Ulu Ventures

Ulu Ventures is a venture capital firm founded in 2008 and based in Palo Alto, California. Specializing in seed-stage and early-stage investments, the firm focuses on technology-enabled services, particularly in sectors such as educational technology, legal informatics, and various internet industries. Ulu Ventures targets investments in internet-enabled consumer and business services, digital media, mobile applications, and financial technology, among others. The firm often collaborates with other investors to make cumulative investments ranging from $500,000 to $1 million. It aims to invest primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area and seeks opportunities with viable exit strategies in subsequent funding stages. Ulu Ventures is notable for being the first Latina-led venture fund in Silicon Valley and is committed to reducing investment risk through a structured decision-making process.

Kathy Chen

Partner

Kevin Hoffberg

Venture Partner

Clint Korver

Co-Founder and Managing Director

Stephen Malinak Ph.D

Venture Partner

Maria Salamanca

Partner

Nancy Torres

Partner

Past deals in Personal Finance

Ugami

Seed Round in 2022
Ugami is a developer of a financial mobile application that offers financial rewards services tailored for gamers. The platform allows users to earn points through gameplay, which can be redeemed for various rewards such as gaming merchandise, digital goods, and exclusive access to esports events. Additionally, Ugami facilitates virtual card purchases via debit and credit cards, enabling users to accumulate points while managing their finances effectively. By integrating gaming with personal finance education, Ugami aims to enhance the gaming experience while promoting financial literacy among its users.

Onuu

Seed Round in 2022
Onuu ensures financial stability. Founded in 2021 and is based in Austin, Texas.

NewRetirement

Seed Round in 2021
NewRetirement provides a retirement planning and management platform both direct to consumer and to the enterprise via white label or API. NewRetirement helps people manage retirement income, healthcare, lower taxes, and manage fees through content, software, coaching, classes and advisors. The platform helps users optimize across Social Security, Medicare, Taxes, Home Equity, Income, Asset drawdown, Relocation, Work, and Estate Planning. Users can also access fee-only advice on-demand for collaborative planning to help them make and act on better decisions about their future.

Landed

Series B in 2021
Landed helps essential professionals (including those working in education and healthcare) buy homes and build financial security near the communities they serve through financial solutions, a network of trusted agents and lenders, and homebuying education and support.

Figure

Series D in 2021
Figure Technologies, Inc. is a financial technology company based in San Francisco, California, established in 2018. It specializes in consumer financial solutions that include home equity lines of credit, home improvement loans, home buy-lease back offerings, mortgage refinancing, and student loan refinancing. Using its proprietary blockchain platform, Provenance, Figure aims to streamline the borrowing process, allowing customers to access capital in as few as five days. The company's services are designed to assist individuals with home improvement, debt consolidation, and retirement planning, leveraging advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and analytics to enhance operational efficiency and customer experience.

Backer

Venture Round in 2021
Backer is a prominent fintech company specializing in 529 college savings plans, aimed at simplifying the process of saving for education. The company offers an investment platform that enables families to create college savings plans efficiently. Its user-friendly interface allows family and friends to contribute easily, promoting a collaborative approach to education savings. Backer's innovative mobile app enhances the experience further, facilitating tax-free investment opportunities for parents and families. The company has established crucial technology partnerships with various 529 programs, which contribute to its high enrollment conversion rates and distinguish it in the market.

Plentina

Seed Round in 2021
Plentina builds an alternative credit score and application that provides store credit financing to buy essentials like food and medicine in emerging markets using machine learning algortithms. The company was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in

Oyster

Seed Round in 2020
Oyster Financial, Inc. is a financial technology company that provides an online platform tailored for freelancers, startups, and small to medium enterprises. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in San Francisco, with additional offices in Mexico City and Kathmandu, the company aims to simplify financial management for business owners. Oyster's platform allows users to track income and expenses by project or client, manage budgets, and access real-time transaction updates. It offers a Mastercard debit card, enabling users to conduct online payments and bill payments for numerous service providers. Additionally, the platform facilitates fund transfers without fees and provides tools for invoicing and financial decision-making. By streamlining these processes, Oyster empowers entrepreneurs to focus on growing their businesses.

