Independent Banker - February 2019 - 26

PORTFOLIO
bank-friendly fi ntech companies. It
provides community banks with a
straightforward tool for uncovering
new innovation partners. Our goal
is to provide more opportunities for
community bank and fi ntech partnerships
in 2019 and beyond.
Innovation Station
By Kevin Tweddle, ICBA
Navigating
fintech? Help is
on the way
I
've had a number of conversations with bankers on not
only how to get started in the process of working with fi ntech
companies, but how to best evaluate them.
The hardest part is getting started. Where do I start?
Google? Well, at ICBA, our innovation team started down
the path to solve that problem. Our research showed that
there was no Yelp, Angie's List or Consumer Reports that
community bankers could use to help fi nd the right fi ntech.
As we evaluated our own " build, buy or partner " decision
to address this problem, we decided to partner with the
talented FinXTech team at Bank Director to help build this
solution. Thus, the creation of our newest platform: the
ICBA ThinkTECH Network.
Built specifi cally for the unique needs of community
banks, the ICBA ThinkTECH Network is a curated directory
of fi nancial technology companies that are strategically
partnering with community banks to provide innovative
solutions. This robust new platform will allow community
bankers to fi nd relevant fi ntech companies and solutions
through comprehensive company profi les.
The ICBA ThinkTECH Network will be a one-stop shop
for community bankers looking for vetted, community
26 Q ICBA Independent Banker Q February 2019
Following the recent launch of our
ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator in partnership
with The Venture Center, the
ThinkTECH Network is the next step
in our ICBA-community bank innovation
story. We are seeking to provide
the best solutions for community
banks to thrive in an evolving fi nancial
technology ecosystem.
Companies included in the ThinkTECH
Network powered by FinXTech
Connect have been identifi ed as " bank
friendly " thanks to a proven history of
fi nancial performance and an existing
roster of bank clients. Solutions
include lending platforms, payment
processing applications, security, data
analytics and more. The platform
includes features such as:
Q a guided search function to allow
banks to easily fi nd solutions
Q in-depth written profi les on fi ntech
companies working with U.S. banks
Q access to key technology leaders and
contact information
Q product features, pricing models
and core processor capabilities
Q a sample client list and testimonials
from fi nancial institutions
Q a function to save company profi les
for future reference.
Kevin Tweddle
(kevin.tweddle@
icba.org) is
chief operating
off icer of the
ICBA Services
Network
The future of banking in this digital
age will certainly involve assistance
from fi ntech partners. I would argue
that fi ve years from now, " fi ntech " and
" banking " will no longer be separate
terms. They'll just be called " banking. "
No matter where you are on the digital
transformation spectrum, help is
on the way to make sure you have the
resources to select the best fi ntech partners
to help you achieve your goals.
Independent Banker - February 2019

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