Glide, an embedded fintech platform helping traditional financial institutions compete in a digital-first world, announced a $15 million Series A funding round. Acrew Capital led the round, which was also participated in by Pear VC, Pathlight Capital, and strategic angels including Claire Hughes Johnson (former COO of Stripe), Paul Williamson (former CRO of Plaid), and Arash Ferdowsi (co-founder of Dropbox).
Value proposition: Banks are facing a turning point as traditional financial institutions are the cornerstone of financial services in America. But while they offer trusted financial products, their digital experience falls short. Many banks/credit unions juggle over 30 separate technology solutions, each running on nearly half a century-old infrastructure. And Gen Z has come to expect the seamless, instant banking experiences offered by neobanks. Glide helps them evolve-or risk being left behind.
Deposit Origination: Glide’s first product, Deposit Origination, reduces new account opening time from 20 minutes to under 3 and increases onboarding conversion by 3x. It is also self-configurable, supports all account types, and integrates seamlessly into the financial institution’s existing systems. Glide replaces vendor sprawl with a single intelligent layer, ushering in the rebuilding era of banking infrastructure.
In the first 12 months since launch, Glide signed 15 credit unions to multi-year contracts, all through founder-led sales.
What the funding will be used for: The new funding round will accelerate Glide’s product roadmap, scale its AI capabilities, and expand its world-class team across engineering, product, and go-to-market.
New board member: Mar Hershenson, Founding Partner at Pear VC, will also join Glide’s board.
KEY QUOTES:
“We’re building the infrastructure that helps local financial institutions stay competitive in today’s marketplace. Our mission is to arm traditional institutions with the modern tools they need to deliver fintech-grade experiences-without losing what makes them special.”
Gautam Ajjarapu, co-founder and CEO of Glide
“Thanks to Glide, we’ve reduced application times and improved our ability to serve members quickly and effectively. It’s the digital transformation we needed.”
Elizabeth Thornton, VP of Member Experience at Gulf Coast Educators Federal Credit Union
“Glide has assembled a world-class team and built an industry leading platform that uniquely bridges fintech innovation with traditional banking infrastructure. They’re transforming an industry long dominated by legacy providers.”
Mar Hershenson
