For years, Finovate has championed credit unions and the fintechs that serve them through our Credit Union Spotlight. This year at FinovateSpring 2026, Finovate is bringing that same level of attention and insight to the world of community banking with our FinovateSpring Community Bank Spotlight. Taking place on Wednesday morning, May 6, our Community Bank Spotlight is a new and unique opportunity for community bank leaders and employees to network with each other, share best practices, and meet with fintech innovators that have developed solutions specifically for community banks and their customers.
Consumer interest in community banks is strong and community banking leaders are expressing optimism about their near-term outlook. A survey conducted by the American Bankers Association (ABA) in 2026 indicated that more than half (58%) of community banks expected significant growth in their geographic footprint this year. This included more than 20% of respondents noting that they anticipate growth beyond their current footprint in 2026. Additionally, these institutions and their leaders are ready to embrace new technologies in order to run their businesses better. Half of the community banks surveyed indicated that they planned to use technologies like AI to reduce costs.
Nevertheless, community banks face major challenges—perhaps the most significant being the growing gap between bank customer expectations and what many banks, especially community banks, can deliver operationally. A new report—the Integris 2026 Banking Trust and Technology Report—uses data from dual surveys of US banking executives and 1,000 bank customers to show how the high level of trust that customers have in their banks is at risk of being undermined by anxiety over the role of new technologies such as AI. Writing about the report in a recent blog post, the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) noted: “While customers continue to place high trust in local institutions, that trust is increasingly fragile, influenced by cybersecurity visibility, AI decision making, and the perceived maturity of a bank’s technology infrastructure.”
What can leaders and employees of community banks expect from this year’s inaugural Community Bank Spotlight? The session will begin with networking over coffee and breakfast to allow attendees to connect with each other and speak candidly about issues they may not want to share with the broader Finovate audience. Following the networking session and breakfast, a curated selection of fintechs will be invited to introduce themselves and explain how their innovations can help solve challenges for community banks and their customers. Session attendees will have the opportunity to learn about each company during the session, and can follow up with those fintechs that most interest them.
Attendees of our Community Bank Spotlight will also benefit from access to the full conference—including more than 50 innovative fintech demos; insightful, expert speakers from banking, fintech, and technology; as well as high-impact networking with members of the broader financial services and fintech industries.
“Community banks are increasingly attractive to fintech innovators, and smaller FIs are looking more and more for new technologies as they seek to enhance their offerings and grow,” Finovate VP and Director of Fintech Strategy for Informa Festivals Greg Palmer said. “The Community Bank Spotlight is a perfect venue for both sides to come together and have the vital conversations they all need to plan for the future.”
If you are an employee of a community bank and would like to be a part of our Community Bank Spotlight at FinovateSpring this year, contact our Engagement Manager [email protected] to secure your spot on the guest list!
And if you are a fintech looking to show community banks how your innovation can help them grow deposits and offer new, engaging services to their customers, drop us a line at [email protected] to learn more about how to participate!
Photo by Nikola Tomašić on Unsplash
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