Terniza Berry, Co-Founder and COO, TapFin
Business Journey and My Achievements
TapFin is founded as a full-stack sustainability platform committed to accelerating India’s green transition. By offering innovative and relevant solutions, we are bringing together the various ecosystem participants in clean mobility and sustainability together.
The inspiration behind TapFin stems from the urgent need to accelerate India’s green transition. Financing remains one of the biggest barriers to EV adoption, and we believe that targeted financial solutions can drive meaningful change empowering businesses to embrace sustainable technologies with confidence.
Many small businesses, fleet operators, and EV adopters struggle to access capital due to traditional lending structures. To us, at TapFin, this presents a huge opportunity to offer tailored financial solutions that enable businesses and fleet operators to adopt eco-friendly technologies with confidence.
Our motivation has always been to make sustainable financing more inclusive. By leveraging strong industry partnerships, we help businesses transition seamlessly to cleaner mobility. A key focus for us has been developing innovative risk assessment models that accommodate emerging asset classes in the EV ecosystem.
Challenges as a Woman Leader & How I Overcame Them
Women in leadership face unique challenges, frequently colored by assumptions about how we should lead and behave and the roles we are expected to play. The real challenge is not just navigating these biases but breaking them—demonstrating that leadership is about vision, resilience, and impact, not gender.
A relentless focus on results, confidence and being true to myself has helped me to overcome these challenges, across the multiple roles I have played professionally.
At TapFin, I have embraced my perspective as a strength, balancing strategic decision-making with empathy. True leadership is about driving outcomes and creating an environment where diverse leadership styles are valued. By fostering inclusivity, we are not just redefining leadership for women but for all who challenge the status quo.
Future of Sustainability & Women’s Role
The Sustainability ecosystem is going to see unprecedented growth, driven by demand from the private and public sectors and a push for adoption by our Government. India will require an estimated investment of USD 2 Tn by 2030 for Sustainability. This investment will need the emergence of a new class of players who would want to address the requirements of Sustainability a bit differently than how it’s been approached till now.
Women have a vital role to play in this transformation—not just as participants but as leaders. From policy-making to grassroots implementation, their involvement is essential in shaping the future of renewable energy and mobility. By fostering inclusive structures including Financing, supporting women-led enterprises, and strengthening cross-sector collaborations, we can accelerate India’s green transition while ensuring equal opportunities for all.
At TapFin, we are committed to developing impact-driven solutions that promote both sustainability and diversity, ensuring that the clean mobility revolution is built on inclusive growth.
Advice to Young Women in Sustainability & E-Mobility
My advice is simple: never underestimate the impact you can create, stay resilient, and keep your curiosity alive. These fields are evolving rapidly, offering immense opportunities for innovation and positive change.
Take the time to build your expertise—whether through education, internships, or engaging with professionals in the industry. Seek out mentors who can guide and support you, and don’t shy away from challenges that push you out of your comfort zone.
Most importantly, remember that your perspective matters. Diversity of thought is crucial for solving complex global challenges, and your contributions can help shape a more sustainable and equitable future. Keep pushing forward, and don’t let setbacks discourage you—the world needs more women leading in these transformative sectors.