A generous donation has been received to secure the future of research into big data and finance at the Mathematical Institute. Support from Octa Innovations Ltd will underpin a four-year programme of research into financial big data, high-frequency and automated trading, blockchain and applications to asset management and banking systems.
The gift will fund research fellowships and DPhil students alongside other research programme-related costs at the Oxford-Octa Laboratory. Established in 2014 as the Nie Big Data Financial Laboratory, it is the first research laboratory of its kind at a major university. Support from Octa Innovations Ltd will enable the laboratory to continue its research within the Oxford Mathematical and Computational Finance Group, one of the world’s leading research groups in the area of mathematical modelling and finance.
‘Research at the Oxford-Octa Laboratory is positioned on the frontline of data science applied to finance and offers a rare opportunity to leverage information in useful ways by taking complex data sets to provide solutions to diverse business challenges, says Professor Hanqing Jin, director of the laboratory. ‘It also creates a platform for research collaborations between academics, practitioners and regulators.’
The Oxford-Octa Laboratory will focus on the field of mathematical questions from digital finance and economics, including applying machine learning and blockchain technologies. Projects started in this area include visualised trading systems by deep learning, credit scoring in a peer-2-peer network, decentralised exchange for a dual coin market and applications and pricing of options in smart contracts. Knowledge and experience gained in mathematical finance and machine learning will be used to help research in token economics and decentralised finance.
Dr Anbang Ruan, CEO and founder of Octa Innovations Ltd, said: ‘Octa Innovations' mission is to build a trustworthy internet-scale computing and communicating infrastructure to enable a new generation of digital living. It originated from my research during my DPhil study in Oxford. It is my utmost honour to keep on supporting this direction after my graduation. I truly believe the research work in digital finance and economics, particularly in decentralised finance and token economics supported by trusted computing and blockchain technologies that Oxford-Octa Laboratory carries out, will soon produce substantial impacts.’
Mike Giles, Professor of Scientific Computing, Head of Mathematical Institute, said: ‘We are very grateful for the generous support of Octa Innovations Ltd, which will enable interesting research to be carried out in the area of financial mathematics and data analytics.’