Tala

Tala (operating at tala.co) is a digital financial services platform engineered for inclusive access to credit and savings, bridging the gap between unbanked and underserved populations globally. Founded in 2011 by Shivani Basant Siroya and Jennifer Chong, and headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Tala disrupts traditional lending barriers by leveraging AI-driven risk assessment to extend financial opportunities to low-income individuals. Under the hood, its proprietary technology analyzes alternative data—such as mobile phone usage patterns—to evaluate creditworthiness without relying on conventional credit scores. This allows millions of customers in Latin America, Asia, and East Africa to access small loans (up to $500) and savings tools within minutes, fostering economic mobility. Backed by $346 million in funding from leading investors including PayPal, Revolution Growth, and Stellar Development Foundation, Tala has deployed over $8 billion to 14 million customers, positioning itself as a critical enabler of financial inclusion.