Pando

Series A in 2020
Pando has developed a financial platform aimed at individuals in high-volatility careers, such as professional athletes, entrepreneurs, and MBA graduates. The platform enables users to connect with others who have similar expected earnings, allowing them to pool a fraction of their future income. This innovative approach not only helps mitigate financial risks associated with unpredictable income but also allows participants to benefit from potential upside. By providing these tools, Pando empowers its clients to better manage their financial futures and protect their earnings.

Snowball Wealth

Seed Round in 2019
Snowball Wealth, Inc. is a financial management platform based in San Mateo, California, that provides tailored guidance for managing student loans and other financial challenges. Established in 2018, the company focuses on helping individuals navigate debt, retirement, and investments through personalized analysis and recommendations. Its mobile app features a community-driven approach that encourages open discussions about debt and financial planning while also offering AI-driven tools to create customized plans for users. By addressing the complexities of student debt and providing insights on refinancing options, Snowball Wealth aims to empower individuals to effectively manage their finances, build generational wealth, and achieve their financial goals.

Wisetack

Series A in 2019
Wisetack, Inc. is a technology company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in real-time consumer lending at the point of sale. Founded in 2018, Wisetack offers a platform that allows in-person businesses to provide financing options to customers, enhancing sales opportunities. The platform integrates seamlessly into existing software systems through a suite of APIs, enabling businesses to embed financing solutions directly into their operations. Wisetack facilitates a straightforward sign-up process and checks consumer eligibility before offering installment payment options, thereby simplifying the payment experience for both businesses and their customers.

Landed

Series A in 2019
Landed helps essential professionals (including those working in education and healthcare) buy homes and build financial security near the communities they serve through financial solutions, a network of trusted agents and lenders, and homebuying education and support.

Ellevest

Series A in 2019
Ellevest provides an engaging investing experience to help women meet their financial goals in life. Ellevest offers a modern, engaging user experience. The same care, thoughtfulness, and attention to detail that is reflected in its beautiful, easy-to-use interface are applied to the construction of its portfolios, its selection of investments, and the development of the algorithms that drive its forecasts and recommendations.

Figure

Series B in 2019
Figure Technologies, Inc. is a financial technology company based in San Francisco, California, established in 2018. It specializes in consumer financial solutions that include home equity lines of credit, home improvement loans, home buy-lease back offerings, mortgage refinancing, and student loan refinancing. Using its proprietary blockchain platform, Provenance, Figure aims to streamline the borrowing process, allowing customers to access capital in as few as five days. The company's services are designed to assist individuals with home improvement, debt consolidation, and retirement planning, leveraging advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and analytics to enhance operational efficiency and customer experience.

Wisetack

Seed Round in 2019
Wisetack, Inc. is a technology company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in real-time consumer lending at the point of sale. Founded in 2018, Wisetack offers a platform that allows in-person businesses to provide financing options to customers, enhancing sales opportunities. The platform integrates seamlessly into existing software systems through a suite of APIs, enabling businesses to embed financing solutions directly into their operations. Wisetack facilitates a straightforward sign-up process and checks consumer eligibility before offering installment payment options, thereby simplifying the payment experience for both businesses and their customers.

Landed

Seed Round in 2018
Landed helps essential professionals (including those working in education and healthcare) buy homes and build financial security near the communities they serve through financial solutions, a network of trusted agents and lenders, and homebuying education and support.

Figure

Series A in 2018
Figure Technologies, Inc. is a financial technology company based in San Francisco, California, established in 2018. It specializes in consumer financial solutions that include home equity lines of credit, home improvement loans, home buy-lease back offerings, mortgage refinancing, and student loan refinancing. Using its proprietary blockchain platform, Provenance, Figure aims to streamline the borrowing process, allowing customers to access capital in as few as five days. The company's services are designed to assist individuals with home improvement, debt consolidation, and retirement planning, leveraging advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and analytics to enhance operational efficiency and customer experience.

