MBA students are hungry to get involved with fintech companies. Wharton and MIT were the first two Universities to create formal clubs, but the success of these clubs is paving the way for other Universities to create similar programs.
Wharton FinTech, at the University of Pennsylvania, and MIT FinTech Club are among the existing university groups, while several other graduate schools are in talks with the professional clubs to launch something similar on their campuses. What the clubs have in common is a mission to learn the landscape — who is disrupting what and why — while deciding their next career moves. The university initiatives come as more banks and tech startups introduce fintech-themed events to network and to inspire ideas for an industry seeking a new identity in a digital age. Among the examples are: Citigroup hosting a fintech gathering series and worldwide coding challenges, First National Bank of Omaha hosting hackathons, and NYPAY organizing a forum Manhattan to discuss fintech while SF Fintech does the same in San Francisco.