Ascendus
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Ascendus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ascendus
- Legal name
- Ascendus
- Website
- https://ascendus.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ascendus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Development Lending
- NAICS
- Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Sales Financing (52222)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Financial Inclusion & Consumer Empowerment (Banking Access, Credit Building) (BPAGALAJ)
Keywords
Where Ascendus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Ascendus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Loan Interest and Fees: Ascendus generates revenue through interest charged on small business loans and origination fees. Loan products include term loans up to $100,000, lines of credit up to $50,000, and specialized programs for childcare businesses, veterans, and other underserved segments. The organization serves entrepreneurs who cannot qualify for traditional bank financing.
- Foundation and Government Grants: Ascendus receives grant funding from foundations (Wells Fargo Foundation, Truist Foundation) and government programs (Florida State Small Business Credit Initiative, Connecticut Department of Economic & Community Development) to support loan programs and operational capacity.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | Term loans up to $100,000 for small business growth |
| Usage-based | Monthly | Business line of credit up to $50,000 |
| Subscription | Monthly | Get Ready Program - Credit building loans |
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | Childcare loans up to $25,000 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | Small Business Catalyst Fund |
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | Florida State Small Business Credit Initiative |
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | Charlotte Growth Fund - Loans up to $50,000 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | Connecticut Small Business Boost Fund |
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | Veteran and Military Spouse Entrepreneur Loans |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Ascendus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ascendus is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that provides small business loans (term loans up to $100,000, lines of credit up to $50,000, credit-builder loans, childcare loans, and specialized state/segment loan funds) paired with personalized financial coaching and technical assistance to low- to moderate-income (LMI) and underserved entrepreneurs who cannot qualify for traditional bank financing. All products are delivered with multilingual support (English, Spanish, Portuguese) and accessed through the Ascendus Loan Quest digital lending platform.
Product overview
Ascendus is a national Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that offers a unified lending platform providing capital access and financial education to low- to moderate-income (LMI) small business owners. The product portfolio centers on small business term loans and credit products including the core Term Business Loan (up to $100,000), Business Line of Credit (up to $50,000), and the Get Ready Program (credit-building product starting at $500). The offering extends through state-specific and specialized programs including the Small Business Catalyst Fund (partnered with Fifth Third Bank and Community Reinvestment Fund, USA), Florida State Small Business Credit Initiative, Charlotte Growth Fund, Connecticut Small Business Boost Fund, and Childcare Business Loans. Recent expansions include the BRIDGE Broward program and Veteran Loan Fund partnership. All products are complemented by financial coaching and technical assistance to support entrepreneur success.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ascendus Loan Quest: A digital lending platform developed with Finexus for loan applications and management.
- Ascendus Marketplace
- Get Ready Program
Products and services
- Term Business Loan
- Business Line of Credit
- Get Ready Program
- Childcare Business Loans
- Small Business Catalyst Fund
- Florida State Small Business Credit Initiative (FL SSBCI)
- Charlotte Growth Fund
- Connecticut Small Business Boost Fund
- Veteran and Military Spouse Entrepreneur Loans
- Ascendus Loan Quest (Digital Lending Platform)
- Ascendus Marketplace
- BRIDGE Broward
Quantifiable outcome
- 20+ years of operational track record with $63 million+ deployed in small business loans in Florida
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Ascendus
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ascendus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Ascendus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Veteran Loan FundcoreAscendus joined the Veteran Loan Fund coalition to expand access to capital and coaching for Veteran and Military Spouse entrepreneurs. Through this partnership, eligible entrepreneurs can access up to $350,000 in loan capital, grants of $3,000 to $5,000, and a free 8-week Accelerator program. The initiative aims to deploy $15 million in loans, $1.5 million in grants, and support 300 participants with goal of creating 1,500 jobs within 12 months.
- TD BankmajorTD Bank refers small business customers to Ascendus for financing solutions. The partnership provides TD Bank customers access to Ascendus's specialized lending programs for underserved entrepreneurs.
- Eastern BankmajorEastern Bank refers small business customers to Ascendus and has facilitated introductions for entrepreneurs seeking capital, including John Schall of El Jefe's Taqueria.
- NALCABmajorNational Association for Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB) partnership for national community development initiatives serving Latino entrepreneurs and communities.
- SBA (U.S. Small Business Administration)majorPartnership with SBA as an approved lender and partner in supporting small business growth through various SBA programs and initiatives.
- SBDC (Small Business Development Centers)majorPartnership with SBDC centers in Florida, Brooklyn, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and nationally to provide referrals and coordinated support for small business clients.
- Credit Builders AlliancemajorMembership and partnership in Credit Builders Alliance network of CDFIs and lenders focused on helping low-income individuals build credit and achieve financial stability.
- Ponce BankminorRegional partnership for New York market with Ponce Bank for small business lending referrals and coordination.
- Eastern BankminorRegional partnership for New England market with Eastern Bank for small business lending referrals.
