Following the success of last year’s session, we are pleased to invite you to the next installment of our Funding Forward: Strategies for Securing Research Funding series, Funding Forward: 2026 FCAT Research Awards Opportunity.
This session will highlight the 2026 Fidelity Center for Applied Technology (FCAT) University Research Awards, a unique opportunity to support bold, interdisciplinary research at the intersection of technology and financial services.
The 2026 program introduces a limited-submission format, allowing each institution to submit up to two proposals per theme (maximum of eight total submissions). As a result, Columbia will follow its standard internal limited-submission selection process.
2026 Research Themes:
- The Adaptive Horizon: Navigating the Age of Artificial Intelligence- Examines how advanced AI is reshaping human behavior, economies, and global systems.
- Explainability, Observability, and Monitoring of Generative AI in Financial Services- Focuses on improving transparency, safety, and auditability of AI systems in high-stakes environments.
- Future of Savings and Investments in the Age of AI Agents- Explores how autonomous financial agents may transform investor behavior, trust, and financial products.
- Security, Forensics, and Oversight in the Age of Autonomous AI Agents- Addresses emerging risks, security frameworks, and governance for autonomous, decision-making systems.
Award Details:
- Up to $50,000 in research funding
- 6-month project duration
- Potential collaboration with FCAT incubator teams
Proposal Deadline: April 27, 2026 (11:59 PM ET)
Join us to learn more about the call for proposal from FCAT leadership. We hope you will join us for this informative session.
