FISME Partners With SBI’s Centre Of Excellence To Drive Capacity Building, Research & Industry Collaboration For MSMEs

New Delhi, Aug 21 (KNN) The State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest lender, inaugurated its Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) at the State Bank Academy in Gurugram on Thursday. 

The initiative is aimed at strengthening the MSME ecosystem through capacity building, research, and collaboration with industry stakeholders.

The Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME) serves as a key collaborating partner for this Centre of Excellence.

The Centre will operate on a multi-stakeholder model, engaging with entrepreneurs, startups, industry associations, academic institutions, regulators, and policymakers to ensure its initiatives remain relevant to the evolving needs of the Indian economy.

The centre was inaugurated by M. Nagaraju, Secretary, Department of Financial Services (DFS), in the presence of SBI Chairman C.S. Setty, Managing Director (Retail Banking & Operations) Vinay M. Tonse, senior bank officials. 

In his inaugural address, Nagaraju underscored the significance of MSMEs in employment generation and rural development. 

He urged the CoE to position itself among the country’s leading MSME institutions by developing case studies, conducting research, and creating an accessible knowledge repository. 

He also stressed the need for engagement with entrepreneurs, fintechs, and startups to foster innovation.

SBI Chairman Setty said the CoE would serve as a hub for knowledge-sharing and innovation, helping to design new SME products and processes that could benefit the wider banking industry.

(KNN Bureau)