• Crisis is investing in Husmus, a startup that provides an alternative to traditional credit scoring and offers products to eliminate the need for guarantors and other upfront costs
• The investment has already helped unlock significant further funding from Innovate UK

Venture Studio, the award-winning investment arm of national homelessness charity Crisis, has today announced substantial new funding for a company aiming to improve access to housing in the private rental sector.

Fintech startup Husmus, founded by CEO Sarah Wernér and CTO Mattias Wernér, seeks to make renting in the private sector fairer and more affordable. Its platform provides inclusive financial profiling as an alternative to traditional credit scoring. By focusing on tenants' income sources, such as gig income, pensions and housing benefit, as well as behavioral metrics, Husmus aims to reduce bias in the landlord decision making process.

Husmus’ platform also works with insurance companies and lenders on new products, such as the Husmus Tenant Guarantee insurance for prospective tenants, which eliminate the need for guarantors and advanced rent payments. Crucially this makes housing more accessible and affordable, and tenancies more sustainable.

The vital seed funding provided by Venture Studio from Crisis has already helped Husmus unlock separate investment from Innovate UK, which joins Google as another investor. Venture Studio will continue to work with Husmus by providing tailored support and linking the company into its wider network of partners and housing and homelessness-focused startups across Britain.

Both Husmus and Crisis see an urgent need to find new solutions for improving access to housing. Husmus cites data from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) indicating that 23% of UK adults (12.1 million people) face barriers to mainstream financial products due to outdated credit scoring systems or a lack of suitable options.

While the Westminster Government’s Renters’ Rights Bill is taking many positive steps to improve security for renters, Crisis believes other obstacles remain for people to leave housing insecurity and homelessness behind – such as excessive requirements around the need for a guarantor.

Established by Crisis in 2020, Venture Studio supports innovative companies that provide solutions to prevent and end homelessness – whether increasing the supply of, or access to, good quality affordable homes, or ending homelessness through their products and services. While the primary goal is to support efforts to end homelessness, any financial returns will be recycled to enable Venture Studio to support more businesses and enhance its wider impact.

The addition of Husmus brings Venture Studio’s investment portfolio to six companies. Venture Studio fundraises specifically from trusts and philanthropists to make these investments and is seeking additional people to support it in this way. It has also just launched its new campaign to attract further investment opportunities. This will close on 17 April.

Sarah Wernér, CEO and co-founder of Husmus, said:

“At Husmus, we believe everyone deserves a fair chance at securing a home. The Venture Studio’s investment is a powerful endorsement of our mission, helping us scale faster and create lasting change. With their support, alongside Innovate UK, we’re making housing more accessible and financially secure for tenants and landlords.”

Liz Choonara, Executive Director of Commerce & Enterprise at Crisis, said:

“It is fantastic that the Husmus team are joining Crisis’ investment portfolio. The private rented sector has been characterised by insecurity, rising costs and barriers to access for too long. Innovative companies like Husmus will make it easier for people to access housing, providing better protection for households at risk of homelessness and offering more opportunities for families trying to move on from temporary accommodation.

“With homelessness rising across the country, it is absolutely essential that we find new solutions to not only tackle it but end it. We are now keen to encourage startups helping to prevent or end homelessness through their innovative products and services to apply for our next funding round, which will close on 17 April.”

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Notes to editor

More details about Crisis’ Venture Studio can be found here.