‘Seeing strong demand for debt financing as startups eye profitability’

Global banking major HSBC is deepening its play in India’s startup ecosystem with afresh $1-billion lending allocation, targeting founders who seek runway extension without equity dilution.

- @ AJAY SHARMA, HEAD OF BANKING, HSBC INDIA

It aims to be a working capital and operational banking partner for startups from the seed to the IPO stage.

Ajay Sharma, head of banking, HSBC India, elaborates on the strategy during an interview with Ayanti Bera. Excerpts:

Tell us about the fresh allocation that HSBC has made towards lending to Indian startups. What kind of debt investments are these?

HSBC’s $1-billion allocation caters to companies at different stages of their growth journey. For early-stage startups, which are often not profitable, we offer short-term working capital lines. These lines of credit are structured to be cleared regularly, ensuring financial discipline and aligning with RBI guidelines. As firms mature and demonstrate greater financial stability, we may consider extending slightly longer-term funding to support their growth and operational stability. However, our emphasis is on providing operational support rather than venture-style financing.

And in terms of stage, are you targeting seed to Series A companies?

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