Belgium-based
Incofin Investment Management recently announced it has raised USD 60 million for the first close of the Incofin India Progress Fund (IPF). The fund will issue private equity investments that support
Search Results for: India
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Muthoot of India Raises $10m in MLDs for On-lending to Microfinance Borrowers
Muthoot Microfin Limited, a unit of Indian conglomerate Muthoot Pappachan Group whose focus is serving female entrepreneurs, recently raised INR 750 million (USD 10 million) via market-linked debentures (MLDs) that mature in 18 months. Muthoot Microfin CFO Praveen Thoroppady said, “[W]ith MLDs, we were able to raise
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: ADA’s SSNUP, Incofin’s agTAF Supporting Mobile App from Sohan Lal Commodity Management (SLCM) of India, Easing Farmers’, Buyers’ Assessment of Seed Quality
Incofin Investment Management, which is based in Belgium, recently announced a grant of approximately EUR 125,000 (USD 147,000) from its agricultural technical assistance fund (agTAF) and the Smallholder Safety Net Upscaling Programme (SSNUP) to fund a mobile application for customers of Indian agricultural logistics firm Sohan Lal Commodity Management (SLCM). The app, which SLCM plans to launch by
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: CredAvenue Issues $45m Market-linked Debenture for Spandana Sphoorty to Boost Microfinance for Women in Rural India
CredAvenue, an India-based firm that connects lenders and borrowers, recently issued a market-linked debenture valued at INR 3.38 billion (USD 45 million) for Spandana Sphoorty Financial Limited, a non-banking financial company (NBFC) providing microloans in India. The participating investors comprise
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Government of India Revises COVID-19 Guarantee Program for Bank Funding of MFIs, Seeking to Enable 2.5m Microfinance Loans
India’s Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharam, recently unveiled a set of measures intended to boost the nation’s economic recovery following its second wave of COVID-19 infections. One of these is to encourage the distribution of 2.5 million retail microloans by microfinance institutions (MFIs), funded by
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Amazon Opening “Digital Kendra” Storefronts to Support MSME Growth, Digitization in India
US-based retailer and technology company Amazon recently launched its first Digital Kendra customer service location to assist micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in India in making more digital sales. The firm plans to open more Digital Kendras to deliver assistance with
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: RBI Proposes Reforms Including Debt-income Ratio Cap, Repeal of Interest Rate Ceiling for Microfinance Institutions in India
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently proposed a set of new rules that include eliminating the cap on the interest rates that microfinance institutions (MFIs) charge their customers and harmonizing microlending regulations for all organizations providing microloans. This would include
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: WorldBusiness Capital Loans $15m to Asirvad Micro Finance to Support Rural Women Entrepreneurs in India, with Backing from DFC
Asirvad Micro Finance Limited, a microlender in India, recently accepted a loan of USD 15 million from WorldBusiness Capital, a US-based finance company. The seven-year loan, which is guaranteed by the government-backed
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Kotak Mahindra Bank Lends $5.5m to Northern Arc for Microenterprises in India Adjusting to the COVID-19 Pandemic; Partially Guaranteed by Dell, Rockefeller Foundations
Northern Arc Capital, an Indian firm that facilitates funding flows between investors and retail lenders, recently borrowed INR 400 million (USD 5.5 million) from Kotak Mahindra Bank, a commercial bank also based in India.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Creation Investments Lends $12m to Berar Finance, SRFC, Sindhuja Microcredit of India
US-based Creation Investments Capital Management recently lent a total of USD 12 million to three non-bank financial institutions in India: Berar Finance, Shri Ram Finance Corporation (SRFC) and Sindhuja Microcredit. These investments are
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Fusion Microfinance Raises $12m in Debt from Bank im Bistum Essen (BIB) to Increase Financial Inclusion for Women in India
Fusion Microfinance, a microfinance institution in India, recently borrowed EUR 10 million (USD 12.2 million) from Bank im Bistum Essen (BIB), a cooperative bank based in Germany. The loan proceeds are intended for Fusion Microfinance to
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Google Pay Partners with Western Union, Wise to Allow US Users to Send Remittances to India, Singapore; Plans to Expand Worldwide
Google Pay, a service of US-based technology firm Google, recently partnered with money transfer companies Western Union and Wise to allow Google Pay users in the US to send money to individuals in India and Singapore. The service does not allow payments from other countries to the US or payments to or from businesses. However,
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: True North Sells $25m Stake in Fincare SFB, Provider of Microfinance in India, to Motilal Oswal Private Equity
Two India-based private equity firms recently exchanged a minority stake in India’s Fincare Small Finance Bank (SFB). Motilal Oswal Private Equity (MOPE) bought the shares through its India Business Excellence Fund-III for USD 25 million from True North. Although the size of the stake has not been disclosed, True North previously held 7.25 percent of the shares of Fincare SFB and
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Amazon Leads $10m Equity Funding Round for M1xchange, Provider of Invoice Discounting for MSMEs in India
M1xchange, an India-based online exchange for receivables held by micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), recently raised USD 10 million in a funding round led by US-based retailer and technology company Amazon, with participation from venture capital firms Beenext of Singapore and current US-based investor Mayfield. M1xchange’s other investor is SIDBI Venture Capital, an
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Utkarsh Raises $32m in Equity from Aavishkaar, Growth Catalyst, Olympus, responsAbility, Triodos for Microfinance in India
Utkarsh Small Finance Bank (SFB) of India recently concluded a private placement of equity shares, raising INR 2.4 billion (USD 32 million) shortly after filing with local regulatory authorities for an upcoming IPO, through which it plans to raise an additional INR 7.5 billion (USD 100 million). The participants in the recent funding round were
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Institution Annapurna Raises $30m in Equity from TIAA’s Nuveen, Other Investors to Support Lending for Women, SMEs, Housing, Green Finance in India
Annapurna Finance, a microfinance institution (MFI) in India that primarily funds women, recently announced it has raised USD 30 million in equity. The lead investor is US-based asset manager Nuveen, via its Global Impact Fund. The identities of
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Northern Arc Borrows $25m from FMO to Fund Institutions Serving Women, MSMEs in India
Northern Arc Capital Limited, a non-banking financial company (NBFC) in India, recently received USD 25 million in debt financing from the Dutch development bank Nederlandse Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden (FMO). The funding will enable Northern Arc to boost its support of institutions that serve micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), particularly those
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Pahal Financial Services Borrowing $3.5m from Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation for Microfinance for Women in India
The Grameen Crédit Agricole (GCA) Foundation, whose head office is in Luxembourg, has agreed to lend EUR 3 million (USD 3.5 million) over three years to Pahal Financial Services, a microfinance institution based in Ahmedabad, India. Caroline Brandt, senior investment manager at GCA Foundation, stated that the partnership will