A Note from Our CEO
“While our achievements are a point of pride, our true strength lies in the businesses and people we empowered.”
Reflecting on 2025, I am struck by our many accomplishments and the passionate team that powered them. Our efforts are rooted in a clear mission: to unlock the capital that fuels small businesses across America. This purpose is what aligns and inspires us to pursue ambitious goals. We are proud of the impact we’ve made for the people who make it all possible – our customers, our team members, and our invaluable partners.
For our customers, our growth meant opportunity. In a year where access to capital continued to be the fuel for businesses to thrive and survive, we were able to unlock over $1.2 billion in funding nationwide. Completing our first asset-backed securitization solidified our ability to keep saying ‘yes’ to small businesses for the long term. It is a privilege to watch these entrepreneurs use the funding to transform their vision into a reality that drives the economy forward.
To better serve and support our customers, we also focused on removing friction from the funding journey. By leveraging technology to optimize automation and further digitize the customer experience, we have modernized our infrastructure to make the path to capital faster and more convenient. These enhancements allow entrepreneurs to spend less time on paperwork and more time building their business and serving their communities.
We enter 2026 with incredible enthusiasm. While our achievements are a point of pride, our true strength lies in the businesses and people we empowered. This impact drives us to build on our success and redefine what’s possible for the small business community in the year ahead.
Jason Mullins, President & CEO
About Us
What We Do and Why We Do It
Forward is on a mission to unlock the capital that fuels small businesses across America. Whether facing challenges accessing traditional financing or simply needing a convenient, flexible solution, Forward is committed to funding more of the millions of small businesses nationwide.
By simplifying the requirements, streamlining the process, and using advanced proprietary technology, Forward is often able to deliver funds same day — giving more businesses the financial opportunity they need to thrive. Plus, with dedicated teams and award-winning service, customers get personalized support when they need it most.
How We Help
Capital unlocked since inception
Capital unlocked in 2025
Total customer savings using our
early performance discount
Repeat customers that received a better offer
Strategic Partnerships
Continued ICIC partnership, offering our customers in Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) areas tuition-free executive education.
Engaged with the FTA to help shape a transparent, digital-first financial landscape that broadens access to capital for underserved small business owners nationwide.
Deepened our collaboration with BECMA to advocate for Black-owned businesses, providing the networking and advocacy tools necessary to foster a more equitable Massachusetts economy.
Our Business
Unlocking Potential and Fueling Growth
We are driven by the grit and ambition of small business owners. Our mission is to unlock the capital that fuels small businesses across America, providing the reliable support they need to remove barriers and stay focused on their core operations. By leveraging human expertise with intuitive technology, we deliver a superior experience that empowers our customers to scale with confidence.
Awards Won
Named an Inc. Power Partner
Award Winner
Won a Silver Stevie® for
Customer Service and
Corporate Social Responsibility
Certified in the US,
the Dominican Republic, and Canada
Recognized 6x in the
Built In Best Places
to Work Awards
Ranked #5 on the
BBJ's Largest Fintech
Companies in MA
Milestones Achieved
Delivered Record Breaking Support
Our operational excellence drove record-breaking results in 2025 – achieving the highest funding volume day, week, and year in Forward history. These milestones represent a transformative amount of capital placed directly into the hands of entrepreneurs, empowering them to hire, expand, and build lasting legacies within their communities.
Completed First-Ever Securitization
In a landmark milestone for Forward, we closed our inaugural asset-backed securitization of $170 million. This achievement significantly diversifies our funding profile and strengthens our long-term stability, allowing us to provide even more capital and opportunities to our small business customers.
Enhancements Made
Executed Strategic Expansion
To continue serving our growing customer base, we expanded our physical and operational footprint in 2025. This included opening a new office in Salt Lake City, Utah and rolling out our loan product in multiple states, expanding access to even more capital to small businesses across America.
Invested in Leadership Expertise
This year, we deepened our organizational capabilities by making strategic additions to our executive team, welcoming a new Chief Revenue Officer and Chief Marketing Officer. These appointments ensure we have the seasoned guidance needed to navigate our next phase of scale.
Modernized Core Infrastructure
In 2025, Forward launched a new industry-grade decision engine leveraging Model-Driven Decisioning while modernizing our architecture. This breakthrough improved risk assessment and pricing accuracy, creating a more efficient approval flow that improved SLAs for partners and customers. This efficiency freed human underwriters to focus on nuance – ensuring we deliver maximum value to our ISO partners and our customers.
