Core Innovation Capital

Core Innovation Capital is a venture capital firm based in Los Angeles, California, with an additional office in San Francisco. Established in 2010, the firm specializes in early-stage investments in financial services and technology-related companies across the United States. Core Innovation Capital focuses on businesses that aim to empower small enterprises and everyday Americans by providing efficient and well-designed solutions that save time and money. Their portfolio companies are designed to enhance consumer value while promoting upward mobility and profitability. As a Registered Investment Adviser, the firm is committed to fostering innovation in the fintech sector.

Chris Bishko

General Partner

Susan Ehrlich

Partner

Arjan Schutte

Managing Partner and Founder

Kathleen Utecht

Managing Partner

Zev Wexler

COO / CFO

Past deals in Personal Finance

Petal

Venture Round in 2023
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.

Finli

Seed Round in 2022
Finli, Inc. is a technology company that offers a digital platform designed to streamline payment processes for family-oriented businesses. Founded in 2018 and based in San Marino, California, Finli provides business management software that facilitates invoicing, tuition collection, enrollment, and payment communications. The platform is tailored to serve daycare centers, preschools, afterschool programs, and local businesses, enabling them to efficiently manage their administrative tasks, including billing, payment collection, and customer management. This comprehensive solution allows families to oversee their financial responsibilities and invite contributions towards educational expenses, thereby fostering community engagement and support.

Column Tax

Series A in 2022
Developer of an application programming interface designed for mobile banks and fintech companies. The company's platform enables fintech companies to offer top-tier tax features to their end-users via an API where users can deposit their refunds or make tax payments directly from the product's accounts, enabling clients to give their users personalized and secure income tax experiences.

Atomic

Series B in 2022
Atomic FI, Inc. provides an infrastructure for connecting to payroll accounts. It offers Atomic, a technology that allows users to connect their payroll account using their payroll credentials. The company’s products also include Deposit, a solution to update the destination bank account of paychecks; Identify, a solution to reduce fraud and onboarding friction with verified profile data from a user’s employer; Verify, a solution to verify a user’s income and employment status; and Balance, a solution to move a user’s credit card/loan balance to a new account. It serves banking and lending industries. Atomic FI, Inc. was incorporated in 2019 and is based in Sandy, Utah.

Addition Wealth

Seed Round in 2022
Addition Wealth is a financial wellness platform that aims to empower employees to make informed financial decisions. By leveraging technology, Addition Wealth offers a range of digital tools, online events, expert content, and direct access to financial professionals. The platform is designed to provide personalized financial guidance that is both inclusive and accessible to all employees. By partnering with innovative employers, Addition Wealth enhances the financial well-being of their workforce, enabling them to navigate their financial journeys more effectively. The services include financial education, customized tools, community events, guides, and dashboards, all aimed at fostering informed financial decision-making.

ATM.com

Series A in 2021
ATM.com operates as an embedded finance platform that focuses on making micro-investing accessible to a broader audience. The platform facilitates the opening of investment accounts through its unique functionality, which includes features like Robo-Bumpers™ provided by Ant Money Advisors, LLC. By participating in rewards programs, users can generate micro-income that aids in saving and investing in the stock market. This approach empowers individuals to build their investments incrementally, promoting financial growth and literacy in a user-friendly manner.

Column Tax

Seed Round in 2021
Developer of an application programming interface designed for mobile banks and fintech companies. The company's platform enables fintech companies to offer top-tier tax features to their end-users via an API where users can deposit their refunds or make tax payments directly from the product's accounts, enabling clients to give their users personalized and secure income tax experiences.

Atomic

Series A in 2021
Atomic FI, Inc. provides an infrastructure for connecting to payroll accounts. It offers Atomic, a technology that allows users to connect their payroll account using their payroll credentials. The company’s products also include Deposit, a solution to update the destination bank account of paychecks; Identify, a solution to reduce fraud and onboarding friction with verified profile data from a user’s employer; Verify, a solution to verify a user’s income and employment status; and Balance, a solution to move a user’s credit card/loan balance to a new account. It serves banking and lending industries. Atomic FI, Inc. was incorporated in 2019 and is based in Sandy, Utah.

One

Series B in 2021
One develops an app that boosts the power of peoples paycheck so they have more spending power in their pockets. One helps users optimize their earnings and reach their financial goals faster, seamlessly share money with family and friends, and watch their money grow faster. One seamlessly bridge financial gaps. It was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Kikoff

Series B in 2021
Kikoff Inc. operates a personal finance platform aimed at helping individuals build their credit scores for free. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Kikoff provides tools that allow users to demonstrate their creditworthiness without requiring a bank account or existing credit score. The platform enables customers to obtain loans and establish a payment history by paying back funds each month, facilitating a straightforward pathway to improve their credit profiles. With backing from various Silicon Valley investors, Kikoff is dedicated to making credit building more accessible and broadening financial opportunities for a diverse range of individuals.

