These cofounders quit corporate jobs, took on $100K in credit card debt, and slept in a Denny’s—now their $1.2B company is backed by Serena Williams

Esusu, a fintech platform that helps renters build credit by reporting rent payments to credit bureaus, has reached a $1.2B valuation with over $200M in venture funding. Cofounders Wemimo Abbey and Samir Goel built the company through years of personal hardship—including $100K in credit card debt each and sleeping in a Denny's while fundraising—before securing institutional investment. The company now serves approximately 12 million customers across all 50 U.S. states.