The Independent Community Bankers of America® (ICBA) has revealed the six cutting-edge fintech companies chosen for the ninth ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator (AP9), taking place from May 19 to July 25, 2025. These companies were selected to help community banks deliver more efficient, secure, and customer-centric services through innovative financial technologies.
“Through our Accelerator program, we forge essential partnerships between community banks and emerging fintech innovators,” said Charles Potts, ICBA Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer. “This cohort reflects our ongoing mission to support forward-thinking solutions that strengthen and transform community banking.”
Each participating company was selected after a thorough evaluation process that assessed team strength, sustainability, product maturity, and alignment with community banking needs. The chosen companies for AP9 include:
- Beta Financial Services – Developer of BetaScore, an AI-powered credit scoring platform that enables faster, more accurate SMB lending decisions for community banks.
- Clockout – Provides a white-labeled Earned Wage Access (EWA) infrastructure, allowing banks to offer on-demand pay directly through their digital apps.
- DeepSee – Offers a flexible AI operating system that integrates across bank systems to enhance operational efficiency throughout the front, middle, and back office.
- Overwatch Data – Delivers real-time, AI-driven threat intelligence by monitoring open, social, deep, and dark web sources to identify and neutralize risks for financial institutions.
- Sardine – An advanced risk platform powered by AI that helps detect fraud, prevent money laundering, and enhance credit decisioning for banks and fintechs.
- Vertice AI – Provides predictive analytics tools that help community banks grow their customer base and fine-tune their marketing strategies with data-driven insights.
Community banks are invited to participate in both open and private engagement sessions during the 10-week program. The accelerator fosters collaboration between fintech startups and a network of over 1,400 community bankers and industry experts, allowing companies to refine their products and ensure alignment with real-world banking challenges.
The ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator continues to serve as a catalyst for meaningful innovation within the banking industry, helping community banks implement agile, scalable technologies to improve their services.
ICBA extends its gratitude to program sponsors Mastercard, Fiserv, Ncontracts, TrueNorth, and Wipfli. Their support is instrumental in advancing the ThinkTECH Accelerator and ICBA’s broader innovation efforts.
“In today’s fast-evolving financial landscape, community banks need access to tailored solutions that address both ongoing challenges and emerging opportunities,” said Wayne Miller, ICBA Senior Vice President of Innovation Programming. “This latest cohort brings together companies delivering timely, impactful solutions to help community banks stay competitive and customer-focused. We’re excited to support their journey and drive innovation across the community banking sector.”
To learn more about the ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator or to nominate or apply for future cohorts, visit www.icba.org/accelerator.
About ICBA
The Independent Community Bankers of America® is dedicated to creating and sustaining a thriving environment for community banks. Through advocacy, education, and innovation, ICBA empowers local banks to better serve their communities. Community banks play a vital role in driving local economic growth by funding small businesses, supporting families, and investing in the neighborhoods they call home. Learn more at www.icba.org.
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