Victory Park Capital (VPC), an asset management firm focused on middle-market debt and equity investments, announced that it will invest $100 million in Upstart loans over the next two years. Based in Palo Alto, Calif. Upstart is a lending platform that goes beyond the FICO score to finance people based on signals of their potential, including schools attended, area of study, academic performance, and work history.
“Based on Upstart’s successful launch, innovative management team, and our experience in the specialty finance industry, we believe Upstart is well positioned for success as the platform scales over time,” said Tom Welch of VPC. “We are excited to partner with the Upstart team and are confident they will succeed in a market that continues to be underserved by traditional providers of consumer credit."
Upstart is committed to providing fairly priced loans to quality borrowers who may not have the ability to secure a loan from a traditional lender. Since inception earlier this year, more than 500 Upstart loans, totaling more than $7.5 million have been originated. Upstart currently receives more than 1,000 loan applications daily and while historical data remains limited, Upstart has yet to experience a delinquent payment.
Dave Girouard, founder and CEO of Upstart, added, “We are excited to announce this partnership with a team as experienced in this sector as VPC. This lending facility will go toward serving the continued need for capital by our customers, as well as allow us to expand our product into new markets for individuals that lack the credit score needed to receive a loan from conventional sources.”
Victory Park Capital (VPC) is a privately held registered investment advisor dedicated to alternative investing through the management of private investment funds. As specialists in credit and private equity investments, VPC focuses on middle market companies across a diversified range of industries. Whether as a lender or a control investor, VPC seeks to identify opportunities where it believes the potential for reward outweighs the risks entailed. Founded in 2007, VPC is headquartered in Chicago with additional resources in Boston, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.