity Fund / UWaterloo	🇨🇦 Waterloo	MONITOR
Ren Carayol MBE	Chair	X-Forces Enterprise	🇬🇧 London	MONITOR
Emma Jones CBE	Patron (Enterprise Nation founder)	X-Forces Enterprise	🇬🇧 London	MONITOR

        ★ = photo available in dashboard · STRATEGIC = direct template/partner ·
        HIGH = term-sheet target · MEDIUM = warm outreach · MONITOR = watch for
        opportunities · NETWORK = relationship/community access
      