Acorns

Cushion uses AI to help consumers negotiate refunds of overdraft and other fees. But it argues there's a bank play in its technology if bankers take the long view.

Building alliances with startups is the most affordable route for community banks that want to offer innovative services, but industry officials cautioned that they must be balanced with smart internal investments, too.

“I’m perennially scared of overwhelming our customers,” Acorns CEO Noah Kerner says at the InVest Conference.

Banks and startups compete for the same clients, as customers want one source for online checking and investment accounts.

There's no reason that today's millennial-friendly microinvesting apps can't switch focus from spare change to real assets, industry executives warn.