The FinTech Innovation Hub at the University of Delaware's STAR Campus

FinTech Innovation Hub

The FinTech Innovation Hub on the University of Delaware’s Science, Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) Campus is a nexus for high-quality education, groundbreaking research and workforce development in the exciting field of financial technology. It serves as a national center of excellence that leverages the region’s expertise and assets to address broad challenges in financial health. 

Created through a partnership with Delaware Technology Park and Discover Bank, and with state and federal funding, the FinTech Innovation Hub brings together unique strengths and resources to create the tools to help individuals and families build wealth and fair access to credit, to support entrepreneurs and to continue growing the robust financial-services sector and small business community. UD students benefit through experiential learning, research and engagement opportunities, preparing them to lead and succeed in this high-demand industry. 

 

The FinTech Innovation Hub also plays a key role in economic development in Delaware. Since the 1980s, Delaware has been a global leader in banking and financial services, which account for 9% of the state’s jobs. The Hub’s assets and its prime location in the mid-Atlantic technology corridor help Delaware secure and expand its central role in these sectors, while also attracting greater investment from out-of-state firms.

FinTech and Financial Institutions Research Conference

The Fintech and Financial Institutions Research Conference was held on April 10-11, 2025.

 

This event was jointly planned and sponsored by the University of Delaware and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.

 

The conference fostered and facilitated meaningful academic discussions among leading researchers and policymakers in this rapidly evolving field. These conversations shaped the understanding of how business decisions, policy choices, and societal events influence economic outcomes correlated with fintech growth.

 

The Fintech Innovation Hub at the University of Delaware STAR Campus remains committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive innovation community that prioritizes financial health across the nation. The collaborative activities of the Fintech Innovation Hub will improve society through its research, education, and workforce training leading to employment, community engagement, and economic impact.

FinTech at the University of Delaware

“The FinTech Innovation Hub adds another gem to UD’s STAR Campus, where collaborative hubs in health and life sciences already are thriving and strengthening the economy of the whole region. The research and innovation at this new hub will expand Delaware’s legacy of national leadership in financial services, drawing on UD’s top-shelf expertise in finance and technology. It also opens new space for education, giving our students access to a highly collaborative ecosystem and preparing them for great jobs and future success. And it puts UD and the state at the forefront of promoting equity in financial services and health — two serious problems facing our world.” — UD President Dennis Assanis

 

 

Nektarios Tsoutsos (left) of the University of Delaware’s College of Engineering and Gang Wang of the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics have been named new co-directors of UD’s endeavors in financial technology.

Meet the Co-Directors 

 

The University of Delaware’s burgeoning endeavors in financial technology — fintech, for short — will have new leadership, effective September 1.

Nektarios Tsoutsos, an expert in cybersecurity in the College of Engineering, and Gang Wang, an expert in adoption of digital technologies and their societal impact in the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, will direct UD’s fintech ecosystem, taking over for colleagues who set the table last year — Prof. Carlos Asarta of Lerner and Prof. Rudolf Eigenmann of the College of Engineering.

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Events

Education Program Series

AI Agent and Agentic Workflow for Managers 

This one-day intensive workshop provides a practical introduction to AI agents and agentic workflows, equipping participants with essential knowledge and hands-on skills to break  barriers and to apply AI in real-world business scenarios. Designed for professionals across industries, this training does not require any programming  experience. It focuses on the business impact and implementation of AI in finance, marketing,  and operations. Through live demonstrations and interactive exercises, participants will gain  a foundational understanding of these technologies and learn how to apply them strategically within their organizations. 

Time: Saturday, Aug. 16, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (lunch will be provided)

Venue: 301 Innovation Gallery, FinTech Innovation Hub 

             591 Collaboration Way, Newark, DE 19713

             Room 516

Instruction will be provided by Dr. Harry Wang, the CEO of Takin.AI and a professor of Management Information Systems at the University of Delaware. With more than 18 years of experience in artificial  intelligence, data science, and enterprise systems, Dr. Wang brings both academic depth and industry insight to help professionals lead with AI innovation.