Fortified Our Security Framework
To reinforce our commitment to trust and compliance, Forward implemented rigorous security controls and achieved key System and Organization Controls 2 (SOC 2) certification milestones. This rigorous framework ensures we maintain the highest levels of data integrity and security while scaling our operations.
Our Customers
Bridging the Small Business Funding Gap
Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, creating over 70% of new jobs since 2019. While these businesses make up 99.9% of total US businesses and generate 43.5% of the US Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – big banks approve only 14% of loan applications – leaving a critical funding gap. That funding gap is why Forward exists. With more than 36.2 million US small businesses needing access to capital, we are committed to expanding our reach and serving even more of them.
(Sources: Small Business Finance Insights & SBA Office of Advocacy).
Who They Are
Customers served since inception
Customers served in 2025
Customers in LMI areas
Average time in business
What They Have to Say
“As a minority woman, it’s hard to receive funding. I’ve been told ‘no’ a lot, so having a partner who believes in me means everything."
— Haley McClain Hill, TORCH Warriorwear
“Forward Financing made the process very easy for me. It was a fast process, and the very next day I had the solution I needed."
— Imelda Hagens, Hope’s Children Academy
“Forward gave me payment relief, which meant a lot. It showed that when one hand helps the other, you can get through anything.”
— Andy Colandrea, Inferno Brewery
Top Industries Served Out of 700+
Trucking & Transportation
Restaurants
Construction
Top States Served Across All 50
California
Texas
Florida
Our People
People:
Our Greatest Asset
At Forward, we foster a culture of authenticity and continuous growth. We value direct communication, innovation, and impact. This approach drives every part of the employee journey – from navigating complex challenges to celebrating career-defining successes – ensuring every team member feels heard, supported, and celebrated at the individual level.
Our Core Values
Drive the Mission
We believe in financial opportunity for underserved small businesses.
We say “yes” when others say “no.”
Keep It Real
We value direct communication, candid feedback, and authenticity.
We are an open book.
Act with Kindness
We create an environment where caring is cool and helping is the norm.
We do the right thing.
Shoot for Extraordinary
We are inspired by innovative thinking and continuous improvement.
We never settle for yesterday’s best.
Who We Are
Total Employees
average employee tenure
of managers are women
of employees promoted in 2025
Bringing Our Teams Together
As a remote-first organization, Forward prioritizes meaningful in-person connections to foster a thriving workplace. To bring our team together, we host Forward Palooza, a biannual meetup for Canadian and US based employees in Boston and DR-based employees in Santiago, featuring learning opportunities, an all-hands meeting, and time to connect live and celebrate.
Where We Live
Mint: Our Local Communities (Home to our employees)
Investing in Our People
Launched Forward President’s Club
In 2025, we introduced the President’s Club to honor our top-performing employees. This elite recognition celebrates those who deliver extraordinary results and drive our mission forward, rewarding winners with an all-inclusive luxury resort getaway.
Enhanced our Employee Awards Program
We enhanced our awards program to better celebrate the diverse contributions of our team. From honoring core values to rewarding innovation and leadership, our new suite of awards ensures that the dedication behind every milestone is recognized and rewarded.
Established a People Business Partner Framework
To better support our teams, we embedded dedicated People Business Partners across the organization. These partners act as strategic resources for employees and leaders alike, providing guidance on professional growth, career goals, and day-to-day support.
Prioritized the Employee Experience
In 2025, we deepened our commitment to our team by enhancing quarterly engagement surveys and acting on direct feedback. Key improvements included team-specific onboarding, globalized social events, and a continued investment in comprehensive total rewards.
Glassdoor rating
Employee reviews
Would recommend
Fostering a Fair and Inclusive Culture
We believe that a truly inclusive culture is one where advancement is based on merit and impact, not tenure and title. In 2025, we operationalized our commitment to fair advancement by standardizing performance evaluations to ensure objectivity. By increasing transparency around compensation and promotion criteria, we guarantee the right people are in the right jobs to drive our mission. We also leveraged direct findings from our engagement survey to refine our total rewards, ensuring every employee has a competitive and equitable path to success.
Supporting Our Communities
Our people are deeply committed to driving our mission in everything they do, including supporting their local communities. In 2025, our teams dedicated their time and resources to a variety of organizations, making a meaningful impact while enjoying the process of giving back.
total donations
employee donations
non-profits supported
What They Have to Say
Trustpilot rating
Five-star reviews
Google rating
We can’t wait to see what we achieve in 2026, both for our valued customers and team members.
Stay up to date on our progress here!
All content and statistics are accurate as of December 31, 2025.