Prime Highlights
- Kaaj raised $3.8 million in seed funding, led by Kindred Ventures, to accelerate product development and expand its footprint in the U.S. small-business and equipment finance markets.
- Its AI-driven platform speeds up underwriting by completing verification, financial analysis, and risk assessments in minutes, enabling lenders to profitably serve smaller loans.
Key Facts
- Founded in 2024, Kaaj has already processed over $5 billion in loan applications and works with lenders such as Amur Equipment Finance, Quality Equipment Finance, and Fundr.
- Federal Reserve data shows that slow, costly manual underwriting prevents nearly half of small-business applicants from receiving their full requested funding.
Background
Kaaj, an agentic AI credit intelligence startup that wants to make small-business lending easier, has raised $3.8 million in seed funding. Kindred Ventures led the round, with support from Better Tomorrow Ventures and other investors. The company will use the money to speed up product development and grow its presence in the fast-growing U.S. small-business and equipment finance markets.
Founded in 2024, Kaaj focuses on improving access to affordable capital for small businesses. Even though more businesses are starting than ever, many companies still struggle to get loans under $1 million. The Federal Reserve’s 2024 Small Business Credit Survey says nearly half of applicants don’t get all the money they request because manual underwriting is slow and expensive.
Kaaj uses AI agents on its platform to handle tasks like verifying businesses, analyzing finances, and assessing risk. Work that typically takes underwriters days to complete is finished in minutes, giving lenders a decision-ready package that fits directly into existing systems. The company says this shift helps lenders make smaller loans profitable and improves response times for borrowers.
Co-founder and President Shivi Sharma said the technology changes the economics of small-business lending by reducing the time and resources required to process lower-value loans. CEO Utsav Shah added that faster and more consistent decisions give lenders and brokers a competitive edge in a market where speed often determines whether a deal closes.
Kaaj has already handled more than $5 billion in loan applications and is working with lenders such as Amur Equipment Finance, Quality Equipment Finance, and Fundr. Investors say the company’s transparent, audit-ready AI positions it to become core infrastructure for the next wave of small-business finance.