Ulu Ventures

Ulu Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Palo Alto, California, specializing in seed-stage and early-stage investments in technology companies. Founded in 2008, the firm primarily targets opportunities in sectors such as enterprise IT, educational technology, legal informatics, and internet-enabled services. Ulu Ventures focuses on investments in the Bay Area, leveraging the market opportunities created by the Stanford and Silicon Valley communities. The firm typically co-invests with other investors, aiming for cumulative investments between $500,000 and $1 million. Ulu Ventures utilizes a disciplined decision-making process that emphasizes risk-reward trade-offs and logical principles of portfolio construction, distinguishing itself from other venture capital firms. Its investment strategy includes a preference for companies with viable exit strategies in subsequent stages of growth.

Andrea Bogarin

Senior Associate

Kathy Chen

Partner

Kevin Hoffberg

Venture Partner

Clint Korver

Co-Founder and Managing Director

Stephen Malinak Ph.D

Venture Partner

Nancy Torres

Partner

Past deals in Retail Lending

Landed

Series B in 2021
Landed, Inc. is a financial services company based in San Francisco that assists essential professionals, particularly in education and healthcare, in purchasing homes and achieving financial stability within their communities. Founded in 2015, Landed provides debt-free financing options, allowing homebuyers to receive funds in exchange for a share of their home's value upon refinancing or selling. The company collaborates with schools, employers, and affinity networks to establish and manage down payment support funds, facilitating access to homeownership for teachers, school staff, and other professionals. Additionally, Landed offers personalized support through a dedicated team, including partner agents and homebuying experts, to help clients navigate their home-buying options and provide education on the process.

Plentina

Seed Round in 2021
Developer of financial software designed to unlock financial services for people in emerging markets via alternative credit scores and microloans. The company uses machine learning algorithms to build an alternative credit score and application that provides store credit financing to buy essentials like food and medicine, enabling users to access essential goods and financial services easily.

Figure

Series D in 2021
Figure Technologies, Inc. is a fintech company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in providing consumer financial solutions primarily focused on home equity products. Incorporated in 2018, the company offers services such as home equity lines of credit, home improvement loans, and home buy-lease back options, facilitating access to capital for customers in as little as five days. Figure leverages blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics to enhance its offerings, enabling customers to effectively manage their financial needs, including debt consolidation and retirement planning. Additionally, Figure has developed Provenance, a blockchain platform designed for businesses to manage digital assets and execute financial transactions efficiently.

Figure

Series D in 2021
Figure Technologies, Inc. is a fintech company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in providing consumer financial solutions primarily focused on home equity products. Incorporated in 2018, the company offers services such as home equity lines of credit, home improvement loans, and home buy-lease back options, facilitating access to capital for customers in as little as five days. Figure leverages blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics to enhance its offerings, enabling customers to effectively manage their financial needs, including debt consolidation and retirement planning. Additionally, Figure has developed Provenance, a blockchain platform designed for businesses to manage digital assets and execute financial transactions efficiently.

Plentina

Seed Round in 2021
Developer of financial software designed to unlock financial services for people in emerging markets via alternative credit scores and microloans. The company uses machine learning algorithms to build an alternative credit score and application that provides store credit financing to buy essentials like food and medicine, enabling users to access essential goods and financial services easily.

TomoCredit

Seed Round in 2021
TomoCredit LLC, established in 2018 and based in San Francisco, California, focuses on providing innovative credit solutions tailored for Millennials, particularly those with no credit history or credit score. The company manufactures electronic smart and credit cards that enable users to build credit and qualify for loans by utilizing a proprietary algorithm to analyze alternative data sources. In addition to its credit card offerings, TomoCredit has developed a mobile application that allows users to manage their accounts effectively. The founding team, composed of immigrant founders, aims to address the challenges faced by foreign nationals in accessing credit, drawing on their backgrounds from notable institutions such as Coinbase, The Kenetic Hedge Fund, and Google, as well as prestigious educational establishments like MIT and UC Berkeley.

