Gautam Ivatury is the co-founder and CEO of LendLedger and a pioneer in expanding financial access using technology for nearly two decades. He has started or led ventures such as India’s first microfinance institution to IPO (SKS Microfinance), Kenya’s first mobile-based credit provider (Jipange Kusave), India’s first digital micro-lender (ArthImpact/Happy), and the firm that incubated M-Kopa, Africa’s largest pay-go solar financier. Gautam also ran the Gates Foundation’s largest-ever grantee in financial inclusion (the $26m CGAP technology program at the World Bank), chaired the global telecom association (GSMA) fund for mobile money, advised US-based VC and private equity funds, consulted to Fortune 500 players including Microsoft and Visa, and developed projects in 9 countries. Gautam is a Board Director at Vaya Finserv (a leading Indian MFI), an advisor to Encourage Capital, and an investor in multiple fintech startups.