Interview: Vishal Sharma, Co-founder & CEO of AdvaRisk

An interview with Vishal Sharma, Co-founder & CEO of AdvaRisk, an ICICI and NABARD-backed Fintech startup

n this interview, we sit down with Vishal Sharma, the Cofounder and CEO of AdvaRisk, a pioneering fintech startup backed by ICICI and NABARD. AdvaRisk is transforming risk management and financial solutions with innovative technology.

Vishal shares insights into the company’s journey, its mission to support underserved markets, and how it leverages strategic partnerships to drive growth and impact.

AdvaRisk focuses on end-to-end collateral management for financial institutions. Can you share the vision behind AdvaRisk and how you see it transforming the collateral management landscape?

Vishal Sharma: AdvaRisk was founded with a mission to empower financial institutions by transforming the traditionally complex and manual processes of real estate collateral management into a streamlined, technology-driven solution.

Our vision is to make property data management accessible, accurate, and transparent, enabling faster decision-making and improved risk management for banks.

Through advanced AI and machine learning, we make comprehensive property data not just available but actionable. This goes beyond lead generation and document verification, extending to proactive monitoring of collateral health and risk.

Our platform identifies data anomalies and potential issues, enabling banks to respond quickly and reduce overall exposure, enhancing both efficiency and trust in collateral-backed lending.

What were some of the major challenges you faced when founding AdvaRisk, and how did you overcome them?

Vishal Sharma: Establishing credibility within the banking sector was initially challenging due to the nuanced complexities in real estate data. The diversity in property records—spanning multiple regional languages and formats—posed additional challenges.

To address this, we developed a Generative AI solution capable of accurately transliterating and standardizing property records across various languages into a searchable, uniform format.

This database serves as a backbone for our platform, allowing financial institutions to quickly access and analyze property data across regions.

Adapting to regulatory demands was also crucial. By aligning our platform with compliance standards and consistently engaging with stakeholders, we’ve created a trusted solution that now serves over 50 financial institutions.

How does AdvaRisk leverage technology to enhance collateral management processes?

Vishal Sharma: Technology is the backbone of AdvaRisk’s operations. We leverage advanced AI, ML, and Generative AI models to automate and digitize the collateral management lifecycle—from property discovery and onboarding to due diligence and continuous monitoring.

Our platform’s real-time transliteration capability converts regional land records into English, offering seamless access to accurate property data across states.

Our AI-driven analytics deliver a real-time snapshot of collateral status, helping banks make informed, data-backed decisions while optimizing their asset recovery processes.

This proactive monitoring also enables early detection of potential NPAs, ultimately fortifying the bank’s overall credit health and enhancing compliance with RBI guidelines.

In a competitive fintech environment, what sets AdvaRisk apart from other players in the collateral management space?

Vishal Sharma: AdvaRisk stands out through its comprehensive, AI-driven approach to collateral management. Our platform combines Generative AI and advanced machine learning to deliver seamless data translation, standardization, and real-time property insights.

With one of the most extensive property data repositories in the industry, we empower financial institutions to make data-driven decisions faster and with greater confidence.

By focusing on automation, data accuracy, and regulatory compliance, we offer a unique blend of technology and industry expertise that helps financial institutions streamline their processes and enhance credit portfolio management.

What emerging trends or technologies in fintech and collateral management are you most excited about? How is AdvaRisk preparing to integrate or respond to these trends?

Vishal Sharma: We’re particularly excited about the potential of Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) in the fintech and collateral management space.

These technologies are reshaping how we interact with data, making it possible to understand, process, and generate complex insights with unprecedented accuracy.

At AdvaRisk, we’re actively leveraging Generative AI to create sophisticated models that handle regional property data seamlessly, breaking down language barriers and ensuring standardized information across diverse geographies.

Our work with LLMs focuses on enhancing our platform’s capability to analyze and interpret vast amounts of property data, offering smarter risk insights and enabling more accurate decision-making.

This focus not only streamlines due diligence but also supports proactive portfolio management, aligning with the evolving demands of financial institutions.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to enter the fintech space?

Vishal Sharma: Entering fintech requires a deep understanding of industry pain points and a commitment to regulatory agility. Navigating compliance is an ongoing challenge, so being adaptable and proactive is essential.

Building a strong network within the industry can provide critical insights and opportunities, especially when forming partnerships with established players.

Expect your vision to be tested by both market demands and technological constraints. However, by staying focused on your objectives, embracing innovation, and remaining resilient, you can make a meaningful impact.

The journey is demanding but deeply rewarding for those who bring genuine value and dedication to the space.

Vishal Sharma’s leadership at AdvaRisk is shaping the future of fintech, with a focus on financial inclusion and risk mitigation.

His vision for the company underscores the importance of technology in building sustainable financial ecosystems, paving the way for broader market accessibility.

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