Voices of India’s MSME is a first-of-its-kind research initiative that deep-dives into the lives of MSMEs.
India is home to 63 million+ MSMEs of which 99% are microenterprises and about 70% are unincorporated enterprises. Informal micro enterprises are a major contributor to the nation economy and, yet often remain out of focus. There is neither a definition nor a data representation for this segment.
Defining Informal enterprises (IEs)
Informal enterprises typically operate at a rudimentary levels of organization. The mom-and-pop stores, artisans, cobblers, barbershops, vegetable vendors, hawkers, among others fall into this category. These are mainly micro-sized sole proprietorship
businesses with little or no division between the finances of the business and that of the proprietor’s household.
Voices of India’s MSME is a research initiative that deep-dives into the lives of 10,000+ informal enterprises. The study draws authentic, accurate, and actionable data-driven insights to inform policy makers and industry stakeholders. While the initial focus of the study is the informal enterprise segment, it will also cover the formal MSMES. The outputs of this effort will help bridge the data gaps on key aspects that concern informal enterprises: access to finance, digitalization, formalization, business management, and knowledge & skills requirements
Chief economic advisor to the government of India
Former secretary, department of financial services, ministry of finance
Statistician; programme director for the IGC (International growth centre) India programme
Secretary general federation of Indian micro small & medium enterprises (FISME)
Omidyar Network India invests in bold entrepreneurs, who help create a meaningful life for every Indian, especially the hundreds of millions of Indians in low-income…
and lower-middle-income populations, ranging from the poorest among us to the existing middle class. To drive empowerment and social impact at scale, we work with entrepreneurs in the private, non-profit, and public sectors, who tackle India’s hardest and most chronic problems. We make equity investments in early-stage enterprises and provide grants to non-profits in the areas of digital identity, education, emerging tech, financial inclusion, governance & citizen engagement, and property rights. Omidyar Network India is part of The Omidyar Group, a diverse collection of companies, organizations, and initiatives, supported by philanthropists Pam and Pierre Omidyar, founders of eBay.
MicroSave Consulting (MSC) is a boutique consulting firm that has, for 20 years, pushed the world towards meaningful financial, social, and economic inclusion.
We partner with participants in financial services ecosystems to achieve sustainable performance improvements and unlock enduring value. Our clients include governments, donors, private sector corporations, and local businesses. We can help you seize the digital opportunity, address the mass market, and future-proof your operations.
The World Bank with 189 member countries, staff from more than 170 countries, and offices in over 130 locations, the World Bank Group is a unique global partnership.
We partner with participants in financial services ecosystems to achieve sustainable performance improvements and unlock enduring value. Our clients include governments, donors, private sector corporations, and local businesses. We can help you seize the digital opportunity, address the mass market, and future-proof your operations.
