Zest AI honored for a workplace culture that fuels industry-first innovations, expands fair access to credit, and drives measurable results for lenders
Zest AI, a leader in AI lending technology, today announced it has been named to Fast Company’s seventh annual Best Workplaces for Innovators List, which honors organizations and businesses that demonstrate a steadfast commitment to encouraging innovation at all levels. Zest AI was also recognized in the 2025 Midsize Companies category list.
“For over a decade, Zest AI has been a leader in modernizing financial institutions' lending ecosystem through AI to improve access to credit and expand economic opportunity,” said Mike de Vere, CEO of Zest AI. “Today, we’re continuing to push the envelope when it comes to innovation by delivering first-of-its-kind products like generative AI tools for lenders, alongside powerful fraud detection and AI-automated underwriting. I’m proud of the team of innovators we’ve assembled here at Zest AI who bring a bias for action and passion for pushing boundaries to build a more prosperous financial system for all.”
With a portfolio of more than 50 AI patents and over 600 proprietary consumer credit models in the market, Zest AI empowers financial institutions of all sizes to harness AI responsibly and accurately, driving smarter lending decisions that strengthen the broader U.S. economy. More than 250 financial institutions across the U.S. rely on the company's suite of AI tools for lenders, including AI-automated underwriting, LuLu for lending intelligence, and Zest Protect for fraud detection. Zest AI’s machine learning technology is 2x more accurate than industry credit scores at predicting loan default across all credit tiers, and industry-leading automated underwriting technology delivers up to 25% higher approval rates and 20% fewer defaults.
Zest AI’s breakthrough innovations are rooted in its commitment to building a diverse, empowered, and collaborative workforce. Half of Zest AI’s workforce are technical experts – data scientists, engineers, and product developers – creating a strong foundation that fuels industry-first solutions. With 34% of employees identifying as women and 49% as people of color – and 62% of leadership roles held by women or underrepresented groups – the company outperforms industry standards, ensuring a wide range of perspectives shape its strategic direction. This innovation-driven culture is further supported by Employee Resource Groups – Women at Zest, Caretakers, People of Color, Pride, and Culture Club – that bring diverse voices directly into workplace evolution and product design. By empowering employees across all roles as equal contributors, Zest AI has cultivated an environment where people thrive and where tomorrow’s fintech innovations take root.
The 2025 Best Workplaces for Innovators list ranks 100 winners from a variety of industries, including entertainment, biotech, consumer packaged goods, marketing, education, healthcare, and many more. To earn Best Workplaces for Innovators recognition, all of this year's winners completed an application that addressed questions about projects, investments, company-wide programs, and workplace culture.
To see the complete list, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/best-workplaces-for-innovators/list. To explore career opportunities and learn more about Zest AI’s culture, visit https://www.zest.ai/careers.
About Zest AI
Founded in 2009, Zest AI is a leader in financial technology with a mission to modernize lending and strengthen the financial system. The company is transforming the $17 trillion US consumer credit market by delivering AI technology that helps lenders identify creditworthy borrowers overlooked by legacy credit methods, while leveling the playing field for financial institutions of all sizes to harness AI. With over 600 custom AI models and 50+ issued and pending patents, Zest AI is providing financial institutions with a comprehensive suite of solutions spanning underwriting, fraud detection, lending intelligence, and more to make smarter lending decisions that power growth and profitability. The company has been named on Forbes 2024 Fintech 50 List and CNBC’s 2025 World’s Top FinTech Companies list in the Enterprise FinTech category. Learn more at Zest AI and connect on LinkedIn.
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