inKind

inKind is a fintech company that runs a dual-sided marketplace for restaurant financing and dining rewards. On one side it provides restaurants with low-cost, debt-free capital by purchasing food and beverage credit up front at a discount; on the other it resells that credit to consumers through a mobile app in which diners earn up to 20% cash back on every meal. The technical work spans financial technology, dual-sided marketplace platforms, mobile application development, payments and stored-value credit, and consumer rewards and cashback systems. The company was founded in Austin, Texas.

The scale of the operation is substantial. inKind reports more than $600m in capital deployed to over 6,000 restaurants across 44 U.S. states, and a consumer app with more than 4m users redeeming credit at thousands of top-rated venues nationwide. The company describes its consumer side as the largest marketplace of its kind.

The financing model is intended to replace what the company characterises as predatory loans with a sustainable alternative for restaurants. Partner restaurant groups include MINA Group, Union Square Hospitality, Noble 33 and José Andrés Group, alongside award-winning independent establishments. Investors include Jay-Z's MarcyPen Capital Partners, Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang and all four members of Metallica.