ISTC 2027
Indian Strategy & Trading Conclave
A next-generation talent identification programme that puts India's strongest student minds through the paces of a real trading desk: market making, algorithmic poker, and arbitrage under pressure, not just theory.
Across a multi-stage national funnel, ISTC narrows thousands of applicants down to 60 finalists for a three-day, all-expenses-covered Grand Finale in Mumbai, with recruiting firms watching every round.
From the team behind IIT Pokerbots
What is ISTC?
A talent pipeline for quant research, algorithmic trading, and strategy under uncertainty.
ISTC is a next-generation talent identification programme designed to discover, benchmark, and bring together India's strongest student minds across quantitative research, algorithmic trading, strategy making, and financial markets.
Through a rigorous multi-stage structure, ISTC tests participants beyond theoretical probability and mathematics, putting them in the seat of real quantitative researchers and traders.
Timeline
Three stages. One national talent pool.
Jan – Feb 2027
Prelims
Two competitions assess quant research and quant trading skills. Top 300 in each advance to Qualifiers.
ISTC Trading League
26 Jan 2027A market-making competition built on a simulated basketball game, testing pricing discipline and risk management under live conditions.
ISTC Pokerbots
31 Jan – 7 Feb 2027Participants research and develop algorithmic poker bots to compete in a unique poker variant designed by the ISTC team.
13 Feb 2027
Qualifiers
The ISTC Strategy & Trading Test: a rigorous test of probabilistic reasoning, arbitrage detection, and decision-making under pressure. The top 600 narrow to 60.
12 – 14 Mar 2027
Grand Finale in Mumbai
The top 60 finalists convene for a three-day, all-expenses-covered finale in Mumbai.
By the numbers
600+
Students advance from Prelims to Qualifiers
60
Finalists reach the Grand Finale
3
Days in Mumbai, fully covered
The Founding Team
Built by people who've done this before.
Madhav Tadepalli
Upcoming Trader at Optiver
Shashwat Kedia
Founder of IIT Pokerbots 2026
Kevin Kinsey
Software Intern at Stripe
Sastikaa S
Upcoming Trader at IMC Trading
Amber Agarwal
Upcoming Trading Intern at Optiver
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
ISTC is open to college students across India with an interest in quantitative research, algorithmic trading, or strategic game theory. No prior finance experience is required. The events are designed to test and build these skills from first principles.