Hyderabad, India, August 10, 2020 – Sub-K IMPACT Solutions Ltd. (formerly known as BASIX Sub-K iTransactions Limited), a Hyderabad-based fintech company focused on financial inclusion, announced today the launch of a new digital finance platform, Sub-K SARTHI, coinciding with the company’s 10-year anniversary. Aimed at making financial services more accessible and affordable, the new platform enables underbanked customers to unlock credit, insurance, investments, and other financial products.
Sub-K brings financial tools to underserved businesses in India, using a large agent network to reach entrepreneurs in rural areas who lack access to traditional banks. SARTHI will help Sub-K reach even more underserved micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by providing entrepreneurs with all the tools they need to effectively manage and grow their businesses. SARTHI (Seamless Advanced Resourceful Tech-driven Hybrid Interface) is a fintech platform that will offer products such as MSME credit, digital micro-loan, gold loan, health insurance, and micro-investment. Sub-K aims to expand the product suite to a full range of loan, insurance and investment products.
Customers will be able to access products on the SARTHI platform through Sub-K’s staff and agents or on their own devices. SARTHI’s programming is integrated with financial service providers and third-party partners to provide customers with more choices and quick processing. In the future, Sub-K plans to enable a complete end-to-end digital journey for its target customers who are traditionally underserved by formal financial system.
Sub-K MD and CEO, Sasidhar N. Thumuluri says, “We are very pleased to announce the launch of Sub-K SARTHI on our 10th anniversary. This platform marks a major milestone in our digital transformation journey. We genuinely believe that the future is digital, and we are committed to bring a large number of the excluded population into the mainstream by effectively leveraging the power of fintech. Thanks to our founder’s audacious vision and investors’ confidence and support, we are now more ready than ever to build a world class institution in service of the nation.”
SARTHI was developed with advisory services provided by non-profit Accion through a global partnership between Accion and Mastercard that aims to power micro and small businesses to successfully operate in, and benefit from, the digital economy, leading to greater financial inclusion, economic growth and job creation. Through this partnership, Accion has worked with Sub-K since 2018, helping understand client needs, designing the concept for the platform, and developing operating processes, technology architecture, credit methodology and risk models.
“Sub-K’s proven commitment to reaching last-mile customers, their expansive reach through their agent network and bank partnerships, and their demonstrated embrace of digital technologies made them an ideal partner for our efforts with Mastercard to help microbusinesses benefit from the digital economy. The launch of this platform is an important milestone in that effort. It will ultimately provide more customers and businesses with access to a broader range of timely, convenient financial products to meet their needs,” said Victoria White, Managing Director of Accion Global Advisory Solutions.
“Small businesses are the backbone of the Indian economy; adoption of digital technologies will bring them into the formal economy enabling access to affordable credit, build operational efficiencies and plug into global supply chain opportunities. Analyses indicate that SMEs can see their revenues increase by up to one-third with such technology adoption. We’re delighted that our partnership with Accion is supporting the expansion of Sub-K’s efforts. These new initiatives are vital if we are to build a more inclusive digital economy,” said Michael Froman, Vice Chairman and President, Strategic Growth at Mastercard.
Sub-K is also receiving risk management and marketing support from Nordic Microfinance Initiative (NMI) to ensure that the SARTHI platform can reach the consumers, small businesses, and financial institutions that can benefit from it, with adequate controls in place. Related activities will include the deployment of risk tools, an advanced call center solution and enhancements to Sub-K’s agent management system.
“With the SARTHI platform, Sub-K’s consistent client-centric approach has once again materialized as innovative services for the underserved. NMI is proud to be both an investor in Sub-K, and through our Technical Assistance facility, a partner in the actual development of the platform,” said Arthur Sletteberg, Managing Director at NMI.
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About Sub-K IMPACT Solutions Limited
Founded in 2010, Sub-K IMPACT Solutions Limited started with a vision to provide financial access to the underserved population by leveraging technology and local entrepreneurship. Sub-K serves as a bridge between financial service providers and customers. The company has partnered with over 10 private and public banks, is operational in 27 states and serves a customer base of over 5 million with a bouquet of financial services through a network of 8,000+ customer service points and a 2,000-strong employee base. As of July 2020, Sub-K has mobilized ₹20 billion in savings and facilitated around ₹35 billion in loans on behalf of various banks.
More at: https://www.subk.co.in/
About Accion
Accion is a global nonprofit committed to creating a financially inclusive world, with a pioneering legacy in microfinance and fintech impact investing. We catalyze financial service providers to deliver high-quality, affordable solutions at scale for the three billion people who are left out of — or poorly served by — the financial sector. For nearly 60 years, Accion has helped tens of millions of people through our work with more than 160 partners in 55 countries. More at http://www.accion.org.
About Nordic Microfinance Initiative (NMI)
NMI was established in Oslo, Norway, in 2008 as a Public-Private Partnership. The investors are Norfund and IFU (Norwegian and Danish governmental funds for developing countries) and major Nordic private sector financial institutions. NMI invests in and builds up financial institutions in developing countries through equity and loan investments, targeting poor women in Sub-Sahara Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia. NMI has offices in Oslo, Copenhagen, Delhi, Jakarta and Nairobi.