AIM Holds Global FinTech Innovation Showcase with Manchester Metropolitan University
The Asian Institute of Management (AIM) marked a milestone in FinTech education with The Global FinTech Bridge: From Dissertation to Disruption, a hybrid, cross-campus innovation showcase held at the Aboitiz Tech Space, AIM campus in Makati City and streamed in real time to Manchester, United Kingdom.
Delivered in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University, the event brought together faculty members, industry leaders, recruiters, and students from both institutions. It highlighted the pioneering Master of Science in Financial Technology (MSc FinTech) cohort, whose dissertation work was presented as real-world, solution-driven pitches.
Positioned as a first-of-its-kind academic-industry platform, the showcase redefined traditional thesis presentations into “Solution Pitches,” where students presented their research as scalable FinTech innovations. These were followed by Reactor Panel Q&A sessions led by industry experts, who assessed each proposal’s commercial viability and potential impact.
Prof. Jose Gerardo O. Santamaria, Head of the Washington SyCip Graduate School of Business at AIM, emphasized the significance of the collaboration behind the program, “Today is a celebration of partnership. This program reflects the collaboration between AIM and the Manchester Metropolitan University, bringing together perspectives, expertise, and shared aspirations in the field of financial technology.”
He also underscored the importance of developing adaptive thinkers in a rapidly evolving industry. “In a field like FinTech, where technologies evolve rapidly, and the landscape continues to shift, the ability to think clearly, act thoughtfully, and design solutions that matter becomes especially important. And this is what we celebrate today,” he added.
Stacy Gillespie, Faculty Deputy Director of Education at Manchester Metropolitan University’s Faculty of Business and Law, highlighted how the pioneering cohort demonstrated the bridge between academic rigor and real-world application. “You’re not simply just presenting dissertations; you’re presenting solutions. You’re demonstrating how rigorous research can translate into innovation that addresses genuine challenges in finance, technology, and society,” she said.
She also emphasized the global nature of learning today. “Events like this remind us that education today does not sit within borders. It connects ideas, people and possibilities across time zones, industries and cultures,” Gillespie added.
Prof. Daniel Broby, Academic Program Director of MSc FinTech at AIM, described the initiative as a shift in how academic research is positioned within industry contexts. “What we’re trying to do is not just bring you in a colloquium the results of the research, but show how disruptive FinTech is in general,” he said.
The pioneering MSc FinTech cohort stood at the center of the event, with their work serving as both academic output and industry-ready innovation. Their presentations reflected a range of emerging FinTech solutions addressing financial inclusion, digital transformation, and data-driven financial systems.
As the first cohort to take part in the Global FinTech Bridge, the students set a new benchmark for how dissertation work can evolve into practical, impactful solutions—reinforcing the Institute’s commitment to bridging academic excellence with industry relevance on a global scale.
