Two-year-old Univest claims profitability: An interview with CEO Pranit Arora

One of the key drivers behind the surge in retail investing is the rise of digital trading platforms and the introduction of innovative products and services by brokerage firms, making investment more accessible.

Univest stands out as one of the few startups focusing on service innovation for retail investor wealth creation, while also maintaining robust business fundamentals to ensure profitability.

Entrackr recently spoke with Univest's CEO and co-founder, Pranit Arora, for deeper insights into the company's Elite Program, business model, revenue generation strategies, the intricacies of the capital and debt markets, expansion plans, and much more.

Founded in 2022 by Arora, Avneet Dhamija, and Vikash Agarwal, Univest is a wealthtech platform, with ambitions to mirror the success of a modern-day BlackRock. By integrating Artificial Intelligence with human expertise, Univest is redefining how retail investors can unlock wealth from dormant capital.

Through strategic exits from underperforming equity assets and smart diversification across capital markets, Univest offers gross margin subscription products—Univest Pro and Univest Pro Plus—via its two SEBI-registered entities, Uniapps and Uniresearch. Additionally, Univest expands its offerings to the debt market with P2P investment solutions, serving the varied investment needs of over 1.25 million investors.

"In the capital markets, our key services include equity advisory with three-, six-, and twelve-month plans, allowing customers to invest according to their preference," Arora shared with Entrackr.

Univest also collaborates with Faircent for P2P investments, charging a commission of 1.5 to 3% from borrowers. However, the Reserve Bank of India is closely examining P2P lending, with upcoming regulations expected to reshape the peer-to-peer lending landscape. With investments exceeding Rs 5,000 crore, Univest is Faircent's largest partner.

Discussing finances, Arora highlighted the company's significant milestones: "Since last August, we've been cash flow positive. Over the past 12 months, we've seen a 70-fold increase in monthly business, are on track to exceed 50 crores in ARR this month, and anticipate closing the fiscal year with a PAT of over Rs 3 crore."

In March 2023, Univest raised $1.5 million in seed funding, co-led by Trinity Media Group, with contributions from notable investors like Akash Anand, Deep Bajaj, Jaspreet Batra, Ajay Pahwa, and Pritesh Talwar, valuing the company at Rs 100 crore (pre-money).

The company is currently negotiating additional funding at a significantly higher valuation.

Looking ahead, Univest plans to launch new products, including Univest Live, mutual fund offerings, and several debt market products, positioning itself among competitors like Liquide, Waya, Tejimandi, Stoxbox, Gapup Club, and INDmoney.