Gaingels

Middesk, Inc., founded in 2018 and based in San Francisco, California, specializes in providing comprehensive contextual information on businesses. The company offers a platform that facilitates background checks and centralizes essential data for risk and compliance assessments. Businesses utilize Middesk to verify and screen customers, ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements. Its services are especially valuable for B2B companies, which rely on the information to establish credit limits and determine payment terms for both new and existing clients. By streamlining the credentialing process, Middesk allows organizations to efficiently capture, verify, and monitor business credentials, thereby enhancing onboarding processes and overall operational efficiency.

Paisa focuses on enhancing financial security for families reliant on remittances. The company has developed a credit platform that aims to improve financial health by utilizing the remittance cash economy to bolster digital financial services. It provides business-to-business lines of credit to remittance agencies, helping them address liquidity challenges. Additionally, Paisa offers microloans directly to remittance recipients, facilitating easier access to loans for individuals who depend on these funds. Through this approach, Paisa seeks to create a more robust financial infrastructure that supports both businesses and consumers in the remittance ecosystem.

Certn Holdings, Inc. is a technology company based in Victoria, Canada, that specializes in applicant screening and risk management solutions. Founded in 2016, Certn uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to evaluate customer credibility, aiming to enhance financial inclusion. The platform offers a comprehensive suite of services for landlords, property management firms, and financial institutions, including criminal record checks, identity verification, and employment and education verification. Certn employs a three-dimensional approach to scoring applicants, utilizing social, behavioral, and financial profiling to assess risk and predict credibility. This methodology allows clients to efficiently identify and manage applications, ultimately streamlining the hiring and tenant selection processes. Additionally, Certn's proprietary Softcheck tool scans extensive databases for negative information, providing rapid results to its users.

Credit card, rewards, and deposits all in one.

Azibo is a financial services platform based in Reno, Nevada, that caters to the needs of small real estate owners. Founded in 2018, Azibo offers a comprehensive digital banking solution designed to streamline property management tasks. The platform enables users to collect applications, screen tenants, generate and e-sign leases, manage rent collection, and handle accounting and financial reporting. Additionally, it simplifies maintenance management and facilitates banking and bill payments. By automating these processes, Azibo enhances operational efficiency and reduces the administrative burden associated with managing rental properties.

Petal Card, Inc. is a credit card company focused on providing financial access to individuals without traditional credit histories, such as students and immigrants. Founded in 2015 and based in New York, the company utilizes machine learning to analyze users' digital financial records, allowing for cash flow underwriting as an alternative to conventional credit scoring. This innovative approach enables Petal to offer higher credit limits and lower rates compared to competing credit cards. The company's flagship product, the Petal Visa, is designed to promote responsible spending and credit-building, accompanied by a user-friendly digital application for managing payments. Petal aims to make credit more honest, simple, and accessible, fostering a financial environment that encourages users to succeed.

Plastiq Inc. is an online payment service that allows users to make payments using credit and debit cards, even when the recipient does not typically accept card payments. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in San Francisco, the company facilitates payments for various expenses, including tuition, taxes, rent, utilities, and insurance, primarily in the United States and Canada. By processing card payments and converting them into formats that recipients can accept, such as electronic bank transfers or checks, Plastiq enables individuals and businesses to manage their finances more flexibly. This service empowers users to earn credit card rewards, take advantage of early-payment discounts, and utilize their cash flow more effectively, making it easier to manage expenses that traditionally required checks. With a growing presence, Plastiq is committed to advancing innovative payment solutions.

Blueprint Title offers a modern approach to title insurance and closing.

Kafene is a startup focused on providing flexible payment solutions to consumers, particularly those who may face difficulties with traditional debt products. The company offers a range of financing options for various products, including furniture, appliances, electronics, musical instruments, and jewelry. Kafene's innovative approach allows consumers to return items without incurring residual debt if they can no longer make payments, promoting financial freedom. The platform leverages advanced technology, including app-based point-of-sale systems and artificial intelligence for underwriting, to deliver near-instantaneous approval and payment capabilities. This enables Kafene to serve a wide customer base across the full credit spectrum, facilitating access to essential goods while maintaining a commitment to responsible lending practices.

SilverBills specializes in bill-paying technology aimed at alleviating the burden of managing bills for seniors. The company offers a service that receives clients' bills electronically, carefully reviews them, and processes payments using secure technology. This system is designed to simplify daily financial management, allowing elderly Americans and their families to maintain their independence and live comfortably in their homes. SilverBills charges a straightforward, flat monthly fee for its services, thereby reducing the stress and anxiety often associated with bill payments.

Synctera Inc. is a company that specializes in providing digital banking solutions aimed at facilitating partnerships between traditional banks and fintech startups. Founded in 2020 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Synctera offers a platform that helps banks identify their specific needs and connects them with suitable fintech firms. The company manages the relationship through a backend platform that addresses regulatory compliance and supports the onboarding process. In addition to its partnership solutions, Synctera enhances security through features such as personally identifiable information (PII) encryption, endpoint protection, secure login, authentication, and role-based access.

Borrowell Inc. is a financial services company based in Toronto, Canada, founded in 2014. It operates an online marketplace-lending platform that connects borrowers with lenders, offering a variety of financial products, including personal loans and credit cards. Borrowell provides Canadians with tools to manage their financial well-being, including free credit score monitoring and personalized recommendations for financial products from various partners. The platform aims to simplify the borrowing process by empowering users to make informed decisions, access low-interest loans, and improve their overall financial health. Through its innovative approach, Borrowell seeks to enhance the borrowing experience for Canadians.

CommonBond, Inc. provides online lending services to students to pay for higher education in the United States. It refinances and finances undergraduate and graduate student loans, parent PLUS loans, and MBA student loans. The company enables students to gain access to fixed and variable rate student loan products for refinancing existing student loans after graduation or to finance an MBA while in school; and offers SmartSave, a product that enables customers to move the monthly savings from their student loan refinancing into a compound wealth generating cash account. In addition, it enables businesses to manage their student loan debt of its employees. CommonBond, Inc. was founded in 2011 and is based in New York, New York.