Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) and Computer Age Management Services (CAMS) are expanding their collaboration under the CAMS IIT Madras FinTech Innovation Lab (CIFIL), with a focus on financial technology innovation, startup development, industry-driven research and professional education.
The renewed partnership seeks to strengthen India’s rapidly evolving digital financial ecosystem by deepening industry-academia collaboration.
CIFIL was established in 2022 through a collaboration between IIT Madras and CAMS as part of CAMS’ CSR initiatives. The lab combines CAMS’ expertise in financial technology and financial services with IIT Madras’ academic and research capabilities to promote innovation across the BFSI sector.
Focus on emerging fintech technologies
In its next phase, CIFIL will focus on emerging areas including artificial intelligence in financial services, digital payments, blockchain and tokenisation, cybersecurity, Regulatory Technology, WealthTech, InsurTech, digital lending, data analytics and financial inclusion.
The lab will also expand its research portfolio, develop intellectual property, facilitate technology transfer and create opportunities to commercialise research-led solutions.
A new MoU for the initiatives was signed on August 12, 2026, at the IIT Madras campus in the presence of leadership teams from both organisations.
CAMS Managing Director Anuj Kumar said: “Organisations that have spent decades serving an industry develop deep expertise, but some of the most transformative ideas often emerge from outside conventional boundaries. As we renew our partnership with IIT Madras, we look forward to fostering an environment where bold ideas can be explored, challenged and shaped into solutions that create long-term value for the financial services ecosystem.”
Boost for students and startups
The partnership will provide students opportunities to engage directly with industry through research projects, internships, hackathons, expert interactions and startup mentoring.
IIT Madras Director Prof V Kamakoti said: “By combining IIT Madras’ research excellence and CAMS’ deep industry expertise, this partnership has the potential to strengthen and accelerate growth to build cutting-edge fintech solutions for Bharat’s financial ecosystem. We are excited about the innovation and the real-world impact this partnership is going to herald in the coming years.”
CIFIL will also strengthen support for fintech startups through technical and faculty expertise, mentoring, industry networks, validation support, research collaborations and innovation challenges.
Prof M Thenmozhi, Head, CAMS IITM FinTech Innovation Lab and Professor, Department of Management Studies, IIT Madras, said: “Our vision for CIFIL is to emerge as a global centre for innovation and research in FinTech and co-create fintech solutions that cater to unsolved problems in the Banking, Financial markets and Financial services sector and develop fintech ventures of the future.”
The lab is also expanding professional education through programmes including a Professional Certificate Programme in FinTech and a Certificate Programme in Personal Financial Planning.
Since its inception, CIFIL has supported fintech research projects, national hackathons, startup mentoring, executive education programmes and collaborations with banks, regulators and industry partners across areas such as digital payments, AI, blockchain, cybersecurity and wealth management.