A part of CIIE.CO’s Bharat Inclusion Initiative, the Financial Inclusion Lab aims to improve the financial health of India’s underserved Lower and Middle Income segments by supporting startups in the areas of Fintech, Skilling, and Livelihood. CIIE.CO is collaborating with MSC (MicroSave Consulting), an international digital financial inclusion consultancy firm, to provide the startups with high-touch advisory and insights into the LMI segments. We have supported 42 early-stage startups in five cohorts so far. Cumulatively, these startups have served 30mn+ individuals and raised over $80mn in funding post their participation in the Lab.

We invite innovations that aim to make mainstream financial products inclusive for lower-income customers, including women, offering either of the below:

- Customization of solutions: Embedding these financial solutions in specific industries such as dairy, agri, construction, skilling, gig and others with the goal of enhancing the livelihood opportunities and financial health of lower-income participants in these industries
- Financialization of savings: Facilitating savings in financial assets for lower-income customers by offering them innovative ways to protect against uncertainties and exigencies (enabling them to build and safeguard their assets)
- Magnification of distribution: Enabling scale through innovative product build and partnerships to reach low-income customers residing in smaller cities and rural areas
Fintechs could be making use of new technologies such as big data, NLP, AI/ML etc or using the newer elements of IndiaStack such as OCEN, ONDC, and Ayushman Bharat. We are also keen on solutions that are contextualized for women customers.

MSC (MicroSave Consulting) is a global consulting firm that enables social, financial, and economic inclusion for everyone in the digital age. We offer practical, market-led solutions focused on enhancing access to financial services to the low and middle-income segments. MSC has worked in more than 65 countries across Asia, Africa & Latin America. MSC has been working with various national and international clients for nearly two decades as a locally based international consulting firm on guiding policies & facilitating partnerships to develop enabling eco-systems, providing comprehensive, customized strategic advice and delivering actionable, on-site operational assistance for financial inclusion.