SoFi Blog

We are excited to announce the 2018 class of SoFi Entrepreneurs! These ten companies stood out amongst the hundreds of incredible applications we received, representing a diverse set of industries, backgrounds, and big problems they’re trying to solve. We are excited to ride shotgun and help them all navigate their entrepreneurial journeys. Over the next ten months, we’ll devote our coaching and resources to helping each of these ten companies get off the ground, culminating in our Demo Day in October:

Four years ago, we kicked off what would become our first Entrepreneur Program class. Since then, we’ve helped four classes of 70 companies founded by SoFi members get off the ground with our coaching and resources. We’ve been excited by what these alumni companies have gone on to do: for instance, four out of the five FinTech companies that have participated have had significant liquidity (Standard Treasury, Good April) events or markups (Funding Circle, Axio). Further, companies like Augmedix, CancerIQ, Metrix, Stasis, and others are working on solving huge problems through innovation and technology.

As we enter what will be year five of the program, we thought about what kinds of improvements we could make to further benefit future classes. As a startup ourselves, we understand the challenges first-hand and want to contribute back to the ecosystem, and continue to find ways to serve our members. Today we’re unveiling those improvements as part of the relaunch of the program, and we’re accepting applications now through November 17 for ten open slots.

Name: Elien Blue Becque

Age: 30

Location: New York, New York

Business: RoomZoom

Business Goal: To help young urbanites find roommates they’ll love sharing space with

Alma mater: Graduated in 2008 with a degree in International Relations with a minor in English from Tufts

Student loan debt: $85,000

SoFi Solution: Student loan refinancing

Entrepreneur member since: 2016

Elien Blue Becque is the founder of RoomZoom, a platform that does for co-living what OkCupid and Tinder do for dating. RoomZoom asks members questions about their lifestyle, personal habits, and general conduct, and grinds those answers through an algorithmic scoring system. The scores are then used to pair up compatible people who will make awesome roommates.

SnappyScreen is a touchless sunscreen application system. You select your protection level (SPF) and height, step into a booth, and SnappyScreen applies a head-to-toe protective coating in about 10 seconds. The sunscreen is oxybenzone-free, paraben-free, alcohol-free and does not damage your bathing suit. It’s a slick and sought after product—one that can now be found at 4- and 5-star hotels across the U.S., in locations such as Florida, Hawaii, and California, and in such exotic locales as Aruba. Before the final launch, entrepreneurial sisters Kristen McClellan (founder and CEO) and Katelyn McClellan (COO) built several prototypes to refine the product and make the experience smooth and easy.

For any startup to succeed, it takes talent, intelligence, hard work, and a love of innovation. It also helps to be connected—to have people looking out for you, especially when you’re on your way up and in need of that first big break. SoFi Entrepreneur Program member Mark Pawloski started Upkey with friends Mo Bitar and Amir Badr to help college students who didn’t come from elite backgrounds get noticed by more elite employers.