Core Bank and Kobalt Labs: Advancing Risk & Compliance Strategy

OMAHA, Neb., Jan. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Core Bank is undergoing a risk and technology transition, prioritizing investments in AI native platforms that will strengthen our operational backbone, improve experiences, and consistently deliver on the purpose of Building Better – for the community, customers, and the business banking ecosystem we serve. In support of that commitment, we are excited to announce our new partnership with Kobalt Labs, an award-winning leader in AI-driven risk and compliance technology.

Supporting Responsible Innovation and Operational Excellence
Core Bank is proud to support financial technology as part of our broader strategy to deliver modern banking solutions. As we accelerate our sponsor and embedded banking programs, Core Bank's partnership with Kobalt Labs ensures that our diligence, oversight, and governance processes scale in parallel with stronger, more adaptive risk and compliance execution.

With regulatory expectations around third party oversight continuing to rise, the need for scalable, consistent, and highly efficient compliance operations has never been greater. Kobalt's platform modernizes the way these functions are managed, cutting time to conduct due diligence and ongoing monitoring so that we can grow our portfolio - responsibly.

Why Kobalt
The Core Bank team first engaged with the Kobalt team earlier this year and was immediately impressed by the platform's ability to automate high-volume, manual workflows while enhancing the accuracy and consistency of onboarding risk reviews. As Core Bank prepared for several upcoming partner evaluations, Kobalt's capabilities were tested against other third party management products and traditional manual reviews. Kobalt upheld a high-quality standard while reducing turnaround times from days to minutes.

Kobalt distinguished itself not only through its quality but through the trust it has earned among fintechs, banks and regulators alike. This combination of industry credibility, automation, and speed made Kobalt the right partner to support Core Bank's long-term strategy.

Building Better—Together
"Core Bank's vision is to be high-performing, tech-forward, and solutions-based," said Core Bank Chief Risk Officer Suzanne Mendlik. "Partnering with Kobalt Labs strengthens that vision. This partnership will accelerate onboarding and enhance oversight of fintech and embedded banking relationships, maintain earned customer and regulator trust, and supports Core Bank's long-term strategy: investing in technology that delivers great experiences, strengthening our risk capabilities, and building better banking ecosystems for the future." With Kobalt Labs' agentic platform, Core Bank is well-positioned to maintain our strong, exam-ready compliance foundation as we grow our partnerships and underscores our belief that effective risk management is not a constraint – it's a catalyst for growth.

Our Commitment
In a digital-first environment, Banking as a Service (BaaS) and embedded capabilities require a risk and compliance foundation that is stronger than ever. Core Bank is committed to responsibly launching new products and partnerships to serve the broader community and meet our customers' and partners' banking needs.

Core Bank is a locally owned business-centric, community-focused financial institution committed to Building Better—through technology-forward solutions, high-performing operations, and an unwavering dedication to safety, soundness, and customer success. Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, Core Bank has five Midwest locations in the Omaha and Kansas City metros. Learn more at https://www.corebank.com. Member FDIC | Equal Housing Lender

Kobalt Labs is the AI-native TPRM and compliance platform built for FIs. Kobalt eliminates the manual steps from third-party reviews of vendors and fintech partners by extracting critical evidence and highlighting gaps in supplied documentation within minutes. Always synced to evolving state and federal regs, Kobalt gives teams instant clarity on compliance and third-party risk - delivering consistency and speed that manual work can't match. Learn more at https://www.kobaltlabs.com.

Tami Matousek
Core Bank
[email protected]
402-898-3328
www.corebank.com

SOURCE Core Bank