BMO & 1871 celebrates 5 Women-Led Startups in 2024 WMNfintech Program

The WMN Fintech Program celebrates its highlight for women startup founders out there. On September 26, 2024, in Chicago, BMO and 1871 celebrated the accomplishments of five dynamic women-led startups that completed the WMN Fintech Program. Since its inception, this program has grown to become North America’s premier nonprofit fintech accelerator targeting women startups. WMN Fintech alumni benefited from $35 million raised for funding while the company’s graduates formed over 200 working places during the program’s lifetime. The 2024 cohort of female innovators is a clear demonstration of women’s efforts to address many social issues in the future through cybersecurity, financial services, artificial intelligence, productivity, and digital advancements.

The program provides participants with firm-specific business coaching and information about new sectors, in addition to connecting with BMO and 1871’s extensive innovation ecosystems. Such an environment empowers woman founders to grow their companies and provide long-term solutions to initiating problems such as financial services. Andrew Harrison, BMO Head of U.S. Digital Partners applauded the group as a determined category whose innovation is improving the status quotient in fintech, citing their attention towards such significant yet unrecognized cause as responsible AI model validation and cybersecurity.

Betsy Ziegler, CEO of 1871, emphasized the importance of diversity in tech, stating that the WMN Fintech program is designed to support women founders in their journey toward success. The 2024 cohort includes five trailblazing companies: This includes Addition Wealth, a platform for managing and improving individual financial health; Fillip Fleet Inc., a solution for managing vehicle expenditure; OrdrSmart, which enhances product sampling; Proov.ai which supports regulatory compliance through artificial intelligence; and Protexxa, which is a B2B SaaS cybersecurity platform.

Beyond access to industry insights and coaching, the program includes a comprehensive curriculum covering enterprise sales, information security, and regulatory compliance, along with direct mentorship from industry leaders. Participants also receive a six-month membership at 1871, granting access to workspace, technology advisors, and a broad network of innovators.

Since its inception, WMN Fintech has achieved much in the way of altering the fintech dynamic and getting women-led startups funded. BMO’s larger effort, known as Zero Barriers to Inclusion, aims to include more diverse voices and support women entrepreneurs while ensuring sustainable transformation across financial industries.