Curinos Expands Its FinTech Incubator with New Startups and Mentorship Initiatives

Curinos Expands Its FinTech Incubator for 2026

In an exciting development for the financial technology landscape, Curinos has announced the four startups chosen for the second cohort of its FinTech Incubator, a collaborative initiative with CoMotion at the University of Washington. This announcement not only highlights the innovative spirit of fintech startups but also reflects Curinos’ commitment to fostering growth in this sector through mentorship and strategic partnerships.

The 2026 cohort represents a diverse range of financial solutions, focusing on areas such as artificial intelligence, community financial services, and personalized financial guidance. The selected startups are:

1. Centring (Greater Seattle): An AI-driven platform that captures and operationalizes institutional knowledge within Microsoft 365, aimed at advisory firms to enhance decision-making and efficiency.
2. Slate (Vancouver/Salt Lake City): This embedded lending platform enables Canadian SaaS companies to provide white-labeled working capital solutions tailored for small and medium businesses (SMBs).
3. JoinSusu (Greater Seattle): A service that digitizes rotating savings circles, commonly used in diaspora communities, while supporting multiple currencies across several countries.
4. Addition Wealth (New York): This startup uniquely combines technology with human expertise to offer personalized financial guidance at scale, collaborating with financial institutions to reach a broader client base.

Adding to the excitement, Curinos has welcomed two new members to its mentorship team. Nate Derby, co-founder of the North American Fintech Coalition, has joined to provide guidance on connecting early-stage fintech startups with community banks and credit unions. Another significant addition is Kushal Shah, Senior Product Manager at Remitly, who will focus on helping startups refine their product strategies and market approaches. As both Derby and Shah bring invaluable industry insights to the program, their involvement is expected to enhance the mentoring offered to the cohort companies.

"This cohort perfectly aligns with our mission to support founders who utilize data and AI to tackle real challenges within financial services," said Olly Downs, Chief Technology, Product, and AI Officer at Curinos. He emphasized the unique synergy created by pairing Curinos' market insights with CoMotion's incubation framework, which aims to provide these startups with a tangible competitive edge.

Nate Derby highlighted the importance of understanding the operational realities of credit unions and community banks, noting that this connection is pivotal for cultivating effective fintech solutions. Meanwhile, Kushal Shah expressed his goal of helping founders navigate product development and market entry while weighing practical commercial constraints.

Furthermore, Curinos has deepened its collaboration with Databricks, enhancing the resources available to the newly selected cohort. Members of the 2026 cohort will be eligible for up to $50,000 in credits and technical support through Databricks for Startups, further bolstering the program's comprehensive support structure.

Reflecting on the success of the inaugural cohort, Reagan Bonlie, founder of Nudge Money, acknowledged the transformative impact of the incubator on his venture’s scaling strategy. He underscored the practical value of the mentorship received and Curinos’ industry perspectives, which informed critical decisions for growth.

The FinTech Incubator, which premiered in 2025 with companies like Nudge Money and Prof of Wall Street, continues to be a significant platform for innovation in the financial technology sector. For those interested in learning more about this initiative, further information is available at Curinos' FinTech Incubator.

Curinos empowers financial institutions worldwide to make well-informed decisions, transforming insights into actionable strategies that bolster customer relationships and drive profitability. Located in New York City, Curinos leverages advanced analytics and proprietary data to provide timely guidance to its esteemed clientele within the financial sector.

CoMotion at the University of Washington plays a pivotal role in supporting innovation across its community, offering invaluable resources and infrastructure to nurture early-stage startups. The collaboration between Curinos and CoMotion is pivotal in bridging the gap between innovative ideas and successful market solutions.