BFM 89.9

HIGHLIGHTS 
Podcast  >  Enterprise  >  Open For Business  >  AI Meets Microfinance? Bee Informatica’s SME Lending Model

AI Meets Microfinance? Bee Informatica’s SME Lending Model

Fumiko Inada, Co-Founder and CEO, Bee Informatica

17-Mar-25 10:00

AI Meets Microfinance? Bee Informatica’s SME Lending Model

Securing financing can be a major hurdle for SMEs, especially those without traditional collateral. Enter Bee Informatica, a digital microfinance platform blending AI-driven credit assessments with microloan principles to provide quick, unsecured loans to underserved businesses in Malaysia. Fumiko Inada, Co-Founder and CEO of Bee Informatica, joins us to share how the company is reshaping SME financing with AI-powered risk assessment, its approach to responsible lending, and how it maintains a low non-performing loan (NPL) ratio of just 1.4%.

We also discuss the expected impact of Malaysia’s upcoming Consumer Credit Act, how Bee Informatica differentiates itself from banks and P2P lenders, and what the future holds, including expansion plans and a potential IPO in Tokyo by 2030.

Produced by: Carol Wong, Roshan Kanesan

Presented by: Roshan Kanesan


This and more than 60,000 other podcasts in your hand. Download the all new BFM mobile app.

Categories:  marketsWomen in BusinessinternationaleconomySMEentrepreneurs

Tags:  AI-powered microfinanceSME lendingfintech Malaysiadigital credit assessmentalternative financing





Play / Pause

Listen now : BFM 89.9 -- The Business Station

Today’s Shows



11:00 AM

Best of Enterprise

(REPEAT) David Lim, Founding Partner at TSF Law, joins Enterprise Explores to unpack the hard legal realities of founder-investor relationships.

12:00 PM

Popcorn Culture

(REPEAT) Bugonia + What’s the craziest movie you’ve ever watched?

1:00 PM

Cruise Control

(REPEAT) Nissan Serena e-POWER is one of the most pleasant MPVs that Daniel has driven. He shares more on the show.

2:00 PM

Matt-Splained

(REPEAT) This week, Matt and Roshan discuss Universal Basic Services and begin a two-part conversation on social resilience, post scarcity abundance, and the techno utopians battling to shape and profit from the future.

3:00 PM

Earth Matters

(REPEAT) As Silicon Island moves ahead, we explore what large-scale reclamation means for Penang’s environment, fisherfolk livelihoods, and the island’s development future with Andrew Han.

4:00 PM

Bar None

(REPEAT) BAM's secretary-general Datuk Kenny Goh joins the show to talk about our shuttlers' preparation ahead of the Thomas Cup, as well as the Tangkis 2030 initiative.

5:00 PM

BBC World Service

Ella Al-Shamahi talks to women in Switzerland and the UK about how job sharing can boost a career and bring many benefits to both work and home life.