Bridge Money

Seed Round in 2020
Bridge is a developer of a banking platform used to help achieve financial freedom. It aims to provide a path towards upward financial mobility for the millions of people left behind by the traditional banking system. It was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

TomoCredit

Seed Round in 2020
TomoCredit LLC, established in 2018 and based in San Francisco, California, focuses on providing innovative credit solutions tailored for Millennials, particularly those with no credit history or credit score. The company manufactures electronic smart and credit cards that enable users to build credit and qualify for loans by utilizing a proprietary algorithm to analyze alternative data sources. In addition to its credit card offerings, TomoCredit has developed a mobile application that allows users to manage their accounts effectively. The founding team, composed of immigrant founders, aims to address the challenges faced by foreign nationals in accessing credit, drawing on their backgrounds from notable institutions such as Coinbase, The Kenetic Hedge Fund, and Google, as well as prestigious educational establishments like MIT and UC Berkeley.

Landed

Series A in 2019
Landed, Inc. is a financial services company based in San Francisco that assists essential professionals, particularly in education and healthcare, in purchasing homes and achieving financial stability within their communities. Founded in 2015, Landed provides debt-free financing options, allowing homebuyers to receive funds in exchange for a share of their home's value upon refinancing or selling. The company collaborates with schools, employers, and affinity networks to establish and manage down payment support funds, facilitating access to homeownership for teachers, school staff, and other professionals. Additionally, Landed offers personalized support through a dedicated team, including partner agents and homebuying experts, to help clients navigate their home-buying options and provide education on the process.

Figure

Series B in 2019
Figure Technologies, Inc. is a fintech company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in providing consumer financial solutions primarily focused on home equity products. Incorporated in 2018, the company offers services such as home equity lines of credit, home improvement loans, and home buy-lease back options, facilitating access to capital for customers in as little as five days. Figure leverages blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics to enhance its offerings, enabling customers to effectively manage their financial needs, including debt consolidation and retirement planning. Additionally, Figure has developed Provenance, a blockchain platform designed for businesses to manage digital assets and execute financial transactions efficiently.

Landed

Seed Round in 2018
Landed, Inc. is a financial services company based in San Francisco that assists essential professionals, particularly in education and healthcare, in purchasing homes and achieving financial stability within their communities. Founded in 2015, Landed provides debt-free financing options, allowing homebuyers to receive funds in exchange for a share of their home's value upon refinancing or selling. The company collaborates with schools, employers, and affinity networks to establish and manage down payment support funds, facilitating access to homeownership for teachers, school staff, and other professionals. Additionally, Landed offers personalized support through a dedicated team, including partner agents and homebuying experts, to help clients navigate their home-buying options and provide education on the process.

Figure

Series A in 2018
Figure Technologies, Inc. is a fintech company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in providing consumer financial solutions primarily focused on home equity products. Incorporated in 2018, the company offers services such as home equity lines of credit, home improvement loans, and home buy-lease back options, facilitating access to capital for customers in as little as five days. Figure leverages blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics to enhance its offerings, enabling customers to effectively manage their financial needs, including debt consolidation and retirement planning. Additionally, Figure has developed Provenance, a blockchain platform designed for businesses to manage digital assets and execute financial transactions efficiently.

Figure

Series A in 2018
Figure Technologies, Inc. is a fintech company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in providing consumer financial solutions primarily focused on home equity products. Incorporated in 2018, the company offers services such as home equity lines of credit, home improvement loans, and home buy-lease back options, facilitating access to capital for customers in as little as five days. Figure leverages blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics to enhance its offerings, enabling customers to effectively manage their financial needs, including debt consolidation and retirement planning. Additionally, Figure has developed Provenance, a blockchain platform designed for businesses to manage digital assets and execute financial transactions efficiently.

Figure

Series A in 2018
Figure Technologies, Inc. is a fintech company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in providing consumer financial solutions primarily focused on home equity products. Incorporated in 2018, the company offers services such as home equity lines of credit, home improvement loans, and home buy-lease back options, facilitating access to capital for customers in as little as five days. Figure leverages blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics to enhance its offerings, enabling customers to effectively manage their financial needs, including debt consolidation and retirement planning. Additionally, Figure has developed Provenance, a blockchain platform designed for businesses to manage digital assets and execute financial transactions efficiently.

