In a resounding vote of confidence for India’s next wave of financial inclusion, consumer lending platform Olyv has secured a substantial $200 million in its Series E funding round. The Bengaluru-based fintech, known for its focus on serving new-to-credit and underserved segments in semi-urban and rural India, is now armed with one of the largest war chests in the digital lending space. This round, backed by a mix of global investors, signals a pivotal transition: the market is rewarding not just growth-at-any-cost, but profitable, responsible, and scalable models that can navigate the complexities of Bharat’s credit landscape.

In a move that could fundamentally reshape the landscape of Indian deep-tech and digital public goods, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is considering the launch of a dedicated seed fund to nurture startups building upon the Aadhaar infrastructure. This is not merely a financial initiative; it is a strategic evolution of Aadhaar from a utility to a platform for innovation, aiming to catalyze a sovereign ecosystem of companies that can secure, enhance, and extend the world’s largest digital identity system into new frontiers.