Proof of Usefulness Report

Salad Money

Analysis completed on 1/25/2026

+589
Proof of Usefulness Score
Industry Mainstay

Salad Money is a legitimate, verified UK-based Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) addressing financial exclusion for public sector workers using Open Banking. While the project submission contained inaccurate data (claiming 125 employees vs. ~47 verified; nonsensical revenue field; false 'everyone' reach), external search confirms significant traction: ~$5.7M estimated annual revenue, $55M+ in raised capital/debt facilities, and over 280,000 applicants helped. The project scores highly on Real-World Utility and Market Timing due to the UK cost-of-living crisis, but the Response Quality score is severely penalized for hyperbolic and unsupported claims.

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Score Breakdown

Real World Utility+22.5
Audience Reach Impact+12.0
Technical Innovation+9.75
Evidence Of Traction+10.5
Market Timing Relevance+9.0
Functional Completeness+0.25
Subtotal+64
Usefulness Multiplierx0.92
Final Score+589

Project Details

Project URL
Description
Workers across the U.K. are being held back by their credit score. Salad is here to change that. We provide small, affordable loans to meet people’s urgent needs now, and help develop their financial well-being so they can make good decisions with money in the future. We are a for-profit social enterprise: the first truly responsible lender of our kind. We believe lending should be fair and everyone should be treated equally. We wish we didn’t need to exist, but we do. Many people struggle when faced with unexpected costs. Rather than take advantage of money misery, we want to end it. Salad is different because: – We exist to solve the high-cost loan problem – Our service funds free financial well-being support in the form of benefits checking. – We behave responsibly and we invite scrutiny – We use open banking for loan approval, not credit scores How does Salad work? We offer loans of between £500 and £2000, paid back over 12 or 18 months to workers across the UK. The application process is quick and easy, and repayments are made via Direct Debit or VRP (Variable Recurring Payment). By using Salad people can avoid payday lenders and unplanned overdraft fees. Knowledge is the key to power Meeting immediate money needs is important, but it’s not enough. We want people to be able to improve their financial knowledge and live without money-related stress. That’s why we use our profit to pay for personalised financial well-being for all.

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