Pando

Seed Round in 2017
Pando has developed a financial platform aimed at individuals in high-volatility careers, such as professional athletes, entrepreneurs, and MBA graduates. The platform enables users to connect with others who have similar expected earnings, allowing them to pool a fraction of their future income. This innovative approach not only helps mitigate financial risks associated with unpredictable income but also allows participants to benefit from potential upside. By providing these tools, Pando empowers its clients to better manage their financial futures and protect their earnings.

EarnUp

Series A in 2017
EarnUp Inc. is a fintech company based in San Francisco, California, that focuses on automating loan payments for consumers. Established in 2013, EarnUp's platform is designed to assist over 200 million Americans managing various types of debt, including home mortgages, student loans, auto loans, and personal loans. The platform allows users to set aside small amounts of money when they can afford it, which are then allocated for loan payments, helping users pay off their debts more efficiently. By syncing micro-payments with individual income and automating savings in real-time, EarnUp aims to alleviate the stress of financial management and empower users to take control of their financial situations.

Ellevest

Series A in 2017
Ellevest provides an engaging investing experience to help women meet their financial goals in life. Ellevest offers a modern, engaging user experience. The same care, thoughtfulness, and attention to detail that is reflected in its beautiful, easy-to-use interface are applied to the construction of its portfolios, its selection of investments, and the development of the algorithms that drive its forecasts and recommendations.

Landed

Seed Round in 2017
Landed helps essential professionals (including those working in education and healthcare) buy homes and build financial security near the communities they serve through financial solutions, a network of trusted agents and lenders, and homebuying education and support.

Landed

Seed Round in 2016
Landed helps essential professionals (including those working in education and healthcare) buy homes and build financial security near the communities they serve through financial solutions, a network of trusted agents and lenders, and homebuying education and support.

Zebit

Series A in 2016
Zebit, Inc. is an e-commerce company based in San Diego, California, that focuses on providing credit-challenged consumers with access to a wide range of products through its website, Zebit.com. Founded in 2001, Zebit aims to create positive changes in the lives of its customers by offering a proprietary financing solution that allows them to pay for their purchases in installments over six months. The company utilizes consumer income data and advanced risk analytics to facilitate shopping for name-brand products within a closed marketplace. Zebit's offerings include various categories of products, such as electronics and e-certificates, enabling customers to make essential purchases while managing their budgets effectively.

Ellevest

Series B in 2016
Ellevest provides an engaging investing experience to help women meet their financial goals in life. Ellevest offers a modern, engaging user experience. The same care, thoughtfulness, and attention to detail that is reflected in its beautiful, easy-to-use interface are applied to the construction of its portfolios, its selection of investments, and the development of the algorithms that drive its forecasts and recommendations.

Juntos

Seed Round in 2013
Juntos Finanzas, Inc. was founded in 2010 out of the Stanford d.school with a mission to build digital mobile tools that create financial stability for low-income consumers. Our products empower individuals to take control of their financial lives and achieve their dreams. Today, we serve low-income consumers in emerging markets who are entering financial institutions for the first time: banking, insurance, loans, etc. By partnering with banks, we distribute our products to this new market, increasing account activity, boosting deposits, and creating the foundation of financial security.

SoFi

Series A in 2011
SoFi is a financial services company founded in 2011 and headquartered in San Francisco, California. It offers a diverse range of products targeting early-stage professionals, including personal loans, MBA loans, and mortgage refinancing. In addition to lending, SoFi provides wealth management services that assist individuals in saving, spending, and investing their money. The company also offers financial solutions for retirement planning and student loan repayment management. Its comprehensive suite of services includes credit cards, checking and savings accounts, and small business financing, positioning SoFi as a versatile player in the financial sector.

ProFounder

Convertible Note in 2011
ProFounder is a crowdfunding platform that enables entrepreneurs to raise investment capital from friends, family, and community members.

Trefis

Angel Round in 2008
Trefis is a stock analysis service that breaks down a stock price by the contribution of a company's major products and businesses. The model allows users to change underlying assumptions by simply dragging lines on charts forecasting the future price of the products, their future expected market share, etc. Every time you change an assumption, the price target changes accordingly.
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