Prelim
Prelim is a San Francisco-based fintech founded in 2017 that provides a no-code digital account opening and onboarding platform for U.S. banks and credit unions, unifying consumer, business, and commercial account opening across online, mobile, and in-branch channels with real-time core banking integrations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Prelim does
Prelim is a San Francisco-based fintech founded in 2017 that operates a no-code digital account opening and onboarding platform purpose-built for U.S. banks and credit unions. The platform unifies consumer, business, and commercial account opening across online, mobile, and in-branch channels on a single infrastructure layer, with real-time, bidirectional integrations to all major U.S. core banking systems (FIS, Fiserv, Jack Henry, Finastra, Q2, CSI) and 100+ partner integrations spanning KYC/KYB (Alloy, Persona, Middesk), payments (Authorize.Net), e-signature (DocuSign), and fraud/AML (Verafin). The product surface is organized into three core modules — In-Branch Account Onboarding, Online Account Opening, and Account Maintenance — plus add-on modules including Document Management, PDF Generator, Treasury Services, Localization, Analytics, and a no-code Form Builder.
Underlying technical components include OCR-driven driver's license scanning for instant data capture, automated KYC/KYB verification and fraud screening, configurable decisioning rules and approval chains, and a public API (documented at docs.prelim.com) for custom integrations. Disclosed customer outcomes include a 75%+ reduction in account opening time (Stellar Bank), $100M in deposits generated in six weeks (Seattle Bank), and a 96% online application conversion rate.
The business model is subscription-based enterprise SaaS sold to financial institutions through a direct enterprise field-sales motion with "Book a Demo" as the primary conversion mechanism; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The customer base spans community banks, regional banks, national banks (Banc of California, City National Bank, Customers Bank, Axos), and credit unions including CDFI/MDIs such as Northeast Community Federal Credit Union. The company has raised approximately $4M across a 2017 Y Combinator-led seed round and a 2022 EJF Capital-led round, with founders Heang Chan (CEO) and Christopher Blaser (CTO) leading a 51–100 person team headquartered in San Francisco.
Prelim firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Prelim
- Legal name
- Prelim
- Website
- https://prelim.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Prelim is a San Francisco-based fintech founded in 2017 that provides a no-code digital account opening and onboarding platform for U.S. banks and credit unions, unifying consumer, business, and commercial account opening across online, mobile, and in-branch channels with real-time core banking integrations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Prelim industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Account Opening Software
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Account Opening & Onboarding (eKYC, eSignature, Origination) (FSAGAAAB)
Keywords
Where Prelim is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Prelim business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- SaaS Platform Subscription: Cloud-based digital account opening platform provided as a subscription service to banks and credit unions
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Prelim product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Prelim is a no-code, cloud-based SaaS platform that powers digital account opening and onboarding for banks and credit unions. It unifies consumer, business, and commercial account opening across online, mobile, and in-branch channels with real-time core banking integration, automated KYC/KYB verification, OCR-based ID capture, and workflow customization. The platform also handles account maintenance (updates, beneficiary changes, product conversions) and pre-built integrations to hundreds of banking partners.
Product overview
Prelim is a digital account opening platform for banks and credit unions offering a unified, omnichannel solution. The core platform consists of three main products: In-Branch Account Onboarding (for streamlined in-person account opening), Online Account Opening (for digital consumer and business account opening), and Account Maintenance (for account updates and modifications). These three products work together as an integrated platform, sharing core infrastructure for compliance, verification, document management, and analytics. Additional modules include Document Management, PDF Generator, Treasury Services, Localization, Analytics, and Form Builder, all designed to work seamlessly with existing core banking systems through pre-built integrations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Online Account Opening Digital account opening solution for consumers and businesses that enables customers to open accounts online, anytime, anywhere in minutes. Supports consumer accounts (2-3 minutes) and business accounts (under 10 minutes) with instant verification and real-time core integration. Built for banks and credit unions.
- In-Branch Account Onboarding Streamlined in-person onboarding solution that enables bankers to open accounts in minutes with guided workflows, automated compliance, and real-time core integration. Designed for banks and credit unions, allowing bankers to focus on customer relationships while the platform handles the process.
