Latest news with #Salient
Axios
2 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Exclusive: Loan servicing startup Salient raises $60M Series A
Salient, a San Francisco-based platform for lenders to automate the post-loan origination process, raised $60 million in Series A funding, it tells Axios Pro exclusively. Why it matters: Loan servicing remains highly manual, but banks are increasingly doubling down on tech in the area. Andreessen Horowitz led the round, joined by Matrix Partners, Michael Ovitz and Y Combinator. By the numbers: The deal values Salient at $350 million, Axios has learned. The company's annualized run rate was north of $14 million as of June 2025, some 18 months after its launch. Context: This comes as U.S. household debt hit $18.2 trillion in the first quarter, with 4.3% of that delinquent — the highest level in five years, according to the New York Fed. How it works: Salient uses generative AI to automate collections, customer service, and compliance monitoring — acting as a dashboard for lenders to track all their loans. Currently, "[lenders] have huge outsource firms that run compliance functions or call centers," says CEO Ari Malik. "What we're trying to offer is a more transparent way of seeing what's happening. Because if you outsource this whole process, oftentimes, lenders have no idea what's going on." Salient uses voice recognition to monitor customer service calls and flag violations of complex state or federal lending rules. For example, active service members are entitled to interest rates of 6% or below, and customers who wish to no longer be called must be marked. Failures can lead to steep fines. In addition to customer service, Salient's AI agent, with additional information from the customer, can complete insurance claims and get necessary paperwork from the lender — cutting down on time and complexity. Salient counts Westlake Financial and AutoNation among its customers. Zoom out: Malik is betting this automation can improve lender and customer experiences. "[The AI agent] needs to be predictive as to what the customer wants," he says. "Success is: 'Can you predict what they actually want to interact with you about, as opposed to starting everything from scratch?'"
RNZ News
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Bookmarks with author Gina Butson
author interview books 2:30 pm today Gina Butson worked as a lawyer for many years but seems to have always harboured a love for fiction writing. She's had short stories published in a variety of local outlets, she's won the Salient Creative Writing competition, and last year was named Highly Commended in running for the Sargeson Prize. Gina has released her debut novel. It's called 'The Stars Are A Million Glittering Worlds'. She shares her picks for books, films, music and podcasts with Jesse.
Business Wire
06-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Exelon Opens 2026 Climate Investment Applications and Announces New Environmental Stewards
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Exelon is now accepting applications for the Climate Change Investment Initiative (2c2i). This initiative invests in innovative startups that are developing clean energy or environmentally sustainable technologies. Launched in 2019, 2c2i combines the social and environmental impact objectives of the Exelon Foundation with the investment objectives and approach of venture capital. 2c2i has 34 active companies in our portfolio led by diverse and inclusive teams from varying backgrounds; 15 are headquartered in Exelon's footprint. Adding to the existing 2c2i portfolio, Exelon recently selected three new companies receiving an investment for their work and commitment to fostering innovation and addressing climate change in the communities Exelon serves: Salient Predictions: Salient combines novel ocean and land-surface data with machine learning and climate expertise to deliver the world's most accurate sub seasonal-to-seasonal weather (S2S) forecasts 1 day to 1 year in advance. SusMaX: SusMaX recycles historically landfilled waste coal ash with no engineering value into high-performance lightweight aggregate for concrete applications through its patented thermochemical process. SusMaX addresses the environmental challenges of coal ash landfills while improving the supply chain of construction lightweight aggregate through localized production. Zero Homes: Zero Homes is a vertical software company that has built the first remote design platform to digitize homes, design and quote heat pumps. It eliminates in-home visits, delivers higher quality, affordable designs and partners with contractors across the country to offer homeowners a streamlined quote and installation solution. "Exelon is thrilled to welcome our newest portfolio companies to 2c2i. These startups are at the forefront of developing climate solutions for the communities we serve,' said Sunny Elebua, Exelon's Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer. 'Our collaboration with these innovative companies continues to produce positive outcomes for our communities and to challenge us to think creatively in pursuit of better climate solutions for all.' How to Apply for Funding To qualify for 2c2i consideration, startups must do work that will benefit one or more of Exelon's six major markets (Atlantic City, Chicago, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and Wilmington, Del.) and have the potential to do one of the following: Mitigate greenhouse gas emissions; Boost the resiliency of urban infrastructure (e.g., the power grid, transportation systems, buildings, vacant land) against flood, stormwater and rising temperatures; Help cities, businesses and communities adapt to climate change; or Help achieve a state or city's specific sustainability and climate goals. Applications for 2c2i are being accepted through Sept. 15, 2025. Companies in the Exelon service territory are encouraged to apply. More information is available at Success Stories With 34 startups making up the 2c2i portfolio, each share in a belief that climate change is real and that something must be done to combat its impacts—ensuring that those within the Exelon communities can live, work and play in an environment that is healthy and safe for all community members. One of those companies is Carbon Reform, a Philadelphia and Delaware-based startup founded in early 2020. Carbon Reform developed the Carbon Capsule®, a modular device that permanently captures CO₂ from indoor air while filtering other contaminants, improving occupant health and reducing energy consumption. In July 2024, Carbon Reform installed their technology at Exelon's BGE Spring Garden building to demonstrate how improved indoor air quality can generate significant energy and cost savings for both BGE and their customers by reducing the need to heat and cool outside air. Environmental Stewardship Exelon remains committed to investing in clean energy and sustainability-focused groups with a $20 million commitment to support innovative startups. 2c2i continues to pave the way for groundbreaking technologies that will help mitigate climate change and create a sustainable future for all. For more information on 2c2i, including previous investees and their continued impact, visit The Exelon Foundation would like to recognize law firm sponsor, Katten, which is providing in-kind legal services in support of the 2c2i program climate investments. About Exelon Exelon (Nasdaq: EXC) is a Fortune 200 company and one of the nation's largest utility companies, serving more than 10.7 million customers through six fully regulated transmission and distribution utilities — Atlantic City Electric, BGE, ComEd, Delmarva Power, PECO and Pepco. Exelon's 20,000 employees dedicate their time and expertise to supporting our communities through reliable, affordable and efficient energy delivery, workforce development, equity, economic development and volunteerism. Follow @Exelon on X and LinkedIn. About the Exelon Foundation The Exelon Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization funded solely by Exelon Corporation through shareholder dollars. The mission of the Foundation is to encourage respect for the environment, support innovative STEM education programs and strengthen the social and economic fabric of the community by providing a match to Exelon employee contributions.
