In the vast intersection of fintech, education and social innovation, one name stands out for translating decades of corporate excellence into grassroots impact—Pankaj Asthaana. A former senior executive at Mastercard and Visa, Pankaj led multimillion-dollar ventures across regions, shaping payments ecosystems in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. But beyond the boardrooms and business strategies, a deeper calling stirred within him—to bridge the opportunity gap for underserved youth and reimagine scholarship-giving in the digital age.

That vision culminated in the birth of Impactis Global, a human-tech platform that enables personalized scholarships and volunteer-driven mentorship at scale. By marrying purpose with precision, Impactis has already impacted the lives of over 35,000 students and is scaling rapidly with a bold mission—to empower a million students every year to pursue bold, meaningful careers with financial and emotional scaffolding.

We sat down with Pankaj Asthaana to delve into the journey, philosophy and power behind Impactis Global.

TFS: Pankaj, it’s such a pleasure to sit down with you today. Your journey from the fintech corridors of Mastercard and Visa to founding a purpose-driven platform like Impactis is both compelling and inspiring. Let’s dive into the story behind this transformation.

Pankaj Asthaana: Thank you—it’s great to be here and to reflect on this journey. When I look back, every step—from fintech leadership to the deeply personal calling of Impactis—feels like a convergence of experiences meant to lead me here. I’m excited to share the story.

TFS: You’ve had an impressive corporate journey with Mastercard and Visa—what was the moment that led you to walk away from it all and start Impactis?

Pankaj Asthaana: I’ve always had an affinity for building scalable solutions—things that don’t just solve problems, but solve them at scale, sustainably. At Mastercard and Visa, I had the privilege of leading initiatives that crossed $250 million in annual turnover. These weren’t just business wins; they were systems that worked across geographies and ecosystems. Yet, over time, I began craving a different kind of problem to solve—something that was deeply human, something that addressed the structural inequality of opportunity.

There were two catalytic moments that solidified my decision. First, I read an article about how the Tata Group redistributes wealth. It profoundly influenced me. Here was a for-profit entity fundamentally committed to societal impact—structured, purposeful and enduring. I’ve always admired Ratan Tata and it was a reminder that meaningful impact doesn’t have to live outside of enterprise. It can be built right into its fabric.

Then, a few days later, I watched the film Super 30. It’s a powerful depiction of students battling enormous adversity to get an education. The protagonist mentors 30 underprivileged kids. And I kept thinking—why only 30? Why not 30,000? Why not global? That limitation gnawed at me. I knew technology could change the equation—scale that very act of mentorship and support. That’s when the mission became clear. I wanted to enable millions of those life-changing bets that strangers sometimes take on strangers—and make it borderless, accessible and scalable.

TFS: How did your own experience of starting work early and missing out on regular college shape the foundation of Impactis?

Pankaj Asthaana: I started working right after high school. While that gave me grit and hands-on experience early, it also exposed me to what I didn’t have—access to networks, mentors and a shared college ecosystem that many of my peers benefited from. It was like being in the race but starting ten steps behind.

I navigated my way through with resilience, but I knew firsthand how unfair and isolating it could be. And for students from rural or under-resourced backgrounds, the gap is even more stark—it’s not just about paying tuition; it’s about being seen, guided and encouraged.

So when I conceptualized Impactis, it wasn’t just about funding students. We built it to offer human scaffolding: volunteers, mentors, professionals who become part of the student’s success journey. We realized that money helps, but community transforms. We designed Impactis to deliver both.

TFS: What’s the biggest misconception people have about philanthropy in higher education—and how is Impactis tackling that?

Pankaj Asthaana: Many people see philanthropy in higher education as just a transaction—donating money and moving on. It’s often viewed as impersonal. At Impactis, we wanted to challenge that narrative.

We studied the two-sided nature of scholarships—the giver and the recipient. What we found is that when done right, both parties walk away transformed. So we built our system to foster that emotional, human connection. A donor isn’t just sending money—they’re sponsoring a future colleague or an innovator or a changemaker. They can track the journey, engage through structured interactions and genuinely witness the impact of their support.

And because it’s easy to do—just five minutes online to create a personalized scholarship—we’re removing friction and scaling empathy. That’s where technology and purpose collide meaningfully.

TFS: Impactis introduces a hybrid model of personalized scholarships and employee-led volunteering—what inspired this unique approach?

Pankaj Asthaana: It’s a culmination of my years in network businesses like Mastercard and Visa, where each stakeholder has a defined, valuable role. I observed that in CSR programs, there was often a disconnect—employees wanted to do meaningful work, but were stuck in symbolic activities like tree-planting or wall-painting.

At the same time, students didn’t just need funds. They needed champions—people to believe in them, guide them and cheer for them. We saw an opportunity to merge these needs.

The hybrid model lets employees actively engage as mentors and decision-makers. They’re not just part of a program—they’re part of a student’s story. And that changes the texture of corporate volunteering. It becomes deeply fulfilling and sustainable.

TFS: You’ve brought scholarship creation down to as low as $400 a year. What was the breakthrough that made that cost-effective model possible?

Pankaj Asthaana: We approached this not as charity, but as a value-creation problem. Many social ventures begin with a mindset of scarcity—“let’s do our little bit.” We started with the opposite view: “How do we support a million students a year—profitably, sustainably?”

That mindset drove our choices. We optimized every layer—technology, human capital, operating structures. We decoupled fixed costs and found scalable processes to match students with minimal friction. It meant leveraging automation where possible and deploying humans only where necessary. And we embedded that efficiency into our pricing.

