We’re a Semifinalist in Filene’s 2027 FiLab Testing Menu

We just found out Bloom+ made the semifinals for Filene’s 2027 FiLab Testing Menu. Filene received over 120 submissions, including 118 fintech applications, the largest applicant pool in FiLab history. Bloom+ is one of 27 semifinalists advancing to sponsor evaluation, made up of 25 fintech solutions and 2 Discovery Tests.

If you’re not familiar with Filene, here’s the short version. Filene is a research and innovation organization built around a network of credit unions. FiLab is their answer to a common problem: credit unions want to test new fintech, but a full internal build or a long procurement process is a lot to take on for something unproven. Filene runs the test on the credit union’s behalf instead, then shares what it learns with its member network.

Every year, Filene opens a call for new technology. This year’s pool grew 39% over 2025, and 77% of applicants were first time entrants. Semifinalists present next week at the FiLab Symposium in Kansas City, where credit union leaders, strategic partners, and innovation experts will hear pitches and vote on which solutions advance to collaborative testing starting in January 2027. Our Head of Strategy and Partnerships, Tushar Mukhija, will present Bloom+ at the Symposium.

Filene’s own Testing Menu sums up Bloom+ in one line: “Giving credit where credit is due.” We’re listed under Lending, Payments & Deposits, in Filene’s Advancing Impact track.

Why We Think Bloom+ Is a Good Fit

Bloom+ takes regular, non-debt payments members are already making and turns them into credit building tradelines. Members permission their own deposit data, and Bloom+ picks out recurring rent, utility, and Telecom payments and reports them to the credit bureaus through Metro 2® formatted furnishment. Nothing new to open, nothing extra to spend.

The numbers back it up. Members with no prior credit score start with an average score of 657 after enrollment. Members who already have a score see a lift of 16 to 23 points within 72 hours.

Credit unions notice the difference too. Bill pay engagement rises 31% after enrollment, which works out to an average of 5.2 more payments per member each month. Deposits increase by 13%. And 61% of enrolled members take out a new loan within 90 days. All of that activity improves retention as well – over 98% of Bloom+ customers still have their credit building checking account a year after enrollment.

What We’re Watching For

We’ll find out in January whether Bloom+ advances to collaborative testing with credit unions in Filene’s network. If we do, our team will handle enrollment and reporting behind the scenes so credit unions can focus on their members.

“Filene’s network is exactly the kind of credit union relationships we built Bloom+ to serve,” said Tushar Mukhija, Head of Strategy and Partnerships at Bloom Credit. “Getting in front of their judges and their member credit unions at the Symposium is a real opportunity to show what consumer permissioned data can do for people who’ve been overlooked by traditional credit models.”

“Being named a FiLab semifinalist tells us something we already believed: credit unions want a better way to serve members who don’t fit the traditional credit file,” said Christian Widhalm, CEO of Bloom Credit. “We built Bloom+ to close that gap, and it’s good to see that resonate with an organization like Filene.”