Kinara Capital
Kinara Capital is a Bengaluru-based RBI-registered fintech NBFC providing collateral-free and secured business loans (Rs 50K-40L) to underserved Indian MSMEs via a proprietary AI/ML credit engine, 133+ branches, and the myKinara App across 100+ cities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersBengaluru, India
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Kinara Capital does
Kinara Capital Private Limited is an RBI-registered, Bengaluru-headquartered fintech NBFC founded in 2011 by Hardika Shah that provides collateral-free and secured business loans to Indian micro and small enterprises (MSMEs). Its loan portfolio spans MSME Business Loans (Rs 50,000 to Rs 30 lakhs at interest rates starting at 24% p.a. on a reducing balance basis), Supply Chain Financing (Rs 1-10 lakhs against order receivables), Machinery Purchase Loans, Short-Term Working Capital Loans, Loan Against Property (Rs 5-40 lakhs starting at 16% p.a.), and Green Loans; the HerVikas sub-brand offers discounted terms for women-owned MSMEs (1% interest discount, 50% lower processing fees, 60-day repayment holiday). Since inception the company has served 100,000+ MSMEs across 6 states, 100+ cities, and 4,500+ pincodes, with cumulative disbursements exceeding USD $1 billion as of 2024.
The platform combines a proprietary AI/ML credit decisioning engine with a fully digitized end-to-end Loan Management System launched in 2015 and the multilingual myKinara mobile App (launched 2020) that delivers 1-minute eligibility checks and 24-hour disbursement. Distribution is hybrid: digital self-serve plus a 133+ branch footprint supported by doorstep loan officers providing vernacular-language service, complemented by co-lending and digital lending partnerships with Samunnati, UGRO Capital, Northern Arc, Vivriti Capital, GromorFinance and Khatabook. The company holds SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001, CERISE+SPTF Gold, MFR SER 'A', and Gender Finance Orange Seal certifications.
Revenue is generated primarily through interest income on the loan book (reducing balance, 16-24%+ p.a. depending on product and risk) plus processing fees; pricing is standardized across small-ticket MSME loans rather than negotiated enterprise contracts. As of FY2025 the company reported 9 consecutive years of profitability and cumulative funding of approximately $153 million from impact and development-finance investors (BII, Nuveen, Triple Jump, BlueOrchard, IIX, Gaja Capital, MSDF, Patamar, responsAbility, and others). However, late-2025 disclosures indicate acute financial distress: Q3 FY2025 standalone revenue declined 59.72% to Rs 74.91 crore with a Rs 149.01 crore net loss, new disbursements have been paused, and the company is negotiating debt recast of approximately Rs 1,150 crore while seeking to sell a majority stake to strategic investors.
Kinara Capital firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kinara Capital
- Legal name
- Kinara Capital Private Limited
- Website
- https://kinaracapital.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Kinara Capital is a Bengaluru-based RBI-registered fintech NBFC providing collateral-free and secured business loans (Rs 50K-40L) to underserved Indian MSMEs via a proprietary AI/ML credit engine, 133+ branches, and the myKinara App across 100+ cities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kinara Capital industry classification
Industry- Product category
- MSME Lending
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Financial Vehicles (525990), Depository Credit Intermediation (5221)
- SIC
- Loan Brokers (6163), Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Microloans & Working Capital Loans (FSAKAGAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Equipment & Asset Finance Brokerage (FSAEAEAJ)
Keywords
Where Kinara Capital is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bengaluru
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices3 records
Markets served
Kinara Capital business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- MSME Business Loans: Collateral-free business loans ranging from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 30 lakhs for MSMEs in manufacturing, trading, and services. Revenue generated through interest income calculated on reducing balance basis starting at 24% p.a.
- HerVikas Women Entrepreneur Loans: Exclusive collateral-free loans for women-owned MSMEs with 1% interest discount, 50% lower processing fees, and 60-day repayment holiday. Revenue from interest and fees on discounted loan products.
- Supply Chain Financing: Flexible credit facility of Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 10 lakhs against order receivables with bullet repayment. Revenue from interest on short-term credit facilities.
- Loan Against Property (LAP): Property-backed loans ranging from Rs. 5 lakhs to Rs. 40 lakhs with interest rates starting at 16% p.a. Revenue generated from higher-value secured loans with longer tenures up to 72 months.
- Machinery Purchase Loans: Loans of Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 30 lakhs for purchasing new or used machinery. Revenue from interest income with the machinery serving as hypothecation.
- Short-Term Working Capital Loans: Small-ticket loans of Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 2 lakhs for 6-12 months to meet urgent working capital needs. Revenue from short-term interest income.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | MSME Business Loan: Rs. 1 Lakh - Rs. 30 Lakhs, 12-60 months tenure, starting at 24% p.a. |
| Subscription | Monthly | Loan Against Property: Rs. 5 Lakhs - Rs. 40 Lakhs, up to 72 months, starting at 16% p.a. |
| Subscription | Monthly | HerVikas for Women: Rs. 50,000 - Rs. 30 Lakhs with exclusive benefits |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Supply Chain Financing: Rs. 1 Lakh - Rs. 10 Lakhs, up to 12 months |
| Subscription | Monthly | Machinery Purchase Loan: Rs. 1 Lakh - Rs. 30 Lakhs, 12-60 months |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Short-Term Working Capital: Rs. 50,000 - Rs. 2 Lakhs, 6-12 months |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Kinara Capital product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kinara Capital is an RBI-registered NBFC that provides collateral-free and secured business loans to Indian micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Its portfolio includes MSME business loans (Rs. 50,000–Rs. 30 lakhs), supply chain financing, machinery purchase loans, short-term working capital loans, loan against property, and Green Loans, all underwritten through proprietary AI/ML credit decisioning and delivered via the multilingual myKinara App and a 133+ branch physical network.
