
Credit Sesame
Founded Year
2010Stage
Series G | AliveTotal Raised
$175.64MLast Raised
$51M | 1 yr agoMosaic Score
+40 points in the past 30 days
About Credit Sesame
Credit Sesame helps consumers achieve financial wellness by helping them manage and grow their credit and cash in one place for free. Credit Sesame helps users improve their financial health by offering free access to credit scores, analysis, advice, and tools to take control of finances, unlock credit potential and borrow smarter. Credit Sesame merges personal credit with the latest in digital banking to help consumers manage their entire wallet in one place and establish a better path to financial wellness.
Credit Sesame Headquarter Location
444 Castro Street Suite 500
Mountain View, California, 94041,
United States
800-422-8579
Credit Sesame's Product Videos


Credit Sesame's Products & Differentiation
See Credit Sesame's products and how their products differentiate from alternatives and competitors
Sesame Cash
Sesame Cash is the first credit builder banking service that allows consumers to use their debit to establish and build credit and rewards them with cash when they do.
Differentiation
With Sesame Cash, Credit Sesame offers the first and only debit card that: actively helps consumers to reap the credit-building benefits of a credit card with their bank account and debit card— ther…
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Differentiation
We're on a mission to enable every organization to make smarter decisions about tech. Whether it's finding a new game-changing vendor or understanding a new market, it's easier, faster and smarter with CB Insights. All made possible by the smartest, hardest-working team in tech. Subscribe to see more.
Subscribe to see more
We're on a mission to enable every organization to make smarter decisions about tech. Whether it's finding a new game-changing vendor or understanding a new market, it's easier, faster and smarter with CB Insights. All made possible by the smartest, hardest-working team in tech. Subscribe to see more.
Differentiation
We're on a mission to enable every organization to make smarter decisions about tech. Whether it's finding a new game-changing vendor or understanding a new market, it's easier, faster and smarter with CB Insights. All made possible by the smartest, hardest-working team in tech. Subscribe to see more.
Research containing Credit Sesame
Get data-driven expert analysis from the CB Insights Intelligence Unit.
CB Insights Intelligence Analysts have mentioned Credit Sesame in 4 CB Insights research briefs, most recently on Dec 8, 2021.

Oct 5, 2021 report
The Fintech 250: The Top Fintech Companies Of 2021Expert Collections containing Credit Sesame
Expert Collections are analyst-curated lists that highlight the companies you need to know in the most important technology spaces.
Credit Sesame is included in 6 Expert Collections, including Mortgage Tech.
Mortgage Tech
218 items
Companies here streamline and digitize the mortgage lending process. Collection includes direct lenders, mortgage brokers, process optimization technologies for lenders, as well as tools that support borrowers throughout the search and application phases.
Wealth Tech
1,707 items
A category of financial technology that is digitizing & streamlining the delivery of wealth management. Included: Startups that offer technology-enabled tools for active and passive wealth management for retail investors and advisors.
Digital Lending
1,511 items
This collection contains companies that provide alternative means for obtaining a loan for personal or business use and companies that provide software to lenders for the application, underwriting, funding or loan collection process.
Tech IPO Pipeline
282 items
Track and capture company information and workflow.
Fintech
7,344 items
US-based companies
Fintech 250
500 items
250 of the top fintech companies transforming financial services
Credit Sesame Patents
Credit Sesame has filed 2 patents.
The 3 most popular patent topics include:
- Computer network security
- Computer security
- Data security
Application Date | Grant Date | Title | Related Topics | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|
9/14/2012 | 10/13/2020 | Financial data vendors, Networking hardware, Computer network security, Ethernet, Computer networking | Grant |
Application Date | 9/14/2012 |
---|---|
Grant Date | 10/13/2020 |
Title | |
Related Topics | Financial data vendors, Networking hardware, Computer network security, Ethernet, Computer networking |
Status | Grant |
Latest Credit Sesame News
May 19, 2022
This iframe contains the logic required to handle Ajax powered Gravity Forms. Shazia Virji has been in fintech for over a decade now. She developed an interest in financial services at an unusually young age. Her parents immigrated to the US from Tanzania, East Africa, in the 1980s. After moving into a new country, a lot of their early struggles stemmed from limited awareness and knowledge of the financial system. “Growing up in that environment of not being able to do some of the things that my friends were doing, and seeing my parents’ struggles of paying bills, and just having enough to go out on family vacations and things like that – it really gave me the motivation to educate myself on the financial system,” said Shazia. “Going to college, I had to take out my first student loan, and really figure out what borrowing and debt was all about. I learned a lot very quickly, and realized I wanted to empower people – like my parents and like myself – to fully understand the financial system and how it impacts not just immigrants, but millions of Americans who deserve better financial opportunities.” After graduating from college, Shazia became a wealth management advisor at Ameriprise Financial, helping clients with their assets and investments. It was a good foundational opportunity for her to learn about how financial markets work. But at the end of the day, her role involved “making wealthy people wealthier”, which didn’t sit well with what she felt was her personal mission, and the reason why she joined financial services. So in 2012, she decided to pivot into the fintech world by joining Intuit Mint as a marketing manager, and helping customers with financial tasks like budgeting and paying their bills on time. Three years later, Shazia’s fintech experience enabled her to join Credit Sesame’s business development team. At that time, the company was only five years old, with around 30 to 40 employees. This allowed