# Increase - Marketing Research Report Generated on: April 11, 2026 **Industry:** Fintech (Banking) **Website:** https://increase.com ## The Takeaway Increase's moat is bank partnerships at scale β€” fintech founders can't replicate the regulatory access and integration breadth Increase has already negotiated. --- # Company Research ## Company Summary Increase is a fintech company that provides enterprise-grade banking APIs for financial institutions and fintech companies to build and scale banking products [9] **Founded:** Information not available in provided sources [9] **Founders:** Information not available in provided sources [9] **Employees:** Information not available in provided sources [9] **Headquarters:** Information not available in provided sources [9] **Funding:** Information not available in provided sources [9] **Mission:** To provide enterprise-grade banking APIs that enable financial institutions and fintech companies to build and scale banking products efficiently [9] **Strengths:** The company's strengths rely on the combination of enterprise-grade API infrastructure, close partnership approach with banks, and focus on scalable banking solutions [9] β€’ **Enterprise-grade infrastructure**: Provides reliable and robust API platform designed for large-scale financial operations [9] β€’ **Bank partnership model**: Works closely with partner banks on developing new products and use cases to help clients scale [9] β€’ **Developer-focused approach**: Offers API-first banking solutions that reduce development time from years to months [6] ## Business Model Analysis ### 🚨 Problem ****Traditional banking infrastructure takes 2-5 years and millions in costs to build fintech products** [6]** β€’ Fintech companies face massive development timelines when building banking products from scratch [6] β€’ Financial institutions lack modern API infrastructure to quickly integrate with fintech partners [8] β€’ Companies need banking services like accounts, payments, and cards embedded within their existing products [7] β€’ Traditional banking systems are not designed for the API-first approach required by modern digital services [7] ### πŸ’‘ Solution ****Enterprise-grade banking APIs that enable rapid fintech product development and deployment** [9]** β€’ Provides comprehensive banking API infrastructure for accounts, payments, and card services [7] β€’ Offers API-first platform that can be embedded directly into digital services [7] β€’ Delivers secure, predictable, and well-structured API infrastructure for embedded finance [7] β€’ Partners closely with banks to develop new products and use cases for scaling [9] ### ⭐ Unique Value Proposition ****Enterprise-grade reliability combined with close bank partnerships for custom product development** [9]** β€’ Focuses specifically on enterprise-grade banking APIs rather than general payment solutions [9] β€’ Offers direct partnership with banks to co-develop new banking products and use cases [9] β€’ Provides banking infrastructure that transforms development time from years to just months [6] ### πŸ‘₯ Customer Segments ****Financial institutions and fintech companies building embedded banking products** [9]** β€’ Fintech companies looking to embed banking services into their platforms [7] β€’ Financial institutions needing modern API infrastructure for partner integrations [8] β€’ Companies outside traditional finance wanting to offer banking services within their products [7] β€’ Enterprise clients requiring reliable, scalable banking API solutions [9] ### 🏒 Existing Alternatives ****Competes with established players like Plaid, Stripe, Synctera, Unit, and MX in the banking API space** [10]** β€’ Plaid dominates financial data and account linking services [10] β€’ Stripe leads in payments and card issuing solutions [10] β€’ Synctera and Unit focus on neobank and embedded finance products [10] β€’ Traditional core banking vendors offering legacy API solutions [7] β€’ Custom-built banking infrastructure developed in-house by large institutions [6] ### πŸ“Š Key Metrics ****Specific performance metrics not available in provided sources** [9]** β€’ Customer count and revenue figures not disclosed in available sources [9] β€’ Banking APIs typically reduce development time from 2-5 years to months [6] β€’ API-first platforms show significant cost savings compared to traditional banking infrastructure [6] β€’ Enterprise-grade solutions typically serve clients with high transaction volumes [9] ### 🎯 High-Level Product Concepts ****Core banking API platform with embedded finance capabilities** [7]** β€’ Core banking APIs for account management and customer onboarding [7] β€’ Payment infrastructure supporting various payment types and workflows [7] β€’ Card issuing and management services through API integration [7] β€’ Real-time banking services that integrate directly into client applications [7] β€’ Custom banking product development in partnership with banks [9] ### πŸ“’ Channels ****Direct enterprise sales and strategic bank partnerships** [9]** β€’ Direct relationship building with financial institutions and fintech companies [9] β€’ Strategic partnerships with banks to co-develop products and expand market reach [9] β€’ Developer-focused marketing to technical teams building fintech products [6] β€’ Industry conference participation and fintech ecosystem engagement [8] ### πŸš€ Early Adopters ****Enterprise fintech companies and progressive financial institutions seeking API-first solutions** [9]** β€’ Fintech companies frustrated with traditional banking infrastructure limitations [6] β€’ Financial institutions looking to modernize their API capabilities for partner integration [8] β€’ Companies building embedded finance products requiring reliable banking APIs [7] ### πŸ’° Fees ****Enterprise pricing model with specific rates not publicly disclosed** [9]** β€’ Pricing structure not available in provided sources [9] β€’ Likely follows usage-based API pricing model common in banking infrastructure [6] β€’ Enterprise-grade solutions typically involve custom pricing based on volume and features [9] β€’ May include setup fees, monthly platform fees, and transaction-based charges [8] ### πŸ’΅ Revenue ****Revenue streams from API usage fees and enterprise licensing** [9]** β€’ API transaction fees based on banking operations volume [7] β€’ Platform licensing fees for enterprise-grade infrastructure access [9] β€’ Professional services revenue from custom product development partnerships [9] β€’ Potential revenue sharing arrangements with bank partners [9] ### πŸ“… History ****Company founding and historical milestones not available in provided sources** [9]** β€’ Founding date and early company history not disclosed in available sources [9] β€’ Part of the broader trend toward API-first banking infrastructure [7] β€’ Emerged during the growth of embedded finance and open banking movements [8] β€’ Developed enterprise focus as banking APIs evolved from simple connectivity to full infrastructure [6] ### 🀝 Recent Big Deals ****Recent partnerships and deals not specified in provided sources** [9]** β€’ Specific recent partnerships or customer acquisitions not disclosed [9] β€’ Bank partnership approach suggests ongoing relationship development [9] β€’ Part of growing trend of fintech-bank collaboration in API infrastructure [8] ### ℹ️ Other Important Factors ****Regulatory compliance and security critical for enterprise banking API operations** [8]** β€’ Banking API providers must navigate complex financial regulations and compliance requirements [8] β€’ Enterprise-grade security and data protection essential for banking infrastructure [7] β€’ API performance and reliability crucial for financial services operations [8] β€’ Integration capabilities with existing banking systems and third-party services [7] --- # ICP Analysis ## Ideal Customer Profile **Enterprise fintech companies** with **50-500 employees** building embedded banking products need comprehensive API infrastructure that reduces development time from years to months [6]. These organizations have **API-first development cultures** [7] and require **enterprise-grade reliability** for high transaction volumes [9]. They value **strategic bank partnerships** for custom product development [9] and prioritize **regulatory compliance** with **enterprise-grade security** [8]. **Progressive financial institutions** modernizing legacy systems for fintech partnerships also represent ideal customers seeking reliable API infrastructure [8]. ## ICP Identification Framework | No. | Question | Answer | References | |-----|----------|--------|------------| | 1 | Which of our current customers makes the most out of our products and services? Who uses it the most? Who are your best users? | Best customers are **fintech companies building embedded banking products** [7] and **financial institutions seeking modern API infrastructure** [8]. These clients require **enterprise-grade reliability** [9] with **complex banking workflows** including accounts, payments, and card services [7]. They typically have **high transaction volumes** and need **custom product development partnerships** with banks [9]. | [7], [8], [9] | | 2 | What traits do those great customers have in common? | Common traits include **API-first development approach** [7], **enterprise-scale operations** requiring reliable infrastructure [9], and **strategic partnership mindset** for co-developing banking products [9]. They prioritize **regulatory compliance** and **enterprise-grade security** [8], while seeking **reduced development timelines** from years to months [6]. These customers value **direct bank relationships** for custom use case development [9]. | [6], [7], [8], [9] | | 3 | Why do some people decide not to buy or stop using our product? | Primary barriers include **complex enterprise pricing** not suitable for smaller fintech startups [6] and **preference for specialized solutions** like Plaid for data access [10] or Stripe for payments [10]. Some companies choose **neobank-specific platforms** like Synctera and Unit [10] or decide to **build custom infrastructure in-house** [6]. **Regulatory complexity** and integration challenges with existing banking systems can also drive churn [8]. | [6], [8], [10] | | 4 | Who is easiest to sell more to, and why? | Easiest expansion comes from **existing fintech clients adding new banking products** through API integration [7] and **financial institutions expanding partner integrations** [8]. Companies already using core banking APIs typically need **additional embedded finance capabilities** [7] as they scale. **Growing neobanks** particularly benefit from expanded API services as they target **specific customer segments** [14] and require more sophisticated banking infrastructure [15]. | [7], [8], [14], [15] | | 5 | What do our competitors' best customers have in common? | Competitor customers often prioritize **specialized use cases** over comprehensive banking infrastructure [10]. Plaid customers focus on **financial data and account linking** [12], while Stripe users need **pure payments and card issuing** [10]. **Neobank platform customers** prefer ready-made solutions over custom development [10]. Opportunity exists with **enterprise clients frustrated by limited customization** and those needing **comprehensive banking API suites** rather than point solutions [9]. | [9], [10], [12] | ## Target Segmentation ### πŸ₯‡ Primary Enterprise Fintech Companies **Industry:** Financial Technology **Company Size:** 50-500 employees **Key Characteristics:** β€’ **API-first development culture**: Teams building embedded banking products requiring comprehensive API infrastructure [7] β€’ **High transaction volumes**: Companies needing enterprise-grade reliability and scalability for banking operations [9] β€’ **Custom product development needs**: Organizations seeking bank partnerships for tailored banking solutions and new use cases [9] **Rationale:** Highest revenue potential with enterprise pricing and strategic partnership value. These clients need comprehensive banking infrastructure and drive platform expansion. ### πŸ₯ˆ Secondary Progressive Financial Institutions **Industry:** Traditional Banking **Company Size:** 500-5000 employees **Key Characteristics:** β€’ **API modernization initiatives**: Banks upgrading legacy systems to support fintech partnerships and open banking [8] β€’ **Partner integration requirements**: Institutions needing secure, compliant API infrastructure for third-party connections [8] β€’ **Regulatory compliance focus**: Organizations prioritizing enterprise-grade security and financial service regulations [8] **Rationale:** Strong revenue potential but longer sales cycles. Represents strategic market expansion beyond fintech into traditional banking modernization. ### πŸ₯‰ Tertiary Growth-Stage Neobanks **Industry:** Digital Banking **Company Size:** 10-100 employees **Key Characteristics:** β€’ **Niche market targeting**: Digital banks focusing on specific customer segments for stronger product-market fit [14] β€’ **Scalable infrastructure needs**: Growing platforms requiring robust API foundations as they expand customer base [15] β€’ **Partnership expansion**: Neobanks seeking traditional bank relationships to enhance product offerings [13] **Rationale:** Future high-value opportunity as neobanks mature and scale. Currently smaller but represents emerging market with significant growth potential. ## Target Personas ### Persona 1: Marcus, The Fintech CTO *Segment: πŸ₯‡ Primary* **Demographics:** - Name: **Marcus, The Fintech CTO** - Age: **πŸ‘€ Age**: 32-40 - Job Title: **πŸ’Ό Job Title/Role**: Chief Technology Officer - Industry: **🏒 Industry**: Financial Technology - Company Size: **πŸ‘₯ Company Size**: 50-500 employees - Education: **πŸŽ“ Education Degree**: Computer Science or Engineering - Location: **πŸ“ Location**: San Francisco, New York, Austin - Years of Experience: **⏱️ Years of Experience**: 8-15 years **πŸ’­ Motivation:** Needs **reliable banking infrastructure** to launch embedded finance products quickly. Frustrated with **2-5 year development timelines** using traditional banking systems. **Enterprise clients demand** robust, compliant API solutions. **🎯 Goals:** - Reduce banking product development time from years to months - Build enterprise-grade embedded banking platform - Establish strategic bank partnerships for custom solutions **😀 Pain Points:** - Traditional banking infrastructure takes years to develop - Lack of reliable, enterprise-grade API solutions - Complex regulatory compliance requirements for banking products ### Persona 2: Sarah, The Bank Innovation Director *Segment: πŸ₯ˆ Secondary* **Demographics:** - Name: **Sarah, The Bank Innovation Director** - Age: **πŸ‘€ Age**: 35-45 - Job Title: **πŸ’Ό Job Title/Role**: Director of Digital Innovation - Industry: **🏒 Industry**: Traditional Banking - Company Size: **πŸ‘₯ Company Size**: 500-5000 employees - Education: **πŸŽ“ Education Degree**: MBA in Finance - Location: **πŸ“ Location**: Charlotte, Chicago, Boston - Years of Experience: **⏱️ Years of Experience**: 10-18 years **πŸ’­ Motivation:** Modernizing legacy banking systems to support **fintech partnerships**. Needs **secure API infrastructure** for third-party integrations. **Regulatory compliance** and enterprise security are top priorities. **🎯 Goals:** - Modernize API infrastructure for fintech partnerships - Enable secure third-party banking integrations - Maintain regulatory compliance while innovating **😀 Pain Points:** - Legacy systems limit fintech partnership opportunities - Security concerns with third-party API integrations - Balancing innovation with strict regulatory requirements ### Persona 3: David, The Neobank Founder *Segment: πŸ₯‰ Tertiary* **Demographics:** - Name: **David, The Neobank Founder** - Age: **πŸ‘€ Age**: 28-38 - Job Title: **πŸ’Ό Job Title/Role**: CEO & Founder - Industry: **🏒 Industry**: Digital Banking - Company Size: **πŸ‘₯ Company Size**: 10-100 employees - Education: **πŸŽ“ Education Degree**: Business or Finance - Location: **πŸ“ Location**: London, Berlin, Miami - Years of Experience: **⏱️ Years of Experience**: 5-12 years **πŸ’­ Motivation:** Building **niche-focused digital bank** targeting specific customer segments. Needs **scalable banking infrastructure** as customer base grows. Seeking **traditional bank partnerships** to expand product offerings. **🎯 Goals:** - Scale banking infrastructure for growing customer base - Establish partnerships with traditional banks - Launch specialized banking products for niche markets **😀 Pain Points:** - Limited banking infrastructure as startup scales - Difficulty establishing traditional bank partnerships - Complex regulatory requirements for new banking products --- # Positioning & Messaging ## Positioning Statement **Increase** is an **enterprise-grade banking API platform** for **fintech companies and financial institutions** that **accelerates banking product development from years to months** through **comprehensive API infrastructure and strategic bank partnerships** ## Positioning Framework ### 1. Needs and Pain Points What are their customer's needs and pain points around the problem the product is trying to solve? β€’ Traditional banking infrastructure takes 2-5 years and millions in costs to build fintech products [6] β€’ Financial institutions lack modern API infrastructure to quickly integrate with fintech partners [8] β€’ Companies need banking services like accounts, payments, and cards embedded within their existing products [7] β€’ Complex regulatory compliance requirements create barriers for banking product development [15] β€’ Legacy banking systems are not designed for API-first approach required by modern digital services [7] ### 2. Product Features What product features will address these needs and solve these pain points? β€’ Comprehensive banking API infrastructure for accounts, payments, and card services [7] β€’ API-first platform that can be embedded directly into digital services [7] β€’ Secure, predictable, and well-structured API infrastructure for embedded finance [7] β€’ Enterprise-grade reliability and scalability for high transaction volumes [9] β€’ Close partnership with banks to develop new products and use cases for scaling [9] ### 3. Key Benefits What are the key benefits (rational and emotional) of those product features? β€’ Reduces development time from years to just months, accelerating time-to-market [6] β€’ Enterprise-grade infrastructure provides reliability for mission-critical banking operations [9] β€’ Custom product development partnerships enable competitive differentiation [9] β€’ Comprehensive API suite eliminates need for multiple vendor relationships [10] β€’ Direct bank relationships provide regulatory compliance and industry expertise [9] ### 4. Benefit Pillars Which of those benefits would be categorized as benefit pillars? πŸš€ Rapid Development Acceleration, 🏒 Enterprise-Grade Reliability, 🀝 Strategic Bank Partnerships ### 5. Emotional Benefits What emotional benefits would the user have when they engage with or use the product? Core Emotional Promise: Confidence and control in building banking products that meet enterprise standards and regulatory requirements [9] Supporting Emotions: β€’ Peace of mind from enterprise-grade reliability and bank partnerships [9] β€’ Excitement about accelerated innovation and faster time-to-market [6] β€’ Pride in building differentiated banking products through custom partnerships [9] ### 6. Positioning Statement What are some positioning statements that could reflect its key benefits, product features, and value? Increase is an enterprise-grade banking API platform for fintech companies and financial institutions that accelerates banking product development from years to months through comprehensive API infrastructure and strategic bank partnerships [6] [9] ### 7. Competitive Differentiation How do they differentiate from other competitors? Increase combines enterprise-grade reliability with strategic bank partnerships for custom product development, differentiating from specialized point solutions [9] vs. Plaid: Focus on comprehensive banking infrastructure rather than just financial data and account linking [10] [12] vs. Stripe: Enterprise banking APIs beyond pure payments and card issuing [10] vs. Synctera/Unit: Strategic bank partnerships for custom development rather than standardized neobank platforms [10] Key Differentiators: β€’ Close partnership model with banks for co-developing new products and use cases [9] β€’ Enterprise-grade focus rather than general API solutions for all market segments [9] β€’ Comprehensive banking API suite eliminating need for multiple specialized vendors [7] ## Messaging Guide | # | Type | Message | Priority | |---|------|---------|----------| | 1 | 🎯 Top-Line Message | Transform your banking product development from a multi-year enterprise project into a months-long innovation sprint with enterprise-grade APIs and strategic bank partnerships [6] [9] | Primary | | 2 | πŸš€ Rapid Development Acceleration | Cut banking product development time from 2-5 years to just months with comprehensive API infrastructure [6] | High | | 3 | πŸš€ Rapid Development Acceleration | Launch embedded banking products faster with API-first platform designed for digital services [7] | High | | 4 | πŸš€ Rapid Development Acceleration | Accelerate time-to-market with secure, predictable banking APIs that eliminate infrastructure development delays [7] | Medium | | 5 | 🏒 Enterprise-Grade Reliability | Trust enterprise-grade infrastructure designed for high transaction volumes and mission-critical banking operations [9] | High | | 6 | 🏒 Enterprise-Grade Reliability | Scale with confidence using banking APIs built for enterprise reliability and regulatory compliance [8] [9] | High | | 7 | 🏒 Enterprise-Grade Reliability | Ensure consistent performance with enterprise-grade security and data protection for financial services [8] | Medium | | 8 | 🀝 Strategic Bank Partnerships | Co-develop custom banking products through direct partnerships with established financial institutions [9] | High | | 9 | 🀝 Strategic Bank Partnerships | Access new opportunities and use cases through collaborative product development with bank partners [9] | High | | 10 | 🀝 Strategic Bank Partnerships | Leverage bank relationships for regulatory expertise and industry credibility in your banking products [9] | Medium | --- # References [1] How Mambu hit $128.6M revenue and 6K customers in 2024. https://getlatka.com/companies/mambu [2] Novo 2026 Company Profile: Valuation, Funding & Investors | PitchBook https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/184747-15 [3] How Solo.io hit $15M revenue and 4K customers in 2024. https://getlatka.com/companies/soloio [4] QI Tech 2026 Company Profile: Valuation, Funding & Investors | PitchBook https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/483567-13 [5] CRIF 2026 Company Profile: Valuation, Funding & Investors | PitchBook https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/64479-88 [6] Banking APIs Cut Your Fintech Development Time from Years to Just Months https://www.galileo-ft.com/blog/banking-apis-cut-fintech-development-time/ [7] Core Banking API for Embedded Finance: A Fintech Approach https://sdk.finance/blog/core-banking-api-for-embedded-finance-a-fintech-approach-to-banking/ [8] API Gateway Platform for Financial Services & Banking | Tyk https://tyk.io/financial-services/ [9] Increase β€” Enterprise-grade Banking APIs https://increase.com/ [10] Top 5 Banking API Providers in the USA (Plaid vs Stripe vs Synctera vs Unit vs MX) https://www.fintegrationfs.com/post/top-5-banking-api-providers-in-the-usa-plaid-vs-stripe-vs-synctera-vs-unit-vs-mx [11] Top 15 Plaid Competitors and Alternatives | Business Strategy Hub https://bstrategyhub.com/plaid-competitors-and-alternatives/ [12] Plaid vs Dwolla | Dwolla vs Plaid | Plaid & Dwolla - API Comparision https://www.protonbits.com/plaid-vs-dwolla/ [13] ⭐Top Neobanks of 2026: Leading the Digital Banking Revolution ⭐ https://sdk.finance/blog/top-neobanks-of-2024-revolutionizing-the-banking-industry/ [14] 11 Fastest Growing Neobank Platforms Companies and Startups | Landbase https://www.landbase.com/blog/fastest-growing-neobank-platforms [15] Neobanks and the next banking revolution - PwC India https://www.pwc.in/industries/financial-services/fintech/fintech-insights/neobanks-and-the-next-banking-revolution.html [16] How Open Banking APIs Boost FinTech Growth in 2024 | Intellectsoft https://www.intellectsoft.net/blog/how-open-banking-apis-boost-fintech-growth/ [17] Neobanks Targeting Niche Customer Segments: A Deep Dive https://www.prove.com/blog/neobanks-targeting-niche-customer-segments-deep-dive [18] How to Make Reviews Actionable: A Guide to Happier Customers https://learn.g2.com/actioning-customer-reviews [19] 9 Best Customer Success Software I'd Pick to Stop Churn https://learn.g2.com/best-customer-success-software [20] Review Generation | Sell.G2 https://sell.g2.com/review-generation