Mumbai: Spice Money, India’s leading rural fintech company and a subsidiary of Digispice Technologies Limited, announced a series of strategic initiatives at the Black Swan Summit Odisha, a Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN) initiative held under the Bharat Netra program of the Government of Odisha. The participation reinforces the company’s commitment to advancing financial inclusion, fostering fintech talent, and strengthening women-led entrepreneurship through technology-driven last-mile solutions.

As part of the summit, GFTN, in collaboration with the National University of Singapore (NUS), launched a Certification Course in FinTech & InsurTech, with an inaugural cohort of 195 students aimed at building a globally competitive digital finance workforce. Demonstrating its commitment to nurturing emerging talent, Spice Money recruited 29 students from this first batch during the summit’s job fair, providing industry opportunities and supporting Odisha’s growing fintech ecosystem.

During the summit, Spice Money signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GFTN and the Government of Odisha’s Electronics & Information Technology Department to explore collaborative initiatives under the Bharat Netra project. The MoU establishes a framework to jointly advance financial inclusion, digital literacy, and livelihood opportunities across the state through technology-led interventions.

The partnership introduces digital savings and payment solutions, featuring a UPI-based wallet specifically designed for women who are new to digital financial services in Odisha.

As part of its broader innovation vision, Spice Money has also proposed the use of programmable Central Bank Digital Currency (pCBDC) to the Government of Odisha to support Mission Shakti by enabling targeted, outcome-linked financial disbursements and improving transparency in welfare delivery. Leveraging its extensive rural network of digital entrepreneurs, known as Spice Money Adhikaris, the company aims to digitize the entire SHG journey, boosting financial autonomy, transparency, and secure money management for women.

These initiatives aim to transform traditional welfare delivery into outcome-driven empowerment by combining fintech innovation with grassroots execution capabilities, as outlined in the strategic collaboration proposal.

Dilip Modi, Founder and CEO, Spice Money, said:“Our participation at the Black Swan Summit Odisha reflects Spice Money’s long-term commitment to building an inclusive digital economy where technology reaches the last mile. By partnering with GFTN and the Government of Odisha, we aim to empower Self-Help Groups, create sustainable livelihoods, and enable entrepreneurship through assisted fintech innovation. Hiring graduates from the inaugural FinTech & InsurTech program further demonstrates our belief that talent development and inclusion must progress together.”