- conflicts or gaps
- [[{"topic": {"value": "Acquisition status vs acquirer identity", "source_urls": ["https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/lendedu", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/natematherson"]}, "detail": {"value": "YC lists status as Acquired and founders as Former Founders; Nate Matherson profile says Exited January 2020; no public acquirer name, price, or deal announcement found despite active brand continuity", "source_urls": ["https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/lendedu", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/natematherson", "https://lendedu.com/"]}}, {"topic": {"value": "Headquarters location", "source_urls": ["https://lendedu.com/about/", "https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/lendedu"]}, "detail": {"value": "Current site lists Charlotte, NC address; YC/FTC/Wikipedia cite Hoboken, NJ; third-party databases list Charlotte", "source_urls": ["https://lendedu.com/about/", "https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/lendedu", "https://tracxn.com/d/companies/lendeducom/__chhdMEtwubVnc3fCFWg4X75kmxEtgOxJ1Il2OplnKLU"]}}, {"topic": {"value": "Employee count", "source_urls": ["https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/lendedu", "https://tracxn.com/d/companies/lendeducom/__chhdMEtwubVnc3fCFWg4X75kmxEtgOxJ1Il2OplnKLU"]}, "detail": {"value": "Third-party counts range from 5–6 (2022) to 10 (YC) to 14 (2019) to 19 (2026 Tracxn); no official headcount published", "source_urls": ["https://www.thecompanycheck.com/company/b/lendeducom/mjfzaii38bn8da4ug", "https://tracxn.com/d/companies/lendeducom/__chhdMEtwubVnc3fCFWg4X75kmxEtgOxJ1Il2OplnKLU", "https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/lendedu"]}}, {"topic": {"value": "Total funding raised", "source_urls": ["https://tracxn.com/d/companies/lendeducom/__chhdMEtwubVnc3fCFWg4X75kmxEtgOxJ1Il2OplnKLU/funding-and-investors", "https://siliconprairienews.com/2016/02/how-lendedu-made-it-into-y-combinator-on-their-second-try/"]}, "detail": {"value": "Institutional databases track $140K (YC $120K + NewBoCo $20K); founder cited ~$250K raised pre-YC; Wikipedia/Iowa sources cite additional $50K Built by Iowa + $5K UD grant not always included in database totals; CB Insights tracks only $120K YC round", "source_urls": ["https://tracxn.com/d/companies/lendeducom/__chhdMEtwubVnc3fCFWg4X75kmxEtgOxJ1Il2OplnKLU/funding-and-investors", "https://siliconprairienews.com/2016/02/how-lendedu-made-it-into-y-combinator-on-their-second-try/", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LendEDU", "https://www.cbinsights.com/company/lendedu/financials"]}}, {"topic": {"value": "Drew Cloud / Student Loan Report scandal (2018)", "source_urls": ["https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2018/04/25/drew-cloud-a-widely-quoted-student-loans-expert-doesnt-actually-exist-he-was-the-creation-of-a-for-profit-company/", "https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/25/lendedu-ceo-says-survey-spokesman-was-a-fake.html"]}, "detail": {"value": "LendEDU-owned Student Loan Report used fictitious persona Drew Cloud as founder/expert quoted in major media; undisclosed corporate affiliation; CEO apologized", "source_urls": ["https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2018/04/25/drew-cloud-a-widely-quoted-student-loans-expert-doesnt-actually-exist-he-was-the-creation-of-a-for-profit-company/", "https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/04/25/605858500/student-loan-report-admits-its-founder-and-editor-is-fake"]}}, {"topic": {"value": "FTC pay-to-play rankings & fake reviews (2020)", "source_urls": ["https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2020/02/operators-comparison-shopping-website-agree-settle-ftc-charges-alleging-deceptive-rankings-financial", "https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/05/lendedu-engaged-in-a-pay-to-play-ratings-scheme-regulator-says.html"]}, "detail": {"value": "FTC alleged rankings/ratings sold to highest-bidding advertisers and ~90% of Trustpilot reviews were manufactured by employees/friends/family; $350K settlement", "source_urls": ["https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2020/02/operators-comparison-shopping-website-agree-settle-ftc-charges-alleging-deceptive-rankings-financial", "https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/05/lendedu-engaged-in-a-pay-to-play-ratings-scheme-regulator-says.html"]}}, {"topic": {"value": "Third-party data quality", "source_urls": ["https://reforgers.com/startups/lendedu", "https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/lendedu"]}, "detail": {"value": "Some secondary databases incorrectly list company acquisition in 2015 or conflate LendEDU-as-acquirer with LendEDU being acquired", "source_urls": ["https://reforgers.com/startups/lendedu", "https://www.cbinsights.com/company/lendedu/financials"]}}, {"topic": {"value": "Ownership structure post-founder exit", "source_urls": ["https://lendedu.com/about/", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/natematherson"]}, "detail": {"value": "Current ownership (Shop Tutors Inc. shareholders) not publicly disclosed; leadership transitioned to non-founder executives (Ellen Stevens, Danny Dover, etc.)", "source_urls": ["https://lendedu.com/about/", "https://theorg.com/org/lendedu/org-chart/ellen-stevens"]}}]]
- source urls
- ["https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LendEDU", "https://horn.udel.edu/blue-hens-of-a-feather-from-friends-to-founders", "https://lendedu.com/", "https://lendedu.com/about/", "https://lendedu.com/banking/", "https://lendedu.com/blog/acquisition-statfuse/", "https://lendedu.com/blog/assetrover-merges-with-lendedu/", "https://lendedu.com/blog/best-cash-advance-apps-to-borrow-money-instantly/", "https://lendedu.com/credit-cards/", "https://lendedu.com/home-equity/", "https://lendedu.com/insurance/", "https://lendedu.com/mortgages/", "https://lendedu.com/personal-finance/", "https://lendedu.com/personal-loans/", "https://lendedu.com/student-loans/private-student-loans/", "https://reforgers.com/startups/lendedu", "https://siliconprairienews.com/2016/02/how-lendedu-made-it-into-y-combinator-on-their-second-try/", "https://technical.ly/startups/startup-hiring-ud-grads-lendedu/", "https://theorg.com/org/lendedu/org-chart/ellen-stevens", "https://tracxn.com/d/companies/lendeducom/__chhdMEtwubVnc3fCFWg4X75kmxEtgOxJ1Il2OplnKLU", "https://tracxn.com/d/companies/lendeducom/__chhdMEtwubVnc3fCFWg4X75kmxEtgOxJ1Il2OplnKLU/funding-and-investors", "https://www.basetemplates.com/founder-stories/nate-matherson", "https://www.cbinsights.com/company/lendedu/financials", "https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/25/lendedu-ceo-says-survey-spokesman-was-a-fake.html", "https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/05/lendedu-engaged-in-a-pay-to-play-ratings-scheme-regulator-says.html", "https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2020/02/05/feds-lendedu-personal-finance-website-founded-ud-grads-sold-positive-reviews/4647914002/", "https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/cases-proceedings/182-3180-lendedu-et-al-matter", "https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2020/02/operators-comparison-shopping-website-agree-settle-ftc-charges-alleging-deceptive-rankings-financial", "https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/182_3180_lendedu_complaint.pdf", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/natematherson", "https://www.linkedin.com/posts/natematherson_a-couple-of-updates-ive-joined-numeral-activity-7256997238080516096-zavw", "https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/04/25/605858500/student-loan-report-admits-its-founder-and-editor-is-fake", "https://www.thecompanycheck.com/company/b/lendeducom/mjfzaii38bn8da4ug", "https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2018/04/25/drew-cloud-a-widely-quoted-student-loans-expert-doesnt-actually-exist-he-was-the-creation-of-a-for-profit-company/", "https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/lendedu"]