In a time where digital transformation is top-of-mind for mortgage executives, Mike Yu is widely regarded as a thought leader with unique expertise at the intersection of mortgage and technology. After spending four years at Blend as an early product manager, Yu founded Vesta, the leading next-gen LOS, and has raised $55 million from top venture investors (Andreessen Horowitz, Bain Capital Ventures and more). Yu holds a master’s in AI from Stanford University; through his strong technical understanding and vast network of Silicon Valley AI leaders, he’s deeply in tune with advances in technology that will shape the mortgage industry over the next decade.
When Yu began his career at Blend in 2016, they were doing just two loans per day and had less than 50 employees. By the time he left Blend in 2020, his list of accomplishments included leading the rollout of Wells Fargo (Blend’s first large client), launching key components of the flagship mortgage platform, co-designing Day 1 Certainty with the GSEs, and starting and leading new business lines, such as Blend Insurance.
Yu then turned his sights on something bigger — the Loan Origination System (LOS), a complex piece of tech in a typical mortgage lender’s stack, and thus the hardest to build. Going after the LOS space was an incredibly ambitious undertaking that numerous startups have attempted and failed at tackling. And at just 29 years old, Yu has built one of the most viable challenger LOSs in ages, with several customers live and even more in implementation. All of this during the worst market in decades.
Yu has become a leading voice in the mortgage ecosystem. In the last year, he’s been asked to demo Vesta on stage at several prominent conferences, been invited on the most listened to mortgage podcasts, and has won several awards from reputable publications like Forbes and Inman.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Be honest and transparent — everybody smart (employees, customers and prospects) can see the truth anyway, so you’re not fooling anybody by trying to put a spin on it.
Name:
Mike Yu
Title:
CEO
Company Name:
Vesta
