Women are emerging as powerful changemakers, reshaping economic systems from mobility finance to micro-credit. By designing inclusive financial models, they are expanding access to transport, capital, and livelihoods for marginalized communities. These innovators are not only closing gender and income gaps but also driving sustainable, grassroots-led growth. Here are some of the changemakers breaking barriers to bring fair, modern finance to every corner of India
Nehal Gupta — Founder & MD, AMU Leasing Pvt. Ltd
Nehal Gupta is the Founder and Managing Director of AMU Leasing, a technology-driven NBFC focused on enabling sustainable and inclusive finance. With a background in BFSI and FinTech, she has positioned AMU as a key player in India’s EV financing ecosystem, addressing credit gaps for commercial drivers, small fleet owners, and first-time borrowers. Under her leadership, AMU manages an AUM of USD 18 million and is aligned with India’s green mobility goals, with a vision to finance or lease over one million electric vehicles by 2030. Nehal also serves as a Director at the Electric Mobility Financiers Association of India, contributing to policy and industry development in electric mobility finance.
Sairee Chahal — Founder, Mahila Money & SHEROES
Sairee Chahal is the founder and CEO of Mahila Money, a financial services platform designed to provide micro-loans and financial access to entrepreneurs who struggle to get formal credit. Originally building the women-focused community platform SHEROES, Sairee expanded into fintech to directly tackle financial inclusion by offering micro-credit, financial literacy and support tools that help small business owners grow their operations.Her work bridges community engagement with financial access, enabling aspiring business owners to access credit for growth and helping them navigate the financial ecosystem more confidently. This makes her a compelling voice in the broader conversation around inclusive finance and alternative lending models in India.
Hardika Shah — Founder & CEO, Kinara Capital
Hardika Shah leads Kinara Capital, a financial services firm that provides collateral-free business loans to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in India. With a background in management consulting and a vision to close India’s MSME credit gap, she has scaled Kinara’s lending to thousands of businesses that often lack access to traditional bank credit.Under her leadership, the company has developed underwriting approaches that balance risk with impact, supporting entrepreneurs who need growth capital but don’t have fixed assets to pledge. Her focus on practical, scalable lending solutions positions her as a strong peer to Nehal in the ecosystem of finance that empowers real-world businesses.
Nupur Gupta — Co-Founder, NIRA FinTech
Nupur Gupta is the co-founder of NIRA FinTech, a digital lending company offering small-ticket loans that help individuals with flexible credit access. With professional experience at global financial institutions like Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, Nupur brought institutional expertise to building technology-enabled, data-driven credit products that serve customers often excluded from mainstream credit channels.