Spinwheel

Series A in 2021
Spinwheel is a fintech platform focused on assisting Americans in managing and repaying their student debt more effectively. The company offers a financial software solution that integrates with popular loyalty, payment, and banking applications, allowing users to easily connect and manage their student loans. Its features include the ability to make loan payments, compare interest rates, link accounts, and simplify the overall loan payment process. By enabling users to pay down their debt with each purchase, Spinwheel aims to provide a practical and efficient way for students to achieve their financial goals and reduce their debt burden.

SeedFi

Series A in 2021
SeedFi is building a new generation of financial products for the 100MM Americans living paycheck to paycheck. Their customers include the most vulnerable members of society and their products have a tangible impact on their financial health, providing lower-cost access to capital and the opportunity to build credit and start saving. They were founded in early 2019 by a team of fintech (and tech!) veterans. Having spent the past 10+ years lending to lower-income consumers who need better options, they’re highly attuned to the challenges people face getting access to financial services that leave them in a better place. They aim to change that. SeedFi has offices in San Francisco and New York.

Yotta

Series A in 2021
Yotta Technologies Inc., founded in 2019 and based in New York, operates a savings platform designed to help users manage their finances while encouraging saving through a unique prize system. The platform pools interest from users' savings and offers the opportunity to win prizes, including amounts up to $10 million, through weekly draws. By incorporating a lottery-like feature, Yotta aims to motivate individuals to save more effectively, thereby enhancing their financial security. The company has positioned itself as an innovative player in the financial technology space, focusing on both savings and user engagement.

Jiko

Series A in 2020
Jiko Technologies, Inc., based in Oakland, California, is a fintech company that provides a unique debit card experience through its Jiko Solid product, which features no name or card number to enhance privacy and security. The company offers cash back on every transaction and provides single-use virtual cards, with no minimum balance requirements, making it an accessible option for consumers. Jiko's platform automatically invests users' funds in liquid US government-backed securities, such as treasury bills, while also serving as a financial portal for digital transactions. Founded in 2016, Jiko enables users to effectively manage their money by keeping track of their expenses and investments in a streamlined manner.

Finli

Seed Round in 2020
Finli, Inc. is a technology company that offers a digital platform designed to streamline payment processes for family-oriented businesses. Founded in 2018 and based in San Marino, California, Finli provides business management software that facilitates invoicing, tuition collection, enrollment, and payment communications. The platform is tailored to serve daycare centers, preschools, afterschool programs, and local businesses, enabling them to efficiently manage their administrative tasks, including billing, payment collection, and customer management. This comprehensive solution allows families to oversee their financial responsibilities and invite contributions towards educational expenses, thereby fostering community engagement and support.

Pando

Series A in 2020
Pando has created a new financial tool for people in high volatility careers. We connect individuals with similar expected earnings and provide tools for them to pool a fraction of their future income — delivering both risk mitigation and the ability to capture upside potential. Our client focus includes professional athletes, entrepreneurs, and MBA’s.

One

Series A in 2020
One develops an app that boosts the power of peoples paycheck so they have more spending power in their pockets. One helps users optimize their earnings and reach their financial goals faster, seamlessly share money with family and friends, and watch their money grow faster. One seamlessly bridge financial gaps. It was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Kikoff

Venture Round in 2020
Kikoff Inc. operates a personal finance platform aimed at helping individuals build their credit scores for free. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Kikoff provides tools that allow users to demonstrate their creditworthiness without requiring a bank account or existing credit score. The platform enables customers to obtain loans and establish a payment history by paying back funds each month, facilitating a straightforward pathway to improve their credit profiles. With backing from various Silicon Valley investors, Kikoff is dedicated to making credit building more accessible and broadening financial opportunities for a diverse range of individuals.

Kikoff

Seed Round in 2019
Kikoff Inc. operates a personal finance platform aimed at helping individuals build their credit scores for free. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Kikoff provides tools that allow users to demonstrate their creditworthiness without requiring a bank account or existing credit score. The platform enables customers to obtain loans and establish a payment history by paying back funds each month, facilitating a straightforward pathway to improve their credit profiles. With backing from various Silicon Valley investors, Kikoff is dedicated to making credit building more accessible and broadening financial opportunities for a diverse range of individuals.

