Level39 Member News: April 2026 Highlights from the Community

April showcased the breadth and depth of the Level39 ecosystem, with members securing award wins, finalist nominations, strategic partnerships and major product and platform advancements. From fintech scaleups on global stages to advances in AI security, regulation and digital assets, the month underscored the continued impact of the community across industries.

Recognition, Rankings and Industry Awards

Industry recognition was a defining theme, with several members named among the best in their fields.

Gemba was announced as a finalist in the Pitch360 Scaleup category, and joined a select group of high‑growth fintechs invited to pitch on stage at Level39. The competition brought together startups and scaleups shaping the next generation of financial services, highlighting Gemba’s continued momentum within the sector.

Apron achieved a major milestone after being named the UK’s fastest‑growing fintech startup by Sifted. Ranking #1 in fintech and #3 overall on the 2026 Sifted Leaderboard, the recognition reflects Apron’s rapid growth and its increasingly central role in how businesses manage, move and reconcile money.

Mindgard also received industry acclaim, with Peter Garraghan named a finalist in the Innovator of the Year category at the 2026 SC Awards. The nomination recognises leadership and innovation in cybersecurity and reflects Mindgard’s growing influence in securing AI and machine‑learning systems.

Fuse Energy rounded out the month with an award win, securing the Outstanding Achievement Award at The Sunday Times 100 Tech Awards, recognising its performance among the UK’s most impressive private technology companies.

FinregE was shortlisted across multiple awards programmes, including Compliance AI Solution of the Year at the ICA Compliance Awards Europe 2026 and RegTech Company of the Year at the Fintech Awards 2026, highlighting sustained recognition for its work in governance, risk and regulatory orchestration.

Growth, Funding and Strategic Developments

April saw members advancing through funding milestones, partnerships and organisational growth.

DTCPay continued to build momentum following its US$10M Series A funding round, using April to accelerate strategy, enhance its product ecosystem and strengthen its position bridging digital assets with traditional finance across global markets.

Visibuild announced a new UK partnership with Emtec Southern, a leading mechanical and electrical engineering contractor. Through the partnership, Emtec Southern will deploy Visibuild’s platform to support more structured quality processes, improved evidence capture and greater visibility across complex construction projects.

ICC United Kingdom strengthened its leadership with the appointment of Joakim Reiter, Chief External and Corporate Affairs Officer at Vodafone, and Russ Shaw CBE, Founder of Tech London Advocates and Global Tech Advocates, to its Board. The appointments reinforce ICC UK’s focus on global trade, digital transformation and policy leadership during a period of economic and technological change.

ICC also announced a collaboration with TikTok to launch the Digital Commerce Labs, supporting businesses navigating the evolving landscape of cross‑border digital trade.

Product Innovation and Industry Leadership

Innovation and thought leadership continued to define the ecosystem.

Mindgard was included in the newly released Enterprise AI Security Handbook, an industry resource addressing the security challenges of enterprise AI adoption. The handbook features an interview with CEO James Brear and highlights Mindgard’s role in protecting AI systems against adversarial threats and model vulnerabilities.

Quinine Cybersecurity announced the launch of its first two pilot services: AI/LLM Security Testing and AI/RAG Security Testing, now live across the UK and EU. The launch marks a significant step in helping organisations assess and secure AI systems as adoption accelerates.

eToro announced an agreement to acquire Zengo Wallet, a pioneer in MPC cryptography and self‑custodial digital wallets. The acquisition strengthens eToro’s digital asset capabilities and supports its long‑term strategy for on‑chain finance, tokenised assets and decentralised trading models.

FinregE also participated in the FCA’s AI Supercharged Sandbox, developing an FCA Handbook LLM designed to improve traceability, audit‑readiness and real‑world usability of regulatory obligations for regulated firms.

Community, Events and Ecosystem Activity

Community engagement remained central to the Level39 ecosystem.

Pitchflix announced the upcoming launch of its Camethru networking app, set to debut ahead of REV, hosted at Level39 during London Tech Week. The launch aims to create new ways for founders, investors and operators to connect during one of the UK’s flagship technology events.

As the month comes to a close, these milestones reflect the continued strength and ambition of the Level39 community.