- Rising Tide CapitalminorPartnership with Rising Tide Capital for small business development support and referrals in New Jersey.
- Accompany CapitalminorPartnership with Accompany Capital for small business development support and referrals.
- Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development CorporationminorRegional partnership for Massachusetts with Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation for small business referrals.
- The Cooperative BankminorRegional partnership for Boston market with The Cooperative Bank for small business lending referrals.
- New York State CDFI CoalitionminorMembership in the New York State CDFI Coalition for collaboration on community development initiatives.
- M&T BankminorRegional partnership with M&T Bank for small business lending referrals.
- HarborOne BankminorRegional partnership with HarborOne Bank for small business lending referrals.
- Pursuit LendingminorPartnership with Pursuit Lending for small business lending referrals and coordination.
- ProsperaminorPartnership with Prospera for supporting Hispanic small business development.
- MACDC (Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations)minorPartnership with MACDC for community development initiatives in Massachusetts.
- EparaTodosminorPartnership with EparaTodos for supporting Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs and small business development.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ascendus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- LiftFund: LiftFund is a nonprofit CDFI providing small business loans, capital, and business support services to underserved entrepreneurs across the southern U.S. It is directly comparable in mission, target borrower, and product set to Ascendus.
- Grameen America: Grameen America is a nonprofit microfinance organization providing small loans and financial services to low-income women entrepreneurs in the U.S. It is directly comparable to Ascendus as a nonprofit mission-driven microlender serving underbanked entrepreneurs with bundled financial education.
- Justine PETERSEN: Justine PETERSEN is a Missouri-based nonprofit CDFI offering small business loans, credit building, and technical assistance to underserved entrepreneurs. It is directly comparable in CDFI model, loan products, and target population.
- DreamSpring: DreamSpring is a nonprofit CDFI delivering small business capital, coaching, and community connections to underrepresented entrepreneurs. It is directly comparable to Ascendus in serving minority, women, and LMI business owners with mission-aligned capital.
- Accion U.S. Network: Accion is the global microfinance network from which Ascendus originally spun off (formerly Accion East). It operates a U.S. network of CDFIs providing small business loans and advisory services to underserved entrepreneurs, making it the closest direct peer.
- CDC Small Business Finance: CDC Small Business Finance is a California-based nonprofit CDFI providing SBA and small business loans with technical assistance to underserved business owners. It is a direct peer as a similarly scaled CDFI lender combining capital with advisory services.
Others
- Opportunity Finance Network: Opportunity Finance Network is the national membership association of CDFIs and the largest intermediary funder of the CDFI industry. It is an ecosystem peer that aggregates capital and provides support to CDFIs like Ascendus.
Regional players
- Pacific Community Ventures: Pacific Community Ventures is a West Coast-based nonprofit providing capital and business advisory to underserved small business owners. It is a regional peer operating a similar CDFI model with a different geographic focus than Ascendus.
- Carolina Small Business Development Fund: Carolina Small Business Development Fund is a North Carolina-based nonprofit CDFI serving small businesses with loans and technical assistance, particularly in the Charlotte region where Ascendus also operates the Charlotte Growth Fund. It is a regional peer with overlapping territory.
Emerging players
- Kiva U.S. Kiva is a nonprofit crowdfunding microlender offering 0% interest loans crowdfunded from individual lenders to underserved entrepreneurs in the U.S. and globally. It overlaps with Ascendus in mission and target borrower but uses a crowdsourced capital model rather than grant-funded loan capital.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ascendus social profiles
Digital presenceAscendus compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Ascendus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ascendus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Ascendus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ascendus M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ascendus
What does Ascendus do?
Ascendus is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that provides small business loans (term loans up to $100,000, lines of credit up to $50,000, credit-builder loans, childcare loans, and specialized state/segment loan funds) paired with personalized financial coaching and technical assistance to low- to moderate-income (LMI) and underserved entrepreneurs who cannot qualify for traditional bank financing. All products are delivered with multilingual support (English, Spanish, Portuguese) and accessed through the Ascendus Loan Quest digital lending platform.
Is Ascendus a public or private company?
Ascendus is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Ascendus founded?
Ascendus was founded in 1991. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ascendus based?
Ascendus is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ascendus make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Loan Interest and Fees are the primary driver. The others are foundation and Government Grants.
Who are Ascendus's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are LiftFund, Grameen America, Justine PETERSEN, DreamSpring, Accion U.S. Network and CDC Small Business Finance. Opportunity Finance Network is listed as an others. Regional players are Pacific Community Ventures and Carolina Small Business Development Fund. Kiva U.S. is listed as an emerging player.
Does Ascendus have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ascendus.
What industry is Ascendus in?
Ascendus's product category is Community Development Lending. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGALAJ, Financial Inclusion & Consumer Empowerment (Banking Access, Credit Building). Its NAICS code is 624190 and its SIC code is 8300.