Bajaj Finserv has launched Finserv Intelligence, a group-wide applied research and innovation platform focused on artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, quantum technologies and digital financial services. According to reports from Business Standard, the financial services conglomerate plans to invest ₹1,500–2,000 crore over the next five years in AI-led innovation startups — from seed to Series B — through this platform. The initiative represents a strategic bet on in-house technology development as the company seeks to build capabilities in India's growing technology sector.
The company has entered into a partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay to establish a joint research centre focused on emerging technologies. As reported by Business Standard, the platform is structured with a five-to-10-year horizon and will operate through a mix of research labs, centres of excellence, venture-led models and academic collaborations. Prof. Shireesh Kedare, director of IIT Bombay, stated that the collaboration would strengthen industry-academia ties needed to accelerate the commercial deployment of research-driven technologies.
The initiative will initially focus on AI applications for the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector, cybersecurity, quantum technologies and reimagining physical retail experiences. According to Business Standard, over time, the platform is expected to expand into digital financial inclusion, health-tech and climate-risk solutions. Rajeev Jain, vice chairman and managing director of Bajaj Finance, emphasized that startups will gain access to Bajaj Finserv's enterprise ecosystem, governance frameworks, financial discipline, operational depth and market insight beyond just capital investment.
The launch comes against the backdrop of India's private-sector research and development (R&D) spending continuing to lag global peers. As reported by Business Standard, Sanjiv Bajaj, chairman and managing director of Bajaj Finserv, stated that "The next decade of value creation in financial services will belong to those who build the technology that powers it. We have chosen to build, and to build in India." The platform aims to bridge the gap between academia, industry and national priorities by bringing together research institutions, startups and in-house specialists under a single innovation ecosystem.
