Press Release
PR No. 34/2026
Date
June 22, 2026
Initiative
Securities Market TechSprint
Platform
Global Fintech Fest 2026
1st Prize
₹2,50,000
Problem Statements
4 Themes
🚀 OPPORTUNITY ALERT — SEBI INVITES INNOVATORS FOR SECURITIES MARKET TECHSPRINT 2026
SEBI, in collaboration with leading market infrastructure institutions and industry bodies, has launched the Securities Market TechSprint as part of the Global Fintech Fest 2026 (GFF '26). Under the theme "Innovation in Action: Shaping Securities Market for Tomorrow", innovators are invited to build digital solutions addressing four key problem statements in India's capital markets. Winners can earn up to ₹2,50,000 and shortlisted innovations will be considered for mentorship through the SEBI Innovation Sandbox.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), through Press Release No. PR 34/2026 dated June 22, 2026, has announced the launch of the Securities Market TechSprint at the Global Fintech Fest 2026 (GFF '26). The initiative has been launched in collaboration with leading market infrastructure institutions and industry bodies. It operates under the overarching theme "Innovation in Action: Shaping Securities Market for Tomorrow" — a call to India's technological talent to address real-world challenges within the securities market through cutting-edge, digital solutions.
The TechSprint invites innovators to design and build digital solutions focused on empowering retail investors and bolstering transparency, efficiency, compliance, and accessibility across India's vibrant capital markets. Participants are required to develop solutions targeting one of four specified problem statements. Shortlisted participants will get the opportunity to showcase their innovations at the Global Fintech Fest and win cash prizes. Additionally, shortlisted innovations will be considered for mentorship through the SEBI Innovation Sandbox — SEBI's dedicated platform for testing and refining fintech solutions in a controlled regulatory environment.
📋 INITIATIVE AT A GLANCE
REGULATOR
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
PRESS RELEASE
PR No. 34/2026 dated June 22, 2026
THEME
"Innovation in Action: Shaping Securities Market for Tomorrow"
PLATFORM
Global Fintech Fest 2026 (GFF '26)
COLLABORATION
SEBI + leading market infrastructure institutions and industry bodies
MENTORSHIP PATHWAY
SEBI Innovation Sandbox (for shortlisted innovations)
The Four Problem Statements
Participants must develop a solution addressing one of the following four problem statements specified by SEBI:
01
AI-Driven Detection of Synthetic Media and Phishing Attacks in Securities Markets
This problem statement calls for solutions that use artificial intelligence to detect deepfakes, synthetic media, and phishing attacks targeting retail investors and market participants. The proliferation of AI-generated misinformation and fraudulent communications in financial markets is an emerging threat that requires technological countermeasures at scale.
02
Agentic Compliance — From Regulatory Text to Operational Action
This problem statement seeks solutions that use agentic AI systems to bridge the gap between complex regulatory text and on-ground compliance action. The challenge is to translate SEBI circulars, regulations, and guidelines into automated, operationally actionable compliance workflows — reducing manual interpretation effort and improving compliance accuracy for intermediaries and regulated entities.
03
Super App for Unified Multi-Asset Investing and Awareness for Retail Investors
This problem statement calls for a unified super-app solution that enables retail investors to access, manage, and invest across multiple asset classes — equities, mutual funds, bonds, ETFs, and others — from a single platform. The solution must also strengthen investor awareness and financial literacy, making India's capital markets more accessible to first-time and underserved investors.
04
Simplifying IPO Offer Document Preparation for SMEs
This problem statement targets one of the key barriers to SME capital market participation — the complexity and cost of preparing IPO offer documents. Solutions should simplify, automate, or digitise the offer document preparation process for Small and Medium Enterprises, enabling more SMEs to access public markets without disproportionate compliance costs and professional fees.
Prize Money Structure
SEBI Innovation Sandbox — What It Means for Winners
🧪
Mentorship Through SEBI Innovation Sandbox
Beyond the cash prizes, shortlisted innovations will be considered for mentorship through the SEBI Innovation Sandbox. The SEBI Innovation Sandbox is a testing environment that provides access to historical anonymised market data from stock exchanges and depositories, enabling fintech companies and innovators to test and refine their solutions in a controlled regulatory environment — without requiring live market access. Mentorship through the Sandbox gives fintech innovators direct access to SEBI's regulatory expertise, market data, and institutional guidance — a significant advantage for firms looking to develop and deploy solutions in India's securities market.
What This Means: SEBI's Fintech Strategy in Context
🎯 Regulator-Led Innovation
By embedding the TechSprint within GFF '26, SEBI signals a deliberate shift toward regulator-led market innovation — identifying technology gaps, defining problem statements, and channelling fintech talent directly toward regulatory objectives like investor protection and compliance automation.
🤖 Focus on Agentic AI and RegTech
The inclusion of "Agentic Compliance" as a problem statement reflects SEBI's recognition that the future of regulatory compliance lies in AI-driven automation — moving beyond static rule repositories to dynamic, action-taking compliance agents that can interpret and execute regulatory requirements in real time.
👥 Retail Investor Centricity
Two of the four problem statements — the Super App and AI-driven fraud detection — are explicitly focused on retail investor empowerment and protection. This is consistent with SEBI's broader strategic priority of expanding retail participation in capital markets while strengthening safeguards.
🏭 SME Capital Market Access
The SME IPO problem statement reflects SEBI's continued push to democratise access to public capital markets. Simplifying offer document preparation directly addresses the compliance cost and complexity barrier that prevents many SMEs from considering the IPO route.
Who Should Participate
💻
Fintech Startups
Building solutions in securities, compliance, or investor technology
🧑🎓
Students & Researchers
From IITs, IIMs, law schools, and technical institutions
⚙️
Technology Companies
Developing AI, RegTech, or capital market solutions
🏦
Market Intermediaries
Brokers, depositories, and compliance teams with in-house tech capabilities
📌 IMPORTANT — REGISTRATION AND TIMELINES
The Press Release (PR No. 34/2026) states that detailed information on problem statements, timelines, eligibility criteria, evaluation criteria, prizes, and the registration link are available on the official portal. Interested participants must visit the Global Fintech Fest 2026 / SEBI official website for complete registration details. The article will be updated when SEBI publishes further details including registration deadlines.
📎 SOURCE & REFERENCES
Primary Source: SEBI Press Release No. PR 34/2026 dated June 22, 2026 — "Launch of Securities Market TechSprint at Global Fintech Fest 2026 (GFF '26)"
Official Link: sebi.gov.in/media-and-notifications/press-releases/jun-2026
Issued By: Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Communications Division, SEBI Bhavan, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai – 400 051
Related: SEBI Innovation Sandbox framework; Global Fintech Fest 2026 (GFF '26)
Official Link: sebi.gov.in/media-and-notifications/press-releases/jun-2026
Issued By: Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Communications Division, SEBI Bhavan, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai – 400 051
Related: SEBI Innovation Sandbox framework; Global Fintech Fest 2026 (GFF '26)
Disclaimer: This article is prepared for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Readers should refer to the original SEBI press release and official GFF portal for complete registration and eligibility details. CorpLawUpdates.in is not responsible for any action taken in reliance on this content.
