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Bala Parthasarathy
Innovative Fintech Entrepreneur and Director at People+AI
Bala Parthasarathy is a prominent entrepreneur and business leader in the fintech industry. He currently serves as the Chairman of Freo, a position he has held since October 2020.1 Freo, formerly known as MoneyTap, is India's first app-based credit line, which Bala co-founded in September 2015.1
Career Highlights
Current Roles::
- Director at People+AI (since June 2023)
- Chairman at Freo (since October 2020)
- CEO & Co-founder of MoneyTap (since September 2015)
- Managing Partner at Prime Ventures (formerly AngelPrime) (since April 2011)
Previous Experience::
- Volunteer at UIDAI, Government of India (2010-2011)
- General Manager, VP at Snapfish Europe, Asia Pacific & Japan (2006-2010)
- CTO & Co-founder of Snapfish (1999-2006)
Education
- Masters from the University of California, Santa Cruz (1989-1991)
- B.Tech from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (1984-1988)
Entrepreneurial Achievements
Bala has a strong track record in entrepreneurship and business development. He co-founded Snapfish, which grew to a $300 million revenue business operating in 22 countries before being sold to HP in 2005.1 At MoneyTap (now Freo), Bala and his co-founders have been working to revolutionize consumer lending in the Asian fintech space, providing flexible and affordable credit options to the Indian middle class.1
Skills and Interests
Bala is known for his technical knowledge, energy, and business acumen.1 He has expertise in COO responsibilities, including P&L management, operations, and R&D in internet and e-commerce businesses. He also has experience in international business development, particularly in Europe and Asia Pacific.1
Personally, Bala is an avid traveler and adventurer, having visited over 80 countries. He enjoys hiking, scuba diving, skiing, reading, yoga, and meditation. He is fluent in three languages and has working knowledge of Spanish and French.1