Product overview
Kinara Capital is an NBFC fintech company offering a portfolio of collateral-free and secured business loans for Indian MSMEs. The core offerings include MSME Business Loans (₹50,000-₹30 lakhs), Supply Chain Financing (₹1-10 lakhs), Machinery Purchase Loans (up to ₹30 lakhs), Short-Term Working Capital Loans (₹50,000-₹2 lakhs), Loan Against Property (₹5-40 lakhs), and Green Loans (₹50,000-₹30 lakhs). The HerVikas sub-brand provides dedicated women-focused lending with preferential terms. All products are accessible through a digital-first process via the myKinara App with 24-hour disbursement and multilingual support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- HerVikas: Exclusive collateral-free business loan program for women-owned MSMEs, offering 1% interest rate discount, 50% lower processing fees, and 60-day repayment holiday. Launched in 2019.
- HerVikas Startup Loan
Products and services
- MSME Business Loan
Quantifiable outcome
- 21% average business net income increase for customers
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Kinara Capital
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Kinara Capital technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability2 records
Feature4 records
Kinara Capital partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.
- SamunnatimajorCo-lending partner providing additional capital and risk-sharing for MSME loans.
- UGRO CapitalmajorCo-lending partner for MSME financing with focus on business loans.
- Northern ArcmajorCo-lending partner providing capital and risk-sharing for MSME loans.
- Vivriti CapitalmajorCo-lending partner for MSME lending with focus on financial inclusion.
- Ananya FinanceminorCo-lending partner for MSME loans.
- GromorFinance Private LimitedmajorDigital lending partner and lending provider enabling expanded reach through their platform.
- KhatabookminorDigital lending partner providing access to their customer base for MSME loans.
- Global Alliance for Mass EntrepreneurshipminorIndustry alliance partner for mass entrepreneurship development.
- Finance Industry Development CouncilminorIndustry association partner for fintech and NBFC industry development.
- Digital Lenders Association of IndiaminorIndustry alliance partner for digital lending standards and practices.
Scale indicators23 records
Recent moves15 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Kinara Capital competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Protium Finance: Fintech NBFC providing business loans to underserved Indian MSMEs. Comparable in customer focus (small businesses), digital underwriting, and similar loan ticket sizes.
- UGRO Capital: Listed Indian NBFC focused on MSME lending with co-lending partnerships and data-driven underwriting. Directly comparable to Kinara in customer segment, product mix (collateral-free business loans), and co-lending model with fintech partners.
- Lendingkart: Fintech NBFC providing working capital and business loans to Indian MSMEs using proprietary data analytics for credit decisions. Direct competitor in collateral-free MSME lending with similar digital-first approach.
- Aye Finance: Indian NBFC specializing in small business loans to micro and nano enterprises in manufacturing, trading, and services. Closely comparable niche focus on underserved MSMEs with similar loan sizes and collateral-free model.
- Indifi Technologies: Digital lending platform providing unsecured business loans to small businesses across India. Comparable in underwriting technology, MSME focus, and partnership-based distribution model.
- FlexiLoans: Fintech NBFC offering collateral-free business loans to MSMEs through a fully digital process. Directly competes with Kinara's myKinara App-enabled digital lending experience and similar customer segment.
- Capital Float (Axio): Digital financing platform providing business loans and supply chain finance to Indian SMEs. Comparable in product offerings (supply chain finance, working capital) and tech-driven underwriting approach.
- Samunnati Financial Intermediation: Indian NBFC focused on smallholder farmers and agri-MSMEs with co-lending partnerships. Listed as one of Kinara's co-lending partners but operates a similar collateral-free small enterprise lending model.
Broad incumbents
- DMI Finance: Large Indian NBFC with diversified lending across MSME, consumer, and digital lending verticals. Broader portfolio than Kinara but significant overlap in MSME segment with strong institutional backing.
- HDB Financial Services: Large Indian NBFC subsidiary of HDFC Bank providing business and personal loans. A broader incumbent with overlapping MSME lending capabilities and established banking-grade infrastructure.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kinara Capital social profiles
Digital presenceKinara Capital compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Kinara Capital financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kinara Capital leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Kinara Capital funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds13 records
Investors15 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kinara Capital M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kinara Capital
What does Kinara Capital do?
Kinara Capital is an RBI-registered NBFC that provides collateral-free and secured business loans to Indian micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Its portfolio includes MSME business loans (Rs. 50,000–Rs. 30 lakhs), supply chain financing, machinery purchase loans, short-term working capital loans, loan against property, and Green Loans, all underwritten through proprietary AI/ML credit decisioning and delivered via the multilingual myKinara App and a 133+ branch physical network.
Is Kinara Capital a public or private company?
Kinara Capital is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Kinara Capital founded?
Kinara Capital was founded in 2011. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Kinara Capital based?
Kinara Capital is headquartered in Bengaluru, India, in the Asia region.
How does Kinara Capital make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. MSME Business Loans are the primary driver. The others are herVikas Women Entrepreneur Loans, supply Chain Financing, loan Against Property (LAP), machinery Purchase Loans and short-Term Working Capital Loans.
Who are Kinara Capital's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Protium Finance, UGRO Capital, Lendingkart, Aye Finance, Indifi Technologies, FlexiLoans, Capital Float (Axio) and Samunnati Financial Intermediation. Broad incumbents are DMI Finance and HDB Financial Services.
Does Kinara Capital have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kinara Capital.
What industry is Kinara Capital in?
Kinara Capital's product category is MSME Lending. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAKAGAA, Microloans & Working Capital Loans, with a secondary code of FSAEAEAJ, Equipment & Asset Finance Brokerage. Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6163.