BKN301 raises £29m, acquires Planky to boost AI banking

By Vriti Gothi

FinTech infrastructure provider BKN301 has extended its Series B round to a total of £29 million and completed the acquisition of Planky, a UK-based firm specialising in AI-powered financial analytics and open banking. The funding, which includes a credit facility from funds and accounts managed by BlackRock, marks a significant step in the company’s strategy to scale its digital banking architecture across EMEA and strengthen its technology capabilities through targeted M&A.

BKN301 said the fresh capital will be directed toward advancing its modular digital banking platform and accelerating its product roadmap, with a focus on AI, data analytics, and next-generation infrastructure for financial institutions and FinTechs operating in emerging markets.

Through the acquisition, BKN301 gains access to Planky’s proprietary machine learning models and data analytics engine, designed to deliver real-time financial insights, behavioural scoring, and predictive analytics. The company said the technology will be deeply integrated into its core architecture, enabling clients to build more automated, personalised, and compliant digital banking experiences.

“This milestone marks a defining moment for BKN301,” said Stiven Muccioli, Founder and CEO, BKN301  “With the growth financing and Planky’s AI capabilities, we’re accelerating toward our vision of a next-generation FinTech infrastructure, one that’s intelligent, open, and designed to empower financial inclusion at scale across emerging markets.”

The development comes amid increasing demand for AI-driven infrastructure in financial services, as banks and FinTechs seek to improve operational efficiency, regulatory readiness, and customer personalisation. Open banking adoption and AI-based credit decisioning have become key innovation areas across the region, driving consolidation and investment in enabling technologies.

BKN301 said its strategy for the next 18 months includes expanding partnerships with banks and financial institutions across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, strengthening its AI capabilities and exploring additional M&A opportunities.

The company positions itself as a FinTech architecture provider supporting digital transformation across emerging markets, where demand for modern banking infrastructure continues to grow alongside a regulatory push for financial inclusion and real-time data-driven decision-making.