Participated · Equity · Feb 2022

Teller is a San Francisco, CA–based DeFi protocol that enables unsecured digital asset lending and borrowing. Led by founder and CEO Ryan Berkun, the protocol uses an open order book model to allow participants to share commonly used off-chain data with on-chain loan requests. Marketplaces and lending platforms can integrate the Teller Protocol to fill loan requests, enabling lenders to choose loans based on appended borrower data. The design widens the pool of potential market participants in digital asset lending and aims to accelerate DeFi adoption. Teller’s model facilitates development of new cryptocurrency loan products tied to both off-chain and on-chain credit signals. Financially, the company announced a $6.85M strategic funding round led by Blockchain Capital with participation from several institutional and angel investors. Teller is a San Francisco–based blockchain project incubated by a16z’s crypto startup school that is building the first algorithmic credit-risk protocol for DeFi. Its core product, the Teller Protocol, will let developers create unsecured lending markets on Ethereum that interoperate with centralized data providers and credit bureaus to calculate consumer credit risk. Complementary components include Teller Cloud, a distributed cloud network of independent nodes that aggregate financial information, and tooling for developers to propose and deploy credit risk algorithms (CRAs). Teller described Autonomous Teller Markets (ATMs) to hold lent capital in smart contracts and t-tokens for liquidity providers to capture accrued interest. The company plans to bridge legacy credit scoring systems like Equifax into decentralized lending to lower collateral requirements and broaden mainstream access to crypto loans. Teller announced a $1 million seed raise to fund development as it targets disruption of traditional debt markets and growth in the DeFi lending space.

Led · Series E · Oct 2021

Tala builds vertically integrated financial infrastructure powered by a proprietary data warehouse to deliver accessible financial services. The company has delivered more than US$6 billion in credit to over 10 million customers across Latin America, Southeast Asia and East Africa. Led by CEO and Founder Shivani Siroya, Tala provides products that help customers start and expand small businesses, manage day-to-day needs, and pursue financial goals. The company raised a US$150M debt facility with Neuberger Berman and plans to use the funds to accelerate its reach, innovate further, and deepen impact in markets like Mexico and beyond. Tala has previously raised nearly half a billion dollars in equity and debt from investors including Upstart, IVP, Revolution Growth, Kindred Ventures, Lowercase Capital and PayPal Ventures. Tala offers mobile, collateral-free loans ranging from $10 to $500 and uses users’ phone data and activity to build credit scores. The company launched its Android app in 2014 and now serves customers in Kenya, the Philippines, Mexico and India. More than 6 million customers use Tala and it has disbursed over $2.7 billion in credit; roughly 12,000 new users sign up daily. Tala says it is transitioning from a credit product to a broader financial account offering — enabling customers to borrow, save, manage, protect and grow money. The PayPal-backed company plans to build mass-market crypto and blockchain-enabled products to support its capital markets strategy and connect investors and borrowers. With the new capital Tala will grow its team across its four markets and the U.S., and accelerate unspecified plans for further geographic expansion. Tala uses an Android app and machine learning to build credit profiles from users' texts, call logs, merchant transactions and app behavior, then issues instant, uncollateralized loans typically between $10 and $500. Its algorithms evaluate individual risk and Tala approves and disburses loans within minutes via mobile payment platforms. To date the company has lent over $1 billion to more than 4 million customers (up from $300 million to 1.3 million customers last year) and employs more than 550 people; it charges a one-time fee as low as 5% per loan. Tala forwards positive credit history to local credit bureaus and reports that more than 90% of users repay within 20–30 days, driving repeat usage. The startup will use new capital to enter India after a 12-month pilot, has set up a technology hub in Bangalore, and plans to expand teams and products in its existing markets. It is also eyeing additional countries in South Asia and Latin America. Tala provides financial services for underserved consumers using their mobile phones. The company is based in Santa Monica and is led by CEO Shivani Siroya. Tala disclosed it has received new funding from PayPal. The size of the new funding was not announced in the article. Tala previously raised funding from Revolution Growth, IVP, Data Collective, Lowercase Capital and Ribb. No financial metrics or product specifics beyond mobile-based financial services were provided in the article. Tala has built a smartphone app that provides instant credit scoring, lending, and personalized financial services in emerging markets using proprietary machine‑learning credit scoring that analyzes alternative data from customers' mobile devices. Its models process signals such as texts and calls, merchant transactions, app usage, and personal identifiers to extend credit to people with little or no formal financial history. Tala issues unsecured loans ranging from $10 to $500 USD and disburses funds to mobile wallets or other payment rails chosen by customers. The company launched Kenya’s first smartphone‑based lending app in 2014 and has since expanded to Tanzania, the Philippines, Mexico and plans to bring its consumer lending app to India. Through its platform Tala has delivered more than 6 million loans to nearly 1.3 million customers and has originated over $300 million globally. The company maintains offices in Santa Monica, Nairobi, Manila, Dar Es Salaam, Mexico City, Mumbai, and Bangalore.