Engine by Starling enters North America with launch of first US subsidiary

By Gloria Methri

Engine by Starling, the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) arm of UK-based Starling Bank, has established its first overseas subsidiary in the United States as part of its expansion strategy into North America.

The newly formed entity, Engine by Starling Services US LLC, is registered in Delaware and is currently building a local team. The company is also evaluating locations for its regional headquarters, with North Carolina, Florida, and Washington, D.C., under consideration.

The US operation will be led by a President and staffed by a combination of local hires and secondees from Engine’s UK-based product team.

North America represents a key growth market, particularly due to its large number of mid-sized banks, community banks, and credit unions—estimated at around 4,000. Many of these institutions are exploring digital transformation options to modernise services and improve efficiency.

Engine’s move comes as demand rises across the US banking sector for flexible, cloud-native core banking platforms that can support digital service delivery and operational agility.

Raman Bhatia, Group CEO of Starling Bank, said, “This is a significant step as we take the technology that has enabled Starling’s success in the UK to more financial institutions around the world. In Engine, we have a world-class SaaS business that delivers the technology and expertise that banks need to succeed in the digital age. We have been successful in Europe and Australia, so now is the right time for us to start competing in the exciting North American market.”

Sam Everington, CEO, Engine by Starling, highlighted, “We are already having really positive discussions with a number of potential partners in North America because Engine solves some of the major challenges facing banks and credit unions here. Engine delivers a unique ability to unify tech stacks, drive efficiency and encourage innovation through one managed service. It is a very compelling proposition that’s specifically designed to bring digital propositions to life faster and with very high-quality outcomes.”

Since launching in 2022, Engine has helped build Salt Bank, Romania’s first digital bank, which has captured 4% of the country’s banking market since its launch in 2024. AMP in Australia also built their new digital bank targeting small businesses on Engine’s core banking platform, launching in February 2025. Both digital banking programmes were delivered in 12-month timeframes.