Atomic

Seed Round in 2019
Atomic FI, Inc. provides an infrastructure for connecting to payroll accounts. It offers Atomic, a technology that allows users to connect their payroll account using their payroll credentials. The company’s products also include Deposit, a solution to update the destination bank account of paychecks; Identify, a solution to reduce fraud and onboarding friction with verified profile data from a user’s employer; Verify, a solution to verify a user’s income and employment status; and Balance, a solution to move a user’s credit card/loan balance to a new account. It serves banking and lending industries. Atomic FI, Inc. was incorporated in 2019 and is based in Sandy, Utah.

Synapse

Series B in 2019
SynapseFI is a banking platform that enables companies to provide financial products to their customers for a fraction of the cost of traditional banks. The company provides payment, deposit, lending. and investment products as APIs to FinTech companies who build and launch their financial innovations on top of their banking infrastructure. They help fintech companies work together to develop the technology. Founded in 2014, SynapseFI is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

PayJoy

Series B in 2019
PayJoy Inc. offers consumer financing solutions designed to make smartphones accessible to underbanked individuals in emerging markets. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, the company allows customers to select a smartphone, make a deposit, and choose a suitable payment plan. Merchants can install PayJoy's software on the devices, which are locked until the purchase is fully paid. By leveraging innovative locking technology and data science, PayJoy aims to provide affordable consumer finance options to individuals who may not have access to traditional financing, thereby facilitating their entry into the digital and financial landscape.

SeedFi

Seed Round in 2019
SeedFi is building a new generation of financial products for the 100MM Americans living paycheck to paycheck. Their customers include the most vulnerable members of society and their products have a tangible impact on their financial health, providing lower-cost access to capital and the opportunity to build credit and start saving. They were founded in early 2019 by a team of fintech (and tech!) veterans. Having spent the past 10+ years lending to lower-income consumers who need better options, they’re highly attuned to the challenges people face getting access to financial services that leave them in a better place. They aim to change that. SeedFi has offices in San Francisco and New York.

Vemo Education

Series A in 2019
Vemo Education, Inc. is an educational technology company based in Reston, Virginia, dedicated to enhancing educational access for all Americans. The company specializes in income-based student financing solutions, particularly through the design and implementation of income share agreement (ISA) programs. Vemo partners with colleges and universities to create tailored financing options that address financial barriers to education and promote economic mobility. Their services encompass product design, fund creation, loan origination, disbursement, servicing, and compliance with legal regulations. Through these efforts, Vemo aims to improve educational opportunities and support the financial well-being of students.

Loansnap

Series A in 2019
LoanSnap, Inc. is a mortgage company that utilizes an artificial intelligence-based platform to analyze customers' financial situations and provide personalized loan options. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, LoanSnap offers a range of products, including home equity lines of credit, refinancing solutions to lower monthly payments, and VA loans for veterans, which require no down payment and no private mortgage insurance. The company aims to help individuals understand their finances better and identify potential savings. LoanSnap serves residents in several states, including California, Florida, Illinois, Colorado, and Tennessee, and operates as a subsidiary of LoanSnap Holdings, Inc.

Synapse

Series A in 2018
SynapseFI is a banking platform that enables companies to provide financial products to their customers for a fraction of the cost of traditional banks. The company provides payment, deposit, lending. and investment products as APIs to FinTech companies who build and launch their financial innovations on top of their banking infrastructure. They help fintech companies work together to develop the technology. Founded in 2014, SynapseFI is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Loansnap

Series A in 2018
LoanSnap, Inc. is a mortgage company that utilizes an artificial intelligence-based platform to analyze customers' financial situations and provide personalized loan options. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, LoanSnap offers a range of products, including home equity lines of credit, refinancing solutions to lower monthly payments, and VA loans for veterans, which require no down payment and no private mortgage insurance. The company aims to help individuals understand their finances better and identify potential savings. LoanSnap serves residents in several states, including California, Florida, Illinois, Colorado, and Tennessee, and operates as a subsidiary of LoanSnap Holdings, Inc.

Blueprint Income

Seed Round in 2018
Blueprint Income, Inc. operates a digital platform that connects pension planners with insurance companies, providing a marketplace for retirement income products such as annuities. Founded in 2014 and based in New York, the company aims to simplify the retirement planning process, allowing users to compare and purchase various annuity options tailored to their personal circumstances. By offering easy access to fixed, income, and index annuities, Blueprint Income empowers individuals, regardless of their employer, age, or wealth, to secure guaranteed, lifelong income for retirement. The platform not only facilitates the selection and purchase of these financial products but also enhances consumer understanding of annuities, enabling users to make informed decisions about their financial futures.

