Agri-fintech start-up KiVi (Agrosperity Tech Solutions) has welcomed Padma Shri Dr. Pawan Goenka, Chairman of INSPACe, as a key investor in its latest pre-Series A funding round. As per the media reports, the round, totaling approximately US$ 1.5 million (INR 12 crore), also saw participation from Enrission India Capital Inc, Piper Serica Angel Fund, YAN Angel Fund, Thinkuvate Fund, Eaglewings Rise Fund, AL Trust, and other investors.
Dr. Goenka’s extensive experience in industry and technology is expected to play a vital role in shaping KiVi’s growth journey. His insights are set to help the company scale its platform, which is designed to enable credit, commerce, and distribution across the farmgate ecosystem, a segment traditionally underserved by formal financial institutions.
“We are excited to have Dr. Goenka on board. His deep industry knowledge and technology acumen will be invaluable as we build and expand the KiVi platform,” the company stated.
Enabling Rural Credit and Commerce
KiVi, an incubated start-up at IIT-Madras Incubation Cell, aims to enhance financial accessibility for farmers and rural agricultural entrepreneurs by facilitating credit, commerce, and distribution. Operating in an under-served segment of the market, the company addresses challenges such as seasonal cash flows, lack of formal income documentation, and absence of land ownership proof, which have traditionally restricted access to financial services.
So far, the start-up has facilitated credit worth ₹90 crores to 12,000 farmers and agri-entrepreneurs. Additionally, it has supported over 100 agri-output suppliers in connecting with large industrial buyers, driving growth and efficiency within the rural agricultural economy. Currently operating in Tamil Nadu and Bihar, KiVi plans to expand into other southern states. It is also pursuing an NBFC license to further enhance its lending capabilities.
Technology-Driven Credit Solutions
KiVi integrates advanced technology to streamline its operations and improve credit evaluation processes. The company leverages satellite data to assess crop patterns, evaluate agricultural income, classify risk, and guide branch expansion strategies. The start-up has partnered with Federal Bank to utilize digital land records, enabling faster, more affordable credit access for over 5,000 farmers.
“Unified Payment Interface (UPI), Unified Lending Interface (ULI), digital land records, satellite image analysis, and the account aggregator framework have immense potential to improve credit evaluation and delivery in rural India. We use satellite data to enhance our decision-making process for branch expansion, risk classification, crop identification and agri income assessment. Through our partnership with Federal Bank, we have successfully accessed digital land records enabling affordable, near-instant credit to more than 5,000 farmers.”
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Strengthening the Agricultural Value Chain
KiVi offers a range of tailored financial products for farmer households and rural micro-entrepreneurs. Its solutions include working capital loans, term credit for farm mechanization, and structured trade finance for input retailers, output aggregators, and other rural enterprises.
The company collaborates with ten leading lending partners, including State Bank of India, Federal Bank, ESAF Small Finance Bank, Nabkisan, Vivriti Capital, Kaleidofin, and Samunnati, helping financial institutions meet priority sector lending targets while providing farmers with access to affordable credit.
With a team of 200 employees, including 150 customer acquisition and service staff, KiVi operates across 30 locations in Tamil Nadu and Bihar. As it continues to expand, the company remains committed to strengthening the rural economy by providing accessible financial services, streamlining agricultural commerce, and empowering farmers and entrepreneurs.
Dr. Goenka’s investment marks a pivotal moment for KiVi, positioning the company to accelerate its mission of transforming the farmgate ecosystem through technology-driven financial solutions.
