Kat Wellum-Kent, Founder of Fractional Finance and 29Under29 Judge, Explains What She’s Looking For From Entrants

Hey Kat, tell us a bit about yourself

 
I founded Fractional Finance at the start of 2023 after more than two decades in finance. I have always held small businesses that have huge ambitions in very high regard. It takes courage to have big dreams and even bigger visions, and it was through this passion that Fractional was born. I wanted to use my expertise and knowledge across finance and business to help start-ups and scale-ups in the tech space recognise and reach their potential.

What are you looking for from this year’s 29Under29 entrants?

 
Whenever I’m judging an entry, I’m looking for a balance of what you’ve done, your ambition for the future, and solid data-backed evidence.

Your emotional journey is critical in your entry. I want to understand exactly what’s driving you, and what keeps you coming back to your desk, even on difficult days. But, with this emotion, I would like to see the hard numbers that back up not only your current success but your future plans too. If you can show me both aspects, you’re on to something brilliant.

What advice would you give to companies wanting to stand out from the crowd?

 
To stand out from the crowd, you don’t necessarily need to have come up with something mind-blowingly new, but you do need to bring an alternative perspective or challenge the status quo. This will be driven by your ‘why’.

For me, those entrants that stand out will have deeply rooted their core purpose within their business. It’ll be the centre of gravity that keeps their business stable and enables it to grow and prosper. A business without purpose will never reach the same heights as its purpose-led competitors.