Inspiration

In Mexico, 75% of SMEs fail within two years due to undetected operational leaks, and 45% experience active fraud attempts. While banks compete aggressively to acquire SME clients, their digital banking applications remain passive channels through which critical financial risks pass unchecked.

Small businesses lack the internal protocols and budget to build robust financial defenses (70% operate without security protocols). We created VerifiKa to bridge this gap: an AI middleware layer integrated directly into banking apps, turning passive transaction platforms into proactive cybersecurity shields for SMEs.

What it does

VerifiKa serves as an intelligent cybersecurity extension within the bank's mobile app:

Heuristic Risk Engine: Evaluates transaction risk in real time based on timing, amounts, and frequency patterns.

Escrow Vault: Intercepts suspicious transactions and holds funds temporarily for review instead of triggering immediate, disruptive rejections.

Multi-Factor Authentication: Requires biometric confirmation and individual user access codes to authorize flagged movements.

Gemini AI Copilot & Shield Dashboard: Analyzes historical behavior, generates custom security reports, and gives SMEs direct control over rules and access levels.

How we built it

UX/UI Interface: Designed an intuitive, corporate-grade mobile interface focusing on accessibility and clear risk reporting for SME managers.

AI & Heuristic Engine: Integrated Gemini AI to process transaction data, power behavioral auto-learning, and run the interactive assistant.

Architecture: Formulated a modular extension layout designed for white-label API integration directly into commercial banking systems.

Challenges we ran into

One of our main challenges was striking a balance between seamless transactions and robust fraud prevention, ensuring that mechanisms like the escrow vault effectively block threats without hindering legitimate day-to-day business operations. Furthermore, designing a technical architecture capable of circumventing the traditional 12- to 18-month banking development cycle required meticulous planning to ensure API integration while adhering to stringent banking data privacy standards.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We successfully transformed cybersecurity from a traditional cost center into a revenue-generating asset that commercial banks can monetize through tiered subscription models. Furthermore, we built a fully functional prototype that seamlessly unifies real-time heuristic risk scoring, biometric authorization, and Gemini-powered behavioral analytics into a single cohesive experience.

What we learned

We discovered that commercial banks heavily prioritize speed-to-market and customer retention, making an immediate plug-and-play middleware far more appealing than a costly internal build. We also learned that protecting SMEs requires automated behavioral monitoring rather than forcing busy business owners to manage complex security protocols themselves.

What's next for VerifiKa - Bank Extension for SME Security

Our immediate goal is to expand the API connectors for seamless implementation at key institutions like BanBajío and Banorte. Looking ahead, we plan to enhance Gemini's ongoing training models using industry transaction benchmarks and establish customizable pricing tiers based on user volume and bank exclusivity options.

Authors: Máximo Rodríguez Diego Lagunas Agustín López Fátima Romero