- Account Maintenance Account maintenance solution for handling customer updates including address changes, beneficiary changes, product conversions, and account modifications from a single interface. Features real-time or batch core synchronization, automated compliance, and instant document generation. Built for banks and credit unions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Account opening time reduced by over 75% (Stellar Bank case study)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Prelim
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Prelim technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration15 records
AI capability3 records
Feature5 records
Prelim partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Northeast Community Federal Credit UnioncoreStrategic partnership to modernize NECFCU's member account opening and digital services platform. NECFCU is a U.S. Treasury-certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and Minority Depository Institution (MDI) serving underserved communities including immigrant families and low-income residents across California. Prelim also serves as a technology connector, introducing NECFCU to additional technology providers.
- Stearns Bank N.A.coreStearns Bank N.A. selected Prelim to modernize and unify its account opening process across digital and in-branch channels. The partnership supports Stearns Bank's broader strategic goal of building a more accessible and customer-centric banking experience.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Prelim competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- nCino: nCino is a publicly traded cloud banking platform serving commercial and retail banks with account opening, loan origination, and deposit operations. It is comparable to Prelim as a direct competitor in digital account opening, but operates at much broader scope across the full banking lifecycle and at larger enterprise customers.
- FIS: FIS is a global core banking and financial technology provider whose Digital One and related offerings include digital account opening for banks of all sizes. FIS serves as both a core integration partner to Prelim and a broad incumbent competitor with bundled onboarding solutions.
- Fiserv: Fiserv is a major US core processor and fintech provider offering account opening, digital banking, and integrated payments to banks and credit unions. It competes with Prelim in onboarding and is also a critical integration partner for core connectivity.
- Jack Henry: Jack Henry provides core banking, digital account opening, and integrated technology to community banks and credit unions. As both an integration partner (via its core and Apiture subsidiary) and a broad incumbent offering onboarding, it is a key competitive reference point.
Direct peers
- Q2: Q2 is a digital banking platform for community and regional banks and credit unions with online account opening, lending, and digital banking. It competes head-to-head with Prelim in the community bank account opening segment and serves an overlapping customer profile.
- Apiture: Apiture, owned by Jack Henry, provides digital banking and account opening solutions for community and mid-sized banks. It is directly comparable to Prelim as an account opening-focused platform serving the same community bank ICP.
- Backbase: Backbase is a digital banking platform with account onboarding, servicing, and engagement tools for retail and commercial banks. It competes with Prelim on consumer and business account opening for mid-market and larger banks globally.
- Lumin Digital: Lumin Digital is a cloud-native digital banking platform purpose-built for credit unions and community financial institutions. It is a direct peer to Prelim for credit union and community bank account opening and digital onboarding.
- Mantl: Mantl (now part of nCino) is a deposit account opening and onboarding platform explicitly built for community banks and credit unions. It is one of the closest direct competitors to Prelim in the same ICP and use case.
Emerging players
- Mambu: Mambu is a cloud-native core banking and account opening platform used by neobanks, fintechs, and select traditional banks. It overlaps with Prelim on digital account opening and embedded finance, though Mambu's focus is broader as a full banking engine.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Prelim social profiles
Digital presencePrelim financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Prelim leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Prelim funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Prelim M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Prelim
What does Prelim do?
Prelim is a no-code, cloud-based SaaS platform that powers digital account opening and onboarding for banks and credit unions. It unifies consumer, business, and commercial account opening across online, mobile, and in-branch channels with real-time core banking integration, automated KYC/KYB verification, OCR-based ID capture, and workflow customization. The platform also handles account maintenance (updates, beneficiary changes, product conversions) and pre-built integrations to hundreds of banking partners.
Is Prelim a public or private company?
Prelim is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Prelim founded?
Prelim was founded in 2017. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Prelim based?
Prelim is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Prelim make money?
One revenue line is on record: saaS Platform Subscription.
Who are Prelim's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are nCino, FIS, Fiserv and Jack Henry. Direct peers are Q2, Apiture, Backbase, Lumin Digital and Mantl. Mambu is listed as an emerging player.
Does Prelim have an API?
Yes. Prelim offers a public API for integrating with their digital account opening platform. The API enables developers to build custom integrations, automate workflows, and connect with core banking systems. Documentation is available at docs.prelim.com. Developer documentation is at docs.prelim.com/reference/getting-started-with-your-api-1.
What industry is Prelim in?
Prelim's product category is Digital Account Opening Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAGAAAB, Digital Account Opening & Onboarding (eKYC, eSignature, Origination). Its NAICS code is 5182 and its SIC code is 7372.