Jiko

Seed Round in 2017
Jiko Technologies, Inc., based in Oakland, California, is a fintech company that provides a unique debit card experience through its Jiko Solid product, which features no name or card number to enhance privacy and security. The company offers cash back on every transaction and provides single-use virtual cards, with no minimum balance requirements, making it an accessible option for consumers. Jiko's platform automatically invests users' funds in liquid US government-backed securities, such as treasury bills, while also serving as a financial portal for digital transactions. Founded in 2016, Jiko enables users to effectively manage their money by keeping track of their expenses and investments in a streamlined manner.

Trim

Seed Round in 2016
Trim is a personal finance assistant that aims to enhance the financial health of Americans through its automated services. The application analyzes users' spending habits, negotiates bills for services such as cable and internet, cancels unwanted subscriptions, and provides spending insights and recommendations. By leveraging these features, Trim has successfully saved its users over $60 million. The company is supported by a team with extensive experience from renowned organizations and backed by notable venture investors. As Trim continues to expand its offerings, it remains focused on helping individuals manage their finances more effectively and achieve greater financial stability.

PayJoy

Series A in 2016
PayJoy Inc. offers consumer financing solutions designed to make smartphones accessible to underbanked individuals in emerging markets. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, the company allows customers to select a smartphone, make a deposit, and choose a suitable payment plan. Merchants can install PayJoy's software on the devices, which are locked until the purchase is fully paid. By leveraging innovative locking technology and data science, PayJoy aims to provide affordable consumer finance options to individuals who may not have access to traditional financing, thereby facilitating their entry into the digital and financial landscape.

Honest Dollar

Seed Round in 2015
Honest Dollar, Inc. is an online platform focused on providing transparency and information related to finances and retirement planning. Founded in 2014 and based in Austin, Texas, the company aims to simplify the process of saving for retirement. As a subsidiary of Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management, Honest Dollar leverages the expertise of its parent company to enhance its offerings and support investors in their financial journeys.

Fundera

Series B in 2015
Fundera, Inc. is an online marketplace that assists small business owners in comparing a wide range of loan options. Founded in 2013 and based in New York, Fundera offers a variety of financial products, including SBA loans, term loans, equipment financing, business lines of credit, invoice financing, short-term loans, merchant cash advances, small business startup loans, and personal loans for business. The platform provides expert insights and customized choices, enabling business owners to evaluate the best financial solutions based on their specific needs and eligibility. By leveraging proprietary technology and financial expertise, Fundera aims to empower small business owners to make informed financial decisions. As of October 2020, Fundera operates as a subsidiary of NerdWallet, Inc.

Vouch Financial

Series A in 2015
Vouch Financial is a San Francisco-based company that specializes in friend-powered finance, aiming to improve the lending experience for borrowers. Established in 2016, Vouch offers personal loans that often feature better terms compared to traditional lending institutions and marketplaces. The unique aspect of Vouch's model is its reliance on social lending, where the borrowing process involves the user's friends and relatives. This approach allows loans to be secured based on the credibility of the borrower, as determined by the endorsements or sponsorships received from their social circle. By leveraging personal networks, Vouch seeks to provide more favorable lending options to consumers.

NerdWallet

Series A in 2015
NerdWallet, Inc. is a personal finance platform that offers consumers online tools and resources to assist them in making informed financial decisions. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in San Francisco, the company provides personalized and unbiased advice across various financial topics, including credit cards, banking, mortgages, insurance, loans, investing, and more. Users can access expert content and tools for free, enabling them to navigate their financial choices with confidence and ultimately save time and money. With a team of over 300 employees, known as "Nerds," NerdWallet aims to empower consumers to manage their finances effectively. The company has received significant investment from multiple venture capital firms and has been recognized for its workplace culture through various accolades.

Oportun

Series E in 2011
Oportun, Inc. is a financial services company based in San Carlos, California, founded in 2005. The firm specializes in providing personal loans, auto loans, and credit cards, primarily targeting low-to-moderate-income individuals who often lack a credit history. Oportun aims to empower its customers by offering affordable financing solutions that help them establish creditworthiness and improve their financial situations. The company operates through both online platforms and over 340 retail locations, ensuring accessibility for its clients. By focusing on inclusivity and affordability, Oportun supports individuals in building a better financial future.
Spot something off? Help us improve by flagging any incorrect or outdated information. Just email us at support@teaserclub.com. Your feedback is most welcome.