As a result, $400 can now cover a year’s personalized scholarship and guidance. That’s not just cost-effective—it’s democratizing access.

TFS: How does the personality- and skill-based matching system work between students and volunteers? Could you share a story where this clicked beautifully?

Pankaj Asthaana: We use light psychographic and skills profiling to match students with volunteers—similar to how dating platforms consider compatibility. We look at interests, aspirations, values and communication styles.

One story that stands out involved seven engineering scholars from IITs and NITs. They were struggling with imposter syndrome and communication anxiety. We paired them with Gaurang Shah, a senior Mastercard executive who had a similar journey—from a small Indian town to the corporate world.

Gaurang shared how he learned to speak up despite language barriers and how clarity beats perfection in communication. The students instantly connected. It wasn’t about status—it was about shared journeys and practical wisdom. That authenticity made the session unforgettable.

TFS: You’ve managed to engage professionals from firms like Salesforce, Standard Chartered, TCS and Bosch—what’s the secret to getting such high-quality volunteering engagement online?

Pankaj Asthaana: We design for convenience, purpose and impact. Our sessions are modular, time-bound and emotionally rewarding. Volunteers see the transformation they catalyze—in just under 2 hours a month.

But more importantly, these aren’t random participants. They are influencers—people who hold sway in their organizations. We bring them into the design process, make them part of the decision-making and ensure their contributions matter. That ownership drives deep, sustained engagement.

TFS: Can you walk us through how corporate volunteers become decision-makers in the scholarship process?

Pankaj Asthaana: We train them on our structured evaluation framework—students are scored on motivation, readiness and context. Volunteers review applications, watch videos and assess using rubrics.

This isn’t just paperwork—it’s insight-driven decision-making. And when they select a scholar, they stay involved—through tracking, mentoring or simply staying updated. This builds emotional continuity and accountability. Programs like the one we’re building with Salesforce India reflect this evolving, participatory model.

TFS: What are some tangible business benefits that companies see when they work with Impactis—not just CSR points, but deeper outcomes?

Pankaj Asthaana: First, it enhances employer branding. Employees feel their company truly walks the talk on impact. Engagement in L&D, diversity groups and culture initiatives also goes up—people are more willing to invest when they see purpose in action.

Second, it builds brand affinity among students. Our session with Standard Chartered’s all-woman panel is a case in point. Students walked away not just informed, but inspired—and clearly more inclined toward the brand.

It’s a win-win—social impact with tangible business returns.

TFS: From your first student interaction to now 35,000+—what’s one moment that really captured what Impactis is all about for you?

Pankaj Asthaana: There’s one scholar from IIT Kharagpur who stands out. He came from a small village, was one of our first five applicants and his application video was raw, honest and filled with potential.

Today, he’s interning with us—helping build the very platform that once helped him. Watching his journey over two years—from nervous applicant to confident contributor—has been indescribable. That’s what Impactis is all about: potential realized, cycles completed and giving that comes full circle.

TFS: With ~100 students already supported at top institutions, what’s your vision for scale in the next two years?

Pankaj Asthaana: Our north star is a million students, every year, globally. To achieve that, we’re doubling down on scalable tech, efficient delivery and compelling value for givers.

We’re following Amazon’s playbook—relentlessly optimizing cost, building compounding advantages and designing for global adoption. From AI-driven scholarship matching to diaspora engagement and corporate partnerships, everything is aligned to serve this goal.

TFS: What kind of investors or partners are you looking to bring on board as you upgrade Impactis this year?

Pankaj Asthaana: We want mission-aligned capital—investors who understand patient scale and system thinking. Experience in edtech, fintech or philanthropy-led platforms is a plus.

We’re especially excited about partners who can open new doors—diaspora networks, corporate alliances or even distribution channels for reaching more givers. Impactis is a portfolio outlier—and we want investors who see that.

TFS: You often speak about “building with confidence.” What does that phrase mean to you in the context of creating something from scratch?

Pankaj Asthaana: To me, confidence is intentionality in action. It’s knowing who you’re building for, how you’ll serve them and what trade-offs you’ll make.

We’re not creating patchwork solutions—we’re building infrastructure. That requires listening deeply, testing smartly and designing for permanence. Confidence doesn’t mean being reckless—it means being clear.

TFS: In a world that often feels divided, Impactis operates on the idea of strangers helping strangers—how do you keep that spirit alive and growing?

Pankaj Asthaana: We’ve built trust loops into everything we do. Givers get updates, students write reflections, volunteers share learnings. It feels real, not abstract.

We also focus on early markets where this spirit can grow—India, the diaspora, the Middle East. These are places with emotional proximity to the cause. And by humanizing each side of the interaction, we make generosity inevitable.

TFS: Finally, if a young professional today wants to support education but doesn’t know where to start—what’s your one piece of advice?

Pankaj Asthaana: Start with one student. Make it personal.

One of our givers, an architect, supported a village girl who dreams of becoming an astronaut. He’d never met her but was touched by her story. It turns out he designs buildings for India’s space agency. That alignment was serendipitous—but also transformative. For him, it wasn’t just charity. It was legacy.

Support isn’t just about the student. It changes the giver, too.

TFS: Pankaj, thank you for this profoundly moving and thought-provoking conversation. It’s clear that Impactis isn’t just a platform—it’s a movement of belief, purpose and design. We wish you continued success in scaling this incredible vision.

Pankaj Asthaana: Thank you so much. This conversation helped me reflect even more deeply on the “why” behind what we do. It’s always special to talk about ideas that matter—and people who make them happen. The journey’s just begun.