The future of Indian business was not being written in boardrooms or co-working spaces, it was unfolding in village squares and urban neighborhoods. While the startup ecosystem was maturing with sophisticated funding mechanisms and mentorship programs, one entrepreneur realised the next breakthrough would come from understanding problems that existing frameworks could not solve.
At a time, when people were boarding flights to Silicon Valley and London chasing lucrative opportunities abroad, and learning the fundamentals of entrepreneurship from textbooks, one fresh graduate made a radically different choice. Fifteen years ago, Neha Juneja packed her bags and embarked on a discovery journey across rural India, not to find herself, but to find the problems that others had overlooked.
Armed with nothing but conviction and a backpack, she embarked on a cross-country expedition through India’s forgotten villages and overlooked communities, determined to uncover the problems that others had left behind. What she found would become the foundation of two groundbreaking ventures that today serve 30 lakh women and represent a masterclass in building businesses that deliver both social impact and investor returns.
The Early Days: Solving Problems Others Couldn’t See
“When we started out, there was no YouTube, no mobile phones, no readily available startup playbook,” Neha recalls during an exclusive interview. “We did a discovery journey, traveling around rural areas, and noticed something striking households had televisions, but women were still cooking on traditional stoves.”
This observation led to her first venture: manufacturing clean cooking stoves for rural households. What seemed like a simple product decision was actually backed by compelling data—traditional cooking methods contribute to 10 lakh deaths annually in India and represent the second-largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions from the country.
The business model was innovative for its time. Beyond direct sales, Neha’s company monetised carbon credits generated from reduced emissions, subsidising stove costs and creating a sustainable revenue stream. The venture focused primarily on South India and achieved remarkable success, completing a full investment cycle and returning capital to investors while serving 30 lakh women customers.
Pivot to Fintech: Addressing India’s Credit Gender Gap
After a decade of success in clean energy, Neha identified an even larger opportunity: India’s massive credit gap, particularly for women entrepreneurs. The statistics are staggering—while women demonstrate superior repayment behavior, they receive disproportionately lower credit access. For every 100 rupees a man deposits, he typically receives 50-70 rupees in credit. For women, that figure drops to less than 20 rupees.
“We saw women who had been running businesses for 7-8 years, with proven track records, unable to access formal credit,” Neha explains. “This wasn’t just a market failure—it was a massive economic opportunity.”
Building IndiaP2P: A Regulated Fintech Success
Her second venture, IndiaP2P, operates as a peer-to-peer lending platform specifically targeting women entrepreneurs. The company holds an NBFC-P2P license, allowing individual investors to lend to vetted women borrowers.
The platform’s loans average is around Rs 50,000, borrowers undergo physical verification at their business locations, and the median age is 35-37 years—ensuring borrowers have substantial business and life experience. Even with a 2-5% default rate, the diversified model across 100 borrowers per investor minimizes principal loss risk.
Technology and Scale: The Modern Advantage
Her second venture, IndiaP2P leverages AI extensively. “Credit underwriting now uses advanced AI for bank statement analysis. What used to require manual processing is now automated,” Neha notes. The platform also uses AI for optimal loan allocation, helping investors minimize portfolio risk.
The company has documented numerous success stories—from a Kerala tailor who expanded from home-based work to running two wedding decoration locations, doubling her income, to multiple borrowers who’ve gone digital, establishing Amazon storefronts and online businesses.
While fintech lending has become increasingly competitive, Neha maintains a clear differentiation: “We’re the only platform that allows you to invest in causes aligned with national economic goals. More women in the formal economy directly correlates with higher per capita income growth.”
The platform currently operates across six states—Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Odisha, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu—with plans for northern expansion as demand grows.
Future Outlook
IndiaP2P is currently raising additional private capital, with an eventual IPO on the horizon. “Every enterprise’s goal is an IPO,” Neha states pragmatically, while emphasising that current focus remains on scaling operations and introducing new financial products.
The company also plans to expand beyond lending, developing additional products that serve the same mission of women’s financial inclusion while offering diverse investment options.
Neha’s journey from clean energy to fintech demonstrates how successful entrepreneurs identify systemic problems and build scalable solutions. With 30 lakh women served through her first venture and growing traction in fintech, her story illustrates that impact and profitability aren’t mutually exclusive—they can be powerfully complementary when executed with the right vision and strategy.
