Pocket Planner Inc. Takes Second Place at AWS SBA Pitch Competition for AI-Powered SBA Loan Underwriting Platform
Nathan Garcia holds up his prize at the AWS AI Pitch Competition
Columbia, Maryland-based fintech Express Underwriter earns national recognition for transforming small business lending through artificial intelligence
We've been building toward — a future where entrepreneurs aren't turned away from SBA loans because of paperwork and process, but succeed because lenders and intermediaries have the right tools”
COLUMBIA, MD, UNITED STATES, April 24, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Pocket Planner Inc., the Columbia, Maryland-based financial technology company behind Express Underwriter (expressunderwriter.com), announced today it has earned second place at the AWS SBA Pitch Competition, held at the Maryland Innovation Center in Columbia, Maryland. The recognition highlights the company's momentum in applying artificial intelligence to one of the most underserved segments of the U.S. financial system: SBA small business loan underwriting for community banks and CDFIs.— Nathan Garcia
Express Underwriter is an AI-powered SBA loan pre-underwriting platform designed for community development financial institutions (CDFIs), Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), and community banks. The platform evaluates borrower readiness, generates bank-grade underwriting artifacts, and calculates debt service coverage ratios (DSCR) — dramatically reducing the time and manual effort required to process SBA 7(a) loan applications.
"Winning second place at this competition validates what we've been building toward — a future where small business owners aren't turned away from SBA loans because of paperwork and process, but succeed because lenders and intermediaries have the right tools," said Nathan Garcia, Founder and CEO of Pocket Planner Inc. "Express Underwriter was built in Columbia, Maryland, and this recognition means a great deal to our team and our mission."
Addressing a $25 Billion Market Gap
The SBA 7(a) loan program approved over 70,200 loans totaling $31.1 billion in fiscal year 2024 — the highest volume in more than 15 years. Despite record lending, community banks and CDFIs — the institutions most committed to underserved borrowers — continue to struggle with outdated, manual dependent underwriting processes. Express Underwriter replaces those workflows with an AI-native platform that:
- Scores borrower readiness before applications reach a lender, reducing declined applications and wasted lender time
- Generates bank-grade SBA underwriting memos using AI — including DSCR calculations, NAICS financial benchmarking, and risk narrative
- Routes borrowers to the right lender or program based on their financial profile, improving match quality across the SBA lending ecosystem
- Requires zero IT integration — deployed as a web application with same-day onboarding
Built for the Community Lending Ecosystem
Unlike traditional loan origination software that can cost $100,000 or more to implement, Express Underwriter is priced for CDFIs and intermediaries, starting at $20,000 ACV. The platform is currently in active pilot discussions with financial institutions across the Mid-Atlantic region, including Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
Pocket Planner Inc is a minority-owned enterprise headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, with MBE certification currently pending. The company works closely with community lending organizations committed to closing the small business capital access gap for Black, Latino, women-owned, and rural enterprises — segments that have collectively seen 2–3x growth in SBA loan volume since 2020.
About Express Underwriter
Express Underwriter is an AI-powered SBA loan pre-underwriting platform built for community banks, CDFIs, and loan intermediaries. The platform improves pipeline quality, reduces manual underwriting effort, and helps small businesses get loan-ready before they reach a lender. Learn more at expressunderwriter.com.
About Pocket Planner Inc.
Pocket Planner Inc. is a minority-owned financial technology company headquartered in Columbia, Maryland; official MBE certification is pending. Founded by Nathan Garcia, CFP, the company builds AI-powered tools for the financial services industry, including Express Underwriter and Clarity Tax. For more information, visit pocketplan.io or call 443-583-5896.
Media inquiries: Nathan Garcia | nathan@expressunderwriter.com | 443-583-5896
Nathan Garcia
Pocket Planner Inc
+1 443-583-5896
email us here
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