Advisory Team Profile

Dhairen Tohliani

Associate
Invests In
FinTech and FinServices

Invested In

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"Developed nations are built on the back of ambitious entrepreneurs who have a never say never attitude. I'm looking to be a strong supporter in this journey while improving their odds of success."

Get To Know

Dhairen Tohliani

What sparked your interest in working with entrepreneurs?

Growing up in a middle-class business family, I witnessed the spirit of Indian entrepreneurship closely as my family navigated various challenges. This inspired a keen interest in understanding what it takes to build a successful business. I pursued Chartered Accountancy to gain an early vantage point while honing technical skills.

Taking an unconventional path, I worked across India's largest AMC, a MSME lending startup, and a structured debt fund focused on startups. At the core has been an innate curiosity to witness entrepreneurial journeys and learn about new businesses and trends.

What are the key things you look for when evaluating early-stage fintech opportunities?

Fintech is a space where domain understanding is highly critical. The founding team is paramount, combined with early-stage signals such as a large problem statement, "pain-killer" solution, and deep profit pools.

What patterns do you see in successful fintech businesses?

Success comes from founders with domain expertise who have caught the right trendline. These founders leverage either vast experience or novel product approaches to unlock large opportunities while balancing risk appropriately.

What excites you most about the Indian fintech ecosystem today?

India's fintech ecosystem is expanding rapidly, supported by digitization, favorable demographics, innovations in payments, and strong government support. As India pushes towards becoming a developed economy by 2047, fintech will be the oil that enables this transformation, creating opportunities for multiple large businesses.

What insights do you bring to early-stage fintech founders?

In line with Z47's founder-first ethos, our role is to support founders in achieving their audacious goals. Having spent time across operating roles (retail lending and AMC) and investing (structured capital for startups), I draw parallels and leverage learnings to help founders either solve problems or unlock new opportunities.

What are the critical elements founders should focus on when building lending products?

My experience at a retail lending startup through Covid taught me that in lending, profits come first and losses come later. A balanced approach toward growth and risk is critical for success. Founders should focus on building a complementary team that understands this while ensuring deep knowledge of their customer segment and how business cycles impact their operations.

How do you see the collaboration between incumbents and fintech startups evolving?

Initiatives like UPI, co-lending/FLDGs, neo-banking, and open banking have fostered strong collaboration between incumbents and fintechs. This foundation will continue to encourage partnership and support innovation in the sector.

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Reach out to Dhairen Tohliani to get more information and insights

Email Address
dhairen@z47.com
Phone Number
+91 80676 80000
Executive Assistant
Natasha Martin
EA Email Address
natasha@Z47.com
City
Bangalore