Financial Technology Competition Announces 2024 Finalists, Pitch Event
Photo from the 2023 Financial Technology Innovation Showcase. Photo courtesy of Darrin Hackney.
Wichita, Kan. – Aug. 20, 2024 – NXTUS Inc., along with Emprise Bank, INTRUST Bank, and the Kansas Bankers Association, today announced the Innovation Showcase event and the eight finalists chosen for the fifth-annual NXTSTAGE Financial Technology Pilot Competition.
The finalists were selected by NXTUS staff and teams from the program’s Premier Sponsors from a pool of 131 competitors from 19 states and 16 countries. These innovative startups span a range of cutting-edge technologies, including biometric authentication, AI-driven customer service, fintech platforms for small and medium-sized business clients, legal tech solutions, and risk management tools.
This unique program enables regional banks to get an early look at promising technology solutions offered by global startups looking to gain market feedback and access to community bank customers in Kansas. The 2024 program attracted a diverse range of startups, with 75 percent of initial competitors having either ethnic minority or female founders, and 75 percent of the finalists being led by these traditionally underserved entrepreneurs.
Finalists will visit Wichita to engage with Kansas financial institutions, culminating in the highly anticipated Innovation Showcase at 3:30 p.m. on October 1. This marquee event of Wichita Startup Week will offer a glimpse into the future of financial technology, as each finalist delivers their dynamic three-minute pitches, similar to ABC’s Shark Tank. Attendees can experience the event in person and network at the industry expo at the WSU Tech Auditorium in northeast Wichita or tune in via live stream. Registration is now open on EventBrite.
“By connecting promising FinTech startups with established institutions in Kansas, we're fostering an ecosystem where collaboration thrives, and cutting-edge solutions are brought to our market” said Alfredo Ortiz-Aleman, INTRUST Commercial Lender. “We’re excited to see the creativity and potential of this year's finalists and look forward to the positive impact they will have on our industry.”
“The KBA appreciates the opportunity to directly connect Kansas bankers with the NXTUS program” stated Doug Wareham, President & CEO of Kansas Bankers Association, now in their second year as a program partner. “This strategic partnership fosters better access by small and medium-sized community banks to new and innovative services and tools developed by cutting-edge financial technology firms.”
“It's incredibly inspiring to see the wave of innovation driven by NXSTAGE in Wichita,” said Matt Michaelis, Chairman, President, and CEO of Emprise Bank. “We’re eager to see what this year’s startup finalists will contribute. Collaborating with startups that share our mission of empowering people to thrive is crucial as we work to shape the future of financial services.”
The 2024 NXSTAGE Financial Technology Pilot Competition Finalists:
ASA Financial (Provo, UT); ASA Vault is an embedded app store allowing banks to offer a custom set of FinTechs inside of digital banking.
Eko Investments (New York City, New York): Eko (Investments as a Service) enables you to offer investments to all your clients, instead of only the top 1%.
Fivvy (Miami, FL): Fivvy empowers individuals to take control of their finances with intuitive tools that make managing money smarter and easier.
Legal-Pythia (Glasgow, UK): Legal-Pythia uses Explainable AI to help government and financial institutions detect fraud in financial and legal documents efficiently.
Posh.AI (Boston, MA): Posh AI democratizes access to banking and accelerates the responsible adoption of AI for FIs, transforming how they serve communities & employees.
Traice (Schaumburg, IL): TRaiCE transforms portfolio risk monitoring and TPRM by leveraging GenAI on unstructured (non-financial) data for increased operational efficiency and regulatory compliance.
upSWOT (Charlotte, NC): upSWOT is a "white label Credit Karma for businesses" embedded on digital banking and designed to attract more deposits and provide more loans.
V2verify (Omaha, NE): V2verify simplifies Life' by replacing MFA, Passwords, and PINs with a simple to use voice authentication solution.
In addition to support from Premier Sponsors Kansas Bankers Association, Emprise Bank, and INTRUST Bank, this program is made possible through grant funding from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and support from the Greater Wichita Partnership’s Opportunity Wichita, Capacity, DCI, FORVIS, and Syndeo.
For more information about this program, visit the program website. To learn more about NXTUS’s entrepreneur support programs or about investing in local startups, visit the organization’s website or contact hello@nxtus.io.