The Independent Community Bankers of America® (ICBA) officially kicked off its application period for the initial 2023 ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator program, with a focus on deposit gathering and retention, and real-time/instant payment solutions. Interested fintechs are encouraged to apply by March 17.

This is the first of two planned accelerator programs this year and follows ICBA’s announcement last fall to bring its highly successful ThinkTECH Accelerator program in-house. This move gives ICBA the opportunity to provide community banks with year-round programming. ICBA will also produce a series of Solution Forums on a range of hot topics this year, including, data/connectivity, AgTech, AgeTech, RegTech and financial wellness.

“The ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator is a world-class program for sophisticated early-stage fintech companies, and we encourage interested companies to take part by submitting an application prior to March 17,” ICBA Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer Charles Potts said. “Through the ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator, growth-stage companies hone their products and value proposition through carefully curated experiences, feedback from community bankers, and a progressive curriculum that positions fintechs to revolutionize the market and achieve their business goals. We’re looking forward to getting this next accelerator program off the ground and working with these promising companies.”

Since its inception in 2018, the ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator program has connected the most innovative, cutting-edge fintech companies in the world with more than 1,000 community bankers and industry leaders. The program speeds participants’ go-to-market strategies and provides critical feedback, allowing fintech founders to tailor their solutions to the unique needs of community banks and their customers.

An advisory committee consisting of ICBA staff and community bank executives will help evaluate candidates for overall sustainability, including the team’s strength, product maturity and product-market fit. Selected companies will be immersed in a rigorous 10-week bootcamp program, where they will be mentored during one-on-one meetings with community banking influencers and industry stakeholders. The ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator program will kick off its fifth year beginning April 24 and conclude with a Demo Day in its new host city in Atlanta.

For more information about the ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator, which is scheduled to run April 24-June 30, or to apply for consideration for the current or future accelerators, visit icba.org/accelerator.