Little Rock, Ark. (April 20, 2022) — The Independent Community Bankers of America® (ICBA) and The Venture Center, in partnership with the State of Arkansas, today hosted the fourth annual ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator Demo Day.
Featuring solutions ranging from loan origination and cybersecurity to business account opening and data intelligence, this year’s cohort showcased solutions that bring high-tech functionality together with the high-touch spirit of community banking for innovative results.
“The ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator program was designed with the overarching goal of helping community banks do what they do best: build relationships," said ICBA Chairman Brad Bolton, president and CEO of Community Spirit Bank in Red Bay, Ala. “This program continues to deliver on that promise with tailored solutions designed with community bank sensibilities and customers in mind. I look forward to continuing our efforts as we work collaboratively to reimagine community bank innovation.”
Data analytics and visualization company KlariVis was named “MVP” for its team’s collaborative approach and the platform’s potential to solve for community bankers’ business challenges and opportunities. Digital lending platform Quilo won the 2022 Banker’s Choice Award at ICBA’s annual convention, ICBA LIVE, last month.
“Our state has earned global recognition as a hotbed of innovative financial technology, which is critical to banking, healthcare and agriculture,” Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson said during prepared remarks. “Banks are the central hubs that offer so much to the people in the community, and with over 95% of operating banks in Arkansas being community banks, we know a little bit about how important they can be for our state as the future inches closer.”
The 2022 program shifted from virtual programming to a hybrid format and hosted roughly 1,000 participants during the 16-week intensive bootcamp.
The 2022 ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator alumni are:
- Accrue — loan origination/business account opening.
- Chimney — (formerly Signal Intent) next generation financial calculators.
- DocFox — business account opening/Bank Secrecy Act compliance.
- KlariVis — data and business intelligence.
- LemonadeLXP — learning experience/digital adoption.
- Quilo — installment lending.
- Senso — lead generation for mortgages.
- Sequretek — cybersecurity.
- Unifimoney — investing and money management.
- Vero Technologies — floor plan lending.
- WealthStack — SMB-focused financial wellness platform.
“Community bankers across the country have seized the moment to explore innovation,” The Venture Center Executive Director Wayne Miller said. “Thanks to our partnership with ICBA and the State of Arkansas, this program continues to reach more and more bankers who are at the heart of our innovation process. We are honored to be a part of ICBA’s mission to create and promote an environment where community banks flourish.”
A recording of the ICBA ThinkTECH Virtual Demo Day is available online.
About ICBA
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) is the nation’s voice for community banks with its mission to create and promote an environment where community banks flourish. We are dedicated exclusively to representing the interests of the community banking industry and its membership through effective advocacy, best-in-class education, and innovative products and services.
With nearly 50,000 locations nationwide, community banks constitute roughly 99 percent of all banks, employ nearly 700,000 Americans and are the only physical banking presence in one in three U.S. counties. Holding nearly $5.9 trillion in assets, over $4.9 trillion in deposits, and more than $3.5 trillion in loans to consumers, small businesses and the agricultural community, community banks channel local deposits into the Main Streets and neighborhoods they serve, spurring job creation, fostering innovation and fueling their customers’ dreams in communities throughout America. For more information, visit ICBA’s website at www.icba.org.
About The Venture Center
The Venture Center’s immersive accelerator programs are designed to accelerate the growth of early-to-late-stage companies and help validate their solutions for real-world problems. Our methodology provides a unique opportunity to connect with community bank executives, receive seed investment, and learn from a comprehensive curriculum aiding in strategically addressing go-to-market, business, and finance challenges. Learn more at www.venturecenter.co. Follow The Venture Center on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter(@VentureCenter), and Instagram.
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