Connecting founders with accountants: Event highlights from Digital Accountancy Matchmaking

On Tuesday 24th June 2025, selected tech startups and leading accountancy firms were welcomed by the AI for Services network, part of the Innovate UK Next Generation Professional Financial Services programme, and TiPS (Technology in Professional Services) at the Digital Accountancy Matchmaking event at Oxford Brookes University.
The afternoon’s proceedings involved speed networking and solution discovery for global names such as PwC, KPMG, and Forvis Mazars, as well as innovative regional practices such as Gravita, Ridgefield Consulting, Richardsons Group, and James Cowper Kreston. The chosen startups for this event included:
Adoreboard | bigspark | ClearPeople | Cloudwize | Governance360 | ISx4 | Jiva.ai | Lexverify | neoeco | Platformed | Qurk | Recap | Synapx | Xenet
The startups showcased cutting-edge tools spanning artificial intelligence, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting, compliance automation, client onboarding, and data-driven advisory services. Firms outlined shared challenges such as siloed systems, onboarding and compliance inefficiencies, and the need for more personalised client engagement and smarter use of data. As well as learning about the benefits of adopting new tech, firms are keen to find practical tools that improve day-to-day operations, as well as strategic innovations that would help them stay ahead of the curve, whilst solving problems and unlocking new meaningful value.

Commenting on the successful outcomes of this event, Astrid Ayel, AI for Services Lead at Innovate UK Business Connect said: “This initiative reinforced the need for targeted, high-value connections to accelerate digital transformation across the accountancy sector – and established a real appetite for collaboration between startups and established firms.”
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Next Generation Professional and Financial Services
Helping the professional and financial service sectors to develop and use digital technologies.