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The Regulatory Genome Project

21 December 2020

The article at a glance

The University of Cambridge announces the launch of the Regulatory Genome Project (RGP) to reduce fragmentation in how regulatory information is shared globally.

The University of Cambridge announces the launch of the Regulatory Genome Project (RGP) to reduce fragmentation in how regulatory information is shared globally.

A collaboration between Cambridge Judge Business School and RegGenome, a spin-out company from the University of Cambridge.

Cambridge Judge Business School has announced the launch of the Regulatory Genome Project, a transformational initiative to reduce fragmentation in how information about regulatory requirements is shared globally.

The RGP is a collaboration between Cambridge Judge Business School and RegGenome, a spin-out company from the University of Cambridge, to support adoption of an open information structure called the Cambridge Regulatory Genome.

This structure is designed for machine learning, in order to help keep track of the fast-growing body of regulatory information in the digital age.

The Project draws on research from the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) at Cambridge Judge Business School and the Department of Computer Science and Technology of the University of Cambridge.

“The Regulatory Genome Project combines the University’s research in the business school and computer lab with its convening influence to deliver societal and economic impact with the potential to be global, transformational and enduring,” says Professor Eilís Ferran, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Institutional and International Relations at the University of Cambridge.

Robert Wardrop.
Dr Robert Wardrop

The Regulatory Genome originated out of a research project led by the CCAF at Cambridge Judge Business School with initial funding provided by the Omidyar Network to create a solution – named RegSimple – that simplifies the comparison of regulations across different jurisdictions. Additional funding has been provided by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office to expand the scope and functionality of RegSimple to serve the needs of regulators in developing and emerging economies. Regulators from more than 20 jurisdictions are already contributing to the project.

Dr Robert Wardrop, Management Practice Professor of Finance at Cambridge Judge and Director of the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, said:

“We are excited about the vast potential of this project to benefit both public and private sector interests. The RGP will help level the regulatory playing field for those who develop and comply with regulation, particularly in emerging markets, and serve as a key resource for researchers in deepening their understanding how the regulatory landscape for digital financial services is evolving.”