World Trade Center (WTC) Navi Mumbai in cooperation with Bombay Industries Association (BIA)  organised a Special Seminar on the theme “Financing Strategies for MSMEs and Start-ups” on February 12, 2026.

The Seminar began with Mr. Jayant Ghate, Advisor WTC Navi Mumbai welcoming the participants and giving insights about the theme and the role of WTC Navi Mumbai. This was followed by a short video showcasing WTCA and WTCs across the globe. Thereafter, Mr. R.K. Jain of BIA welcomed the participants and shared insights about BIA and its role in supporting industry and business development.

The Seminar featured three distinguished speakers who are experts and practitioners in the sphere of Finance and International Business and made detailed presentations giving the participants their valuable experiences.

CA Mr. Parimal Sheth highlighted on the strategies that SMEs should adopt while seeking finance. He explained the importance of proper financial planning, maintaining accurate financial records, and understanding the various funding options available to businesses. He also highlighted the common mistakes made by SMEs when approaching lenders and emphasized the need for preparedness, transparency, and a clear business vision to improve their chances of securing finance. He also highlighted the benefits of SME IPO listing as a means to raise capital, enhance credibility, and support long-term expansion.

CA Mrs. Ankita Shethia of SK Patodia, shed light upon the contribution of MSME and startup ecosystem to India’s economy, employment, and exports. She also outlined the MSME classification framework, key challenges faced by startups, and the importance of choosing appropriate funding sources at different stages of business growth. The presentation also explained various government initiatives, institutional support systems, and regulatory provisions designed to improve access to finance and strengthen the MSME sector. 

Mr. Jitendra Sakpal of Rise Capital explained funding opportunities for Start-ups. He also presented the government finance schemes available for start-ups and encouraged the start-ups to take advantages thereof. 

This was followed by a Q & A session and lively discussion. To sum up, the Seminar was quite insightful and left room for further discussions.