KULDEEP PAWAR

Spice Money | India’s Leading Rural Fintech

Chief Marketing Officer

Founding Member & Ecosystem Builder – Instrumental in shaping Spice Money as India’s leading rural financial inclusion platform. Partnered with NPCI, banks, and regulators to create a trusted ecosystem delivering banking and digital financial services to underserved communities.

Financial Inclusion Infrastructure at Scale – Scaled India’s largest rural fintech network of 1.4 million+ micro-entrepreneurs (Adhikaris), serving over 2.5 crore customers monthly across 16+ digital financial services. Achieved ₹10,000 crore monthly GTV, positioning Spice Money as a cornerstone of India’s inclusion infrastructure.

Zero CAC, Sustainable Growth Model – Pioneered unit-economics positive frameworks with zero customer acquisition cost through organic, community-led adoption. Created DIY ground campaigns and equity-based brand engagements, ensuring sustainable, ROI-driven growth.

Public–Private Innovation Leadership – Facilitated India’s first UPI-PPI rural program and UPI for Bharat, leveraging low-code strategic partnerships to expand digital rails into Bharat. Introduced rural-first services such as travel-tech, voice-led interfaces, and subscription packs.

Trusted Brand & Narrative Shaper – Built consistent narratives across stakeholders—merchants, regulators, and industry bodies—positioning Spice Money as a policy-aligned leader in rural digital empowerment. Ensured the brand consistently led with >40% share of voice and secured recognition through national media, OTT platforms, and industry awards.

High-Trust Leadership Model – Led a lean, high-performing POD-structured team with 91% engagement and near-zero attrition, embedding inclusion-first thinking into all growth strategies.

Head of Marketing

Founding Team Member & Regulatory-First Builder – Joined Niyo at the angel stage, shaping the brand and growth narrative through bank partnerships, regulatory alignment, and ecosystem-led expansion. Drove the journey from early-stage fintech to Series B scaling, making Niyo one of India’s most recognized neo-banking platforms.

Digital Banking Infrastructure at Scale – Partnered with banks and financial institutions to launch India’s first salary-account-led neobank, acquiring 1 million salaried customers and 5,000 MSMEs within the first year. Established frameworks for digital-first distribution while ensuring regulatory compliance.

Policy & Partnership-Led Growth – Spearheaded collaborations with banks, payment networks, and regulators to introduce compliant, scalable financial products. Drove strategic alliances that strengthened Niyo’s position as a trusted partner in the evolving digital banking ecosystem.

Customer-Centric, Inclusive Innovation – Introduced multilingual, voice-enabled digital banking tools to democratize access for India’s diverse workforce. Positioned Niyo across salary, MSME, and retail banking segments, ensuring wide adoption and inclusivity.

High-Trust Brand Creation – Crafted the brand narrative of India’s first neo bank with a focus on digital trust, security, and compliance. Established Niyo as a category leader, recognized by fintech industry and BFSI forums for its role in advancing next-gen digital banking infrastructure.

Trust & Security Narrative Builder – Led marketing and investor relations during Quick Heal’s transformation from a VC-backed company to a successful IPO valued at ₹475 crore, positioning it as one of India’s most trusted digital security brands.

Cybersecurity Infrastructure for Enterprises & Consumers – Drove the market positioning of Seqrite, Quick Heal’s enterprise solution, making it a top security provider for MSMEs and mid-sized corporations. Strengthened adoption across 35+ countries with SaaS-led growth strategies.

Digital Trust for Identity & Authentication – Positioned Quick Heal as a guardian of digital identity and data protection, directly aligning with national priorities on cybersecurity, authentication, and compliance. Shaped narratives around safe digital adoption—critical for financial services and e-governance ecosystems.

Investor & Ecosystem Confidence – Built trust-driven narratives for institutional investors, regulators, and customers, ensuring market confidence in Quick Heal’s role as a critical digital trust enabler in India’s digital transformation journey.