2026 Vision Awards Winners

Credit One Bank is advancing credit risk assessment and expanding responsible access to credit through a rebuilt custom underwriting model developed using Experian data and advanced machine learning techniques within the Experian Ascend Sandbox™. The enhanced model delivered nearly a 50% improvement in Kolmogorov-Smirnov score performance, significantly strengthening underwriting precision and risk assessment capabilities. As a result, Credit One Bank expects to increase credit card offers by approximately 15% while maintaining current loss rates, helping more consumers build or rebuild their financial health while supporting sustainable business growth.

Fundbox is advancing embedded capital lending lending with an AI-driven underwriting approach that enables platforms to deliver faster decisions and broader access to funding for the small businesses they serve. Its AI-powered underwriting engine combines banking, accounting and payment activity with Experian consumer and commercial credit data to evaluate businesses using real-time operating signals, delivering credit decisions in less than 60 seconds with 98% of applications requiring no human review. Since January 2024, the solution has approved more than 50,000 new customers and supported approximately $2 billion in originations.

Valley First Credit Union is expanding financial inclusion and economic opportunity across California's Central Valley, with more than 70% of its lending supporting low-and moderate-income communities. Through strategic partnerships and purpose-driven lending programs, Valley First helped individuals, families and small businesses move forward financially in 2025, providing $239,000 in microloans, $390,000 in SBA commercial loans, $660,000 through the Modesto Loan Fund and $32,000 in first-time homebuyer assistance grants. Beyond lending, Valley First remains committed to empowering the communities it serves through financial education, one-on-one guided counseling and free resources. Valley First reached more than 4,200 community members and helped nearly 12,900 members build stronger credit and greater financial confidence.

Best Egg received the Excellence in Innovation award for two initiatives focused on fraud prevention and personalized offer experiences. The company built an adaptive fraud-prevention ecosystem that combines Experian data with additional identity and risk signals.  From July 2025 to date, the program reduced fraud losses and identified and prevented a significant amount of application volume associated with suspected fraudulent activity, while limiting additional friction for legitimate customers.