U GRO Capital raises $5 million in partnership with Enabling Qapital

Chennai: U GRO Capital has raised funds of USD 5 million through an ECB (external commercial borrowings) transaction with the EMF Microfinance Fund AgmvK (EMF). U GRO Capital, a listed entity that operates a Fintech lending platform for MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises), will be leveraging the funds to extend credit to India’s underserved business sections.

EMF was founded in 2008 as an instrument to catalyse access to capital where it is needed most and to promote financial inclusion to people in developing economies. Enabling Qapital (EQ), a Swiss impact-focused investment advisory and the exclusive advisor to EMF, acted as the chief facilitator for the funding round. The transaction took four months for closure with synergistic collaboration by all parties.

Expressing happiness at the conclusion of the exercise, Shachindra Nath, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, U GRO Capital said, “We share a common vision of financial inclusion with impact funding organisations such as EQ. The partnership furthers our purpose to serve India’s underserved business segments. Impact investors are critical funding partners to enable us bridge the enormous credit gap in India’s MSME sector. We will continue to leverage our technology and credit expertise to service MSMEs across the spectrum through our multi-channel distribution model.”

Chuck Olson, Managing Partner, Enabling Qapitalfurtherelaborated, “MSME Finance is a key driver for financial inclusion, and we are excited to partner with U GRO Capital in our endeavour to move money to meaning. We are confident that U GRO will enable us to positively impact the lives of MSME borrowers. The association will help strengthen our commitment towards greater financial inclusion in India.”

Contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that outline reducing inequality and promoting inclusive growth as key goals, the proceeds from this partnership serve as a crucial credit link for India’s MSME segment. This fuels economic elevation through boosting business, accelerating job creation and promoting equality in distribution of opportunities.

About U GRO Capital Ltd.

U GRO Capital limited is an MSME-focused lending fintech platform. U GRO Capital’s mission is to ‘Solve the Unsolved’ by providing small businesses with much-needed credit. U GRO operates with an omnichannel distribution model combining physical and digital customer journeys. The company envisions to spearhead the transition of India’s MSME lending market to the new age of on-tap financing. It uses the emerging data tripod of GST, banking and bureau coupled with sectoral analysis to solve the problem of credit for small businesses.

U GRO Capital currently has 75 branches across 9 states. It aims to expand the branch network to 100 by FY2022 and intends to reach 250,000 MSMEs in the coming 4 financial years.

About Enabling Qapital

Enabling Qapital Ltd. (EQ) is a leading Impact Investment Advisory Company dedicated to a world where investments provide a financial and social return and have a positive economic, social, and environmental impact. EQ is a certified B Corp, the gold standard for environmental and social certifications. EQ currently advises over USD 500 million in assets within the EMF Microfinance Fund AGmvK (EMF) and the Spark+ Africa Fund (in cooperation with the Clean Cooking Alliance from the UN Foundation). EQ has approximately 50 team members based in Switzerland, Ecuador, India, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Philippines, Pakistan and the United States in order to better understand local markets and be able to offer access to our services globally.  

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