/Companies

Funding U

Atlanta, US · Delaware corporation · 5 known investors

Find your way into Funding U

Sign up to see every warm intro you have to Funding U

  • Paths you didn't know you had: your email and LinkedIn already hold routes to the Funding U team. We find them for you
  • 2nd- and 3rd-degree connections: the friend-of-a-friend routes that take hours to manually find through your inbox or LinkedIn
  • Answers now, not in days: momentum is everything in a raise. Skip asking around whether someone knows someone

Days of research, done the moment you sign in, with every route ranked by how warm it is.

Funding U provides financing to help students pay for college, offering a loan application process that delivers funds within days. It serves students seeking to cover tuition and course costs.

Founders & leadership

JRJean R Tarkenton
Jean R TarkentonFounder & CEOJean R Tarkenton founded Funding U, a fintech company that provides loans to college students based on academic progress and earnings potential rather than family wealth, and has grown the company to over $100 million in originations serving 9,000+ students since 2018. She has presented on higher-education finance at institutions including the American Enterprise Institute and universities such as Princeton and Columbia.

Board

JL
Jack LavinBoard director
TE
Todd EicherBoard director
MO
Mort O'SullivanBoard director
KM
Kimberly MorganBoard director

Investors · 5

Reported raises · per SEC filings

Form D private placements

$17.9M disclosed across 5 rounds · 2015–2026

▶$6MraisedJul 2026 · 6 investors · Other Banking and Financial Services
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Jean R TarkentonExecutive Officer, Director
  • Jack LavinDirector
  • Todd EicherDirector
  • Mort O'SullivanDirector
  • Kimberly MorganDirector
Offering amount
$6M
Amount sold
$6M
Minimum investment
$25K
First sale
Jul 2026
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
▶$4.1MraisedJun 2020 · 15 investors · Other Banking and Financial Services
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Todd M EicherDirector
  • Jack LavinDirector
  • Lora J RobertsonDirector
  • Jesse B DyerExecutive Officer
  • Jean R TarkentonExecutive Officer, Director
  • Peter N. DeWeeseExecutive Officer
  • Daniel KimerlingDirector
Offering amount
$5.4M
Amount sold
$4.1M
First sale
Jun 2020
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware, 2015
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
▶$4.9MraisedNov 2018 · 23 investors · Other Banking and Financial Services
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Todd M EicherDirector
  • Jean R TarkentonExecutive Officer, Director
  • Lora J RobertsonDirector
  • Jesse B DyerExecutive Officer, Director
  • Walter BalmasDirector
Offering amount
$4.9M
Amount sold
$4.9M
Minimum investment
$25K
First sale
Aug 2018
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware, 2015
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
▶$1.9MraisedFeb 2018 · 30 investors · Other Banking and Financial Services
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Jesse B DyerExecutive Officer, Director
  • Lora J RobertsonDirector
  • Walter BalmasDirector
  • Jean R TarkentonExecutive Officer, Director
  • Todd M EicherDirector
Offering amount
$1.9M
Amount sold
$1.9M
Minimum investment
$25K
First sale
Sep 2017
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware, 2015
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
▶$1MraisedAug 2016 · 19 investors · Other Banking and Financial Services
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Jean R TarkentonExecutive Officer, Director
Offering amount
$1M
Amount sold
$1M
First sale
Mar 2015
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware, 2015
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗

Source: SEC EDGAR Form D. Amounts as filed; amended filings shown once at their latest values.

Related companies · 5

AscentfundingAscent provides private student loans for undergraduate, graduate, and parent borrowers, offering flexible repayment options, no fees, and support services including career coaching and internship opportunities.
SoFiSoFi Technologies is a digital personal-finance company offering student and personal loans, mortgages, investing, banking and credit cards through one app; it went public on the Nasdaq in 2021 via SPAC.
CredibleCredible operates an online marketplace where consumers compare prequalified rates for personal loans, student loan refinancing, private student loans, mortgages, mortgage refinancing, and insurance from multiple lenders and providers side-by-side without affecting their credit score. It is not a lender but partners with financial service providers, and also offers free tools such as a debt tracker and credit score monitoring.
LendEDULendEDU publishes educational resources and comparative reviews to help consumers make informed financial decisions about loans, mortgages, and other financial products. The company earns revenue from affiliate partnerships with financial service providers featured on its platform.
ExperianExperian offers consumers tools to access their credit report and FICO Score, build credit, and manage money, including credit card matching, bill and subscription negotiation, car insurance comparison, and a digital checking account with debit card. It serves individual U.S. consumers through its app and financial products.

Companies working in the same space as Funding U.

Frequently asked questions

What does Funding U do?
Funding U provides financing to help students pay for college, offering a loan application process that delivers funds within days. It serves students seeking to cover tuition and course costs.
Who founded Funding U?
Funding U was founded by Jean R Tarkenton.
Who are Funding U's investors?
Funding U's investors include Deciens, GMO VenturePartners, Raptor Group, TechFarms Capital, Valor Ventures.
How much funding has Funding U raised?
Funding U has disclosed $17.9M raised across 5 rounds.
Where is Funding U headquartered?
Funding U is headquartered in Atlanta, US.