Capital First, earlier known as Future Capital Holdings was founded in its current form in 2012 by Mr. V. Vaidyanathan by securing an equity backing of Rs. 8.10 bn from global Private Equity player Warburg Pincus, by way of buyout of an existing listed NBFC, and in the process the company got new shareholders, reconstituted a new board, started new business lines, and created a new brand and entity called Capital First. The founding theme of Capital First is that financing India’s 50 million MSMEs and its emerging middle class, with a differentiated model, based on new technologies provides a large and unique opportunity.

Between 2008 to 2010, the Company was largely in the business of wholesale Financing, asset management, and had JVs in Foreign Exchange and retail equity Broking. Between 2010 to 2012, Mr. Vaidyanathan acquired a stake in the company, changed the business model to retail, and executed a Management Buyout of the company by securing equity backing from Warburg Pincus for Rs. 810 Crores and changed the name of the company to Capital First. In the process the company got new shareholders, reconstituted a new board and started new retail business lines.

 The company enjoys a high credit rating of AA+ which has been achieved by very select financial institutions in India. Capital First has emerged as a Specialized Player in financing MSMEs by offering different products for their various financing needs.

Business activity

Capital First has transformed from a Wholesale Lending NBFC to a strong Retail Lending NBFC in the last 7 years. The company provides financing for various purposes like business expansion, loans for Plant and Machinery, Office furniture, display panels, office automation like PCs, laptops and printers. With this differentiated approach, Capital First has financed over 2.25 million customers including more than 1.5 million self-employed individuals and MSMEs and built loan assets of Rs. 160.41 billion (March 31st, 2016). Instead of charging a one-time fee for every loan disbursal, Capital First plans to amortise fees over the loan’s term period. In retail, it has diversified into several businesses to improve stability in performance. It also provides mortgage for SME businesses.

Products offered by the company

• Provide debt finance products to MSMEs and developing processes tailored to the MSME and consumer segment.
• Loans against property
• Two  Wheeler Loan
• Pre-Owned car loan
• Easy Buy card
• Business Loan
• Consumer Durables loan
• Personal Loan
• Home Loan

Awards & Achievements

• Best Retail bank in Asia 2001
• Excellence in Retail Banking Award 2002
• Best Retail Bank in India2003, 2004 and 2005 from the Asian Banker
• MostInnovativeBank2007 Leaders under 40 from Business Today in 2009,and was nominated Retail Banker of the Year by EFMA Europe for 2008.
• Capital First ranked 70th in India’s Next Fortune 500 Companies list and ranked 2nd in NBFC.
• V. Vaidyanathan was adjudged Greatest Corporate Leaders of India 2014
• V. Vaidyanathan, Executive Chairman, Capital First received “Outstanding Entrepreneur Award” from Mr. V.K. Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs, Govt. of India, at the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Award 2016.

• 2016- Capital First is ranked 70th in India's Next Fortune 500 Companies list and ranked 2nd in NBFC 

  - Fortune Next 500 - Outstanding Performance Award.                                                         

  -Capital First Ltd., ranked 274 among 5528 other listed companies in Business Today's list of most valuable companies of 2016.                                                                                          

  - WCRC's Most Trusted Financial Brand Award.                                                                         

• 2017- CNBC Asia's India Innovator of the year award.