Techfino Raises Rs 650 Mn to Boost MSME Lending

23 Jun 2025 CW Team

The company currently provides Loan Against Property (LAP) to MSMEs in Tier II and Tier III cities through a branch-led distribution model across Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh. It also operates in the education finance space using a B2B2C model, collaborating with education service providers.

Founded in 2019 by Jayaprakash Patra (formerly of ICICI Bank and ING), Rajesh Panda (ex-Standard Chartered), and Ratikant Satapathy (ex-Bajaj Finance), Techfino offers MSME loans with average ticket sizes ranging from Rs 800,000 to Rs 1.2 million.

Commenting on the funding, Co-founder Rajesh Panda said, “Of the 64 million registered MSMEs in India, nearly 39 million are excluded from the formal credit ecosystem. This underserved segment, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas, is estimated to generate a quarterly credit demand of Rs 2 trillion. With limited participation from banks and large NBFCs, we are leveraging our risk expertise, in-house collections, and strong technology backbone to fill this gap.”

Fellow Co-founder Ratikant Satapathy added, “Our internally developed tech platform integrates with various external APIs, allowing real-time data access and verification. This has enhanced our underwriting process, improved efficiency, and significantly reduced turnaround time.”

To date, Techfino has disbursed over 100,000 loans and surpassed Rs 2 billion in assets under management (AUM). The company now plans to double its branch network in 2025, accelerate disbursements, and build a strong secured lending portfolio over the next three to five years.

Techfino, a technology-enabled non-banking financial company (NBFC), has raised Rs 650 million in funding from Stellaris Venture Partners and Saison Capital, the venture arm of Tokyo-listed Credit Saison. The fresh capital will be used to expand Techfino’s branch footprint, strengthen its technology platform, and scale its secured lending operations, particularly targeting micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).The company currently provides Loan Against Property (LAP) to MSMEs in Tier II and Tier III cities through a branch-led distribution model across Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh. It also operates in the education finance space using a B2B2C model, collaborating with education service providers.Founded in 2019 by Jayaprakash Patra (formerly of ICICI Bank and ING), Rajesh Panda (ex-Standard Chartered), and Ratikant Satapathy (ex-Bajaj Finance), Techfino offers MSME loans with average ticket sizes ranging from Rs 800,000 to Rs 1.2 million.Commenting on the funding, Co-founder Rajesh Panda said, “Of the 64 million registered MSMEs in India, nearly 39 million are excluded from the formal credit ecosystem. This underserved segment, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas, is estimated to generate a quarterly credit demand of Rs 2 trillion. With limited participation from banks and large NBFCs, we are leveraging our risk expertise, in-house collections, and strong technology backbone to fill this gap.”Fellow Co-founder Ratikant Satapathy added, “Our internally developed tech platform integrates with various external APIs, allowing real-time data access and verification. This has enhanced our underwriting process, improved efficiency, and significantly reduced turnaround time.”To date, Techfino has disbursed over 100,000 loans and surpassed Rs 2 billion in assets under management (AUM). The company now plans to double its branch network in 2025, accelerate disbursements, and build a strong secured lending portfolio over the next three to five years.

Real Estate

08 May 2026

Integrated Waterproofing Strategies

Waterproofing buildings used to be an annual pre-monsoon affair but the evolution of real-estate development has changed that approach. In new developments, developers are weaving waterproofing solutions into both the design and construction phases, an approach that Nikhil Madan, Managing Director, Mahima Group, says, “is all about ensuring lasting durability [of the building] and keeping lifecycle risks including water seepage and extensive maintenance to a minimum.”Watertight by designAluminium formwork systems aren’t commonly thought of as a waterproofing tool but at the Mahima Group,..

Infrastructure Urban

08 May 2026

GROHE Showcases Water-Led Design At Milan

GROHE unveiled its GROHE SPA Aqua Sanctuary at Milan Design Week 2026, transforming Piccolo Teatro Studio Melato into an immersive showcase of water, design and wellbeing. Built on the philosophy of ‘Wellbeing Through Water’, the installation reimagined bathrooms as holistic spaces for relaxation, rejuvenation and self-care.The Aqua Sanctuary was presented through three interconnected sanctums. The first showcased the 3D-printed GROHE SPA AquaTree shower and faucet, highlighting bespoke innovation and biophilic design. The second featured the Atrio Private Collection and GROHE SPA x Buster..

Infrastructure Transport

08 May 2026

Rahee Group Expands Rail Manufacturing Capacity

Rahee Group has outlined a multi-year investment roadmap to expand its operational footprint and strengthen manufacturing capabilities for India’s growing railway and urban transit sector. The Group is expanding in Odisha with a new Track Component Casting Unit, for which the groundbreaking ceremony was held on 8 April 2026 in the presence of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.The Group’s flagship EPC arm, Rahee Infratech Ltd, continues to focus on complex rail infrastructure projects, including track systems, bridges, viaducts and ballastless infrastructure. Its wholly owned subsidi..