Fintech non-banking finance firm Techfino Capital Pvt. Ltd. has raised ₹65 crore in a contemporary fairness spherical. The funding was co-led by Stellaris Enterprise Companions and Saison Capital, the funding arm of Japan’s Credit score Saison. The spherical additionally noticed participation from choose angel buyers who imagine in Techfino’s long-term imaginative and prescient for MSME lending in India.
From Schooling Loans to MSME Credit score
Based in 2019, Techfino started its journey by providing unsecured training loans to college students and dealing professionals. The corporate gained early profitability and constructed a status for sturdy underwriting. With this new funding, Techfino is now shifting its focus towards a bigger and underserved section—secured loans for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The corporate plans to make use of the funds to broaden its secured lending ebook, improve its know-how, and type strategic lending partnerships.
- Key Progress Plans Forward
- Techfino will allocate this funding to:
- Develop its secured MSME mortgage ebook from ₹140 crore to over ₹450 crore within the subsequent 12–18 months.
- Strengthen co-lending preparations with industrial banks to scale back borrowing prices.
- Improve its AI-driven credit score scoring system, integrating information like GST returns, digital transactions, and utility invoice histories.
By doing so, the corporate goals to offer sooner, extra versatile mortgage options for India’s underserved companies.
Sturdy Assist from Traders
The funding spherical has drawn constructive remarks from its buyers. Stellaris Enterprise Companions highlighted Techfino’s capability to take care of excessive compensation self-discipline, even in difficult markets. Saison Capital expressed confidence within the firm’s tech-first strategy and its concentrate on sub-₹50 lakh loans, a vital area for MSME development.
Each buyers famous that Techfino is tapping into an area the place conventional banks typically hesitate to lend, notably on account of documentation points or a scarcity of credit score historical past.
Who They Are
Techfino was co-founded by Rajesh Panda, Jayaprakash Patra, and Ratikanta Satapathy, all of whom convey years of expertise in banking and credit score operations. The corporate is headquartered in Bengaluru, with department presence in Delhi and Mumbai. It at present operates throughout 16 states and serves over 8,500 prospects.
Their core mortgage merchandise now embrace:
- Secured MSME loans starting from ₹3 lakh to ₹50 lakh
- Unsecured training loans between ₹50,000 and ₹5 lakh
The corporate reported ₹275 crore in Property Beneath Administration (AUM) on the finish of FY24, reflecting greater than 100% development year-on-year.
Bridging the MSME Credit score Hole
India’s MSME sector stays credit-starved, regardless of its main position within the economic system. Tens of millions of small companies wrestle to entry formal loans. Techfino’s mannequin addresses this by providing collateral-backed loans with decrease rates of interest, fast processing, and digital onboarding.
The corporate has designed its operations to course of mortgage purposes in lower than 72 hours, providing much-needed agility in a historically sluggish credit score system.
Plans for Scaling and Funding
Past fairness, Techfino plans to boost ₹300 crore in debt by way of securitisation and time period mortgage amenities within the subsequent 12 months.
The corporate is working with a number of banks to ascertain low-cost strains of credit score and goals to scale back its common value of funds from 16% to beneath 9%.
Know-how as a Differentiator
Techfino makes use of an in-house credit score engine that pulls over 1,000 information factors per borrower. The system combines rule-based filtering with machine studying to make quick and correct lending selections. This helps them preserve low default charges whereas retaining operational prices beneath management.
The workforce says that 85% of selections are totally automated, with minimal human intervention.
Future Roadmap
Techfino plans to broaden into industrial clusters like Coimbatore, Rajkot, and Ludhiana, the place MSMEs play an important position in exports and manufacturing. They’re additionally testing bill discounting merchandise and plan to introduce service provider money advances for on-line sellers later this 12 months.
With this newest spherical of funding, Techfino joins the ranks of fast-growing fintech NBFCs serving to India’s small companies entry dependable credit score. The corporate goals to cross ₹1,000 crore in AUM and obtain sustainable profitability by FY27.