The Role of Private Credit in Uncertain Times for Small Business and Economic Mobility: Bringing together Capital, Community and Technology

Small businesses, especially those with 100 employees or less, are a significant part of the U.S. economy. One in the private sector jobs in the US are created by this group; business ownership is a primary means of economic mobility for lower income communities but these communities and people of color and women have historically faced discrimination and barrier to accessing fair financing. Financing these businesses responsibly presents significant financial opportunity rooted in social impact and a market gap of over $87 billion; yet most investors do not have access to this asset class. How can the skyrocketing private credit industry, especially in times of uncertainty, work for these small businesses, bring new capital to the space and offer strategic investors exposure to a unique asset class that is hard to access? A fireside chat that brings together two very different investment perspectives– that of an institutional allocator and a bank community development investor– and pushes the boundaries of investing in small business lending with healthy debate about the opportunities and challenges upon us.