Own Homes shortlisted as a finalist in the 2025 Isle of Man Innovation Challenge, presenting its homeownership solution at the Finale Day held at the Comis Hotel on 28 June 2025.
Selected as one of just 15 finalists in the FinTech category, Own Group was chosen from more than 100 global registrations spanning countries including the UK, India, South Africa, Brazil, Austria and Singapore.
The Innovation Challenge is an international competition that invites businesses to present forward-thinking solutions addressing real-world challenges, while supporting innovation and collaboration within the Isle of Man’s growing technology ecosystem.
Own Group’s shortlisted solution offered a proptech platform designed to help those moving into homeownership. The model helps aspiring homeowners to rent their new home while saving a deposit to own within five years, creating a structured route into homeownership for those currently in the private rental sector.
Chris Lee, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Own Group, presented the solution to an invited audience of judges, digital technology leaders and industry representatives at the Finale event. Chris said:
“We created a housing scheme to provide a clear and realistic route into homeownership. Being shortlisted for the Innovation Challenge recognises the strength of the model and the role technology can play in helping more people achieve homeownership. The Isle of Man has been an incredibly supportive environment for innovation, and we’re proud to showcase our solution here.”
The Isle of Man Department organises the 2025 Innovation Challenge for Enterprise through its Executive Agencies, led by Digital Isle of Man in collaboration with Business Isle of Man, Finance Isle of Man and Visit Isle of Man. The competition spans three sectors: FinTech, Data & AI, and Cleantech.
In the lead-up to Finale Day, shortlisted businesses participated in tailored mentoring sessions, industry support workshops and networking opportunities with Island-based technology leaders and investors.
The Finale event provided finalists with the opportunity to demonstrate their solutions live and explore potential partnerships within the Isle of Man’s digital and financial services communities.
Own Group’s participation highlights the Island’s role as a testbed for scalable financial technology solutions to address global housing challenges.
