In this episode, we sit down with Jason Hagen, Senior Vice President of Fintech Innovation at Sunrise Banks, to explore how community banks can find success in the embedded banking and fintech partnership space, even without being a Tier 1 institution. Jason shares insights from his experience helping fintechs scale responsibly while staying true to Sunrise’s mission of serving underbanked communities.
Key Topics Discussed:
- How Sunrise Banks became an early leader in embedded finance dating back to 2007
- Why community banks don’t need to be large to compete in fintech partnerships
- The importance of compliance culture, risk management, and regulatory trust
- How fintech collaborations can extend services to underbanked and underserved populations
- The evolving nature of bank sponsorships and why demand still outpaces supply
- Lessons learned from onboarding fintech partners and identifying product‑market fit
- Why intellectual curiosity and dedicated resources are essential for entering Banking‑as‑a‑Service
This conversation highlights how community banks can play a powerful role in expanding financial inclusion through thoughtful fintech collaboration.