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
I paid $41,500 to build an ADU office in my backyard. It's allowed us to keep living comfortably in a smaller home.
Justin Mauldin built an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, in his Austin backyard for $41,500. Mauldin said the ADU office allows his family of four to live comfortably in a smaller home. The ADU also boosted his home's property value, according to his real-estate agent. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Justin Mauldin, 40, who built an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, in his Austin backyard. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. I'm the founder and CEO of Salient, a PR agency that partners with tech startups. By 2019, before the COVID-19 outbreak, my team had already shifted to a mostly remote setup, with many freelancers working from home or shared office spaces like WeWork. My wife and I decided to make the most of our property and build a dedicated home office. Our property is within Austin city limits. We live on a quarter-acre lot with a relatively small main house of about 1,200 square feet. At the time, our large backyard was undeveloped, with only a small farmhouse shed on the property. We added an accessory dwelling unit of just under 200 square feet to our backyard. The cost for the ADU was $32,542, which covered the products, shipping, and installation. I believe prices have increased since then, but we were able to take advantage of a sale and a 10% discount at the time. The total cost of the entire project was about $41,500. It's been the best decision we could have made for our property. We purchased our home in 2020 for around $450,000, and its value has definitely increased. When we asked our real-estate agent for an estimate, she said it could be worth $750,000 today. (Editor's note: The median home price in Austin has increased 12.8% since 2020, according to Redfin.) Working from the ADU has been fantastic — it's allowed me some quiet time. We have two young children, so I can "go to work" without being in the main house with all the chaos and noise. It's truly been a game changer. Even though it's separate from the main house, the home office is the most beautiful room on the property — everyone who sees it is completely wowed. I went all out with super-tall, dramatic ceilings and a massive wall of windows. We also built a fire pit in front, which has become a real focal point. When we decided to build an ADU, COVID made it difficult to get bids, materials, and reliable contractors, so a pre-fabricated option seemed like the best choice. I went with Studio Shed, a Denver-based company that builds the structure in their warehouse and then ships it to be assembled on-site. The process was simple, like building with Lego bricks or designing a car. You pick your model, customize the size, ceilings, and windows, and select your upgrades. You can go as basic or as fancy as you want. It's all done online — just like ordering anything on Amazon — and you get the price immediately. Before the ADU arrived, I cleared the site and poured the concrete pad, which cost about $1,500. When it was delivered, I didn't want them to just drop off the materials and leave me to figure it out, so I paid a few thousand dollars for them to assemble the structure. The walls, windows, and roof were up in just two days. After the structure was assembled, a local handyman and I worked on the finishing details, including installing the flooring, painting, adding door handles, electrical work, and other touches. Since the ADU was too far from the main house to connect to our central AC, I also added a mini-split system that I purchased for $600 and paid about $500 to install. Everything was built and finished quickly. The ADU was delivered on February 1, 2021, and completed by the end of the month. Given the price of our home, it's clear we're not in a fancy, McMansion-filled neighborhood. Most homes here are 1950s bungalows. When we first moved into our home, instead of following the common trend — where people tear down these homes to build new constructions — we took the opposite approach. We wanted to preserve the character, so we did a lot of renovations: replacing the siding, repainting, completely redoing the interior, and reworking the landscaping. I think the neighbors really appreciated that. Still, we have two girls, so a 1,200-square-foot home with just one bathroom can be a challenge, especially when we have visitors. Of course, we'd love a bigger home, but with prices still unaffordable, it's tough. When we bought our home, our interest rate was locked at 2.5% — rates now are much higher. Most homes in desirable areas are in the $1.5 million range, and with the high property taxes here, it's just not realistic. We could not afford a place in Austin now without doubling or tripling our housing costs. For now, we're happy with our place, and maybe we'll add a bathroom one day. Austin has a housing crisis, yet people still want to live here and continue moving to the city. I think creative solutions like ADUs are necessary. Over the past few years, the city has made it much easier to add ADUs to properties, especially the type I built, which is under 200 square feet. Historically, with a permit, you could divide a quarter-acre or smaller property into two lots — one for your main home and the other for an ADU, often for uses like Airbnb. But now, with relaxed regulations, you can simply add a small structure in the back of your property without needing a permit. While some may have concerns about homes being closer together, I believe this is the best solution for making it easier for people to build ADUs and own homes — and it's working well. The office has certainly made living in our house much more comfortable. In today's world, there's so much background noise, whether you're at the office or working remotely, making it hard to focus and be creative. You can try blocking it out with headphones, but there's a big difference between that and being in a truly quiet space. I'm used to my kids running in and out — that's just part of being a dad — but when I close the door, it's so serene. Beyond avoiding interruptions, sometimes you just need real focus time, especially for the creative stuff. With all the noise around us, having a quiet space feels like a complete escape. Read the original article on Business Insider
