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U-M Ross Business + Tech
U-M Ross Business + Tech
U-M Ross Business + Tech

What we’re exploring

Find out more about the most pressing topics impacting businesses today.

See all that we’re exploring

The FinTech Industry is primed for disruption.

All it needs is you.

The FinTech Challenge introduces future leaders to the depth and breadth of the fintech industry. 20 teams of 4-6 students are tasked with evaluating the fintech landscape, developing a disruptive solution, and convincing a panel of judges why their idea is the best; all within 3-weeks. Participants emerge themselves in this industry, exploring real-world problems and solutions to solve them alongside industry experts and alumni. All students, regardless of their knowledge or experience with FinTech, are welcome.

2024 FinTech Challenge

January 29 - February 19

Week 1 | 1/29 - 2/4

The focus for week 1 is exploring the fintech landscape with the aim of pushing participants to explore beyond the obvious trends in their immediate surroundings. Teams will participate in a team formation and teambuilding event, a panel and Q&A with fintech founders and experts from Plinqit, CoverTree, and Signal Advisors, and attend an ideation session with Business+Tech Managing Director Phil Brabbs

Challenge KickoffFinTech Founder/Expert PanelIdeation Session

Week 2 | 2/6 - 2/12

After week 1, teams will have identified a problem to solve and begin working on a solution. Teams will attend a business model canvas workshop with Managing Parter at Atomic Object, Jonah Bailey and learn how to tell a compelling story during a pitch workshop in partnership with the School of Music, Theater, and Dance

Business Model workshopFinTech Solutions FeedbackPitching Workshop

Week 3 | 2/13 - 2/19

The third week is focused on pitching. Teams will receive feedback on their solution by Ross alumni from Nubank, Coinbase, Pocketnest, SoFi and more and participate in Round 1 pitches. From Round 1 pitches, 5 teams will be selected to advance to the finale to compete for first place. First place team wins $5,000, second place team wins $3,000, and third place team wins $2,000, with an auidence choice award.

FinTech Solutions FeedbackRound 1 PitchesFinTech Challenge Finale

Common Questions

I don’t have a background in finance or tech, can I still participate?
How do the teams work?
What is the time commitment?

2024 Winners

First Place

Day1 is a credit score conversion tool for international students

Team: Aseem Pattanayak (MBA), Coe Mochizuki (MBA), Lisa Cheung (MBA), Naoyuki Maruo (MBA), Prudhvi Sai Ram Potluri (MBA), and Ravin Chhatrapati (MBA)

Second Place

Pundit is a workflow automation tool for investment banks

Team: Akhil Ramest (CoE), Rishabh Kumar (LSA), and Vishnu Jaisim (BBA)

Third Place

The Forge is an operational organization tool for the financial services industry

Team: Ihsaan Yasin (CoE), Arjun Srivastava (MBA), Adnan Rashid (CoE), Jiayi Huang (SI), Yiming Xia (SI), Sabrina Guan (MAcc)

2023 Winners

First Place

Lendmate is P2P lending platform supporting individuals and  families affected by hardships. 

Team: Grant Ganganithi (MBA), Kashvi Tibrewal (MBA), and Sumit Rajan (MBA)

Second Place

Zilla is a building financial literacy through credit card optimization.

Team: Nilayan Gupta (MBA), Aaanchal Gupta (MBA), Joe Huang (LSA), and Anna Park (LSA)

Third Place

Maxim-UM is a P2P micro-lending platform empowering young immigrants towards financial wellness.

Team: Dushyant Khanduja (MBA), Arjun Srivastava (MBA), Yeonji Kim (SI), Livia Lucena (MBA)

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