SP Jain begins admissions for fintech accelerator program

S P Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR) is inviting admissions for the next cohort of its FinNovate Accelerator Programme for start-ups, scheduled in March. 

The four-month cohort has 10 seats, and aims to sharpen product marketing and improve networking for startups, SPIJMR stated.

The announcement comes as part of an uptick in fintech investments expected this year, and ongoing investor interest in this category since 2021.

The cohort, offered on a cost and equity-free basis, has a 30-hour curriculum with five modules. Startups will be mentored on developing engaging pitches, navigating valuation and legal aspects as well as achieving the product market fit.

The last cohort, organised in 2023, saw applications from 100 fintech startups. The selected ones had access to senior business leaders from ICICI Bank, Federal Bank, HDFC Bank, and IDFC First Bank among others.

Among the selected startups, about half of them or at least five refined their product market fit through strategic pivots. 

In the four-month period, the startups had a two-stage fundraising demo day that attracted participation from close to 30 investors including Blume Ventures, IIFL and others. 

The startups participating in the present cohort stand to benefit from the Mumbai-based management institute’s partnerships with leading BFSI institutions such as the State Bank of India (SBI) and other private banks.

 The cohort also sees participation from 30 CXO for funding and mentoring, including the Sunil and Rita Bhatia Foundation which has set up the Sunil Bhatia Start-up Hub at SPJIMR.

A few start-ups from each cohort are also invited to join the Accelerator Plus programme, a  12-month initiative for exceptional startups that emphasises on fundraising and strategic pivots among others. 

SPIJMR said the accelerator is committed to excellence and has a proven track record for startups, who seek to make a lasting impact in the financial services industry.