Harshvardhan Zaveri is reimagining payments with Orbit Wallet, a unified app designed to consolidate financial services into one seamless experience. In an exclusive interview, Harshvardhan explained how the simple, pronounceable name “Orbit” signals long-term flexibility—pairing effortlessly with transit, credit, or beyond, much like Apple Wallet or Google Wallet.
Starting Small in Transit, Building Big Trust
Orbit Wallet launched targeting transit payments, a niche with low competition but high daily friction—cash, QR codes, long queues. With just 2.5 lakh each we kept in split among three founders, the team stayed frugal, prioritizing licenses, partnerships like Chennai’s MTC, and intuitive UX over flashy marketing. Buses and conductors marketed the app, leveraging operator trust to instill user confidence, akin to PhonePe’s reliability.
Consistent transactions reinforced credibility, turning first-time riders into loyal users.
Regulatory Smarts and Operator Partnerships
India’s clear regulations guided rather than hindered growth—explicit consents, NCMC mandates, and straightforward compliance kept things smooth. Direct operator ties enabled efficient card issuance, rapid customer acquisition, and scalable distribution. “Partnerships make us indispensable,” Harshvardhan noted, fueling expansion without heavy ad spends.
This B2B2C model positions Orbit as a transit backbone while eyeing broader fintech.
Massive Scaling Ambitions
Fresh off early funding, Orbit deepens transit penetration before venturing into credit, lending, insurance—aiming for 100-500 million users in 3-5 years. Urban India’s booming infrastructure—metros, buses—offers a perfect hook, with transit as the gateway to everyday finance.
Harshvardhan’s motivation? A dynamic market ripe for disruption, where Orbit becomes the default for all payments.
Interview By : Sejal Thakur
