.png?width=2638&name=VC-Metlife%20(1).png "Village Capital - MetLife Foundation")
Village Capital announced an investment in EQL Finance from its Financial Health Innovation Fund (FHIF), an early-stage investment vehicle funded by MetLife Foundation. EQL Finance, launched in 2022 and based in Baltimore, Maryland, offers a digital financial toolkit for working-class families, using data and gamification to improve financial health, literacy, and credit.
Washington, DC (March 22, 2023) — Village Capital announced an investment in EQL Finance from its Financial Health Innovation Fund (FHIF), an early-stage investment vehicle funded by MetLife Foundation. EQL Finance, launched in 2022 and based in Baltimore, Maryland, offers a digital financial toolkit for working-class families, using data and gamification to improve financial health, literacy, and credit.
Economic turbulence hits financially vulnerable Americans the hardest - an issue intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting inflation and interest rate increases. According to the Center for Financial Services Innovation, 175 million Americans are financially coping or financially vulnerable. As a result, 30% of U.S. households are fighting to keep up with their bills, and 42% do not have enough savings to cover three months of basic living expenses. The widespread financial pain is felt most by underserved communities that disproportionately lack access to financial services. Without access to relevant tools and support, households may pay an exorbitantly high cost as they are more vulnerable to predatory lenders and misinformation.
EQL Finance aims to be a leading data source for the financial health of working-class Americans. Founded by first-generation founders, EQL Finance’s unique model creates pathways to financial health through a supportive ecosystem, access to credit, and high-quality financial products and services. EQL Finance offers a subscription service with features that drive better financial habits and expense insights and ultimately help users save more.
“EQL Finance offers a toolkit for Americans with low incomes to access benefits and credit, and build sustainable financial habits through insights from their own spending data,” said Heather Matranga, VP of Impact Investments at Village Capital. “We are thrilled about their unique approach, which turns user data into a financial asset for the consumer and drives financial resilience. We are excited to support them as they scale their impact.”
“We’re excited to be a part of the Village Capital ecosystem,” said Eddie de Guia, co-founder, and CEO of EQL Finance. “Their extensive expertise and inclusive community enable us to accelerate our mission of enhancing financial resilience for working families.”
The Financial Health Innovation Fund is a Village Capital managed fund that is part of the organization’s Impact Investment work which helps capital providers invest with impact through customized, hands-on investment support.
For more information, contact Kavon Badie at Village Capital (kavon.badie@vilcap.com).
About Village Capital
Village Capital is reinventing the system to back the entrepreneurs of the future. Known for its groundbreaking approaches to supporting founders who are building solutions to emergent social, economic, and environmental challenges, VilCap unlocks critical social and financial capital for early-stage companies to maximize business and impact growth.
Since 2009, Village Capital has supported over 1,400 startups that have raised over $5 billion in investment capital. It has made more than 150 investments through its various affiliated funds, including Vilcap Investments, which has invested in 110 peer-selected companies. Over 20,000 entrepreneurs have improved their investment readiness through its network of entrepreneur support organizations and its platform, Abaca. Learn more at www.vilcap.com and follow @villagecapital.
About MetLife Foundation
At MetLife Foundation, we are committed to driving inclusive economic mobility for underserved and underrepresented communities around the world. We collaborate with nonprofit organizations and provide grants aligned to three strategic focus areas – economic inclusion, financial health and resilient communities – while engaging MetLife employee volunteers to help drive impact. MetLife Foundation was established in 1976 to continue MetLife’s long tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. Since 1976, MetLife Foundation has contributed over $900 million to strengthen communities where MetLife has a presence. To learn more about MetLife Foundation, visit www.MetLife.org.
