FinNovate Accelerator Curtain Raiser
July 15, 2023
The FinNovate Accelerator Curtain Raiser marked a new milestone for the SPJIMR Centre for Financial Innovation (CFI) with the inauguration of the Sunil Bhatia Start-up Hub. The power-packed event welcomed FinNovate Accelerator’s first cohort of 12 start-ups in the ‘Seed to Series A stage’ at the SPJIMR Mumbai campus. The day’s activities included an orientation session by FinNovate Head & CFI Executive Director Manoj Mohan Vengaserry; insightful mentor sessions by the accelerator’s functional mentors Vineet Barnwal, Corporate Trainer and Coach & Vedanarayanan Vedantham, Marketing Leader, Microsoft. FinNovate Accelerator’s first cohort, carefully selected for their exceptional potential, will embark on a transformative journey, receiving mentorship, guidance, and access to a network of accomplished finance professionals.
The highlight of the FinNovate Curtain Raiser was the inauguration of the Sunil Bhatia Start-up Hub by SPJIMR PGDM/MMS 1989 alum Sunil Bhatia, Board Member – Investor and Former CEO of Infogain. Mr. Bhatia has contributed INR 10 crore to the Hub. His contribution resonates with both his and SPJIMR’s commitment to nurturing the startup ecosystem in India. This one-of-its-kind Hub will serve as a catalyst for collaboration, innovation, and knowledge exchange and influence how finance is perceived, practised, and propelled forward. It offers vital initiatives that support entrepreneurship through pre-incubation, incubation, and acceleration stages.
The curtain raiser also hosted two exclusive masterclasses for finance and tech startup founders. Smita Aggarwal, VC Investor, Top 35 Global Women in Fintech Powerlist 2020, conducted the immersive master class on Fund Raising from VCs for Fintechs. The second masterclass on Building Enterprise Sales for BFSI Sector by Anjani Rathor, Chief Digital Officer at HDFC Bank and Sanil Chorinchath, Head – Ecosystem Banking at Yes Bank, was moderated by Manoj Mohan, Head FinNovate and Executive Director CFI. The participants got the opportunity to interact and learn from the best in the industry, gain practical insights, and acquire actionable strategies to explore new perspectives that will set them apart in a competitive landscape.
Masterclasses Schedule
| Time | Session | Speaker | Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2:00 – 03:00 pm | Masterclass on Fund Raising from VCs for Fintechs | Smita Aggarwal | VC investor and Board Director |
| 05:30 – 06:30 pm | Masterclass on Building Enterprise Sales for BFSI Sector | Anjani Rathor | Chief Digital Officer at HDFC Bank |
| Sanil Chorinchath | Head of Ecosystem Banking at YES Bank |
Event Agenda
| Time | Session | Speaker | Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02:30 pm to 03:00 pm |
Unveiling of Sunil Bhatia Startup Hub | ||
| 03:00 pm to 05:00 pm |
Curtain Raiser for SPJIMR FinNovate Accelerator | ||
| Overview of SPJIMR Financial Innovation Initiatives |
Manoj Mohan | Executive Director, CFI & Head, FinNovate | |
| Journey from Startup to Unicorn Exit | Sunil Bhatia | Former CEO of Infogain | |
| Keynote Address | Pramod Varma | Ex-Chief Architect Aadhaar & India Stack |
|
| Start-ups: The investment opportunity | Nandini Mansinghka | CEO, Mumbai Angels | |
| SPJIMR: Shifting gears in Innovation | Varun Nagaraj | Dean, SPJIMR | |
| 05:00 pm to 05:30 pm |
High Tea | ||
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Sessions and Speakers
Manoj Mohan
Executive Director, CFI & Head, FinNovate
Session: Overview of SPJIMR Financial Innovation Initiatives
Sunil Bhatia
Former CEO of Infogain
Session: Journey from Startup to Unicorn Exit
Pramod Varma
Ex-Chief Architect Aadhaar & India Stack
Session: Keynote Address
Nandini Mansinghka
CEO, Mumbai Angels
Session: Start-ups: The investment opportunity
Varun Nagaraj
Dean, SPJIMR
Session: SPJIMR: Shifting gears in innovation
Start-Up Partner
Corporate Partners
Ecosytem Partners
Outreach Partners
FinNovate Accelerator Cohort 1 Startups
