Funding · Financial Services

StrideOne raises ₹100 Cr, appoints Rajesh Sud chairman

By Startup Enthusiast · 9 March 2026

What they do

StrideOne raised ₹100 Cr (about $11 Mn) in a mix of equity and debt from undisclosed investors

Rajesh Sud, ex-chairman of Axis Max Life Insurance, was appointed as cofounder and chairman

The funds will expand enterprise anchor programs, strengthen partner-lender network, and build technology and risk infrastructure

StrideOne raised ₹100 Cr (about $11 Mn) in a mix of equity and debt from undisclosed investors.
The company will use the capital to expand enterprise anchor programs, strengthen its partner-lender network, and build technology and risk infrastructure.
Rajesh Sud was appointed as cofounder and chairman of StrideOne.
Sud, ex-chairman of Axis Max Life Insurance, will oversee long-term strategy, governance, and risk frameworks.
He took an equity stake in the company, though the terms were not disclosed.
Sud has over 30 years of experience, including nearly two decades leading Axis Max Life Insurance as CEO and MD.
In 2024, StrideOne appointed Hardeep Singh, ex-CFO of GE Capital, as its first CFO.

The funding comes as India's MSME sector shows strong growth, with commercial credit portfolio rising 13% YoY to ₹35.2 Lakh Cr as of March 2025.
India has over 7.8 Cr MSMEs as of early 2026, highlighting a large addressable market.
The appointment of a seasoned insurance executive signals a focus on governance and risk management as the company scales.
StrideOne's earlier seed round of ₹250 Cr from Elevar Equity in 2022 shows continued investor interest.

StrideOne provides financial solutions to MSMEs and SMEs across India.
Its offerings include supply chain financing, MSME financing, receivable management, and platform financing.
The company operates in the commercial credit space, targeting small and medium enterprises.
It aims to strengthen its partner-lender network to expand its reach.
StrideOne focuses on building technology and risk infrastructure to support its lending operations.

Undisclosed investors (participated) — Investors in this round were not disclosed.

Product: Digital credit platform offering bespoke financial solutions including supply chain credit and non-credit products for MSMEs
Customers: MSMEs and startups requiring credit and working capital solutions
How it makes money: Non-banking financial company (NBFC) model providing credit products through technology platform
What sets it apart: Tech-enabled NBFC model offering customized credit solutions rather than standardized banking products