Berkeley Haas Case Series
The Berkeley Haas Case Series is a collection of business case studies created by UC Berkeley faculty
by Omri Even-Tov
In many developing economies, potential borrowers lack traditional credit histories, bank records, collateral, or steady employment records. Yet, these entrepreneurs and hardworking people operate small businesses, earn income, and reliably repay obligations. Shivani Siroya, a microfinance and investment banking executive, founded Tala, a California-based smartphone lending platform using machine-learning algorithms and nontraditional data from borrowers’ mobile devices to extend credit to individuals who were excluded. Despite Tala’s success, critics argue that short-term, high-interest digital loans expose vulnerable borrowers to excessive debt. Can lenders use data and technology to broaden access to credit while protecting the borrowers they sought to serve?
Pub Date: October 1, 2026
Discipline: Finance
Keywords: International entrepreneurial finance, Loans, International finance, Loan evaluation, Finance, Microfinance, Internet finance
Product #: B6098-PDF-ENG
Industry: Financial Services
Geography: Kenya, United States
Length: 6 page(s)
