Lendreams

What Lendreams does

Lendreams (operating under the legal name COFECC — Corporación para el Financiamiento Empresarial del Comercio y de las Comunidades) is a Puerto Rico-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution founded in 1982 and rebranded as Lendreams in 2022. The company operates from a single headquarters in San Juan (Avenida Chardón #171, Suite 407) and serves small and medium-sized businesses across Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with a particular focus on entrepreneurs and rural, veteran, and low-income women business owners who face barriers to conventional credit. Its core activity is direct lending through a portfolio of government-backed loan programs: SBA Microloans ($500–$50,000), SBA 504 loans ($125,000–$5,500,000) originated in partnership with private banks, USDA Rural Business Enterprise loans ($3,000+), a Veterans program with 50% origination-fee discounts, the Siemprexitosas program for low-income women, and the 80/20 Business Recovery Program (80% loan / 20% grant up to $15,000) funded by the U.S. Department of the Treasury as a COVID-19 recovery instrument.

The company's technology stack is minimal — a Wix-hosted marketing website (lendreams.com) and standard social media channels (Facebook, LinkedIn) — with no disclosed proprietary platform, mobile applications, or API integrations. Underwriting, servicing, and customer support are relationship-driven, executed by loan representatives working directly with applicants. Complementary to its lending products, Lendreams offers free lifetime technical assistance to microloan borrowers, the SBA Prime Program for established businesses, and the Academia Práctica Empresarial, a five-month, 140-hour entrepreneurship academy that functions as a feeder pipeline into microloan financing.

Lendreams generates revenue primarily through interest income on its loan portfolio and through grant funding from federal partners including the U.S. Departments of the Treasury, Agriculture, and Health & Human Services, plus the SBA. As a CDFI and SBA Certified Development Company with multiple stacked federal designations, its competitive position is anchored in regulatory access to subsidized capital rather than technology or scale. Over 34 years the organization reports $160 million in cumulative loan disbursements across 900 businesses and 4,000 jobs created, with go-to-market executed through direct sales, community referrals, and partnerships with Micro Mentor and the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM Caja de Herramientas).

Name

Lendreams

Legal name

Corporación para el Financiamiento Empresarial del Comercio y de las Comunidades (COFECC)

Website

https://lendreams.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lendreams is a Puerto Rico-based nonprofit CDFI (legal name COFECC) founded in 1982 that provides SBA microloans, SBA 504 loans, USDA rural loans, and related grant programs to small businesses, veterans, women entrepreneurs, and rural enterprises across Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Lending

NAICS

Nondepository Credit Intermediation (5222)

SIC

Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans (FSAKAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

SBA/USDA Government-Backed Loan Intermediation (FSAEAEAI), Microloans & Working Capital Loans (FSAKAGAA), Agricultural & Rural Microfinance (FSAKAGAG)

Keywords

• Community development lending
• Small business financing
• SBA microloan programs
• Rural business loans
• Entrepreneurship education

Headquarters

HQ city

San Juan Capistrano

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Loan Interest Income: As a CDFI and nonprofit organization, Lendreams generates revenue primarily through interest on loans provided to small businesses. Loan programs include SBA Microloans ($500-$50,000), SBA 504 loans ($125,000-$5,500,000), Rural loans ($3,000+), and the 80/20 Business Recovery Program (up to $15,000).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Lendreams operates as a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) providing small and medium business financing in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Its loan portfolio includes SBA Microloans ($500–$50,000), SBA 504 loans ($125,000–$5,500,000), USDA Rural loans ($3,000+), a Veterans program with 50% origination-fee discounts, and the 80/20 Business Recovery Program (up to $15,000 combining 80% loan and 20% grant). It also delivers free technical assistance throughout microloan terms and two educational programs: SBA Prime for established businesses and Academia Práctica Empresarial (140 hours over 5 months) for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Product overview