her to witness the evolution of the company and to grow alongside it. Having been a part of Credit Sesame for almost seven years now, Shazia has worn many hats at the firm. Last April, she was promoted to GM of credit services. The role involves setting the strategic vision for the firm’s credit services unit, which primarily provides customers with guidance and recommendations on credit and financial wellness. “We’re helping to democratize financial wellness for millions of Americans, and improve their credit health,” said Shazia. “It’s personally rewarding for me to see the effect of my work through customer testimonials, and hearing stories about how we’ve helped people get through the toughest financial situations in their lives. That is what motivates me to get up and go to work every day.” Here’s what it’s like to spend a day in Shazia’s life. The workday I usually wake up around 6 or 6:30 in the morning, so I can jump-start my day and be available for members of our team who are in a different time zone – we have quite a few folks who are on the East Coast. The first thing I do when I wake up is check my emails and slack messages on my phone, in case there’s anything urgent that needs my attention. Of course, I need caffeine in order to function, so the next thing I do is make myself a big cup of tea. I drink that while listening to The Wall Street Journal podcast — I like to catch up on the markets and any news that’s developed in the US or around the world, just to make sure I’m updated on what’s going on outside of my own little bubble. After that, I’m finally ready to open my laptop and review my to-do list for the day. I’ve actually made it a habit to block my calendar before 9 am and after 4 pm, so no one can schedule meetings with me during those times. This allows me to gather my thoughts and prepare for the day ahead in the morning, and also gives me time at the end of the day to reflect and respond to any messages I received during the day. I start the week with our staff meeting, where we collaborate as a team on any issues or blockers that need to be addressed before the week really kicks off. I think one of the most valuable skills a team can have is the ability to adapt and be proactive to the changing needs of its business. So we’re always asking questions like, ‘What’s the next big thing in our industry? And the one after that?’ We try to think two steps ahead, instead of just focusing on our day-to-day operations. Every week, I also have around 5 to 10 one-on-ones with different team members and cross-functional stakeholders. I find these to be the most critical meetings, as they help ground me in the work that’s taking place at all levels of the organization. But I also think they provide a great social opportunity, because a lot of us are working from home right now, and it’s not as easy to just run into people in the hallway or in the kitchen. So I feel like proactively scheduling time over video chat is really important – especially with people that aren’t on your team and don’t report to you. It’s good to catch up and say hello, even if you’re just talking about your family or what’s going on in your life. I also make it a priority to set aside an hour for lunch every day. I try to be diligent about taking a break mid-day, because I’m in back-to-back meetings all day. It’s a good opportunity to just stop for a minute, nourish myself, and eat something healthy – usually it’s a big salad. In the afternoon, I need my second dose of caffeine – so I either make a latte at home or go grab some Blue Bottle from the coffee shop around the corner. I usually prefer getting out of the house to get some fresh air and stretch my legs. At the end of each day, I like to review the priorities and intentions I set for myself in the morning. On a good day, I can close my laptop without any of those nagging feelings about the tasks I wish I had completed, but didn’t get to. After work In the evening, I usually clear my head with a walk or by hopping on the Peloton for a quick ride. I finish off the evening with dinner made at home or ordered in. A lot of times it’s ordered in, because it does get pretty tiring by the end of the day. I usually cap off my night with journaling for a few minutes to reflect on the day. It’s also good at keeping me off my phone before bedtime – I try not to let work stuff bother me at night. I’m usually asleep by 10:30 or 11. And that’s my day in a nutshell! Weekends and free time I’m a Bay Area native – we have a bunch of really great sports teams, like the Warriors, the 49ers, the Giants, and the Oakland A’s. When it’s basketball season – which is usually October through May or June, if we make it to the playoffs or finals – I’m usually at the games or watching them at home, which takes up a lot of my evenings. I love having that outlet, something to do outside of work that keeps me really energized. I’m also really into music and art – I love attending live orchestras and going to art exhibits. That gets me more into that creative mindset, which helps unlock a different part of the brain than the “logic” part I’m using for most of the day at work. Currently, I’m also doing a part-time MBA at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. So on the weekends, I’m typically attending classes in Berkeley and hanging out with my classmates. I’ve taken some entrepreneurship, strategy, and leadership classes that are really relevant and timely for the work I’m doing at Credit Sesame. At times it can be a bit of a challenge to juggle work with studies, but I feel like I’ve become pretty good at time management. Plus, I truly believe in lifelong learning, which is something that always helps me stay motivated. 0 comments on “‘We try to think two steps ahead’: A day in the life of Shazia Virji, GM, Credit Services at Credit Sesame” You must be logged in the post a comment.
Credit Sesame Web Traffic
Credit Sesame Rank
When was Credit Sesame founded?
Credit Sesame was founded in 2010.
Where is Credit Sesame's headquarters?
Credit Sesame's headquarters is located at 444 Castro Street, Mountain View.
What is Credit Sesame's latest funding round?
Credit Sesame's latest funding round is Series G.
How much did Credit Sesame raise?
Credit Sesame raised a total of $175.64M.
Who are Credit Sesame's competitors?
Competitors of Credit Sesame include NerdWallet and 6 more.
What products does Credit Sesame offer?
Credit Sesame's products include Sesame Cash and 2 more.
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