I’m building Validus, a Vertex-backed SME lending platform. AMA!

NOTE: This AMA has ended. Find the Q&A with Ajit in the comments.

Hello TIA community!

I’m Ajit Raikar, co-founder and CEO at Validus Capital. We are a Singapore-based peer-to-business lending platform which connects growing SMEs to accredited and institutional investors.

Our online marketplace is powered by a proprietary platform, which utilizes a robust risk algorithm that was developed in partnership with the Credit Research Initiative (CRI) team of National University of Singapore’s Risk Management Institute (NUS-RMI). Our data-driven, collaborative approach to business lending has helped us to forge strong industry partnerships with many established brands, such as Visa.

Prior to Validus, I held senior management roles across major financial institutions. In the field of SME financing, I’ve dealt with banking verticals for coverage and risk across multiple geographies including Singapore and Indonesia. At Citibank, I pioneered its SME banking concept which was replicated across Citibank globally. I was also formerly regional head of strategy for the SME team at DBS.

Please ask me anything! This can include:

• Why I decided to take the leap from banking to a fintech startup
• My experiences in dealing with SMEs from both a bank and startup perspective
• How companies and startups can reach sustainability in order to obtain funding from alternative lenders and banks
• State of P2P finance lending in Southeast Asia
• Something personal:
  • My favorite books
  • What it is like working at Validus
  • My favorite food
  • How I spend my weekends