GIFT City launches second fintech residential cohort, targets 250 startups
Synopsis
GIFT City has opened its second Fintech Residential Programme cohort, targeting early-stage startups in Web3, RegTech, and cross-border finance. With the first cohort having backed 11 startups and a four-year goal of 250, the hub is quietly building one of India's most structured fintech pipelines inside the IFSC — a bet on making GIFT City a genuine rival to Singapore and Dubai.
Key Takeaways
GIFT City launched the second cohort of its Fintech Residential Programme on 10 June 2026 .
Applications are open from 10 June to 5 July 2026 for idea-stage to early-validation startups.
The six-month programme combines 3 months in-person at GIFT City with 3 months virtual support.
Focus sectors include cross-border finance, Web3, blockchain, RegTech, and GovTech.
The first cohort supported 11 startups ; the hub targets 250 startups over the next four years.
GIFT IFIH was established in January 2025 to support fintech innovation within India's IFSC.
Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) on Wednesday, 10 June 2026 announced the launch of the second cohort of its Fintech Residential Programme, opening applications for early-stage startups looking to build and scale solutions within India's international financial services ecosystem. The application window runs from 10 June to 5 July 2026.
What the Programme Offers
The six-month programme, delivered through the GIFT International Fintech Innovation Hub (GIFT IFIH), is structured as a hybrid engagement — combining three months of in-person residency at GIFT City with three months of virtual support focused on product development, market validation, and ecosystem engagement.
Eligible startups include those at the idea stage, pre-product, minimum viable product (MVP), and early-validation phases. Selected participants will receive mentorship from industry experts, regulatory exposure, and access to investors and strategic partners operating within India's International Financial Services Centre (IFSC).
Focus Areas and Sectors
The programme targets startups working across cross-border finance, security, risk and compliance, Web3 and blockchain infrastructure, and GovTech and RegTech. This sector spread reflects the IFSC's growing emphasis on positioning GIFT City as a globally competitive hub for financial innovation.
Notably, several startups from the first cohort have already leveraged frameworks available within the IFSC, including participation in the IFSCA FinTech Innovation Sandbox and securing Payment Service Provider (PSP) licences under the IFSCA regulatory framework.
Building on Cohort One
The inaugural Residential Programme supported 11 startups with structured mentorship, product development assistance, ecosystem access, and investor engagement. The second cohort builds directly on that foundation, with GIFT IFIH having engaged startups across cross-border payments, regulatory technology, digital assets, compliance solutions, and financial infrastructure since its establishment in January 2025.
Sanjay Kaul, Managing Director and Group CEO of GIFT City, said: 'The convergence of finance, technology and regulation is creating new opportunities for innovation across the financial services sector.' He added that the programme aims to support founders developing solutions for both domestic and global markets while leveraging GIFT City's unique regulatory and ecosystem advantages.
The Bigger Ambition
Over the next four years, GIFT IFIH aims to support 250 fintech startups and contribute to a globally competitive innovation ecosystem anchored within GIFT City. This comes amid intensifying global competition among international financial centres — from Singapore's MAS FinTech Festival to Dubai's DIFC — making the pace of GIFT City's startup pipeline a strategic national priority.
With applications closing on 5 July 2026, early-stage founders across fintech verticals have a narrow window to apply for what is shaping up to be one of India's most structured fintech residency tracks.
Point of View
But the real metric is what the first 11 startups have actually built and scaled — a number the programme has not yet disclosed in detail. India's IFSC ambition is credible on paper, but Singapore and Dubai have a decade-long head start on regulatory trust and deal flow. The 250-startup target over four years is achievable only if GIFT City can convert residency into live IFSC-licensed products, not just sandbox experiments. The PSP licences and sandbox participation from cohort one are promising early indicators, but the programme needs transparent outcome data to attract the calibre of founders that would otherwise default to international hubs.
NationPress
26 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is GIFT City's Fintech Residential Programme?
It is a six-month structured programme run by the GIFT International Fintech Innovation Hub (GIFT IFIH) to support early-stage fintech startups with mentorship, regulatory exposure, and investor access within India's International Financial Services Centre (IFSC). The second cohort opens applications from 10 June to 5 July 2026.
Who can apply to the GIFT City fintech cohort?
Startups at the idea stage, pre-product, MVP, or early-validation phase working on solutions in cross-border finance, Web3, blockchain, RegTech, GovTech, or security and compliance are eligible to apply. Applications close on 5 July 2026.
What did the first cohort of the programme achieve?
The inaugural cohort supported 11 startups with structured mentorship, product development assistance, and investor engagement. Several participants leveraged the IFSCA FinTech Innovation Sandbox and obtained Payment Service Provider licences under the IFSCA regulatory framework.
What is GIFT IFIH and when was it set up?
The GIFT International Fintech Innovation Hub (GIFT IFIH) was established by GIFT City in January 2025 to support fintech startups through incubation, acceleration, and access to the financial services ecosystem within the IFSC. It aims to support 250 startups over four years.
How is the six-month programme structured?
The programme is split into three months of in-person residency at GIFT City and three months of virtual support, covering product development, market validation, and ecosystem engagement. Participants also gain access to regulatory frameworks, industry mentors, and strategic investors.
