University of Florida Warrington College of Business launches FinTech Research Center

With $600,000 in funding, the UF Warrington College of Business is advancing research and educational opportunities in the growing field of financial technology (commonly referred to as fintech) with its newly established FinTech Research Center in Stuzin Hall.  

Supported by the Florida Legislature and UF President Ben Sasse’s Strategic Funding Initiatives, this center will expand Warrington’s capacity to conduct scientific research on fintech and AI, support interdisciplinary educational programming, and inform business and policy decision making. The center will focus on research projects that arise from faculty-industry collaborations, and partners from Jacksonville, Tampa, and South Florida will help select and support these projects. 

“Fintech is playing an increasingly important role in today’s global economy, business landscape and fabric of modern society,” said Andy Naranjo, the inaugural FinTech Research Center director and Susan Cameron Professor of Finance at UF. “From personal uses like mobile payments via Venmo, PayPal, or Zelle to business uses like bank account monitoring, fintech and its tools are becoming essential to individuals and businesses alike.”  

​​​Comprised of specialized software and algorithms, fintech is typically used among companies and consumers to manage financial operations and processes. The technology is involved in various industries, including banking, fundraising, investment management, insurance, real estate, accounting and regulation. 

“Advances in fintech are transforming the economy, and we’re going to make sure that Gators are ready to lead through the change,” Sasse said. “Investing in this technology by supporting research centers will put UF ahead of the curve and show that the university is a major player in the fintech industry.” 

UF’s FinTech Research Center will seek to serve as one of Florida’s premier institutes that firms look to for relevant, practical research and education resources. Considering Florida has such a rapidly growing fintech sector, business and individuals in the state will benefit from access to leading research, expert insights and educational opportunities at the center. 

And, as UF sets the standard as an AI university, the center is one aspect in which the Warrington College of Business is playing an active role in preparing AI-capable students and accelerating interdisciplinary research.   

With a core goal of collaboration, the FinTech Research Center welcomes engagement with industry partners. UF faculty members are already working on numerous research projects, and collaborations with industry partners will inform, shape, and support those new and ongoing initiatives. Interested collaborators can reach out to Naranjo at andy.naranjo@warrington.ufl.edu.