GIFT City launches second cohort of fintech residential programme
Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) on Wednesday announced launch of the second cohort of its Fintech Residential Programme to support early-stage startups to build, validate and scale solutions relevant to the evolving financial services landscape.
The program will support startups working on solutions across cross-border finance, security, risk and compliance, Web3 and blockchain infrastructure, and GovTech and RegTech.
The application for eligible startups will remain open from June 10 to July 5, 2026.
The six-month program, designed for idea-stage, pre-product, minimum viable product-stage and early-validation startups, will be delivered through the GIFT International Fintech Innovation Hub (GIFT IFIH).
It combines three months of in-person residency at GIFT City with three months of virtual support focused on product development, market validation and ecosystem engagement.
Participating startups will receive mentorship from industry experts, access to ecosystem stakeholders, regulatory exposure, and opportunities to engage with investors and strategic partners.
"The second cohort builds on the success of the inaugural Residential Programme, which supported 11 startups with structured mentorship, product development assistance, ecosystem access, and investor engagement," the statement noted.
The GIFT IFIH platform was established by GIFT City in January 2025 to support fintech startups through incubation, acceleration and access to the broader financial services ecosystem operating within India’s International Financial Services Centre (IFSC).
Over the next four years, the hub aims to support 250 fintech startups and contribute to the development of a globally competitive innovation ecosystem anchored in GIFT City, the statement said.
GIFT IFIH has engaged with startups across areas including cross-border payments, regulatory technology, digital assets, compliance solutions and financial infrastructure.
Several portfolio startups have leveraged innovation and regulatory frameworks available within the IFSC ecosystem, including participation in the IFSCA FinTech Innovation Sandbox and obtaining Payment Service Provider (PSP) licences under the IFSCA regulatory framework.
"The convergence of finance, technology and regulation is creating new opportunities for innovation across the financial services sector," said Sanjay Kaul, Managing Director and Group CEO, GIFT City.
The program aims to support founders developing solutions for domestic and global markets while leveraging the unique ecosystem available at GIFT City, he added.
