1 Finance, a Mumbai-based personal finance advisory startup, has announced an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) buyback at a valuation of ₹450 crore—just three years after its inception. The milestone marks a significant liquidity event and sets a precedent in India’s startup ecosystem, especially for firms at such an early stage.
Key Highlights of the ESOP Buyback
- Over 33% of 1 Finance’s workforce will benefit from the buyback program.
- The structure rewards both:
- Early founding team members, and
- Key late-stage hires
- The initiative is designed to align wealth creation with performance and tenure.
“Our vision has always been rooted in sustainable and inclusive financial well-being—not just for our clients, but for our colleagues too,” said Jeet Marwadi, Founder and Managing Director of 1 Finance.
“The ESOP Buyback Program is a reaffirmation that wealth creation must begin from within the organisation.”
Strong Regulatory Footprint and Ecosystem Expansion
1 Finance has steadily built its regulatory capabilities, gaining multiple licenses, including:
- A Peer-to-Peer (P2P) NBFC license
- A Category II AIF (Alternative Investment Fund) license
- A Tax e-Return Intermediary (ERI) license
These additions enable the company to offer a full-stack personal finance ecosystem centered on advisory services rather than product selling.
“We are building 1 Finance as a category-defining institution in personal finance,” said Keval Bhanushali, Co-founder and CEO. “This buyback reflects the strength of our fundamentals and our belief in rewarding the people shaping our future.”
A Unique Approach to Financial Advisory in India
- 1 Finance’s model integrates:
- Human advisors for in-depth planning
- Digital tools to scale personalization
- This hybrid approach contrasts with the robo-advisory trend in mature markets like the US, where automation is showing signs of saturation.
- The company focuses on serving India’s mass affluent, a segment often under-served by both traditional wealth managers and DIY platforms.
Backed by a Financial Powerhouse
- 1 Finance is backed by the Marwadi Chandarana Group, a well-known player in India’s financial services landscape.
- This backing strengthens its position as an emerging challenger brand aiming to disrupt how financial advice is delivered in India.
A Step Toward Inclusive Value Creation
This ESOP buyback is more than just a financial transaction—it’s a reflection of the startup’s employee-first philosophy and its mission to embed wealth creation into the organization’s culture.
“We’re not just creating value for clients, but ensuring the people who build the company share in that value too,” said Marwadi.
