Optimo Capital, a technology-driven Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) specializing in MSME lending, has announced a significant capital infusion of Rs 100 crore in debt funding from Punjab National Bank (PNB).
In a strategic move to scale its operations, the company has also entered into a co-lending partnership with Godrej Finance Limited. This collaboration aims to disburse Rs 200 crore to MSMEs over the next 12 months, significantly expanding Optimo’s reach in the credit-starved small business sector.
Strengthening the Balance Sheet
This debt infusion follows a successful equity round six months ago, where Optimo raised Rs 150 crore led by Blume Ventures and Omnivore, with participation from founder Prashant Pitti. The fresh capital from PNB is earmarked to bolster the company’s balance sheet and fuel its expansion into semi-urban and rural markets.
Tech-Driven Lending for MSMEs
Optimo differentiates itself through a proprietary lending infrastructure designed to solve the “credit gap” for small businesses. By leveraging a massive dataset of over 77 lakh mortgage records and an AI-led property valuation system, the platform can provide in-principle loan sanctions within hours.
“Our focus remains on borrowers who possess collateral but struggle to navigate traditional formal credit channels,” the company stated.
Financial Health and Footprint
The NBFC has demonstrated robust financial stability and growth:
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Assets Under Management (AUM): Over Rs 430 crore.
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Asset Quality: Gross NPAs maintained below 0.7%.
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Profitability: Profitable for 22 consecutive months, with monthly earnings between Rs 2–3 crore.
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Credit Rating: Recently assigned a BBB (Stable) rating by CARE Ratings.
Optimo currently operates a network of 51 branches across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, employing a workforce of over 500 professionals. The new partnership with Godrej Finance is expected to further optimize its lending capacity as it targets deeper penetration into the MSME ecosystem.
By: Sandhya Bharti