Lendreams (formerly COFECC) operates as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) offering a portfolio of loan programs and educational services. The core offerings include SBA Microloans ($500-$50,000), SBA 504 loans ($125,000-$5,500,000), Rural loans ($3,000+), Veteran programs with discounted fees, and the 80/20 COVID-19 recovery program (80% loan/20% grant up to $15,000). Complementary educational services include the SBA Prime Program for established businesses and the Academia Práctica Empresarial for aspiring entrepreneurs. The company also provides free technical assistance to microloan borrowers throughout the loan term.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Programa de Micropréstamos SBA Microloan program offering $500 to $50,000 with no client capital contribution required, financing 100% of project cost for inventory, materials, furniture, equipment, physical plant improvements, and working capital. Includes free technical assistance for the loan's lifetime. Maximum term of 5 years with fixed interest rates. Collateral may be required based on risk assessment.
• Programa 504 de SBA SBA 504 loan program providing $125,000 to $5,500,000 for fixed assets in partnership with private banking (private bank contributes 50%, Lendreams contributes 35-40%, client contributes 10% for businesses operating 2+ years or 15% for new businesses). Covers land acquisition, construction, commercial building acquisition/remodeling, and machinery/equipment with 10+ year useful life. Fixed interest rates with 10- or 20-year terms.
• Programa Rural de USDA Rural loan program for new or established businesses in rural areas, providing loans from $3,000 financing 75% of project cost for land, property, improvements, construction, equipment, machinery, materials, inventory, furniture, and working capital. Maximum term of 15 years with attractive fixed interest rates. Promotes self-employment in rural areas, family businesses, and women entrepreneurs; includes mentorship and technical assistance.
• Programa de Veteranos Veteran support program offering 50% discount on origination charges when borrowing under the SBA Microloan or SBA 504 programs, reducing the cost barrier for veteran entrepreneurs.
• Recuperación Empresarial 80/20 COVID-19 recovery initiative combining 80% loan and 20% grant (free money) for the business. Maximum requestable amount of $15,000. Funded by the U.S. Department of the Treasury through CDFI certification.
• Programa Siemprexitosas Loan program for women entrepreneurs providing access to alternative loans starting from $500, funded through Department of Health & Human Services to support women entrepreneurs of low income.
• Programa Prime de SBA Free educational initiative supporting established small businesses seeking growth, delivered under the SBA Prime Program partnership.
• Academia Práctica Empresarial Five-month practical entrepreneurship academy with 140 hours of education for low-income young adults. Features hands-on workshops, coaching, and direct bridge to microloan access for students establishing their first business.

Quantifiable outcome

• $160 million in loans disbursed across 900 businesses creating 4,000 jobs over 34 years

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Micro MentorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing micro-mentorship services to entrepreneurs. Lendreams connects their loan recipients with Micro Mentor's mentorship platform as part of their comprehensive business support services.
• UPRM Caja de HerramientasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (Caja de Herramientas) providing business toolkit resources to entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DreamSpring (formerly Opportunity Fund): CDFI providing microloans and small business loans to underserved entrepreneurs across the US, with complementary education and mentorship — highly comparable business model to Lendreams.
• Accion: US-based nonprofit CDFI providing small business loans and support to underserved entrepreneurs; directly comparable CDFI model focused on capital access for those excluded from mainstream banking.
• Grameen America: Nonprofit microfinance organization providing small loans primarily to low-income women entrepreneurs in the US — analogous mission, target borrower, and microlending approach to Lendreams' Siempreexitosas program.
• Kiva: Nonprofit crowdfunding microfinance platform enabling 0% interest loans to underserved entrepreneurs worldwide; comparable microlending mission and small-dollar borrower focus.
• Pacific Community Ventures: CDFI supporting small businesses in underserved US communities through lending, advising, and capital — comparable mission and integrated support offering to Lendreams.
• Justine PETERSEN: CDFI providing small business lending, homeownership, and credit-building services to underserved borrowers; directly comparable CDFI combining lending with technical assistance.
• CDC Small Business Finance: CDFI and SBA 504 Certified Development Company providing SBA loans and small business financing in the western US; closely aligned with Lendreams' SBA 504 CDC role and federal-program intermediation.
• LiftFund: Nonprofit CDFI providing small business loans, mostly microloans, to underserved entrepreneurs in the southern US; closely mirrors Lendreams' lending-plus-support model.

Broad incumbents

• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses: Large-scale business education and capital access program for SMBs; overlaps with Lendreams' Academia Práctica Empresarial-style education plus lending value proposition, but at a much larger institutional scale.
• Funding Circle US: Online small business loan marketplace serving SMBs with working capital and term loans; overlaps with Lendreams' SME borrower base but with a for-profit, fintech-enabled model at significantly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LendreamsPR/?ref=br_rs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leandreams

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lendreams