NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Scienaptic AI, a global leader in advanced credit decisioning technology, today announced that First Financial of Maryland Federal Credit Union (First Financial), headquartered in Sparks Glencoe, Maryland, has selected the Scienaptic platform to enhance its credit decisioning processes. The partnership supports First Financial’s ongoing efforts to modernize lending operations, improve consistency and efficiency, and responsibly expand access to credit for its members.
Founded in 1953, First Financial has served members across Maryland for more than seven decades. With over $1.3 billion in assets and more than 77,000 members, the credit union is guided by its motto, “Don’t just bank, belong.” First Financial is committed to delivering personalized, member-focused financial services that promote long-term financial well-being while maintaining prudent risk management and strong governance.
Through this initiative, First Financial will leverage advanced analytics and decisioning support tools to complement its existing lending policies and underwriting framework. The enhanced platform is designed to help incorporate additional relevant data points, improve decision consistency and turnaround times, and support fair and responsible credit decisions, while maintaining appropriate human oversight and compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.
“At First Financial, our mission is to ensure every member feels understood and supported,” said Eric Church, CEO of First Financial of Maryland Federal Credit Union. “As member expectations evolve, it is important that our lending experience remains efficient, consistent, and aligned with our values. This technology helps us better evaluate each application within our established credit policies and risk framework, enabling faster decisions while continuing to manage risk responsibly and serve our members’ long-term financial goals.”
“First Financial’s approach reflects a thoughtful and disciplined use of technology in lending,” said Patrick McElhenie, Chief Growth Officer at Scienaptic AI. “We are pleased to support their efforts to enhance credit decisioning with greater clarity and consistency, while respecting the credit union’s commitment to governance, transparency, and member trust.”
The enhanced credit decisioning capabilities will support First Financial’s strategic objectives by strengthening the member lending experience, improving operational efficiency, and reinforcing the credit union’s commitment to responsible growth and financial inclusion.
About Scienaptic AI
Founded in 2014, Scienaptic AI was built with the mission to drive financial inclusion at scale through AI-driven credit decisioning. The platform encapsulates a decade of technological innovation, integrating more data into decision-making, leveraging advanced machine learning algorithms, and supplementing them with rigorous risk and fair lending monitoring processes. This enables financial institutions to reach more borrowers- including underbanked and underserved individuals and say “Yes” more often without increasing risk.
In September 2024, Scienaptic’s Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO) received strategic equity investments from its clients, further strengthening its mission to elevate lending with AI-driven solutions for inclusive loan growth, automation, lifecycle management, and compliance. Today, the CUSO is backed by 15 strategic investors, underscoring Scienaptic’s deep commitment to the core principle of "people helping people."
The Scienaptic AI platform plays a vital role in supporting over 150 lenders by enhancing lending accuracy and efficiency. Scienaptic’s credit decisioning expertise spans financial institutions collectively managing $3.9 trillion in assets. The platform has powered decisions for over $250 billion in loans. It processes over 3 million credit decisions each month, evaluating loan applications worth more than $3 billion. This enables over 1.7 million underserved individuals every month to access credit opportunities that were previously out of reach. Driven by the growing demand for AI in lending, the company has expanded by over 2,000% in the past three years.
Scienaptic has been recognized among the most innovative and fastest-growing companies in financial technology. The company was named to the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 list for 2025 and was included in the CB Insights Fintech 100 list of the most promising fintech companies shaping the future of financial services.
For more information, visit www.scienaptic.ai
Contacts
Media
Chandan Pal
Chief Marketing Officer
chandan@scienaptic.com
Scienaptic AI
