FinGlobe CoE at STPI Gandhinagar

Check you fit

• You need an Indian start-up working in fintech, set up as a private limited company, a registered partnership firm or an LLP.
• Be ready to offer equity of up to 3% to STPI. Read this before you apply.

How applications work

• Start from the Apply Now button on the FinGlobe homepage.
• The site shows no dates for the current call, so confirm it is open before you prepare.
• Book your time slot on the sandbox in advance.
• For physical incubation space, approach STPI directly. Terms follow STPI's incubation norms.
• Email finglobe@stpi.in with questions.

What to prepare

• Say which focus area you work in: banking, payment, lending, trading, remittance, or a customised fintech solution.
• If you respond to an OCP challenge, read its problem statements first. The list is not restricted, so a close solution can also be considered.
• Know what you will test in the sandbox: bank environment, industry APIs or payment gateway.

FinGlobe CoE is a Centre of Entrepreneurship in Financial Technologies and Allied Domains, run by the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) at GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The site calls it a Government of India initiative, supported by the Government of Gujarat and administered by STPI through AIC STPINEXT INITIATIVES. It exists to grow fintech start-ups in Gujarat into full companies with physical infrastructure, technology support, mentoring, training, funding and marketing help.

How the programme works

The centre runs an integrated programme for fintech start-ups. Start-ups use a sandbox bank environment, industry APIs and a payment gateway to build and test their products. The homepage has an Apply Now button that opens the current call, and the menu also lists OCP 2.0 and OCP 1.0 challenges. The site shows no dates for the current intake, so check the Apply Now link before you plan around a deadline. A problem-statement document for OCP 2.0 lists focus areas such as digital financial inclusion, fraud detection and cyber security, KYC and onboarding efficiency, trust and transparency, and credit scoring for the underserved. It says the list is not restricted and that other innovative solutions close to these areas may also be considered.

Who can apply

The centre invites Indian start-ups and companies working in financial technologies. The start-up must be a private limited company, a registered partnership firm or a limited liability partnership. The focus areas are banking, payment, lending, trading and remittance, plus customised fintech solutions for RegTech, EduTech, DeepTech, MediTech and other emerging technologies.

Terms to know before you apply

Each start-up has to offer equity of up to 3% to STPI, as per the present valuation. Each start-up has to book its time slot in advance. A start-up that wants physical incubation space at the centre should approach STPI directly. Allocation, charges and terms for that space follow STPI's applicable incubation norms.

What start-ups get

The site lists ready-to-work plug-and-play space with high-speed internet, a workspace that runs around the clock, round-the-clock security and a dedicated support team. Start-ups also get access to APIs, payment gateways and a sandbox environment, and access to the data centre of (n)Code Solutions. The centre says it will support and guide start-ups on raising funds for proof of concept, MVP and marketing, and on scaling up through grants, equity and debt, by connecting them with customers, CSR and corporate sources, angels, high net worth individuals and venture capital funds. Mentors help start-ups find prototyping and manufacturing vendors. Incubatees are included in marketing knowledge sessions, road shows, networking events and social media outreach.

Partners

The site names the Department of Science and Technology and Gujarat Informatics Limited of the Government of Gujarat as partners. Academic partners are CrAdLE at EDII, PDEU Gandhinagar and the National Forensic Science University. Industry partners include (n)Code Solutions, Tally Solutions and the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub. Cornerstone Ventures and GVFL are listed as investment partners, and TiE Ahmedabad as the industry association.

Start-ups at the centre

The Our Startups page names fintech and related companies including Daksam Analytics, Dhanin Solutions, Hexcode Think, Mavenstry, PepperTree.AI and IFTS IT Solution. The site does not state how many start-ups the centre has supported.

Location and contact

The centre is at 9th Floor, GIFT One Tower, Block-56, Road-5C, Zone-5, GIFT City, Gandhinagar 382355, Gujarat. Write to finglobe@stpi.in with questions about the programme.