A student from Derry/Londonderry has been named the winner of the CompareNI.com Fintech scholarship 2025, taking home £1000 to support his studies.
Harrison Lea, who just completed a BSc degree in Finance at Queen’s University Belfast, now has his sights set on a master’s course in AI - a field he believes will pave the way for the future of fintech in areas such as automation, algorithmic trading and risk assessment.
As this year’s scholarship winner, Harrison will now also have the opportunity to take part in industry related work experience with local fintech company Seopa – the technology giant behind Northern Ireland’s largest price comparison site, CompareNI.com.
Northern Ireland is a thriving hub of innovation and expertise in the fintech sector, consistently ranking as one of the top destinations globally for inward investment.* As such, graduates are afforded a diverse range of opportunities in this flourishing industry, with entry level pay in fintech estimated to be 60% higher than the average graduate starting salary.
Despite this, a whopping 76% of students have never even considered a career in this lucrative field.**
That is where the CompareNI
fintech scholarship comes in. The program – now in its fifth year - is designed to help students with their finances and provide vital work experience, while also raising awareness of the vast career pathways available for graduates within the fintech sector in Northern Ireland.
In his winning submission, Harrison spoke about how financial issues are perceived as the biggest barrier facing many students.
He added: “The majority of students must compromise on their learning in some areas due to the cost of living. Physical resources to aid learning such as textbooks, equipment, technology are sacrificed at the expense of living necessities. Not only does this affect the ability to learn, but it takes a mental toll that can directly affect learning itself if students are worrying about finances whilst studying.”
A recent student survey by CompareNI.com found that 72% of students in Northern Ireland were shocked at how expensive
university was – with 40% of students in Northern Ireland needing more than one source of income to afford university.
Commenting on the winning entry,
Ian Wilson, Managing Director at CompareNI.com, said: “
Congratulations to this year’s Fintech Scholarship winner, Harrison Lea from Queen’s University Belfast. Through projects such as this, we want to help students realise their potential and shine a light on the opportunities available for graduates in this rapidly growing industry.
“The government has prioritised the development of the fintech sector in Northern Ireland, providing grants to help attract further global investment to the region.
“With all that in mind, there has never been a better time for graduates to kick-start a career in this burgeoning industry, which has a reputation for highly competitive salaries and a wide range of benefits and development opportunities.
“However, fintech is facing a major skills shortage and so it is imperative that the sector takes steps to plug this talent gap. We are keen to work closely with educational institutions to nurture and develop homegrown talent, ensuring a sustainable pool of fintech professionals for the next generation.”
Alan Hanna, Reader in Finance at Queen's University Belfast said: “We’re delighted to see such strong representation from Queen's Business School in this year’s CompareNI Fintech Scholarship.
“The fintech ecosystem in Northern Ireland continues to grow and innovate at pace, providing a wealth of exciting opportunities for our students and graduates. We were thrilled to hear that Harrison has won this scholarship and look forward to seeing where his finance career will lead.”
As a leading fintech employer, CompareNI.com’s parent company Seopa has been continuously investing in growth and recruitment, with
new fintech roles readily available.
The company has been recognised with six Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Awards and has been awarded a Deloitte Best Managed Company Award each year for the past eight years – now a Platinum Standard Best Managed Company since 2023.
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