Kellton Tech Solutions announced it has won the first prize at the Securities Market TechSprint 2026, a national innovation challenge organized by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). The award recognizes the company’s agentic AI compliance solution, NIYAMA, developed for translating regulatory text into machine-actionable logic.

The result was declared at the closing ceremony of the Global Fintech Fest 2026, held at Jio World Centre in Mumbai on September 11, 2026. The competition focused on the theme "Innovation in Action: Shaping Securities Market for Tomorrow," bringing together teams from across India to develop prototypes aligned with SEBI’s objectives.

Competition Scale and Selection

The TechSprint involved a rigorous multi-stage evaluation process. Of the 525 teams registered nationally, more than 340 advanced to develop and submit working prototypes. The field was subsequently narrowed to 145 teams for the demonstration stage, followed by 25 teams shortlisted for the Jury Round.

Entries were evaluated on market impact, technology and innovation, feasibility, scalability, and alignment with regulatory goals. Kellton’s entry emerged as the top performer among the final three teams selected.

NIYAMA: Agentic Compliance Solution

Kellton’s winning solution, NIYAMA, was developed by its AI Practice and Centre of Excellence. It addressed "Problem Statement 2" (Agentic Compliance), which required translating SEBI’s regulatory text into auditable compliance logic for market intermediaries.

NIYAMA functions as a compliance compiler. A network of agents parses each circular clause into executable rules-as-code. Every rule is gated by compliance-officer sign-off and supported by continuous evidence binding, breach detection, and a hash-chained audit trail.

What the Numbers Show

The competition data indicates a high attrition rate from registration to final selection, with only approximately 4.8% of registered teams (25 out of 525) reaching the Jury Round. This suggests that while interest in fintech innovation is high, few solutions meet the rigorous feasibility and scalability criteria set by SEBI and market infrastructure institutions. Kellton’s success places it in this top tier of viable enterprise-grade AI solutions.

Strategic Implications

The win underscores Kellton’s engineering depth in applying agentic AI to regulated environments where auditability and human accountability are critical. It adds momentum to the company’s presence across the BFSI and RegTech segments.

Karanjit Sing, CEO, APAC, Kellton, stated that regulation often fails not due to lack of intent but due to challenges in implementation. He noted that NIYAMA demonstrates how agentic AI can bridge this gap by turning complex requirements into machine-actionable logic while keeping human oversight at the core.

"Winning the Securities Market TechSprint strongly validates Kellton's ability to engineer responsible, enterprise-grade AI solutions for highly regulated environments," Sing said. "It further strengthens our capabilities at the intersection of AI, financial services, and regulatory technology."

About Kellton Tech Solutions

Kellton is an AI-led digital transformation and technology consulting company with global delivery capabilities. It partners with enterprises to build scalable digital platforms, modernize operations, and accelerate intelligent automation. With over 2,000 professionals across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, the company delivers solutions across cloud, data, AI, enterprise platforms, and digital product engineering.

Kellton Tech Solutions has submitted its Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR) for the financial year ended March 31, 2026. The filing, made in compliance with Regulation 34(2)(f) of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, details the company's sustainability initiatives and governance practices.

The report covers standalone operations across its IT services business, which accounts for 100% of turnover. Kellton operates through seven national offices and nine international locations, serving clients in 28 states domestically and seven countries globally.

Governance and Compliance

The Board of Directors retains oversight of business responsibility policies, with no separate committee constituted for sustainability matters. The company reported paying total penalties of ₹28,000 to stock exchanges during FY26. This includes ₹14,000 to BSE Limited and ₹14,000 to the National Stock Exchange of India Limited for regulatory infractions under Principle 1. No appeals were preferred against these penalties.

No disciplinary actions were taken against directors, key managerial personnel, or employees for bribery or corruption during the period. Zero complaints were recorded regarding conflict of interest or sexual harassment.

Workforce Metrics

As of March 31, 2026, Kellton employed 1,448 individuals, comprising 1,184 permanent and 264 non-permanent staff. Women constitute 22.79% of the total workforce. The company reported a permanent employee turnover rate of 22% in FY26, up from 19% in FY25 and down from 33% in FY24.

Training coverage reached 100% for health and safety and skill upgradation among permanent employees in FY26, an improvement from 88.94% in the prior year. All permanent employees received performance and career development reviews.

Financial and Operational Data

The company disclosed a turnover of ₹20,942.44 lakh and a net worth of ₹30,509.80 lakh for CSR applicability purposes. Exports contributed 50% of total turnover. Accounts payable days improved significantly to 66 days in FY26, compared to 156 days in FY25.

What the Numbers Show

The sharp reduction in accounts payable days from 156 to 66 indicates a faster settlement cycle with vendors in FY26. This operational shift occurred alongside stable headcount levels, suggesting improved working capital management without significant changes in workforce size.