DUOME - WINNER OF THE 2026 NACUSO NEXT BIG IDEA COMPETITION

Credit union-focused housing affordability startup takes first place following post-event audit

There was a buzz in the room at NACUSO's Reimagine conference in late April. A recognition that the housing affordability crisis isn't an abstract policy problem — it's our members' problem. Duome presented alongside three other CUSO finalists, and the groundswell of support in that room reflected that awareness.

Following the event, NACUSO conducted a full audit of the live audience voting data, which confirmed anomalies in the vote totals. NACUSO's executive committee voted unanimously to remove the irregular votes. The final results placed Duome as the highest vote recipient, and Duome has been officially named the winner of the 2026 NACUSO Next Big Idea Competition.

The official result matched what we experienced on the ground. The in-person conversations at Reimagine were encouraging across the board, and attendees' enthusiasm gave us a clear sense that the model resonates with the credit union community.

Credit unions are built to take on the housing affordability crisis. It's an urgent problem — in over 79% of U.S. counties, the median household income cannot afford the median home price. Duome helps credit unions serve the members who are being priced out, without changing how they underwrite or requiring new policy. This recognition is meaningful to Duome because it reflects the credit union community's belief that housing affordability for our communities is one we can address as financial cooperatives.

How Duome Works

Duome is a CUSO that brings together impact capital to co-invest alongside homebuyers as tenants-in-common, reducing the mortgage burden for payment-constrained but creditworthy buyers — typically households earning 80–120% of Area Median Income. The Duome Fund co-invests up to 45% of the purchase price of a single-family home, enabling buyers to carry a standard first-lien mortgage at 75% of value. The result is a monthly payment reduction of several hundred dollars with no change to the credit union's underwriting process.

Duome's model requires no new lending products, no zoning reform, and no government subsidy. It works within existing credit union infrastructure today, pairing lending volume growth with measurable community impact.

One Washington Financial, the CUSO subsidiary of WSECU, serves as Duome's anchor community partner and strategic investor.

"We built Duome to be something credit unions could actually use today," said Berg. "The housing crisis isn't waiting for policy to catch up. Our credit union partners understand that — and the members who voted us the Next Big Idea recognize it too."

Credit unions are uniquely positioned to deliver Duome's model to the households that need it most. We can help solve this problem — for our members, for our communities.

We're grateful to NACUSO for the platform and the community they've built. All voices are needed at the table for innovation to grow, and NACUSO is one of the few organizations with the reach and trust to make that happen across the whole credit union ecosystem.

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About Duome

Duome (Doo' ohm) is a CUSO built to help credit unions close the housing affordability gap. Through shared ownership co-investment, Duome co-invests alongside homebuyers as tenants-in-common, reducing monthly mortgage burden for creditworthy buyers while enabling credit unions to grow funded loan volume and deepen member relationships. Duome is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Learn more at myduome.com.