Next Big Idea Competition
Please note the deadline to submit applications ended on March 11, 2024.
NACUSO’s 12th Annual Next Big Idea Competition, our version of the popular TV Show “Shark Tank”. This event was designed to showcase innovation, collaboration, and new solutions for our industry. We are excited to announce another year in which prize money will be awarded — $7,500 for first place, and $2,500 for second place . The first place winner will also secure a presentation spot at the 2024 NASCUS State System Summit in Colorado scheduled for October 2024.
The Next Big Idea Competition
The Next Big Idea Competition will be at the NACUSO Network Conference on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Convention Center. Submit your idea by completing the online application below. Our selection committee will review the applications and choose 6 organizations to present on stage in front of the NACUSO Network attendees. The chosen contestants will get 5 minutes to present followed by 8 minutes of questions from our attendees. At the end of the presentations, the audience in attendance will vote to instantly select the first and second place winners of NACUSO’s 2024 Next Big Idea Competition.
How to submit your idea
Apply: Submit your nomination by completing the below form.
Deadline: All applications must be submitted by March 11, 2024.
Next Steps: All applicants will be notified by March 15, 2024 with the status of their application.
Hotel: For hotel room reservations at the Disney Yacht & Beach Club Resorts, we recommend booking prior to the room block deadline of March 21. The rate for NACUSO particpants are $289+ tax per night.
Registration: There is no fee to apply for the competition, but if chosen, all finalists are required to register for the NACUSO Network Conference by March 22, 2024. The cost to register is $1450 per person.
Contact Info: (888)462-2870 or Events@nacuso.org.
Criteria for the Next Big Idea are initiatives to:
-Improve earnings
-Enhance member service
-Deliver new products and services to members
-Improve delivery channels to members
The innovations can be at various stages of development:
-Early stage and in need of investment
-Ready to be delivered
-Already in motion and are growing and changing the industry
Previous Next Big Idea Winners
2013 Winner: NOWaccount
2014 Winner: nCino
2015 Winner: Daon’s IdentityX
2016 Winner: CU RateReset
2017 Winner: Constellation
2018 Winner: Knock Knock
2019 Winner: Zogo Finance
2020 Winner: NetGiver
2021 Winner: RenoFi
2022 Winner: Illuma Labs/Posh Technologies
2023 Winner: Goalsetter
Meet the 2024 Next Big Idea Contestants
Algopear
AlgoPear is a SaaS wealth management company. We provide embedded automated investment products for credit unions to provide early retirement solutions for young retail investors.
Casap
Casap is a member-first disputes and fraud automation platform that helps credit unions navigate disputes at a fraction of today’s cost. With built-in regulatory expertise and network integrations, Casap automatically resolves disputes unlocking significant bandwidth. Casap increases recovery rates with insights that enable teams to act on patterns of fraud and identify evidence to win more chargebacks. Casap’s self-service flow transforms a negative experience into a loyalty building opportunity while enabling full end-to-end automation of a dispute. Compliance doesn’t have to be costly and Casap safeguards revenues with a triple shield—back office efficiencies, fraud protection, and customer delight.
Chimney
Introducing MyHomeTracker from Chimney, an award winning technology that uses modern property data to deliver an experience homeowners love – right within their Credit Union’s banking app and via email. Chimney gives homeowners the ability to track home value, see available equity, and get personalized offers, all within their trusted digital banking environment. MyHomeTracker gives Credit Unions the ability to deliver strong digital relationships, a better member experience, and generate new loans for mortgage lending teams at greatly reduced costs.
Debbie
Debbie revolutionizes the way credit unions engage with younger demographics by offering a rewards-based platform that incentivizes positive financial behaviors. Through partnerships with credit unions, Debbie helps members improve their financial health by rewarding them for paying off debt, increasing savings, and adopting better spending habits. This innovative approach not only attracts young consumers to credit unions but also addresses the critical issue of financial health among this demographic.
Payfina
At Payfina, our purpose is to revolutionize financial wellness in communities through real-time payments, primarily FedNow, tailored for community banks and credit unions. In an era where Americans have forfeited over $603 billion in interest by banking with large institutions, and with 60% living paycheck to paycheck, our initiative is critically timed. CUSO ownership magnifies this purpose, allowing credit unions to directly influence the development and implementation of financial technologies that reduce NSF fees, late bill payment fees, and predatory lending. This collaboration enhances our collective capacity to boost financial inclusion, economic stability, and wealth growth within communities, and ensuring solutions are deeply aligned with the needs of those we serve.
Reimagination Technologies
With Reimagination Technologies, CUs can provide low-cost and high-customer valueRemittance services with their own CU brands to their local customers and immigrant communities nearby.
Last Year’s Winner: On March 28, 2023, NACUSO’s Next Big Idea Finalists battled on stage in Las Vegas! Goalsetter (pictured here) received 40% of votes during the competition; claiming the title as the 2023 Next Big Idea Winner! Mahalo Banking was close behind claiming the name as runner-up of our 2023 Next Big Idea Competition. THANK YOU to CO-OP Solutions for sponsoring the cash prize of $10k ($7500 to 1st place + $2500 to 2nd place). We also congratulate these three finalists: Banksocial, Harness FI, and Quilo! Read more about the competition results published here.
