Blue Ridge Bank and SK2 Capital Launch EasyPPPzy™ Online Platform for Self-employed Workers to Receive Forgivable PPP Loans

RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Blue Ridge Bank, N.A. (“Blue Ridge Bank”), the national bank subsidiary of Blue Ridge Bankshares, Inc. (NYSE American: BRBS), announced today their continued partnership with SK2 Capital Inc. on the launch of its EasyPPPzy™ online platform following the news that the Small Business Administration’s Payment Protection Program (“PPP”) loan application deadline has been extended to May 31^st. The EasyPPPzy™ platform is a digital PPP application portal built from the ground up to assist with applying for and distributing forgivable PPP loans to self-employed professionals and independent contractors.

Gig economy workers, freelancers, drivers, and contractors can now complete their PPP application 100% online with SK2 Capital’s EasyPPPzy™ online platform, backed by Blue Ridge Bank as the exclusive lender. All self-employed individuals, whether they are gig economy workers, sole owners or contractors, can apply for PPP funding in as few as five minutes on www.easypppzy.com.

“Self-employed professionals, including freelancers and gig economy workers, are a crucial part of our economy and we realized early on that they were facing substantial barriers to accessing COVID-19 relief funds,” said Roger Saad, CEO and Founder of SK2 Capital. “We endeavoured to change that by using technology to make it easier for eligible people to access and apply for a PPP loan online. Our new platform allows us to offer our services for free to all, regardless of how small their loans may be.”

Blue Ridge Bank and SK2 Capital first partnered in March 2020 when PPP was announced as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Blue Ridge Bank was the exclusive funding partner for all SK2 Capital’s clients who were eligible to receive PPP funding. The partnership has since expanded into the online offering known as EasyPPPzy™ .

“We’re excited SK2 Capital has chosen to extend its partnership with Blue Ridge Bank,” said Michael Knotts, Senior Vice President of Government Guaranteed Lending and Business Development at Blue Ridge Bank. “Our shared commitment to supporting Main Street resulted in hundreds of small businesses across America gaining access to critical funding. We look forward to continuing our work together to reach even more borrowers to access this crucial funding, particularly the long tail of small businesses that have had the most difficulty to date in accessing PPP funds.”

The EasyPPPzy™ platform is built to streamline, simplify, and assist all eligible self-employed individuals obtain a PPP loan through an intuitive online platform. It is powered by The NoCheck Group LLC’s award-winning financial services platform to ensure the security and privacy of all applicants’ private financial information. The platform has already assisted customers with loans approved under the Small Business Administration’s new rule changes announced March 5^th.

About Blue Ridge Bank

Blue Ridge Bank, N.A., is the wholly owned banking subsidiary of Blue Ridge Bankshares, Inc. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, Blue Ridge Bank provides a wide range of financial services including retail and commercial banking, payroll, insurance, card payments, wholesale and retail mortgage lending, and government-guaranteed lending. The bank provides commercial banking services to customers located throughout Virginia and North Carolina. Visit mybrb.com to learn more.

About SK2 Capital Inc.

SK2 Capital Inc. (www.sk2capital.com) is a financial services and fintech company on a mission to help underserved SMEs obtain access to financial resources and services through dedication and innovation. Our purpose during these turbulent and uncertain financial times is to help as many small businesses and self-employed professionals as possible get access to the financial services and advice they need in order to help their businesses survive and grow.