NatWest Partners with Serene to Tackle Financial Vulnerability with AI-Driven Solutions

NatWest Partners with Serene to Tackle Financial Vulnerability with AI-Driven Solutions

(IN BRIEF) NatWest Group has made a minority investment in Serene, an AI platform designed to help detect and address financial vulnerability. The collaboration will enable the bank to enhance its customer support models and provide personalized solutions for individuals facing financial distress. Serene leverages AI and behavioral science to offer real-time insights, helping financial institutions proactively support customers. This partnership builds on NatWest’s commitment to improving financial services through technology and innovation, with the investment facilitating Serene’s growth and the expansion of its platform. The move aligns with NatWest’s broader efforts to foster financial inclusion and customer support through innovative digital solutions.

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 29-Jan-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — NatWest Group has made a strategic minority investment in Serene, a pioneering AI platform focused on addressing financial vulnerability. Through this collaboration, NatWest aims to leverage real-time customer insights powered by AI and behavioral science, enabling the early detection of financial distress signals and predicting risks. This initiative will empower financial institutions to offer timely and personalized support to individuals in need, contributing to a more responsive and inclusive financial ecosystem.

The investment aligns with NatWest’s ongoing efforts to enhance its offerings for customers experiencing financial difficulty, by fostering innovation and exploring new technologies. By partnering with Serene, the bank hopes to refine its current customer support models, improve insights into financial needs, and encourage cross-industry collaborations within Serene’s expansive networks.

This minority stake in Serene comes through NatWest’s Innovation and Partnerships group, which has made a series of early-stage investments to drive digital innovation. With this move, NatWest brings its expertise and insights to support Serene’s rapid growth and scalability.

Serene, which participated in NatWest’s Accelerator in 2023 and showcased its concept at the bank’s recent Fintech Showcase event, stands to benefit greatly from this partnership. The bank’s support will help Serene expand its platform, delivering tailored financial solutions at scale and having a greater impact on the businesses it serves.

David Grunwald, Director of Innovation and Partnerships at NatWest, emphasized the importance of adapting to customers’ changing needs through technology. “Platforms like Serene demonstrate the potential of AI to improve customer outcomes by swiftly identifying financial vulnerabilities and providing proactive support,” he said.

Savannah Price, Founder & CEO of Serene, highlighted that financial vulnerability is a universal challenge, one that requires innovative, forward-thinking solutions. She expressed excitement about the partnership, noting that NatWest’s expertise will be instrumental in accelerating Serene’s growth and expanding its platform’s reach.

The investment supports NatWest’s wider efforts to assist customers facing financial challenges through various initiatives, including the mobile banking app, tailored financial health support, and dedicated services like Banking My Way, designed to accommodate customers’ unique needs.

Notes to editors

This investment is part of a wider funding round, led by Fuel Ventures.

1. NatWest Group Accelerator Investment, Turnover and Survival data are provided by NatWest Group based on customer data. These metrics cover businesses that took part in NatWest’s programme in 2020 over the subsequent three years.  This data has not been independently verified by a third party.
2. Biggest bank for start-ups – Based on the % of 586 businesses, less than 2 years old, that name a NatWest Group brand as their main bank (20%). Source: MarketVue Business Banking from Savanta, YE Q1 2024. Data weighted by region and turnover to be representative of businesses in Great Britain.

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About NatWest Group

NatWest Group is a relationship bank for a digital world. We champion potential; breaking down barriers and building financial confidence so the 19 million people, families and businesses we serve in communities throughout the UK and Ireland can rebuild and thrive. If our customers succeed, so will we.

Innovation at NatWest Group

The Innovation team at NatWest group have a vision to lead the future of banking by aligning the external technology ecosystem with the bank’s strategy, to inspire new products and services for our customers, colleagues and communities.

About Serene

Serene is an AI-powered platform pioneering the first Consumer Vulnerability Engine of its kind. Our mission is to help any retail organisation anticipate and meet customer needs—across every product, journey, and touchpoint.

Trusted by a growing number of retail banks and consumer credit providers, Serene’s flagship products—SereneID, SereneScore, and SereneCare—enable organisations to detect financial vulnerability early, deliver personalised support, and expand access to financial services. By providing dynamic, forward-looking insights, Serene helps businesses serve previously excluded customers with tailored solutions that drive growth and inclusion.

By shifting from reactive to proactive care, the platform detects early signs of distress, predicts risks, and anticipates customer needs with deeper understanding. By turning insights into actions, Serene empowers financial institutions and other retail organisations to deliver personalised support that builds trust, minimises losses, and drives growth by reaching customers they might otherwise have been unable to serve.

Media Contact:

Alexandra Dee
Media Relations Manager
07967 865 819
Alexandra.dee@natwest.com

SOURCE: Natwest