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GIFT City on Tuesday announced the launch of the Young Builders' Program under the GIFT International FinTech Innovation Hub (GIFT IFIH) in collaboration with the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA), aimed at identifying and nurturing the next generation of fintech innovators.
The programme will provide young innovators with a structured pathway from ideation and prototyping to regulatory validation and venture creation. The top three startups selected under the initiative will receive direct entry into the IFSCA FinTech Sandbox, allowing them to pilot and validate financial innovations in a controlled regulatory environment. The initiative will begin with a nationwide application process, followed by a two-day FinTech Ideation Hackathon for shortlisted applicants. The selected teams will then participate in an eight-week residential programme at GIFT IFIH, where they will interact with startup founders, industry experts, investors, regulators and other ecosystem leaders. "Through expert mentorship and hands-on guidance, participants will gain practical exposure to product development, design thinking, customer discovery and validation, business model formulation, and investor pitch readiness, enabling them to transform innovative concepts into scalable and market-ready ventures," the release said. The programme is open to students, fresh graduates, aspiring entrepreneurs and young innovators from across India. Applications will remain open until August 16, 2026, while the FinTech Ideation Hackathon is scheduled to be held on August 21 and 22. Following the hackathon, 10 teams will be selected to participate in the residential programme, which will commence on September 1 at GIFT City. The programme seeks to combine innovation with regulatory support and provide emerging fintech ventures with early access to mentors, investors, industry leaders and regulators. "By bridging innovation with regulatory support, the initiative seeks to fast-track the commercialisation of promising fintech ventures and foster a culture of responsible, future-ready innovation across India's IFSC," the release said. The Young Builders' Program will leverage GIFT IFIH's network of investors, industry partners and mentors, as well as its experience in supporting early-stage startups. According to the release, alumni startups from previous GIFT IFIH initiatives have entered two fintech sandboxes, raised significant funding and scaled their businesses through continued ecosystem support. The initiative is aligned with GIFT City's vision of building a world-class fintech innovation ecosystem and aims to create a pipeline of future-ready ventures capable of addressing the evolving requirements of the financial services industry. Through its focus on product development, innovation and regulatory enablement, the programme seeks to support young entrepreneurs in transforming early-stage ideas into scalable fintech businesses. (ANI)
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