Upstart has raised $32.5 million in funding, according to a blog post on its site. The funding round was led by Rakuten, a global leader in internet services and global innovation headquartered in Japan, and by a large US-based asset manager. Existing investors Third Point Ventures, Khosla Ventures, and First Round Capital also participated.

Founded by ex-Googlers, Upstart is an online lending platform that goes beyond the FICO score to finance people based on signals of their potential, including schools attended, area of study, academic performance, and work history. Their proprietary underwriting model identifies high quality borrowers despite limited credit and employment experience. Upstart offers 3-year fixed interest loans. Funds can be used for almost anything, including starting a business, paying for a coding bootcamp, eliminating student debt or paying off credit cards.