Light Microfinance
Light Microfinance is an Ahmedabad-based RBI-licensed NBFC-MFI providing microfinance loans to rural women entrepreneurs, micro and small enterprises, and rural households across 9 Indian states via 247 branches and a growing LSP partner network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersAhmedabad, India
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Light Microfinance does
Light Microfinance Private Limited is an Ahmedabad-headquartered, RBI-licensed NBFC-MFI (license B-14.03244) operating in the Indian microfinance sector. Incorporated in 1994 (CIN U67120DL1994PTC216764), the company lends primarily to rural and semi-urban women entrepreneurs, micro and small enterprises, and rural households across 9 Indian states — Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, and Odisha. Its core products are individual microfinance loans, MSE growth loans, and technology-driven loans, with cumulative disbursements of ₹5,000 crore and an AUM of ₹2,283 crore.
The company operates a hybrid distribution model combining a physical branch network (247 branches supported by ~2,652 employees) with a growing Loan Service Provider (LSP) channel that includes partnerships with Aspire Fintech, Gromor Finance, MAKSPay, CredIN, FINO Payments Bank, Pay1, Rapipay, and others. Proprietary credit assessment algorithms and multi-cloud infrastructure are cited as the technology backbone, and a mobile lending app branded "Light Money" is available on the Google Play Store. Recent product extensions include battery financing (via HEYEV) and dairy loans (via CredIN), signaling gradual diversification beyond traditional microfinance group lending.
Light Microfinance generates revenue primarily through interest income on its microfinance loan portfolio, with interest rates ranging from 28% (battery financing) to 38% per annum (unsecured business loans and certain LSP-sourced products), billed monthly. The company is backed by institutional impact investors including British International Investment (lead, Series B 2022), Incofin, Nordic Microfinance Initiative, and Triple Jump (Series A 2021). Founder Deepak Amin serves as Managing Director alongside CEO Rakesh Kumar and CFO Aviral Saini. Reported FY2026 annual sales of ₹288.91 crore mark a 30.30% year-over-year decline, and a full-year net loss of ₹107.23 crore signals near-term financial stress despite continued geographic expansion.
Light Microfinance firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Light Microfinance
- Legal name
- Light Microfinance Private Limited
- Website
- https://lightmicrofinance.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Light Microfinance is an Ahmedabad-based RBI-licensed NBFC-MFI providing microfinance loans to rural women entrepreneurs, micro and small enterprises, and rural households across 9 Indian states via 247 branches and a growing LSP partner network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Light Microfinance industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Microfinance
- NAICS
- Nondepository Credit Intermediation (5222), Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522)
- SIC
- Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153), Personal Credit Institutions (6141)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Microloans & Working Capital Loans (FSAKAGAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Agricultural & Rural Microfinance (FSAKAGAG), Microenterprise Group Lending (Joint Liability) (FSAKAGAH), Small Business Debt Consolidation & Refinance (Owner/SME) (FSAKAIAI)
Keywords
Where Light Microfinance is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ahmedabad
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices10 records
Markets served
Light Microfinance business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Microfinance Lending: Interest income from providing microfinance loans to underserved populations including women, rural communities, and micro/small enterprises. Revenue generated through interest rates on loans disbursed.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Partner interest rates vary by product type |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Light Microfinance product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Light Microfinance is an NBFC-MFI that disburses microfinance and MSME loans to underserved rural and semi-urban populations across India, with a primary focus on women entrepreneurs. It offers individual microfinance loans, MSE growth loans, and partner-originated products including dairy loans, business loans, and battery financing, priced at interest rates between 28% and 38% per annum depending on the product and channel. Loans are originated and serviced through 247 physical branches, a network of Loan Service Provider partners, and the Light Money digital lending application.
Product overview
Light Microfinance is an Ahmedabad-based NBFC-MFI offering microfinance and MSME lending products. The company operates a platform-based model featuring individual loans and MSE growth financing, with services powered by proprietary technology including own IP, algorithms, and multi-cloud infrastructure. The product portfolio includes individual microfinance loans for rural and semi-urban customers, MSE business growth loans, and technology-enabled transparent lending solutions. The company has expanded its geographic footprint across 8 Indian states including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jharkhand, with assets under management exceeding ₹2,283 Crore.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Light Money: Mobile lending application by Light Microfinance
Products and services
- Individual Loans Microfinance individual loan products offered to rural and semi-urban borrowers, including women entrepreneurs, for income-generating activities, small businesses, and household livelihood needs. Disbursed through the 247-branch network and supported by Loan Service Provider partners.
- MSE Growth Loans Loan product designed to energize Micro and Small Enterprise (MSE) growth, supporting business expansion, working capital, and operational needs of small businesses in rural and semi-urban India that are underserved by mainstream commercial banks.
- Light Money Mobile Lending Application Digital lending application that provides customers with mobile access to Light Microfinance's loan products and services, supporting customer onboarding, loan access, and repayment in rural and semi-urban markets alongside the physical branch network.
- Dairy Loans Unsecured dairy loan product for rural dairy farmers and allied dairy businesses, originated through the CredIN LSP partnership channel to support livestock financing and dairy income generation.
