SBI Launches Centre of Excellence for MSMEs to Drive Innovation and Capacity Building

State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest lender, has inaugurated a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) at the State Bank Academy in Gurugram. The initiative aims to strengthen India’s MSME ecosystem through capacity building, research, and industry collaboration, aligning with the nation’s vision of becoming a developed economy.

The CoE will actively engage with MSME promoters, startups, industry associations, academia, regulators and banking professionals to foster innovation and develop sector-focused financial solutions.

Inaugurating the Centre, M. Nagaraju, Secretary, Department of Financial Services, emphasized the pivotal role of MSMEs in driving inclusive growth. “MSMEs are the true engines of growth, creating widespread employment and driving prosperity in rural India, which is critical for our journey towards becoming a developed nation. Continuous innovation and deep engagement with entrepreneurs, fintechs and startups will be the key to its success,” he said.

C. S. Setty, Chairman, SBI, highlighted the bank’s responsibility as India’s largest MSME lender. “With the widest network of SME branches, SBI is committed to building capacity for the sector. The Centre of Excellence will serve as a hub of ideas and innovation, supporting the development of SME-focused products and processes that can benefit the entire banking ecosystem,” he noted.

The CoE is expected to catalyze new strategies, partnerships, and policy inputs, positioning MSMEs to play a stronger role in India’s economic transformation.