April 22, 2024 – ARLINGTON, Texas –
Building on the success of its inaugural program, this year’s lineup includes Bento Engine, Caribou Wealth, Responsive AI, Testimonial IQ, Trustate and Upswot, marking another milestone in the accelerator’s mission to advance wealth management through technology.
Echoing the accelerator’s unique position, Pamela Cytron, President of The Founders Arena, states, “Our second cohort represents the forefront of WealthTech innovation, with solutions that promise to reshape the industry’s future. As society approaches the largest intergenerational transfer of wealth in history, the wealth management industry must evolve to meet the digital-first preferences of newer generations. These startups are at the helm of this transformation.”
Each company in the cohort brings a distinctive approach to wealth management challenges:
- Bento Engine: Bento Engine is focused on the intersection of technology and impactful wealth management advice. Bento combines a powerful Advice Engine, a Proprietary Content Library and timing expertise to make Financial Advisors more impactful and more efficient. Bento Engine is based in Westport, Connecticut.
- Caribou Wealth: Caribou is a non-commissioned healthcare planning company that works exclusively with financial advisors and their clients to plan for current and future healthcare costs, creating holistic and accurate financial plans. Caribou Wealth is based in San Francisco, California.
- Responsive AI: Responsive is a hybrid wealth advisor solution for banks and private managers. Responsive specializes in building software that enhance advisors’ productivity and engagement. Their behavioral data analysis enables advisors to identify and act on client opportunities and risks. Responsive AI is based in Vancouver, British Columbia.
- Testimonial IQ: Testimonial IQ is a fully compliant marketing validation platform tailored for financial advisors, enabling them to generate client testimonials, enhance their digital presence, and effectively accelerate growth. The platform streamlines the process, from gathering reviews to sharing them publicly on sites like Google Reviews, with built-in disclosures and compliance oversight. Testimonial IQ is based in Denver, Colorado.
- Trustate: Trustate is the world’s first estate operations platform that automates the tedious tasks associated with trust funding and estate/trust administrations. Trustate’s solution saves professionals countless hours of non-billable time, enabling them to focus on what matters most—their clients. Trustate is based in Tampa, Florida.
- upSWOT: upSWOT is a white-label embedded finance and business management platform designed to uncover key data driven insights for relationship managers. The data insights platform allows small and mid-size businesses to connect their accounting, ERP, payroll, eCommerce, marketing, CRM, and other apps to get accurate cash flow forecasts, credit score boost, and business valuation tools, and actionable insights for advisors to enhance their digital wealth offerings to their clients. UpSWOT is based in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Beginning today in Arlington, Texas, the 12-week accelerator program is designed to propel early- to growth-stage WealthTech founders in scaling their revenue and go-to-market efforts. Participating startups benefit from mentorship, strategic partnerships, and direct engagement with leading financial institutions through highly curated in-person and virtual “VIP Days”.
“The global wealth management landscape is ripe for innovation, and The Founders Arena WealthTech Accelerator has demonstrated an ability to identify and grow the next generation of companies that can transform WealthTech,” said Sneha Shah, Head of New Business Ventures at SEI. “We’re excited to build brave futuresSM and continue building meaningful connections between financial institutions and the program’s startups.”
The 12-week program will take place in the heart of Arlington, Texas, a hub for technological innovation. With funding from the Arlington Economic Development Corporation, The Founders Arena WealthTech Accelerator runs a variety of year-round community programming including student hackathons, networking events, technical assistance workshops and more in partnership with local schools and organizations including Tarrant County Community College and The University of Texas at Arlington.
“The Founders Arena WealthTech Accelerator has brought tremendous innovation and economic vitality to Arlington. As we welcome and celebrate the new cohort of companies, we continue to embrace the spirit of entrepreneurship and technological advancement that defines our city,” said Marty Wieder, executive director of the Arlington Economic Development Corporation.
“We are excited to partner once again with The Founders Arena WealthTech Accelerator as we welcome this second cohort of impressive startups,” said Trina Stone, Co-Founder, First Rate, Inc. “These companies have already proven they can add value to the wealth management sector, and through the accelerator, they will also be able to have a positive impact on the local ecosystem here in Arlington.”
As part of the program, The Founders Arena is inviting wealth managers, banks, investors, and other strategic partners across the financial services ecosystem to engage with the second cohort through a series of interactive workshops and presentations designed to accelerate research and development efforts in the WealthTech space. Interested companies can sign up here.
“Republic Capital Group is excited to join as an official partner of The Founders Arena WealthTech Accelerator. We pride ourselves on staying ahead of the curve by bringing the very best WealthTech solutions to our clients in the wealth management industry, and our participation in the accelerator will help us do just that,” said John Langston, CEO, Republic Capital Group.
About The Founders Arena WealthTech Accelerator
The Founders Arena WealthTech Accelerator (TFA), based in Arlington, TX, is an accelerator program dedicated to supporting the next generation of WealthTech startups globally. In partnership with the City of Arlington, First Rate Inc., SEI® and Republic Capital Group, TFA provides a comprehensive ecosystem of resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities. By fostering collaboration between startups, financial institutions, and the local community, TFA aims to drive innovation in wealth management and contribute to Arlington’s growing reputation as a hub for financial technology. TFA’s program includes mentorship sessions, technical workshops, and community engagement activities, all designed to accelerate startup growth and promote innovation within the WealthTech sector. Through its unique blend of startup support and community involvement, The Founders Arena is paving the way for transformative solutions that meet the evolving needs of the wealth management industry.