- Battery Financing Battery financing product for battery sales and service, offered through the HEYEV LSP channel to support clean-energy asset purchases in rural and semi-urban markets.
- Unsecured Business Loans Unsecured business loan product for micro and small enterprises, originated via the MAKSPay LSP channel to provide working capital and business expansion financing to underserved MSE customers.
Quantifiable outcome
- ₹5,000 crore total loan disbursement achieved
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Light Microfinance
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Light Microfinance technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration14 records
Feature3 records
Light Microfinance partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Gromor Finance Private LimitedminorCo-lending arrangement partner since October 2025. Gromor provides lending services with interest rates up to 36% per annum for unsecured products.
- Aspire Fintech Private LimitedminorLending service provider since August 2025 offering term loans with rates up to 38% per annum. Provides customer acquisition, documentation services, customer service, collection and recovery services.
- Pay1 (Mindsarray Network Private Limited)minorCustomer acquisition and collection assistance partner since September 2023. Interest rates up to 36% per annum for unsecured products.
- CredIN (Upkram Technologies Pvt. Ltd.)minorLender service provider partner since October 2024 providing unsecured dairy loans at 30% interest rate.
- MAKSPay Fintech Solutions Private LimitedminorLending service provider partner since December 2024 providing unsecured business loans.
- FINO Payments Bank LimitedminorLead referral partner since July 2025 with interest rates up to 38% per annum.
- IppoPay Technologies Pvt LtdminorCustomer acquisition partner since March 2023.
- Narendra Finance Co. Pvt. Ltd.minorPartner since September 2025.
- Rapipay Fintech Private LimitedminorLender service provider for lending operations.
- HEYEV (Delovita Services Pvt Ltd)minorBattery financing partner since January 2026 with interest rates up to 28% per annum.
- P2G Mobility Tech Private LimitedminorBattery sales and service partner.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Light Microfinance competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CreditAccess Grameen: Listed Indian NBFC-MFI serving rural women through group lending with comparable geographic footprint and JLG model; closest scale comparable to Light Microfinance.
- Spandana Sphoorty Financial: Large listed Indian NBFC-MFI with group microfinance loans to women borrowers across multiple states; directly comparable business model and customer base.
- Fusion Microfinance: Indian NBFC-MFI focused on rural women entrepreneurs using JLG methodology; similar product set and underserved-customer targeting as Light.
- Muthoot Microfin: Listed Indian microfinance institution offering group loans to women; part of the broader Muthoot financial services group, comparable in scale and operating model.
- Asirvad Microfinance: Chennai-headquartered NBFC-MFI with multi-state branch presence serving women through group lending; comparable branch-led distribution and customer segment.
- Svatantra Microfin (SVIN): Indian NBFC-MFI founded by Ananya Birla, focused on rural women borrowers via JLG; comparable target customer and group lending model.
- Grameen Koota (now CreditAccess Grameen): Historical Indian MFI brand now part of CreditAccess Grameen; representative of the Karnataka-rooted MFI cohort that Light Microfinance's model closely resembles.
Broad incumbents
- Ujjivan Small Finance Bank: Small finance bank evolved from a microfinance origin, offering MFI loans plus deposits and other banking products; broader incumbent competing for the same rural customer.
- Bandhan Bank: Universal bank with roots in microfinance, providing micro loans along with full banking services; significant overlap in target segment but operates at much larger scale.
- AU Small Finance Bank: Small finance bank with a sizable microfinance book targeting rural and semi-urban borrowers; broader incumbent with deposit-funded balance sheet advantage.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Light Microfinance social profiles
Digital presenceLight Microfinance financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Light Microfinance leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Light Microfinance funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Light Microfinance 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 Light Microfinance
What does Light Microfinance do?
Light Microfinance is an NBFC-MFI that disburses microfinance and MSME loans to underserved rural and semi-urban populations across India, with a primary focus on women entrepreneurs. It offers individual microfinance loans, MSE growth loans, and partner-originated products including dairy loans, business loans, and battery financing, priced at interest rates between 28% and 38% per annum depending on the product and channel. Loans are originated and serviced through 247 physical branches, a network of Loan Service Provider partners, and the Light Money digital lending application.
Is Light Microfinance a public or private company?
Light Microfinance is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Light Microfinance founded?
Light Microfinance was founded in 1994. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Light Microfinance based?
Light Microfinance is headquartered in Ahmedabad, India, in the Asia region.
How does Light Microfinance make money?
One revenue line is on record: microfinance Lending.
Who are Light Microfinance's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CreditAccess Grameen, Spandana Sphoorty Financial, Fusion Microfinance, Muthoot Microfin, Asirvad Microfinance, Svatantra Microfin (SVIN) and Grameen Koota (now CreditAccess Grameen). Broad incumbents are Ujjivan Small Finance Bank, Bandhan Bank and AU Small Finance Bank.
Does Light Microfinance have an API?
No public API is recorded for Light Microfinance.
What industry is Light Microfinance in?
Light Microfinance's product category is Microfinance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAKAGAA, Microloans & Working Capital Loans, with a secondary code of FSAKAGAG, Agricultural & Rural Microfinance. Its NAICS code is 5222 and its SIC code is 6153.