Cambridge Fintech and Regulatory Innovation Accelerator (CFTRI-A)

What the course covers

Module 1: Innovation and Regulation

Explore the evolution of fintech and the forces driving financial innovation globally. Examine how new technologies, business models and market developments are reshaping financial services, and understand how regulators and policymakers are responding to emerging opportunities and challenges.

Module 2: Barriers to effective competition in DFS and financial inclusion

Examine how digital transformation is changing financial services and creating new opportunities for innovation. Explore Open Banking and Open Finance approaches, assess their potential within different jurisdictions    and consider the regulatory and policy implications of increasingly digital financial ecosystems.

Module 3: Payments & Digital Assets 

Explore innovation across payments and digital assets, including the regulatory considerations associated with new financial technologies and business models. Understand key actors, activities and risks within emerging ecosystems, and examine approaches to developing effective regulatory frameworks. 

Module 4: Digital Lending & Capital Raising  

Understand the evolution of fintech credit and alternative finance models, including their role in expanding access to financial services. Examine different business models, market developments and the regulatory considerations associated with technology-enabled lending and capital raising.

Module 5: Regulatory Innovation Initiatives

Explore how regulators are using technology to improve supervision, monitoring and regulatory processes. Examine different regulatory innovation approaches, including sandboxes, RegTech and SupTech solutions, and consider how these tools can support more effective and efficient oversight.

Module 6: Sustainability, Diversity & Inclusion 

Explore the role of fintech in advancing financial inclusion, sustainability and responsible innovation. Examine global sustainability frameworks, gender-responsive approaches and how digital technologies can support more inclusive and resilient financial systems. 

Develop a FinTech Innovation Proposal for your organisation 

Throughout the course, you will develop a practical innovation proposal focused on a real challenge or opportunity relevant to your organisation or jurisdiction. 

Supported by course experts and informed by global examples, you will apply the concepts explored throughout the course to design an actionable initiative that addresses your institutional priorities. 

Your proposal will allow you to translate learning into practical recommendations that can support future regulatory, policy or implementation decisions. 

Benefits 

By completing this course, you will: 

• develop a comprehensive understanding of fintech innovation and its regulatory implications
• gain practical tools to assess emerging technologies and business models  
• explore global regulatory approaches and lessons from different jurisdictions  
• strengthen your ability to design effective innovation and policy responses 
• connect with a global peer network through our Regulatory Knowledge Exchange (RKE) 
• earn a Certificate of Completion from Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education 

Who should attend

Public and financial authorities, including: 

• central banks  
• government ministries  
• financial regulators  
• digital infrastructure authorities  

Professionals working across: 

• strategy  
• policy  
• authorisation and licensing  
• supervision and enforcement  
• technology  
• legal  
• research and innovation functions  

The course is suitable for both technical and non-technical professionals interested in understanding fintech innovation and regulatory responses. 

Course leadership and module leads

The course brings together Cambridge academics, fintech specialists and industry practitioners with expertise across regulation, fintech and financial innovation. 

Raghavendra Rau

Academic Director, CCAF

Professor Rau is an Academic Director of the CCAF, with research focused on how firms and investors acquire and use information. He has held senior academic and leadership roles, and is a recipient of the 2015 Ig Nobel Prize in Management.

Nick Clark

Director of Technical Assistance, Financial Innovation for Impact

Nick oversees a portfolio of technical assistance courses, supporting financial authorities and ecosystem stakeholders to strengthen regulatory capacity for digital financial services and financial inclusion. He previously spent over a decade at the UK Financial Conduct Authority, where he led the FCA’s regulatory sandbox and developed expertise in effective fintech supervision and support.

Bryan Zhang

Co-founder and Executive Director, CCAF

Bryan is a globally recognised leader in FinTech and regulatory innovation and Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance at the University of Cambridge.

Alexander Apostolides

Regulatory Research and InsurTech, European University of Cyprus

Alexander is a researcher at the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance and the European University Cyprus. He has thirteen years of consultancy experience across a range of projects, including EU-funded initiatives focused on the economy of Cyprus.

Hunter Sims

Associate Director, CCAF

Hunter’s work focuses on digital assets, financial inclusion and frontier market investing, informed by experience across corporate banking in the United States and digital transformation in microfinance in Rwanda. 

