Welcome to the January edition of the Finance Tech AI newsletter. We are kicking off 2026 by moving past the "AI hype" and straight into the "AI execution" phase. This month, we explore how the barriers to entry are crumbling when it comes to launching a product or business, and why it’s easier than ever to translate your vision into valuable business solutions.
The Art of The Possible
In case You Missed It: The "Upskill with Bia Innovate" App
The Dhosjan Show Podcast
On the Horizon
The Art of The Possible
The "Tech Moat" is rapidly disappearing. For years, one of the biggest barriers for founders was the cost of tech development. If you wanted to build a tech MVP or a sophisticated software tool, you needed a massive budget and a team of expensive developers. That barrier isn’t just lower. It’s being demolished. While the role of human developers remains critical, their role is evolving. We are in an age where founders and small startup teams are empowered to easily build and demonstrate the initial vision themselves.
Enter 'Vibe Coding' (that actually works). In 2025, "Vibe Coding" was a buzzword. By Q4 2025, it became a reality. No, it’s not new in 2026, but I remember the poor UX of earlier versions, tools that promised much but delivered little to non-tech users. We're talking about being able to build a website, a software app in minutes, with just a well-crafted prompt. As with every AI advancement, the speed of improvement is exponential. Six months ago, I’d say, "I’m not a coder." I won’t be saying that any more. Now, anything is possible.
I’ve used AI to visualise and build from natural language, turning ideas in my head into basic apps, accelerating brainstorming sessions and getting idea feedback at a fraction of the time and cost.
The Growth Mindset in Action
The Bia Innovate style of development is to use "vibe coding" to visualise the user experience, then get "hands-on" with the codebase to progress it into a live environment. As a systems implementation professional, I have a curiosity to understand and be able to create the underlying infrastructure. I want to get my hands dirty. I want to know the reason behind the code. With a bit of curiosity (and help from my tech network), I’m upskilling in real-time. That said, I’ve seen people with zero systems experience build usable first-version apps in a single day.
As always, core business principles apply. It’s not just about flashy tools; it’s about the Velocity of Feedback. You can now get your idea in front of a customer in a day, not months.
From 'Search' to 'Support'
If you are still using AI just for search or to summarise meetings, you’re leaving 90% of the value on the table. At Bia Innovate, we’ve moved into deep execution, through a mix of in-house tools and vetted partners.
The AI Org Chart: We’ve deployed AI "employees" and agents across various functions, including admin, Go-To-Market and product development.
Proactive Finance: A time saver in anomaly detection and automated month-end reporting.
Strategic Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A): Generating and modifying finance forecast scenarios in minutes, identifying risks and new opportunities alike. All ready for that human critical judgement layer.
As always, the Golden Rule remains. Interact with AI like a junior member of staff. Set the guardrails, review the output, and always stay as the "Human in the Loop." The win isn't the tech, it's the speed at which you identify, analyse, and remove the survival and growth roadblocks.
In case You Missed It
🚀We’re Live!
The "Upskill with Bia Innovate" App! We onboarded our first beta users this month! We're bridging the resource gap for early-stage founders. Our new AI-powered app helps you master business fundamentals on your own terms. We move you from guessing to execution, building the solid foundation you need today so you can scale with dedicated experts tomorrow.
The Dhosjan Show Podcast
Don’t forget to catch-up on The Dhosjan Show!
We dive into Finance, Technology, and AI with an emphasis on the human at the heart of innovation. Whether you need business basics, founder stories, or practical tips, we’ve got you covered.
New episodes dropping in early February.
👉🏾 Don’t miss an episode. 🎧📺
On the Horizon
Some exciting speaking engagements are coming up!
FAB Festival: 11 - 12 March 2026 - Birmingham (In-person conference)
We're excited to be back at FAB and will be talking about Automation & AI: The CFO’s Efficiency Revolution! The Finance, Accounting, and Bookkeeping Show’s mission is to give attendees the insights, tools, and connections to grow faster, work smarter, and stay ahead of change.
Book your tickets here.🤝 If you’re attending, send me a message and let’s catch up in person.
Book Dhosjan for Speaking Engagements in 2026: Workshops & Keynotes
Are you looking for a speaker or workshop facilitator who can bridge the gap between complex technology and practical business growth? Some of our favourite topics include: The Modern CFO & Evolution of Finance Operations, The CFO Techstack, AI with Intent: Real-world use cases for Business and Finance, The Startup Growth Journey, Authentic Leadership, Women in Finance and Women in Tech.
If you’re planning an event or team training, send us a message to discuss how we can work together to inspire and upskill your audience. 📩
2026 Strategy Audits: Moving from Vision to Execution
Is your finance function acting as a back-office support unit or a business-critical growth driver? Many teams have a strategy, but many lack the capacity to operationalise it.
At Bia Innovate, e don’t just hand over a plan and walk away. We work with you to build the roadmap and then help you execute it, ensuring your finance operations, tech stack, and AI initiatives actually deliver commercial results. I am now booking Q1 discovery calls for hands-on Fractional CFO advisory and execution support.
📩 Send us a message to lock in your spot and let's turn your 2026 strategy into reality.
In Summary
As we progress from the first month of 2026, the message is one of hope: the advantage no longer belongs to those who simply have the biggest tech budgets, but to those who can most quickly and efficiently deliver the solution to the customer’s problem.
Consider these key takeaways when crafting an AI strategy that is focused on high-impact results and removing real-world roadblocks.
The Declining Tech Moat: The barrier to building products is rapidly decreasing. Your advantage hinges even more firmly on how well you address a customer pain point through accelerated feedback loops.
Vibe Coding = Velocity: Use AI to visualise and test your business ideas in record time.
Focus on the Roadblock: Stop looking for flashy tools. Start using AI to fix broken processes and capture missed opportunities.
👉🏾 Next Step: Ready for hands-on strategic guidance and execution support? Reach out to us at Bia Innovate to learn how we can support you in your 2026 growth journey!
Who We Are
Bia Innovate is a Fractional CFO and Startup Consultancy. We provide hands-on support to founders, finance and business leaders to turn strategy into action, finance into growth levers, systems into scalability, and AI integration into impact.
👉🏾 If you’re curious, stuck, or ready to explore your growth strategy with us, get in touch.
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