The fund has already deployed over US $30 million towards financing the livelihood of over 25,000 women micro-entrepreneurs, business needs of over 2,000 MSMEs, and commuter vehicles for over 18,000 households in rural areas. This financing aims to further 7 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Vineet Sukumar, CEO and founder, Vivriti Asset Management said: “Our team’s expertise backed by technology and data analytics helps us create customised financial solutions for enterprises while delivering on risk-adjusted return and measurable impact matrices to investors.”
“Samarth Bond Fund will invest in last-mile lenders that focus on extending capital to micro-entrepreneurs and low-income households to help unlock significant growth potential,” he added.
Geeta Goel, Country Director, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, India, said: “Over 60 million micro-enterprises in India are a major source of employment in India. These enterprises come under a lot of pressure when lock-downs triggered by COVID-19 are imposed. As they pivot business models or try and revive their businesses, access to credit is critical. Instruments like the Samarth Bond Fund can play an enabling role in extending credit to micro-enterprises, thereby enabling them to get back on their feet.”
Launched in February 2020, the company’s Samarth Bond Fund is India’s first Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) to be rated
AA+ (SO) for capital protection to investors. The fund’s total corpus of INR 265 crores have been directly raised from marquee investors, including banks, corporate treasuries, institutions, and global impact foundations.
