Accelerated Success: Luca Antonacci

Duke University’s Master of Engineering in Financial Technology (FinTech) program is known for producing graduates who go on to become leaders in financial innovation. Among the current students preparing to follow that path is Luca Antonacci, a student in the inaugural cohort of Duke FinTech’s accelerated program.

After working in the financial services industry for two years, Luca realized how blockchain and digital asset technologies are changing traditional banking and innovating the financial services industry. He specifically took interest in how the decentralized infrastructure of blockchain can make global finance more efficient, transparent, and accessible. Luca also took an interest in how traditional financial instruments and market structures are being reshaped by tokenization and smart contracts. After he realized that he wanted to pivot his career to explore his interests and contribute to the innovation happening in financial services, Luca decided to be part of the first cohort of the accelerated program.

Already more than halfway through the program, Luca has started to build his skill set he desires. He is gaining a deep understanding of blockchain architecture and analysis, including consensus mechanisms, smart contracts, and on-chain data interpretation. He is also gaining skills in financial data analytics and strategic thinking, allowing him to evaluate quantitative models and emerging technologies critically for real value. Additionally, through the accelerated program, Luca is quickly gaining the knowledge he needs to make an immediate impact in the field upon graduation. He also has been able to hear directly from industry leaders such as Jared Brown and Craig Messinger, who have reminded him to stay adaptable in the changing financial services industry.

Luca will graduate from the Duke FinTech program in May of 2026.

If you would like to learn more about our accelerated program, contact us at pratt_fintech@duke.edu.