To bridge the gap between credit unions/community banks of all sizes and early-stage startups that create promising new technology—creating a more inclusive, innovative, and resilient financial ecosystem.
We give financial institutions—regardless of size or tech maturity—early access to innovative technologies when their feedback can truly shape product direction. We help them:
Prepare to work with early-stage fintech startups.
Identify the right startups for collaboration.
Launch pilot projects with limited commitment and risk.
Assess pilot outcomes to determine viability and impact.
Integrate successful solutions into operations and measure long-term results.
Make strategic investments in early-stage startups.
We help early-stage startups enter and succeed in the community banking and credit union space by:
Matching them with the right financial institutions early in product development.
Guiding them through limited, high-impact pilot projects.
Helping evaluate results and iterate quickly.
Supporting integration into financial institutions.
Connecting them with early-stage investors aligned with their mission.
Diverse teams build better products. We support DEI on three levels:
Founders: Provide resources and connections to underrepresented and historically marginalized founders (including women, Black, Latinx, LGBTQ+, Indigenous, and veteran entrepreneurs).
Interns: Open pathways to high-tech careers for students from underserved communities.
Financial Customers: Encourage the creation of inclusive products that meet the needs of diverse member bases.
Develop locally rooted ecosystems in five test markets—Detroit, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Raleigh, and Seattle—that bring together:
Community banks and credit unions
Local early-stage startups
Interns from area universities
Local accelerators, incubators, and universities
These ecosystems will host affordable, high-impact local events that increase access and participation, while also connecting nationally for broader collaboration and idea-sharing.
Based on feedback from 20+ credit unions, we’ve developed four core education tracks delivered through local and virtual events:
Data Governance, Strategy & Analytics: Preparing your data for innovation and startup partnerships.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Creating products that eliminate bias and serve underserved members.
Working with Startups: Real-world success stories and lessons learned.
Investing in Startups: How credit unions and community banks can responsibly invest in innovation.
We accelerate product-market fit by:
Introducing startups to the right financial institutions at the right stage.
Facilitating feedback loops that improve products early.
Connecting startups with aligned, early-stage investors who understand the credit union/community banking space.
Capital remains a significant barrier—especially outside Silicon Valley or NYC. We address this by:
Researching and engaging investors who focus on fintech and/or underrepresented founders.
Connecting these investors with startups across the U.S.
Sharing our investor network with partner accelerators and incubators to increase visibility and opportunity.
We work to ensure that historically marginalized founders—including women, Black, Latinx, LGBTQ+, Indigenous, and veteran entrepreneurs—receive the support they need to succeed. Our approach includes:
Partnering with mission-aligned organizations across the U.S.
Tailoring support to the unique challenges these founders face.
Elevating their voices in building the next generation of financial technology.
We provide internships for students from underserved communities—within NAFC and among our member startups—by leveraging partnerships with universities in our regional ecosystems. These internships open doors to high-growth careers in technology and financial services.