Key Topics Covered 

  • Prompt Engineering: Learn how to design effective prompts that maximize AI utility. 
  • AI Agents and Agentic Workflows: Understand the structure and logic behind autonomous agents and how they execute tasks.
  • Multi-Agent Systems: Explore how multiple agents can work in coordination to  address complex business challenges. 
  • Practical Applications: Engage in guided, hands-on exercises using open-source AI platforms to build and deploy agentic workflows tailored to real business needs. 

Who Should Attend 

  • Founders and start-up leaders 
    • Business and product managers 
  • Strategy, innovation, and operations professionals 
  • Decision-makers seeking practical AI skills without a technical background 

Registration Information

  • Regular Price: $1,000 per participant (by Aug 10, 2025) 
  • Early-bird Offer: $700 per participant (by July 31, 2025) 
  • Special Discount: $500 per participant (check below for eligibility) 
    • NGO employees and DE state employees 
    • University students 
    • UD Alumni 
    • Employees of FinTech Innovation Hub tenants 
    • Groups of 5 or more participants from the same organization (please contact us beforehand to apply the group discount).  
    • Registration required by July 31, 2025 

Register now

 

FinTech's Virtual Event Series

Nektarios Tsoutsos and Gang Wang, co-directors of the University of Delaware’s FinTech Innovation Hub, are excited to host the hub’s spring web series. There will be three virtual sessions between Feb. 19 and May, each highlighting AI's evolving role in the fintech industry. All students, faculty, alumni and industry professionals are welcome to attend. Special thanks to Discover Bank for sponsoring these webinars.

Previously:

Webinar #1 - Feb. 19: The Importance of Risk Management and Compliance in a Changing World with a presentation by Branan Cooper, Financial Services Risk Management Executive

Webinar #2 - March 12: Introducing AI Agent and Agentic Workflow with a presentation by Harry Wang, Professor of Management Information Systems and CEO at Takin.ai

Webinar #3 - May 7: An Awkward Matrimony: Banks and FinTechs Learning to Speak in Common Compliance Terms with panelists Dan Frechtling, CEO, Boltive; Josh Lambert, Chief Compliance Officer, Best Egg; Benjamin Melnicki, Chief Compliance, Officer, Cross River; Brian Shaw, VP of North America, Certa.ai

 

 

Lunch & Learn Series

The Lunch & Learn events bring together FinTech corporations and the University of Delaware's faculty and staff to discuss collaborative opportunities. The typical format includes two short presentations, about a FinTech activity and a UD academic activity (e.g. research or educational efforts), respectively, followed by an open discussion.

The FinTech Innovation Hub on UD’s Science, Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) Campus is a nexus for high-quality education, groundbreaking research and workforce development in the exciting field of financial technology. 

To receive updates on the FinTech Lunch & Learn events, please join the fintech-ud@udel.edu mailing list by contacting nglittle@udel.edu. For questions, please contact fintechhub@udel.edu

 

Previously:

Lunch and Learn 2024-2025

Inaugural Lunch and Learn: Spring 2024

 

 

Fintech and Financial Institutions Research Conference

2025 

Held in April 2024, the conference was a forum for presenting and discussing current research on the inter-linkages of the fintech sector and the broader financial system. The conference united the research conversation across the Fin and Tech Tracks, with authors, discussants, and session chairs contributing to an interdisciplinary conversation.  In particular, the event intermingled sessions for two “tracks” of the conference, approximating equal agenda time for each track.

This event was jointly planned and sponsored by the University of Delaware and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.

Keynotes: Stefan Nagel, Fama Family Distinguished Service Professor of Finance, University of Chicago; Ramayya Krishnan, dean of Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy and William W, and Ruth F. Cooper professor of management science and information systems.

 

2024 

Held in March 2024, the conference was a forum for presenting and sharing current research on the connectivity between fintech organizations and the greater financial services system. The conference focused on enhancing understanding of the economic consequences and impacts, as well as the regulatory implications of the growing fintech sector.

This event was jointly planned and sponsored by the University of Delaware and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.

The conference fostered and facilitated meaningful academic discussions among leading researchers and policymakers in this rapidly evolving field. These conversations shaped the understanding of how business decisions, policy choices, and societal events influence economic outcomes correlated with fintech growth.

Keynote: Manju Puri, J. B. Fuqua Professor of Finance at the Fuqua School of Business, Duke University.

