Applied Fintech Project at the University of Glasgow

After the many important achievements during its first year of existence, the University of Glasgow Fintech Society is delighted to share its ambitious plans for the upcoming academic year.

Only founded in summer 2017, the society was able to reach more than 100 members, organise six workshops and a panel events supporting the idea of “learning by doing”, invite guest speakers from famous Fintech companies and get shortlisted for the Best New Society of the Year Award by the Glasgow University Students’ Representative Council.

Now that the new academic year is approaching, the society aims to develop even more by offering innovative learning opportunities.

A proof of this is the Applied Fintech Project (AFTP), a 7-week-long activity based on experiential learning, which will take place between September and November 2018.

There will be 4 teams of 4-5 members from different subject areas and degrees within the University, selected by the society’s board through an application process. The teams will work on a “live” business case provided by Orca, an Edinburgh-based Fintech startup which operates in the peer to peer lending industry.

During the working period, the teams will be supported and guided by mentors (University of Glasgow alumni and/or professionals) and they will be asked to prepare a report and a presentation to show their work.

The AFTP will end with a final event on Friday 16th November 2018, during which the teams will have the chance to present in front of an audience of academics, professionals and students. A board of judges will then deliberate which team has presented the best solution to the case.

The event, taking place at Glasgow University Union (GUU), will also represent a great networking opportunity for everyone involved.

The Applied Fintech Project is not only an exciting opportunity for the students and the businesses involved, but also the first project of its kind organised by a student-led society in Scotland.

Fintech Society members will work in teams to map out the challenges and opportunities faced by the businesses with regards to Fintech, drawing on cross-disciplinary research to devise tailored insights and potential solutions for the firm. At the same time, the startup providing the case will benefit from having the opportunity to gain another perspective on the specific Fintech-related issue from university students. Furthermore, the business will havethe chance to promote themselves among university students interested in technology,finance and innovation.

Apart from the kind support received by Orca in the provision of the case, the AFTP is supported by the UofG Fintech Society’s main sponsor, Previse, a successful Fintech startup that uses an artificial intelligence solution to support instant payments between corporates and SMEs.

For further information about the project, the UofG Fintech Society can be contacted at info@uogfintech.com.