Valart Appoints Fintech Leaders Steve Jones and Matt Hyde to Board of Directors
14 July 2026

Quick Summary
Valart has appointed fintech veterans Steve Jones and Matt Hyde as Non-Executive Directors to accelerate its growth in the collectibles insurance market. The startup uses AI-driven image recognition to help collectors catalogue, value, and insure high-value assets through a single, integrated digital platform.
How Does Valart Solve the Collectibles Insurance Gap?
Valart provides a comprehensive digital solution for a market that has historically been underserved by traditional insurers. By utilizing AI image recognition, the platform allows users to instantly identify and catalogue items, removing the manual friction typically associated with asset management. This technology ensures that collectors maintain an accurate market valuation in their local currency, which is critical for maintaining adequate insurance coverage levels.
- Instant identification of assets via smartphone photography.
- Real-time valuations tailored to specific local currencies.
- Bespoke insurance products designed specifically for niche collectible categories.
What Expertise Do the New Board Members Bring?
The appointment of Steve Jones and Matt Hyde brings unrivalled industry experience to the Valart leadership team. Steve Jones, the founder of Comparison Creator, offers over 30 years of insurance expertise, having scaled platforms that power major UK brands like Go.Compare and MoneySuperMarket. His background is essential for Valart as it develops specialized insurance products for the global collector community.
Matt Hyde, founder of Fintech Awards Wales, contributes deep fintech networks and over 20 years of recruitment and business development experience. His role will focus on building B2B connections and scaling the company’s professional infrastructure. Together, these leaders provide the strategic governance required to transition Valart from a promising startup into a dominant market player.
FF NEWS TAKE:
This move significantly moves the needle for Valart by bridging the gap between niche hobbyist cataloguing and institutional-grade collectibles insurance market solutions. By securing heavyweights from the comparison and fintech awards sectors, Valart isn't just building a tool; it's building industry-wide credibility. This strategic board expansion signals that the startup is ready to scale its AI-driven valuation engine into a serious contender within the insurtech space.
Companies in this story: Recruit 121, Valart, Go.Compare, AA, Gladiator Commercial, Wearewiredevents, Fintech Awards Wales, Finance Awards Wales, Comparison Creator, Fintech Awards London, Uswitch, MoneySuperMarket, Admiral
People in this story: Elliot Riley-Walsh, Matthew Hyde, Steve Jones