'FINTECH IS ABOUT NATION-BUILDING'

Aakarsh Naidu, Head of Fintech & Startups at the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub, focuses on inclusion, regulation, and institution-building Team BW

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Fintech is not just about technology or financial services but about nation-building,” said Aakarsh Naidu, Head of Fintech & Startups at the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH). For him, every innovation carries the potential to empower entrepreneurs, bring underserved populations into the formal economy, and reshape financial institutions.

He explained that the projects he is involved in, such as India’s Fintech Repository, the Unified Lending Interface (ULI), and Mule Hunter. AI, embody this philosophy. “The possibility of solving India-first challenges and leaving behind institutions that outlast indiv iduals is what motivates me every day,” he said.