Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (NewsVoir) • Digital mentorship program is aimed at early stage founders to handhold them in navigating product, compliance and market challenges • The program will create an indexed library of recurring founder challenges and practical responses across payments, lending, wealthtech, insurtech, regtech and embedded finance. • Program commences in Jan 2026 • The IFTA platform also concluded its fintech awards initiative with Sahi winning Fintech Startup of the Year and Pine Labs winning Excellence in Payments award • 3rd edition of Fintech Olympiad registered participation from 70,000 students from over 4000 colleges pan India The India FinTech Forum concluded the 10th edition of the India FinTech Awards (IFTA) on 10 December 2025 at Aurika, Mumbai. Supported by Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI), State Bank of India (SBI) and Indian Clearing Corporation Limited (ICCL), this year’s event brought together policymakers, financial institutions, technology firms, and investors for discussions on regulatory priorities, digital infrastructure, and sector trends. Sougata Basu, Founder, CashRich, said, “As an Executive Committee Member of India FinTech Forum and the Founder of Fintech Olympiad, I am proud that the India FinTech Awards (IFTA) has become the only fintech event in India to achieve a continuous 10-year journey. This milestone reflects the trust of our fintech community and the growing strength of the ecosystem. With 70000+ participants, the Fintech Olympiad has become a uniquely impactful initiative that builds financial literacy and digital fluency for India. Together, these efforts show how India is shaping the future of finance.” The multi-track event featured keynote addresses from Mr. Ashwini Kumar Tewari, Managing Director, State Bank of India; Mr. Vishal Kapoor, Chief Executive Officer, Bandhan AMC Limited; Shri Ashishkumar Chauhan, MD and CEO, National Stock Exchange of India (NSE); and Ms. Vaisshali Babu, Managing Director and CEO, ICCL. Their remarks covered developments in banking, capital markets, asset management, and market infrastructure, with a shared focus on stability, governance, and the role of technology in strengthening financial systems. The India FinTech Forum announced the launch of Mentor Chronicles Fintech Edition at IFTA 2025, introducing a structured digital mentorship series aimed at early-stage founders navigating product, compliance, and market challenges. The initiative responds to a tougher operating environment marked by higher customer acquisition costs, longer compliance cycles and intensified investor scrutiny. The programme collects and curates real founder questions, which are then addressed in focused conversations with experienced operators, investors and sector specialists. Positioned as a long-term knowledge resource, Mentor Chronicles will create an indexed library of recurring founder challenges and practical responses across payments, lending, wealthtech, insurtech, regtech and embedded finance. Beginning January 2026, selected founders will participate, with organisers with an objective of not just funding access but sharper decision-making, better product prioritisation and improved regulatory preparedness. The Forum noted that as the fintech sector enters a phase of consolidation and compliance-driven growth, accessible and experience-led guidance has become a critical gap the programme aims to fill. The Forum received over 1,500 applications for IFTA 2025. Shortlisted firms showcased solutions in payments, lending, compliance, insurance, and wealth management, with a jury assessing them for relevance, impact, and scalability. The event also featured the Fintech Olympiad, aimed at strengthening financial and digital literacy among students. Organisers reported rising participation and noted that early exposure to payments, savings, risk, and digital finance is increasingly important as the sector grows. 70,000 students from across the country registered for the Fintech Olympiad from 4000+ colleges. Around 120 students were shortlisted over 10 online and 21 Regional Rounds for the National Finals held in Mumbai at IFTA. IFTA 2025 also announced winners of the year across categories. Winners at IFTA 2025: 1. Fintech Startup of the Year: Sahi 2. Fintech Rising Stars: Riskcovry, SaveIN, OnFinance AI, Navanc Data Sciences 3. Fintech Scaleup of the Year: Timble Technologies 4. Most Innovative Fintech Product: Fam 5. Best Innovation in Digital Lending: GetVantage 6. Best International Fintech in India: Valocity 7. Best Fintech Initiative For Social Impact: Spice Money 8. Excellence in Payments: Pine Labs 9. Best Use of AI in Fintech: GreyLabs AI 10. Best Innovation in RegTech: CAMS 11. Best Innovation in WealthTech: Aspero 12. Excellence in InsurTech: Perfios 13. Best Technology Company for Fintech Solutions: Falcon 14. Best Initiative for Financial Literacy: PayNearby The winners of the National Finals of the Fintech Olympiad 2025 were announced during IFTA. Students Category: 1. Winner: Tejas Sayli, JBIMS Mumbai 2. 1st Runner up: Dhruv Garg, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai 3. 2nd Runner up: Dhruv Patel, Tolani Motwane Institute of Management Studies Professionals Category: 1. Winner: Rohan Khanna, Director, Barclays 2. 1st Runner up: Madhur Tike, Data Analyst, Morningstar 3. 2nd Runner up: Shashank Rakesh, Regional Manager, BriskPe About India FinTech Forum: The India FinTech Forum, a nonprofit platform fostering collaboration among over 4,500 companies and 37,000 individuals, remains dedicated to making India a global fintech leader. Since its founding in 2016, the Forum’s flagship event, IFTA, has spotlighted groundbreaking ideas, bringing together fintech startups, investors, and thought leaders. The Forum launched the Fintech Olympiad, a national initiative for digital and financial literacy in 2023. More details at: www.indiafintech.com and www.fintecholympiad.org. (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Newsvoir and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI