CAFE Leaders Circles
Intentional Small Groups. Candid Conversations. Powerful Connections.
What are the CAFE Leaders Circles?
CAFE Circles bring together fintech founders, financial institutions, and industry leaders in small, curated groups designed to build relationships, share challenges, and move ideas forward.
Peer Support
Based on the value we’ve seen in our flagship accelerator, founders share experiences, challenges, and solutions in a supportive, mission-driven environment.
Expert Insights
Gain valuable relationships and coaching from industry leaders who provide guidance tailored to growing your business and impact.
Choose Your Circle
CAFE Founders Circle
Build. Grow. Scale. Together.
Small, curated peer groups for fintech founders navigating the challenges of building and scaling a company.
Founders Circles combine candid peer conversations, expert guidance, and access to CAFE’s national fintech and financial services network.
Designed for fintech founders who want to:
- Learn from other founders facing similar challenges
- Build meaningful relationships with peers
- Gain insights from fintech, banking, investment, and industry leaders
- Strengthen strategies around growth, fundraising, bank partnerships, sales, and compliance
- Expand their network across the financial services ecosystem
FORMAT
6–10 fintech founders
Curated cohorts
Virtual sessions + select in-person gatherings
Expert guests and facilitated peer discussions
CAFE FItech Leaders Circle
Banks + Fintechs Solve Industry Challenges together.
Designed for bankers & fintech leaders who want to:
- Share candid insights and emerging challenges
- Understand each other’s strategic perspectives
- Build meaningful relationships
- Tackle industry problems collaboratively
- Gain potential partnerships
FORMAT
5 Bank Leaders
5 Fintech Founders
One Industry Challenge
Virtual Sessions
Why CAFE Circles?
The most valuable conversations often happen when the room gets smaller.
CAFE creates trusted spaces where leaders can openly share what they are seeing, learn from people with different perspectives, and build relationships that extend beyond the program.
Curated People
We intentionally bring together participants who can learn from and help one another.
Candid Conversations
Small groups create space for conversations that rarely happen on conference stages.
Industry Connections
Participants become part of CAFE’s national network of fintechs, financial institutions, investors, and industry leaders.
Collaboration
Circles are designed to turn conversations into relationships, ideas, partnerships, and action.
CAFE FItech Leaders Circle
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Modeled after CAFE’s successful Founders Circle program, drawing on the small-group coaching and peer connection that defines our flagship Accelerator, FITech Circles create space for the conversations that matter most. This is an exclusive five-week peer forum bringing together five FI leaders and five fintech founders for candid, off-the-record dialogue about the issues reshaping our industry. Unlike conferences or traditional networking events, this is a small, trusted group designed for meaningful relationship building, honest debate, and practical learning.
PARTICIPANTS WILL
- Learn and brainstorm about innovative technologies before they become mainstream.
- Build trusted relationships with emerging fintech leaders and fellow financial institution executives.
- Share challenges and best practices with peers facing similar strategic decisions.
- Engage in thought leadership discussions and collaboration that go beyond surface-level conversation.
- Help shape the future of financial services through honest dialogue, not sales pitches.
CAFE Founders Circle
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
CAFE Founders Circles bring together small, curated groups of mission-driven fintech founders to connect, learn, and grow alongside peers navigating similar challenges. Drawing on the peer connection and collaborative learning that define CAFE’s flagship Accelerator, each Circle creates a trusted space for candid conversations, shared experiences, and practical support.
This five-week virtual program brings together 6-10 fintech founders from across the country to discuss the challenges of building and scaling their companies, exchange ideas and best practices, and develop meaningful relationships that extend beyond the program.
PARTICIPANTS WILL
- Build strong, lasting relationships with fellow fintech founders.
- Share challenges, experiences, and best practices in a trusted peer environment.
- Gain insights from experienced fintech and financial services leaders.
- Learn practical strategies for fundraising, scaling, selling to financial institutions, compliance, and other key areas of growth.
- Expand their connections through CAFE’s national network.
- Gain clarity and confidence while navigating the founder journey.
Find Your Circle
Are you building a fintech company?
Join a Founders Circle to connect with other founders and industry experts as you grow your business.
Are you a bank, fintech, or financial services leader?
Join a FItech Leaders Circle to collaborate with peers on the issues shaping the future of financial services.
Interested in Joining or Partnering With CAFE?
Find Your Circle
We're building new Circles around emerging financial services challenges and expanding the program nationally.
Empowering Fintech Innovation Nationwide
At CAFE, our mission is to drive positive change in the financial services industry for low-to-moderate income (LMI) communities, through financial technology innovation and partnerships. With a proven track record in accelerating fintech startups, we provide the tools, connections, and expertise through our network needed to transform innovative ideas into impactful solutions.
Partner with Us for Impact
Join us in fostering the next generation of fintech leaders through sponsorships. Our sponsorship opportunities allow financial institutions to play a pivotal role in supporting the CAFE Founders Circles and driving innovation.