New Delhi, April 2025: Kuberjee, the fintech startup making waves in rural India, has been honored with the prestigious “Startup Maharathi Award” at Startup Mahakumbh 2025, India’s largest gathering for startups. The award, presented by Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Minister of Commerce & Industry, recognizes Kuberjee’s groundbreaking work in creating a women-led, tech-enabled financial ecosystem for rural and semi-rural communities.
Kuberjee emerged as one of the winners from over 2,000 applications in the Startup Maharathi Challenge 2025, celebrating India’s most innovative startups. The event marked a milestone moment in India’s startup journey; Kuberjee stood out for its transformative approach to rural financial inclusion, empowering women, and building a sustainable model for growth in underserved regions.
Kuberjee emerged as one of the winners from over 2,000 applications in the Startup Maharathi Challenge 2025, celebrating India’s most innovative startups. The event marked a milestone moment in India’s startup journey; Kuberjee stood out for its transformative approach to rural financial inclusion, empowering women, and building a sustainable model for growth in underserved regions.
“This award is a tribute to the 5,000+ women agents and the 12 lakh families we serve,” said Hitesh Kaneriya, Co-founder and COO, and Punit Gajera, co-founder and CEO, of Kuberjee. “Our model proves that when women lead, entire communities flourish. This recognition validates our mission of empowering women and transforming financial access in Bharat.”
At its core, Kuberjee’s mission is to bridge the urban-rural divide by ensuring that every village has access to banking, empowering local women to take charge of financial services in their communities. The company provides a comprehensive range of services—including banking, micro-lending, insurance, gold savings, and market access—all through a robust digital platform. By training women as Business Correspondents (BCs), Kuberjee equips them with the tools and skills necessary to become leaders in their communities, providing services to some of the most remote areas of India.
Kuberjee’s work is backed by key partners including IIMA Ventures, RBIH Swanari Techsprint 3.0, and HDFC Bank Parivartan, with strategic collaborations with industry giants such as ICICI Bank, NSDL, Augmunt, and Grameen Foundation. These partnerships have enabled Kuberjee to expand its footprint across 5,000+ villages, reaching families and entrepreneurs who had previously been excluded from the formal financial system.
What truly sets Kuberjee apart is its women-led model, which not only empowers the agents but also strengthens the communities they serve. The 5,000+ women agents have become critical pillars of trust and financial literacy in their regions, gaining steady incomes, developing financial expertise, and becoming role models for others. These women are at the forefront of improving financial inclusion by offering services like doorstep banking, Hospicash policy, gold service, and ONDC e-commerce, all of which directly impact the livelihoods of their communities.
Take Vijayaben Chavda, a BC agent from Mahesana, Gujarat, who shares, “With Kuberjee, I went from being a homemaker to a respected BC sakhi in my village. I help 500+ families with digital transactions and provide support. It has changed my life, and I now earn INR 20,000 per month.”
Kuberjee’s journey is a perfect example of how fintech innovation can bring about meaningful change in India’s most remote corners. By empowering local women and integrating technology with community-based services, Kuberjee is reshaping the landscape of financial inclusion. The startup remains focused on its mission of ensuring dignity, opportunity, and prosperity for every individual it serves.
As Kuberjee scales its operations and continues to develop new solutions for rural financial challenges, the company is committed to ensuring that every village in India has access to banking services, with women leading the charge for social and economic change.
