State-owned Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) on Friday said it has opened its first dedicated branch for start-ups in Pune. The dedicated branch will provide all kinds of support to a start-up during its growth journey, BoM said in a statement. 

"India is one of the growing hubs for start-ups and unicorns in the world. It is imperative for us to start our own dedicated branch for start-ups, where we shall cater to all their needs -- right from the inception to the issuance of IPO/FPO," said AS Rajeev, managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of BoM.

Pune is strategically important for us to venture into, considering the technological and industrial advancement of the city and the expertise the bank has, the lender said. 

This will begin a new vista for the bank and also for start-ups in Pune city and Maharashtra state, he added. 

Speaking at the occasion, BoM executive director (ED) Asheesh Pandey said start-ups are entrepreneurial ventures in an early stage of business operation, which if properly nurtured, become an integral pillar of economic growth and employment generation while satisfying evolving needs of its clients with innovation. 

There are so many start-ups in the country, which have become global names and added glory to the nation's progress, the lender said. 

India is the largest talent pool in the world, and youth energy is the driving force of the nation, it added. 

"As the Amrit Kaal is upon us driven with Atmanirbharta, start-ups and youth energy are the best bet where we can invest. A vibrant start-up ecosystem is a roadmap to achieve Atmanirbhar Bharat in totality," Pandey said. 

During the event, BoM signed a pact with SIDBI venture capital for proactive financing of start-ups.