 

Fintech Technology Workshop

2024 

Held in May 2024, the workshop brought together researchers, practitioners and industry experts to discuss the latest advancements, challenges and opportunities in the fintech space. Presenters included representatives of the International Monetary Fund, the U.S. Treasury and multiple higher education institutions. The event, which drew 60 participants, was sponsored by Discover Bank and Aramark.

 

 

News

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FinTech and Financial Institutions Research Conference

Featuring discussions and presentations by leading researchers and experts, register by April 3

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High schoolers invited to be part of 5-day summer college experience

ABOUT THE FINTECH INNOVATION HUB FACILITY

 

Located on the University of Delaware’s Science, Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) Campus, the FinTech Innovation Hub enables ground-breaking research and cross-disciplinary collaborations. It provides space, resources and technical assistance to early-stage financial and business software entrepreneurs and startup companies.

RESOURCES

Aeriel photo of University of Delaware's STAR Campus

Spaces for startups to develop and grow, managed by Delaware Technology Park, with onsite access to business development resources and technical assistance

Interior of the FinTech Innovation Hub

Labs and centers associated within UD’s College of Engineering and Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics focused on financial analytics and literacy, cybersecurity, human-machine learning and data analysis

Presenter explains research at a data sciences conference

The Data Innovation Lab, a division of Tech Impact, which will convene policymakers, entrepreneurs, corporate innovators and community advocates, including through a year-long, full-time fellowship program

Tenant Organizations

UD-Affiliated

Facilitates teams of AI partners within and outside UD to collaboratively apply technological solutions and create impactful and beneficial AI projects.

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One-on-one hoteling space for career advisors and community outreach professionals to facilitate conversations among students, business leaders, entrepreneurs, research scientists and engineers, yielding a team-based mentoring approach that is a critical component of workforce development and community engagement.

Advances the research frontiers and the underlying infrastructure at the nexus of computational and data science, enabled by high-performance computing and big data. 

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Provides more than 2,000 teachers annually with high quality, grade-appropriate professional development and peer-networking opportunities to empower them to deliver the practical skills students need to graduate as economically literate and flourishing citizens.

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Explores programming models and their usage to parallelize and accelerate scientific applications on large scale supercomputers.

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Empowers aspiring innovators as they pursue new ideas for a better world. Committed to supporting student success and cultivating a lifelong community of collaboration, connections and impact through venture development, and academic programs, certificates and the Innovation Fellows program.

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Facilitates the economic impact of UD’s research commercialization for the benefit of the public and the state. The Office includes the Technology Transfer Office (TTO), the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the APEX Accelerator Delaware.

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Focuses on protecting cyberspace through innovative research, and preparing the next generation of security professionals through excellence in cybersecurity education.

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Partners

Advancing financial health and wellness for low- to moderate-income populations and other underserved communities by supporting and scaling real-world technology solutions.

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Serves diverse life-science sectors with the goal of expanding the state’s vibrant science-based economy. Delaware Bio’s 130-plus member companies and organizations represent 8,000 innovation-based jobs vital to Delaware’s economic future.

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The largest consumer-only bank in the U.S. and a leading fintech employer in Delaware, Discover Bank has established a $36 million venture fund and has deployed $40 million in Community Reinvestment Act funds to develop the FinTech Innovation Hub.

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The first healthcare analytics company to deliver multi-dimensional and patient performance data and comparative efficacy metrics to optimize the continuum of care.

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A leading national not-for-profit organization of communities, programs and services that advocate for and empower older adults to achieve their full potential with a focus on financial literacy, equity and digital security. Kendal has located its national HQ to STAR Campus and has a university-collaboration model that drives innovation.

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A team of professionals that innovates in global supply chain functions and risk, and developers that build innovative, high-performance applications.

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A non-profit organization that leverages technology to advance social impact, partnering with hundreds of non-profit organizations around the world to realize the potential of technology to achieve their mission and improve outcomes.

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A craft bar and kitchen, founded by UD alumni, with numerous locations offering unique settings and ambiance. 

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CONTACT

To stay updated on activities and opportunities for participation:

  • Nektarios Tsoutsos, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, tsoutsos@udel.edu
  • Gang Wang, associate professor of management information systems, gangw@udel.edu

 

To discuss business opportunities or for other information:

  • Tracy Shickel, Associate Vice President of Corporate Engagement, tshickel@udel.edu, 302-513-1366