Steven Uster (Loran Scholar ’97) has been active in the alternative finance space since 2009. He established Eldridge Capital in order to provide short-term, asset-backed financing and accounts receivable factoring to small and medium sized companies and started Zillidy, a personal asset lender for individuals and business owners. Steven’s latest venture, FundThrough, is an online lending platform that offers lines of credit to growing businesses in Canada.
As a high school student, Steven first tested his interest in business by getting involved in sales and collections for a local trade show operator. When he was selected as a Loran Scholar, he enrolled in the Bachelor of Commerce program at McGill University. His mentor, Deepak Ramachandran, an entrepreneur himself, remains a trusted advisor and is a co-founder of FundThrough.
After graduating from McGill, Steven worked on Wall Street in New York. He started his career at UBS Investment Bank and continued it at Centerview Partners, advising large public companies on aspects of their business, including raising money and making acquisitions. Over the years, Steven advised on and executed over $25 billion of transactions. He also earned an MBA at The Wharton School, specializing in entrepreneurship. While he has worked with Fortune 100 companies, his passion has always been helping entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.
“Seeing what fellow scholars are doing pushes me to test my own limits.”
In the community, Steven is a strong supporter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada. He volunteers as an interviewer and was a board director of the Loran Scholars Foundation from 2015 to 2017. From 2013 to 2015, he was the coordinator of the Loran Alumni Association. “On a personal level, getting to know fellow scholars helps me to ensure I’m paying attention to all of my priorities, including my family, my career and my community. Seeing what fellow scholars are doing pushes me to test my own limits. Being a Loran Scholar is a lifelong commitment to always being better.”
Steven is an annual donor. He recently made a multi-year commitment to support future Loran Scholars.