Filling the Gap: With Anita Bhatia and Elisa Bianchi

Watch the full interview here: https://youtu.be/5wHKLxSFAdQ

In this conversation, Elisa Bianchi, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Impact at Fasanara, speaks with Anita Bhatia, Advisory Board Member, about the persistent financing gap facing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the role alternative credit models can play in addressing it. Published during International Women's Month, the discussion also highlights the importance of expanding access to capital for women-led businesses—a segment that often faces additional barriers despite strong evidence of credit performance. At Fasanara, we have recently partnered with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to create a lending strategy aimed at supporting women-owned and women-led micro, small and medium-sized enterprises across emerging markets.

Drawing on her experience across public policy, development finance and impact investing, Anita reflects on why SMEs—widely recognised as the backbone of the real economy—remain underserved by traditional banking models, particularly when it comes to working capital financing. The conversation explores how technology-enabled private credit platforms can help bridge this gap by delivering scalable, data-driven financing aligned with the day-to-day needs of businesses, while mobilising institutional capital to support economic growth in both developed and emerging markets.