Proof of Usefulness Report

Plend

Analysis completed on 1/28/2026

+398

Proof of Usefulness Score

Certified Problem Solver

Plend is a verified, FCA-regulated UK fintech offering affordable loans via Open Banking technology (PLEND Score®). External search confirms significant traction, including £40M in seed funding (equity/debt mix) and ~450+ positive Trustpilot reviews, indicating a functioning product solving a genuine problem (financial exclusion). However, the submission itself was of extremely poor quality, containing false claims ('most people have used my product', 'reach: everyone') and missing critical metrics. The score reflects the high intrinsic utility and verified market presence of the company, heavily penalized by the low credibility of the submission data.

Ready to Compete for $150k+ in Prizes?

Move this data into a HackerNoon blog draft to become eligible for your share of $150k+ in cash and software prizes

View All Reports

Score Breakdown

Real World Utility+85.0

Audience Reach Impact+10.0

Technical Innovation+65.0

Evidence Of Traction+30.0

Market Timing Relevance+80.0

Functional Completeness+5.0

Subtotal+48.75

Usefulness Multiplierx0.82

Final Score+398

Project Details

Project URL

plend.co.uk

Description

Plend is a consumer lender on a mission to better understand people who, up until now, have been ignored or exploited by mainstream credit solutions.\n\nOver the last two years, we have assembled a world-class team of credit risk, open-banking, machine learning and B2C fintech leaders who have built and tested the PLEND Score®, a proprietary lending model that enables people to access credit at genuinely affordable rates in the UK.\n\nWe care passionately about creating a fairer financial future where we accurately assess real affordability in order to provide a truly low cost solution that enables people to live a full and happy life, which we all deserve.\n\nYou’re unique, and we love that ?\n\nBacked by Activate, the Fair By Design Fund, NBS Ventures, Tomahawk.VC and Haatch Ventures\n\nTo find out more, visit us at www.plend.co.uk or follow us on Instagram at @plend.uk.\n\nAuthorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority: FRN 963328

Algorithm Insights

Market Position

Strong market validation with clear user adoption patterns

User Engagement

Documented reach suggests active user community

Technical Stack

Modern tech stack aligned with sponsor technologies

Recommendations to Increase Usefulness Score

Document User Growth

Provide specific metrics on user acquisition and retention rates

Showcase Revenue Model

Detail sustainable monetization strategy and current revenue streams

Expand Evidence Base

Include testimonials, case studies, and third-party validation

Technical Roadmap

Share development milestones and feature completion timeline