Louis Beryl, founder of student-loan start-up Earnest, said his firm would receive $275 million (Rs 1,837 crore) in financing, comprising a $75-million equity stake led by Battery Ventures, along with $200 million in lending capital from New York Life and an unnamed institution. The sizable war chest will help Earnest take the fight to incumbent banking giants on more fronts as the firm builds a broad spectrum of financial services, not just student loans and personal loans. Earnest will double its 160-person head count, Bloomberg News said.