In 2023 every investor told us the same thing: India isn't ready for alternative-data underwriting. We survived on a ?9L friends-and-family round and one stubborn NBFC pilot in Salem.
That pilot cut their NPAs by 22%. Word travelled the NBFC circuit faster than any sales team could. By the time we raised our seed — from an investor we met on this very platform — we were profitable on operating basis.
What I'd tell 2023 me: distribution in Bharat is trust, and trust travels through operators, not ads.