Washington, D.C. (May 2, 2025)— The Independent Community Bankers of America® (ICBA) today announced that Mastercard has joined as a sponsor of ICBA’s innovation programming, marking a significant expansion of the relationship between the two organizations. This partnership will help power ICBA’s mission to drive community bank innovation through programs that address the distinct challenges and opportunities facing local financial institutions and their customers.
Building on the strategic partnership previously announced between Mastercard and ICBA Payments—focused on upgrading customer payment experiences for community banks—this latest collaboration reinforces Mastercard’s long-term commitment to the community banking sector.
“Through Mastercard’s support, we’re able to deepen our efforts to build real-world solutions that meet the evolving needs of community banks,” said Charles Potts, ICBA executive vice president and chief innovation officer. “This partnership empowers ICBA’s innovation pillar to accelerate the development of offerings designed specifically for community banks and the communities they serve.”
As a new sponsor of ICBA’s innovation initiatives, Mastercard joins industry leaders like Fiserv that have made a significant commitment to fostering community bank-enabling fintech collaborations that support a diverse and dynamic financial services sector. Its backing will help fuel key ICBA programs, including the forthcoming ninth season of ICBA’s nationally acclaimed ThinkTECH Accelerator, its upcoming ThinkTECH Alumni Showcase, and other community bank-focused innovation programming.
“Partnerships like this give community banks early access to technology that aligns with our values and business models,” said ICBA Bank Innovation and Solutions Committee Chairman Chris Doyle, who also serves as president and CEO of Texas First Bank in Texas City, Texas. “It’s critical we continue building bridges between fintech innovation and the personalized, relationship-driven service our customers expect.”
For Mastercard, the sponsorship creates new opportunities to engage directly with community banks and fintechs—sharing insights, collaborating on solutions, and helping address the challenges and opportunities unique to local financial institutions. It also reflects Mastercard’s broader commitment to fintech innovation through its global support of accelerator programs and innovation platforms.
For more information about ICBA innovation programming and the ThinkTECH Accelerator, visit icba.org/accelerator.
About ICBA
The Independent Community Bankers of America® has one mission: to create and promote an environment where community banks flourish. We power the potential of the nation’s community banks through effective advocacy, education, and innovation.
As local and trusted sources of credit, America’s community banks leverage their relationship-based business model and innovative offerings to channel deposits into the neighborhoods they serve, creating jobs, fostering economic prosperity, and fueling their customers’ financial goals and dreams. For more information, visit ICBA’s website at icba.org.
