Securing the Future of Banking

Join students and cybersecurity innovators from across the country to solve real-world banking security challenges and shape the future of digital trust.

₹10+ Lakh Prize Pool · Winner Showcase · Grand Finale at COEP Pune
View Problem Statements
Presented by
Bank of Maharashtra
IBA
Department of Financial Services
COEP

About FinSpark'26

FinSpark'26 is a national-level cybersecurity innovation challenge designed to bring together students and technology enthusiasts to solve emerging cybersecurity challenges in the banking ecosystem.

Participants will develop innovative solutions that help strengthen cyber resilience, improve fraud prevention, protect critical banking infrastructure and prepare the financial sector for future security threats.

The Top 20 teams will present their solutions at the Grand Finale hosted at COEP Technological University, Pune, with winners earning cash prizes and an opportunity to showcase their innovation at Global FinTech Fest.*

Who can
participate

Students · PAN India · Solo/Team (upto 4 members) · Cybersecurity Innovators

Participant Journey

01
02
03
04
05
06
Register yourself/ team
Choose a problem statement
Submit your idea and prototype
Prototypes are evaluated by our judges
Top 20 teams present at COEP Pune
Winners get prize money* and GFF showcase opportunity*
Problem Statement 1Privileged Access Misuse & Insider Threat Detection
Privileged Access Misuse & Insider Threat Detection
Insider threats - from employees, contractors, vendors, and admins - acting maliciously, negligently, or under compromise pose serious risk to banking security and data integrity.
Expected Outcome:
Detects misuse of privileged accounts
Identifies insider threats in real time
Uses AI-driven behavioural analysis
Enables risk-based access control
Protects critical administrative systems
Incorporates Quantum-Proof Cryptography (QPC) to secure sensitive artefacts and credentials
Focus Areas
Insider Threat Detection
Behaviour Analytics
Privileged Access Management
Risk-Based Authentication
Protects critical administrative systems
Quantum-Safe Security
Problem Statement 2AI-Driven Correlation of Cybersecurity Telemetry & Transactional Behaviour
AI-Driven Correlation of Cybersecurity Telemetry & Transactional Behaviour
Banks generate vast cybersecurity and transactional data, but lack intelligent correlation for contextual threat awareness - including rising quantum risks like harvest-now-decrypt-later attacks.
Expected Outcome:
Correlates cybersecurity telemetry with transactional behaviour
Detects cyber threats proactively
Identifies fraud patterns
Detects quantum-related attack indicators
Reduces false positives
Provides explainable AI-driven threat intelligence
Focus Areas
Threat Intelligence
AI & Machine Learning
Fraud Detection
Security Analytics
Quantum Risk Monitoring
Evaluation CriteriaSolutions will be evaluated by the Bank of Maharashtra Evaluation Committee on innovation, business relevance, scalability and security impact.
Business Potential & RelevanceHow effectively does your solution solve the stated problem and create meaningful value for the banking ecosystem?
Points40%
Security ConsiderationsHow effectively does the solution address cybersecurity risks and security best practices?
Points30%
Uniqueness of Approach & SolutionHow innovative, differentiated and original is your proposed solution?
Points15%
User ExperienceHow intuitive, accessible and user-friendly is the solution for its intended audience?
Points05%
ScalabilityCan the solution be scaled across multiple branches, customer segments and banking systems?
Points05%
Ease of Development & MaintenanceHow practical is the solution to implement, maintain and enhance over time?
Points05%
Why Participate
Why Participate
Solve Real Banking Challenges
Build With Impact
Present to Industry Leaders
Win & Get Recognised
Timeline
1
26th June – 16th July 2026Register + Submission of Prototype
2
5th July – 15th July 2026Mentoring + Prototype Refinement
10th July -Mentoring Session 17:00 PM - 8:00 PM
13th July -Mentoring Session 27:00 PM - 8:00 PM
3
16th July – 17th July 2026Evaluation Round 2 + Finalist Shortlisting
4
17th July – 24th July 2026Finalist Coordination + Travel Planning
5
25th July – 26th July 2026Grand Finale at COEP Pune
Winners Prize Pool — ₹10,00,000+*

Frequently Asked
Questions

Yes. This hackathon is exclusively for students and dropouts. Finspark aims to provide a platform to work on real-world banking security challenges and showcase your skills.

Join the FinSpark’26 WhatsApp Group

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