Francesca Brown

Financial Inclusion, Director of Policy, Women’s World Banking

Francesca leads Women’s World Banking’s policy and advocacy work to advance women’s financial inclusion and economic empowerment, bringing deep expertise across international development, public affairs and compliance. Her career spans senior roles at Standard Chartered Bank and the UK Department for International Development, with a focus on private sector development and financial inclusion.

Keith Bear

Fellow and Digital Assets and Distributed Ledger Technology Expert, CCAF

Keith Bear is a Fellow at CCAF focused on research and industry collaboration in Digital Assets, AI and Fintech innovation, and chairs the Cambridge Digital Asset Research programme. Previously, he was responsible globally for the strategy, development and execution of IBM's business in Financial Markets.

Ana Odorovic

Co-Lead, Competition in Digital Financial Services, Fii

Ana has been a Research Affiliate at CCAF since 2019. She holds a PhD in Law and Economics from the University of Hamburg and has acted as a consultant on financial regulation and competition policy, including for the World Bank and the European Commission. She currently co-leads the programme on competition in digital financial services at Financial Innovation for Impact.

Philip Rowan

Head of Competition, Fii

Philip leads the Competition programme, addressing market barriers and driving inclusive innovation. A former regulator specialising in DFS, competition policy and financial inclusion, he previously held roles at the UK Financial Conduct Authority, CGAP and the Competition and Markets Authority.

Yassar

Executive Director of MBA, Judge Business School

Yassar is an international executive and academic with senior leadership and board experience across global banks, commercial enterprises and universities in established and emerging markets. He holds a Doctorate in Monetary Economics and an MBA from the University of Cambridge.

Giovanni Bandi

Executive Director, Regulatory Genome Project

An accomplished executive with over 18 years of combined academic and professional experience across financial regulation, risk advisory, asset management and international business. Giovanni specialises in FinTech and SupTech applications, with a focus on AI and machine readable regulation to strengthen data analytics, digital compliance and regulatory risk assessment.

Terms and conditions updated February 2025.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Cambridge Fintech and Regulatory Innovation Accelerator course about? 

The course provides a deep dive into technology‑driven financial and regulatory innovation, helping you understand fintech technologies, business models and the regulatory approaches shaping the sector across regions. It also examines the links between gender, sustainability and ESG, exploring how inclusive financial systems, fintech and policy can support global development goals, climate resilience and gender equality. 

Who is this course designed for?  

The course is designed for public and financial authorities, including central banks, government ministries and digital infrastructure authorities, as well as professionals working across strategy, policy, authorisation, licensing, enforcement, technology, legal and research functions. 

Do I need a technical background in financial technologies?  

No technical background is required.  

Do I need to be proficient in English to attend the courses? 

Unless specified, all our courses are taught in English and participants are required to be proficient in spoken and written English to attend. We do not provide translation facilities. 

 How long is the course and what is the expected time commitment?  

The course runs for six weeks and is delivered fully online. You should expect to dedicate approximately 2-3 hours per week to learning materials, discussions and assignments. 

How is the course delivered?  

The course combines several learning formats designed to support practical, collaborative learning, including:  

• Online learning through a virtual learning environment  
• Live online sessions with global experts  
• Real-world case studies  
• Knowledge checks and reflection exercises  
• Moderated peer discussions  
• A practical guidance on innovation proposal development 

Together, these elements create an engaging learning experience for professionals across the global regulatory community.  

 How much does the course cost?  

The course fee is USD 1,250.   

*UK-based learners (companies and individuals) will be charged 20% UK VAT, and fees will be payable in GBP. EU individuals will pay VAT based on their country of residence.  

 What research informs this course?  

The course draws on the latest research, global case studies, and the collective expertise of leading academics and practitioners in fintech, policy, and regulation, bringing together participants from across the globe, fostering a vibrant learning environment where ideas are exchanged, challenges are debated, and solutions are co-created. 

What other benefits do I gain from completing this course? 

You will gain access to the Regulator Knowledge Exchange (RKE), a global online community where thousands of regulators and regulatory institutions engage in knowledge sharing, collaboration, best practice exchange and professional development. 

 How can I get more information or contact the course team?  

For further information about the course or the application process, please contact the course team at ccaf.edu@jbs.cam.ac.uk .

One of our course coordinators will be able to provide additional details and discuss how the course can support your organisation’s objectives.