IIT Kanpur Hosts Bank of Baroda Hackathon on Zero Trust Security

The Bank of Baroda Hackathon 2025, organised in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) under the guidance of Department of Financial Services (DFS) and Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), concluded with great enthusiasm and innovation at IIT Kanpur. This landmark event brought together young innovators, technologists, and entrepreneurs from across the country to address the pressing theme of “Zero Trust Security in Digital Banking”.

Scale and Participation

The hackathon saw an overwhelming response with over 420+ participants, 200+ teams, and 50+ solution entries, reflecting the growing interest in securing India’s digital financial ecosystem. After a rigorous evaluation process, 10 finalist teams were shortlisted to present their groundbreaking solutions at the Grand Finale hosted at IIT Kanpur.

The top 10 finalist teams presented their innovations covering diverse solutions, including:

• User and Entity Behaviour Analytics (UEBA) for insider threat detection
• AI-driven fraud prevention platforms for secure transactions
• Voice and identity protection solutions
• Advanced real-time threat detection models
• Cybersecurity frameworks tailored for financial institutions 

Each presentation was followed by a jury Q&A session, testing the feasibility, scalability, and long-term impact of the ideas. The passion and energy displayed by the participants underscored India’s position as a global hub of fintech and cybersecurity innovation.

Jury Members

The finale was graced by an eminent panel of jury members:

• Mr. Saurabh Shukla, Chief Technology Officer, Bank of Baroda
• Prof. Ankush Sharma, Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Kanpur and former Professor-in-Charge, SIIC, IIT Kanpur
• Mr. Piyush Mishra, Chief Operating Officer cum Chief Finance Officer, SIIC, IIT Kanpur
• Mr. Arun Kumar, Deputy General Manager – IT, Bank of Baroda

Additionally, the event was honoured by the presence of Mr. S. K. Thapar, Senior Advisor – IBA (EASE Reforms) as a special guest.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Ankush Sharma praised the role of hackathons in nurturing deep-tech solutions: “Hackathons like this bridge the gap between academic innovation and industry application. The ideas presented here reflect India’s growing leadership in digital security, fintech innovation, and smart banking solutions. This initiative is a shining example of how collaboration can drive impactful, future-ready solutions.”

Mr. Saurabh Shukla, Chief Technology Officer, Bank of Baroda, emphasised the Bank’s commitment to innovation: “At Bank of Baroda, we believe in embracing technology not only to improve customer experience but also to strengthen security at every level. Zero Trust is about verifying every interaction, every time, without adding friction for our customers. The solutions presented here show immense potential to shape the future of secure banking.”

Winner Announcements and Felicitation

After an engaging round of presentations, the jury had the challenging task of selecting the winners. The top three teams were felicitated with prizes recognising their ingenuity, technical strength, and scalability potential. A consolation award was also presented during the event. The winners were celebrated in a grand felicitation ceremony.

Impact and Future Vision

The Bank of Baroda Hackathon 2025 reaffirmed the shared vision of IIT Kanpur, Bank of Baroda, DFS, and IBA to build a secure, inclusive, and innovative digital banking ecosystem. It highlighted the importance of fostering innovation at the grassroots level, providing young innovators with platforms to refine, showcase, and scale their ideas with mentorship from industry experts and academicians. 

This initiative not only showcased the potential of Zero Trust Security frameworks in financial services but also reflected India’s growing stature in digital innovation, cybersecurity, and fintech leadership.