ABOUT THE PROGRAM
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and Department of Science and Technology (DST) have partnerd with T-Hub to access the Indian Fintech startup ecosystem for the Fintech Innovation Challenge. It is a 3-month accelerator program aiming to support startups that are focused on building products and services that are revolutionizing the digital payments industry.
Selected start-ups will have an opportunity to pitch innovative ideas and get mentored by experts from NPCI & T-Hub.
WHAT’S IN IT FOR STARTUPS
- Chance to collaborate with NPCI – India’s umbrella organization for retail payments.
- Exciting opportunity to work with industry experts and mentors to refine business models.
- Access NPCI retail payments APIs for product development.
- Selected start-ups will have an opportunity to get mentorship from NPCI senior management.
- Access to T-Hub’s network of mentors, industry experts, investors, service providers, and community/ecosystem.
FOCUS AREAS
Enhance with UPI 2.0: Innovative digital payment solutions powered by UPI 2.0, which are enhancing features or catering unmet needs of existing product.
Deeptech for Digital Payments: Solutions using Deeptech (Blockchain, IoT, AR/VR, AI or ML etc.) to bring efficiency in digital payment products.
Mobility Card: Craft products using National Common Mobility Card platform to encourage micro-payments for financial inclusion.
THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
- Indian startups whose solutions align with the program focus areas.
- Each team must have at least 1 full time employee. A ‘full time employee’ is defined as a person that maintains standard business hours working on the technology or venture (at a minimum, Monday through Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm).
- The solutions the team is offering for consideration provides a functionality or capability not currently available in any off the shelf product, or a functionality/capability that can be demonstrated to possess a significant advantage over current offerings in some aspect.
- The solutions the team is offering for consideration represents original ideas wholly owned with freedom to use or is licensed by the team.
- The team has formed or is a part of a recognized, legal entity for the company structure.
PROGRAM TIMELINE
Department of Science & Technology (DST) was established in May 1971, with the objective of promoting new areas of Science & Technology and to play the role of a nodal department for organising, coordinating and promoting S&T activities in the country.
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), an umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India, is an initiative of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) under the provisions of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, for creating a robust Payment & Settlement Infrastructure in India.
Considering the utility nature of the objects of NPCI, it has been incorporated as a “Not for Profit” Company under the provisions of Section 25 of Companies Act 1956 (now Section 8 of Companies Act 2013), with an intention to provide infrastructure to the entire Banking system in India for physical as well as electronic payment and settlement systems. The Company is focused on bringing innovations in the retail payment systems through the use of technology for achieving greater efficiency in operations and widening the reach of payment systems.
The ten core promoter banks are State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank, Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India, Bank of India, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Citibank N. A. and HSBC. In 2016 the shareholding was broad-based to 56 member banks to include more banks representing all sectors.
T-Hub enables and empowers an ecosystem hungry for innovation. Based in Hyderabad, India, it leads India’s pioneering innovation ecosystem that powers next-generation products and new business models. It uses the Triple Helix model of innovation based on interaction and collaboration between industry, academia and the government. Incorporated in 2015, it has provided over 1100 national and international startups with access to better technology, talent, mentors, customers, corporates, investors and government agencies. T-Hub also provides thought leadership for Telangana and other state and central government organizations to build innovation ecosystems. It has elevated innovation for leading national and global corporates, transforming enterprise business models for the better.
