Chonchol Gupta is the founder and CEO of Rebirth Financial, a peer-to-business investment firm that will begin operating soon in New Orleans. The firm is built on the principals of micro-financing, first pioneered by Muhammad Yunus and the Gramin Bank.
The company will allow people to invest in local New Orleans businesses, to help finance the re-building of the city. Chonchol was inspired to create Rebirth Financial when he realized that despite numerous grassroots relief efforts in New Orleans, small businesses were still struggling to get access to affordable capital, which they desperately needed to rebuild and repair.
Rebirth Financial will focus specifically on small businesses located in New Orleans but Chonchol has big dreams for future expansion if the company is successful in New Orleans. He believes that people will be very interested in investing (and realizing a good return) in their neighbors on Main street, rather than on Wall Street.