Incubate Your Fintech Startup from Idea to MVP to PMF
Our Residential Program is GIFT IFIH’s flagship incubation program designed for early-stage fintech founders building the future of financial services, including financial infrastructure, AI-driven finance, RegTech, cross-border finance, and lending innovation from India’s International Financial Services Centre (IFSC).
This program is a high-intensity, equity-free, 12-week onsite residential program at GIFT City supporting idea-to-MVP startups through structured mentorship, product development support, regulatory exposure, ecosystem access, and strategic guidance from industry leaders, investors, and domain experts.
Thematic Areas
Cross-border Finance
Build the next generation of global financial infrastructure. We welcome startups working on cross-border payments, payment rails, remittances, FX optimization, trade finance, treasury solutions, foreign exchange, settlement systems, and innovations that enable the seamless movement of money, assets, and financial services across jurisdictions.
GovTech & RegTech
Reimagine how regulators, financial institutions, and public sector organizations manage oversight, compliance, and governance. We welcome startups building regulatory sandboxes, cross-regulator workflows, supervisory technology (SupTech), digital compliance infrastructure, regulatory reporting solutions, policy-tech platforms, and AI-powered governance tools that enhance transparency, efficiency, and regulatory effectiveness.
Web3 & Blockchain Infrastructure
Create the foundational infrastructure for digital assets and programmable finance. Areas of interest include asset tokenization, on-chain compliance, DeFi infrastructure, digital asset platforms, smart contract infrastructure, blockchain applications, decentralized finance, and enterprise blockchain solutions. We welcome startups building the technologies that enable secure, compliant, and scalable digital financial ecosystems.
Security, Risk & Compliance
Build technologies that strengthen trust across the financial ecosystem. We welcome startups working on fraud prevention, fraud detection, AML, KYC, transaction monitoring, risk management, identity verification, cybersecurity, compliance automation, and AI-driven underwriting that help financial institutions manage risk, meet regulatory requirements, and deliver secure customer experiences.
Program Structure
Phase 1
Residency at GIFT City
The first 3 months are fully onsite at GIFT City, where founders work closely alongside the cohort in a high-intensity builder environment.
During this phase, startups will go through:
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Product development sprints
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Weekly milestone reviews
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Mentor office hours
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Regulatory and IFSC ecosystem exposure
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Investor and ecosystem interactions
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Workshops and Masterclasses
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Peer learning and collaboration
The focus is on accelerating execution, refining the product, and building within the GIFT IFSC ecosystem.
Program Benefit
Intensive Onsite Residential Program
A 12-week onsite residential sprint at GIFT IFIH designed to accelerate product development, founder execution, and ecosystem immersion in a high-intensity builder environment.
Stipend & Financial Support
Selected startups can receive support of up to ₹1,50,000 per team tied to milestone completion during the program.
Founder Community
Build alongside a curated cohort of ambitious fintech founders solving meaningful financial infrastructure challenges.
Co-working space
Complimentary access to the GIFT IFIH campus, alongside partner services—including banking products, admin support, legal, incorporation, and HR—available at preferential rates.
Regulatory Immersion
& Access
Hands-on access to the GIFT IFSC ecosystem, including exposure to regulatory frameworks, sandbox know-hows, and ecosystem stakeholders shaping the future of financial innovation.
Investor & Ecosystem Exposure
Opportunities to engage with investors, banking leaders, fintech operators, ecosystem partners, and strategic stakeholders connected to GIFT City.
Specialized Fintech Mentorship
Structured access to fintech founders, domain experts, operators, regulators, and industry practitioners through mentor office hours and ecosystem sessions.
Plug and Play’s Network
Lifelong access to Plug and Play’s global network spanning 20+ countries, including community partnerships, industry connections, and exclusive partner subscriptions.
Program Timeline
01
Application & Selection
June–July 2026
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Applications Open: 10 June 2026
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Applications Close: 5 July 2026
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Batch Announcement: 17 July 2026
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Relocation to GIFT City: 17 July to 3 August 2026
02
Residency at GIFT IFIH
August–November 2026
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Orientation Week: 4 August to 7 August 2026
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Residency at GIFT IFIH Campus
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Virtual Support Segment
November–January 2027
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Virtual Program