EarnUp

Series A in 2017
EarnUp is a consumer-first fintech platform that intelligently automates loan payments for the more than 200 million Americans with debt. They help you put a few dollars aside for your loans when you can afford it – then they make your loan payments for you, allocating funds in the way that gets you out of debt faster. They are dedicated to giving control back to everyone who is frustrated managing their finances

EarnUp

Series A in 2017
EarnUp is a consumer-first fintech platform that intelligently automates loan payments for the more than 200 million Americans with debt. They help you put a few dollars aside for your loans when you can afford it – then they make your loan payments for you, allocating funds in the way that gets you out of debt faster. They are dedicated to giving control back to everyone who is frustrated managing their finances

Landed

Seed Round in 2017
Landed, Inc. is a financial services company based in San Francisco that assists essential professionals, particularly in education and healthcare, in purchasing homes and achieving financial stability within their communities. Founded in 2015, Landed provides debt-free financing options, allowing homebuyers to receive funds in exchange for a share of their home's value upon refinancing or selling. The company collaborates with schools, employers, and affinity networks to establish and manage down payment support funds, facilitating access to homeownership for teachers, school staff, and other professionals. Additionally, Landed offers personalized support through a dedicated team, including partner agents and homebuying experts, to help clients navigate their home-buying options and provide education on the process.

Landed

Seed Round in 2016
Landed, Inc. is a financial services company based in San Francisco that assists essential professionals, particularly in education and healthcare, in purchasing homes and achieving financial stability within their communities. Founded in 2015, Landed provides debt-free financing options, allowing homebuyers to receive funds in exchange for a share of their home's value upon refinancing or selling. The company collaborates with schools, employers, and affinity networks to establish and manage down payment support funds, facilitating access to homeownership for teachers, school staff, and other professionals. Additionally, Landed offers personalized support through a dedicated team, including partner agents and homebuying experts, to help clients navigate their home-buying options and provide education on the process.

Zebit

Series A in 2016
Zebit, Inc. is an e-commerce company based in San Diego, California, founded in 2001. It offers a wide range of products through its website, Zebit.com, and specializes in providing no-cost, interest-free credit to consumers. This service is particularly beneficial for individuals facing cash constraints or limited credit access, who often resort to high-cost financing options like payday loans or rent-to-own schemes. By utilizing consumer income data and advanced risk analytics, Zebit enables members to shop for millions of brand-name products in a closed marketplace, allowing them to pay over time without interest. This innovative approach aims to disrupt the traditional high-cost installment financing industry, which is valued at $25 billion, by offering the advantages of online shopping, including extensive product selection and lower prices.

HomeLight

Seed Round in 2012
HomeLight, Inc. operates an online platform that connects homebuyers and sellers with real estate agents in the United States, utilizing data and agent reviews to facilitate informed decisions. Founded in 2011 and based in San Francisco, the company aims to simplify real estate transactions, making them more certain and satisfying. HomeLight offers a range of services, including agent matching, an investor platform called Simple Sale, consumer financing through HomeLight Home Loans, and various transactional tools via HomeLight Agent Services. The platform supports clients throughout the real estate journey, helping with all-cash offers, unlocking home equity, and streamlining the closing process. HomeLight has received recognition from industry publications for its innovative approach and commitment to enhancing the real estate experience.

HomeLight

Seed Round in 2012
HomeLight, Inc. operates an online platform that connects homebuyers and sellers with real estate agents in the United States, utilizing data and agent reviews to facilitate informed decisions. Founded in 2011 and based in San Francisco, the company aims to simplify real estate transactions, making them more certain and satisfying. HomeLight offers a range of services, including agent matching, an investor platform called Simple Sale, consumer financing through HomeLight Home Loans, and various transactional tools via HomeLight Agent Services. The platform supports clients throughout the real estate journey, helping with all-cash offers, unlocking home equity, and streamlining the closing process. HomeLight has received recognition from industry publications for its innovative approach and commitment to enhancing the real estate experience.

SoFi

Series A in 2011
SoFi is a finance company headquartered in San Francisco, California, that provides a diverse range of lending and wealth management services. Established in 2011, it primarily serves early-stage professionals by offering various financial products, including personal loans, mortgage refinancing, and MBA loans. Additionally, SoFi offers services such as estate planning, credit cards, and small business financing. The company's aim is to help individuals achieve financial independence and reach their goals, whether that involves homeownership, retirement savings, or managing student debt. By creating modern financial solutions, SoFi seeks to assist its customers in borrowing, saving, spending, investing, and protecting their money effectively.
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