Fintech venture Sidekick has successfully secured £7.8 million in a significant Series A funding round, with plans to accelerate the expansion of its operational hub in Cardiff. The London-headquartered company, which specialises in digital wealth management for professionals, will use the investment to grow its team, enhance product development, and support continued customer growth across Wales and beyond.
Investment Round Details
The funding round was co-led by Eos Ventures and the Development Bank of Wales, demonstrating strong institutional confidence in Sidekick's business model. Additional participation came from Koro Capital alongside existing investors including Seedcamp, MS&AD Ventures, TheVentureCity, PactVC, Blackwood, 1818 Venture Capital, and Semantic Ventures.
Cardiff Hub Expansion Plans
Sidekick has established its Welsh operational base at Tramshed Tech in Cardiff, where it currently maintains a small team. The fresh capital injection will enable significant expansion of this hub over the coming months, with new roles planned across customer service, compliance, and operations functions. This expansion represents a tangible boost to Wales' growing technology ecosystem.
Modernising Wealth Management
Founded in 2022, Sidekick was created to address a specific gap in the market for professionals whose financial needs have evolved beyond entry-level investing applications but who find traditional wealth management services overly complex and expensive. The platform combines long-term investing strategies with personalised portfolios, private market access, and Lombard lending facilities.
Lombard lending, which allows customers to borrow against their investment portfolios without selling assets, has traditionally been restricted to private banking clients in the UK. Sidekick's platform democratises access to this sophisticated financial tool, currently supporting more than £145 million in total assets across its growing customer base.
Leadership Perspectives
Matt Ford, founder and chief executive of Sidekick, commented: "Many hardworking professionals appear financially successful on paper but remain uncertain about whether they're maximising their wealth potential. They've progressed beyond basic investing tools yet find traditional wealth management unnecessarily complicated and costly. Sidekick eliminates unnecessary complexity while providing access to investment tools previously confined to private banking. This funding enables us to scale our approach, expand our investment offering, and reach more individuals seeking transparency rather than complexity."
Jack Christopher, investment executive at the Development Bank of Wales, added: "Our investment in Sidekick reflects our enduring commitment to supporting ambitious technology businesses in Wales. The company is developing high-value products, creating skilled employment opportunities, and generating genuine economic impact. By providing growth capital to innovative firms like Sidekick, we're strengthening Wales' technology ecosystem and supporting the next generation of companies shaping financial services' future."
James Tootell, partner at Eos Ventures, noted: "While technology has revolutionised numerous financial service areas over the past decade—from trading and everyday banking to credit and insurance—private banking has largely remained unchanged. Sidekick is applying a modern, digital approach to wealth management, delivering enhanced access, transparency, and control to a traditionally underserved market segment."
Market Context and Growth
The funding announcement comes as Sidekick continues to experience growing demand from professionals seeking greater control and transparency as their financial circumstances evolve. The company's mission to make sophisticated investment tools accessible beyond traditional private banking channels aligns with broader trends toward financial democratisation and technological innovation in the wealth management sector.
