Two Female-Led UK FinTechs Just Joined Forces—Here's Why It Matters

Jan de Vries · 2026-08-14

When two challenger brands in the payments space decide to team up, it's always worth paying attention. But when those two businesses are both led by women, and they're combining forces to shake up an industry that's still largely dominated by the old guard, the story gets even more interesting. That's exactly what's happening right now in the UK FinTech scene. Cashflows, a London-based payments company, has invested in Tap & Go, a Blackpool-based startup that specializes in card payment tech and merchant services. The investment amount wasn't disclosed, but the implications are clear: both companies are betting big on growth. ### What This Partnership Actually Means Tap & Go isn't your average payments startup. Founded in 2022 by Anna McDonald and Nichola Eagle, the company spun out of the International Connections Group (ICG) and has been building a reputation as a genuine challenger in the merchant services space. They provide card payment machines and business cash advances to companies of all sizes. Cashflows, on the other hand, has been around since 2010. Led by CEO Hannah Fitzsimons, the company runs its own acquiring platform and gateway, offering a secure ecosystem for processing payments across Europe. They're not just an investor here—they've been the infrastructure behind Tap & Go's card machines since their commercial partnership kicked off in 2025. ### Why This Deal Stands Out Here's the thing that makes this investment different from your typical funding round: it started as a commercial partnership and evolved into something deeper. That's not how these things usually go. McDonald put it well when she said, "We are building a brand and proposition that means customers come to Tap & Go because they know we can support them wherever their growth takes them." She also highlighted the power of two female-led businesses coming together with shared tenacity and ambition. Fitzsimons echoed that sentiment, noting that this isn't simply a financial investment. "We believe in what Tap & Go are building and the energy from the team is palpable," she said. ### What Tap & Go Plans to Do With the Capital This isn't just about keeping the lights on. Tap & Go has clear plans for the money, and they're pretty ambitious: - Expanding beyond card payments into e-commerce, virtual payments, and multi-site solutions - Investing in their people and building stronger brand awareness - Strengthening their market reputation to attract new customers organically - Moving into new verticals like universities, stadiums, dentistry, hotels, builders' merchants, and the motor sector That's a pretty solid roadmap for a company that's only been around since 2022. ### The Bigger Picture For Cashflows, this investment signals a wider growth strategy. The company is exploring further strategic investment opportunities, and this deal gives them a closer working relationship with Tap & Go's product suite while unlocking new growth areas. When you step back, this is a story about two companies that found each other, realized they shared the same drive and customer focus, and decided to go further together. It's a reminder that in the FinTech world, sometimes the best partnerships aren't the flashiest ones—they're the ones built on shared values and complementary strengths. As both companies continue to develop their commercial partnership, customers on both sides stand to benefit from an expanded product base across a growing number of verticals. And that's good news for anyone who believes that challenger brands can reshape the payments landscape.