MSU Federal Credit Union Wins Finopotamus Tekkie Core Innovation Award for Launch of Pillur with Nymbus

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Sept. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Nymbus, a modern core banking platform for U.S. banks and credit unions, announced that Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU) has been named the 2026 Finopotamus Tekkie Core Innovation Award winner for its work with Nymbus to launch Pillur.

MSUFCU and Nymbus began working together in 2022, when the credit union selected Nymbus to launch AlumniFi and Collegiate, digital-first brands designed to serve college students, alumni and younger consumers.

This time, MSUFCU tapped the Nymbus business banking platform to pursue one of the clearest openings in the market today: the opportunity for credit unions to win over small businesses that have been underserved by traditional providers. Pillur also provided MSUFCU with a scalable platform to support the integration of business banking relationships from its acquisitions of Algonquin State Bank and McHenry Savings Bank. Working with Nymbus, the credit union segmented the acquired customer base by need and migrated small and medium-sized business (SMB) accountholders onto Pillur, MSUFCU's business banking platform.

That combination is what makes the model repeatable. Acquisitions typically stall on the question of where the acquired book goes. MSUFCU now has a destination brand ready to receive it, so the credit union can execute future deals without forcing every acquired segment onto a single one-size-fits-all experience. That turns M&A from a series of one-off integration projects into a strategy it can run again and again.

Pillur operates on the Nymbus Banking Platform, a cloud-native, API-first core deployed as a sidecar core running parallel to MSUFCU's existing infrastructure. That architecture allowed the credit union to maintain its branch operations and established member experience while launching an entirely distinct digital brand, with real-time data continuity throughout the migration.

Designed specifically for business owners, Pillur combines digital-first banking with tools and services that help businesses manage payments, cash flow and everyday financial operations. The initiative moved more than 1,100 SMB members and over 2,500 total accounts from the two acquired banks onto Pillur, transitioning more than $64 million in deposits and more than $172 million in loans with minimal disruption. The migration represents an industry first in targeted SMB re-platforming at this scale, and the platform has produced a 611% increase in deposits and a 1,357% increase in members over the past year.

"We are not in this to be technologists. We are here to create great experiences, and the technology enables us to do that," said Ami Iceman Haueter, chief experience officer at MSUFCU. "Pillur is a great example of that approach—using technology to create a distinct experience for business members while giving us the flexibility to grow and evolve without disrupting the experience our existing members know and trust."

"MSUFCU's leadership in this transformation has been exceptional, and this recognition is well deserved," said Jeffery Kendall, chairman and CEO of Nymbus. "Together we have demonstrated how credit unions can use mergers and acquisitions as a growth accelerator for core modernization rather than an operational necessity."

About Nymbus
Nymbus delivers a cloud-based, highly extensible, full-stack banking platform, empowering community banks and credit unions to accelerate their growth and market positioning. Founded in 2015, Nymbus modernizes legacy core systems that support both brick-and-mortar operations and digital-first institutions, and facilitates the launch of vertical banking strategies or subsidiary brands with a sidecar Core alternative.

The Nymbus Banking Platform solution delivers the technology, people, and processes to scale as your financial institution grows. For more information, visit nymbus.com.

About MSU Federal Credit Union 
MSU Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU) was established in 1937 to provide a secure place for members to save and borrow. Guided by its mission to help members achieve financial security, reach their goals, and realize their dreams, MSUFCU supports members through key milestones in life while helping them plan for the future. Recognized as a leader in innovation and as a great place to work, MSUFCU continually seeks new ways to enhance the member experience and strengthen the communities it serves. Today, the Credit Union proudly serves more than 415,000 members through 35 branches, with over $9.3 billion in assets and more than 1,400 employees. MSUFCU is headquartered in East Lansing, Michigan.

SOURCE Nymbus