From the Bottom 1% to the Top 1% for 100% of Humanity

Darshita Gillies of Maanch tells us how they create solutions to understand and communicate your business’ impact.

First of all, how are you and your family doing in these COVID-19 times? 

Darshita Gillies: Thank you for asking. We are all healthy and feeling blessed to have so far avoided illness. We are trying to keep busy, keep active, take time for ourselves and our mental health. We are, of course, looking forward to everything opening up again, but for now, our priority as a family is to keep ourselves and others safe. 

Tell us about you, your career, how you founded Maanch.

Darshita Gillies: I grew up in a limited environment, in a Scheduled Caste family in India. But my determination has allowed my journey from the bottom 1% to the top 1%..for 100% of humanity. I credit my accomplishments to the resilience built into my character through this humble upbringing. 

Today, I am listed as one of the 100 Most Influential in UK-India Relations. I aim for real changes for the whole world through the power of FinTech. Now a Global Citizen based in the UK, I aim to spearhead endeavors that converge finance and technology to deliver planetary wellbeing and prosperity.

Professionally, I am a Chartered Accountant, Investment Banker, Executive Coach, and FinTech-Blockchain Specialist. I also serve on the Boards of several For-Profit and Non-Profit organizations. 

I founded Maanch in 2018, with the primary purpose of leveraging technology to enhance the net impact of capital. Maanch is the manifestation of my vision to create a fairer future for all. By building a fully human organization anchored by impact, my aspiration is for Maanch to serve the global communities that are most in need of support in the most effective, collaborative, and integrated way.

How does Maanch innovate? 

Darshita Gillies: Maanch innovates through its M INVEST and M GIVE solutions. 

Our solutions on the M INVEST side not only save time but also improve communication; through powerful, automatic impact reporting and improved data analysis. Instead of working on a proprietary metric, we are focused on innovations that enable asset managers to have multiple feeds of data intelligence through the Maanch Dashboard. Simultaneously, we will be building a directory of instruments and predictive analytics that will enable investors and asset managers to adjust their portfolio positions to closely align and deliver on their investment goals and impact strategy. We are scanning the horizon for immediate applications where AI and Quantum Computing can be leveraged for speed and specificity to help tackle complexities.

On the M GIVE side, Maanch has already built core systems for impact measurement and reporting for the non-profit sector and has won recognition and several awards. Since the COVID-19 lockdown, the need for robust digital systems that can streamline and operationalize the flow of impact data has become a business imperative. These data systems are efficient, effective, and innovative, accelerating impact on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

How does the coronavirus pandemic affect your business finances?

Darshita Gillies: Fundraising has relatively slowed down, but there are a lot of investors and VCs who are interested in impact-based tech solutions, so that’s an upside as well. 

Did you have to make difficult choices regarding human resources, and what are the lessons learned?

Darshita Gillies: Fortunately, no. In fact, because we are in the impact space, we were able to attract a lot of new and competitive talent who are passionate about making a difference in the world.  

How did your customer relationship management evolve? Do you use any specific tools to be efficient?

Darshita Gillies: We work collaboratively and split into teams- various teams take on different elements. For example, through our Sales Tracker and Target List- both on google drive. We are working towards using Hubspot as our overarching system for greater efficiency.

Your website?

https://maanch.com/