The Alteria partnership: Punit Shah, Vinod Murali, Ankit Agarwal (L-R)

OInternational Finance Corporation (IFC) has made its first investment in the Indian SME credit segment through an anchor investment in Alteria Capital’s Shorter Duration Scheme (SDS).

“SDS will focus on short-term liquidity needs to drive balance sheet efficiency, such as short-term capital needs of licensed fintech companies, consumer brands, EV OEMS, among others, reinforcing the firm’s position as a one-stop shop for structured credit for new economy companies in India. Licensed fintech’s (NBFCs) will be the primary focus segment for this proposition,” Alteria Capital said in a press release.

Alteria’s SDS has already funded companies such as Ivy Homes, Swara Fincare, Moneyview and TEN x YOU.

“At Alteria Capital, we’re witnessing a significant demand for venture debt evidenced by the fact that we funded $200 million of debt to Indian start-ups in 2024, but there is also a meaningful gap in short-term financing options for high-growth start-ups especially in financial services and consumer offerings,” said Vinod Murali, Co-founder & Managing Partner, Alteria Capital. “These companies need bespoke offerings from trusted partners, which is the space Alteria is filling with SDS, and we are pleased to welcome IFC as an anchor investor.”

The fund expects to deploy capital over the next three years across India’s most promising new economy companies.

Wendy Werner, Country Head for India and Maldives, IFC, said, “Our partnership with Alteria Capital is emblematic of our continued commitment to support pioneering fund managers, who drive business model innovation and entrepreneurship. By addressing short-term financing needs and signalling market confidence, we aim to help support India’s start-up and disruptive technology ecosystem and accelerate economic growth.”

With a focus on supporting companies across sectors and stages, Alteria offers flexible capital that complements equity funding to help entrepreneurs scale their businesses efficiently. Alteria’s portfolio includes successful Indian start-ups like Spinny, Ola Electric, One Card, Rebel Foods, Ather, Bluestone, Jupiter, Fibe (Early Salary), Giva and Sarvagram.

Published on March 27, 2025