New alliance aims to spark innovation and shape the future of banking
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Jan. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- One Washington Financial (OWF), a wholly owned subsidiary of WSECU, and Papilio Collective today announced a first-of-its-kind partnership designed to strengthen collaboration between credit unions and fintechs to transform banking. The alliance means not only will OWF continue to invest in innovative fintechs serving credit unions, but also will provide essential early-stage fractional services to help them grow and thrive, through partner Papilio Collective's human-centered financial services consulting expertise.
"Our mission is to enhance the lives of credit union members by investing in innovative solutions that move cooperative banking forward," said Scott Daukas, principal at OWF. "Credit unions have a unique opportunity to deliver superior financial services through successful collaboration with exciting innovators. Partnering with Papilio Collective allows us to expand support for fintechs beyond funding, offering their expertise in finance, product, marketing, pricing, and member experience. With these additional services, we can accelerate the pace of new offerings to credit unions, bringing more meaningful value to members and the cooperatives themselves."
The partnership helps to bridge a gap that has historically existed between credit unions and fintechs, allowing both to benefit more. Credit unions are great laboratories for new offerings when working in collaboration with fintech companies. Funding alone only goes so far to get products and services to market quickly. Rather than simply providing capital, OWF and Papilio will deliver a suite of services to help overcome challenges often encountered in early-stage startups. Papilio Collective brings experienced advisors and proprietary technology that combines AI, data science, and human insight to deliver sharper member understanding through an emotional lens—creating a data-driven foundation for all fractional services offered.
"Our shared goal is to help fintechs succeed by offering expert guidance and fostering a member-first approach to solving problems," said Tarrah Palomino, founder and CEO of Papilio Collective. "Financial services are at a crossroads. Partnerships between fintechs and credit unions are key to opening a new chapter in banking—one that engages and empowers the next generation of members."
About One Washington Financial (OWF)
One Washington Financial (OWF) enhances the lives of credit union members by investing in innovative solutions that align with our investment pillars: improving financial well-being, increasing equitable access to affordable products and services, and improving operational efficiencies. Learn more at https://www.owfcuso.com/
About Papilio Collective
Papilio Collective is a human-centered transformation consultancy that helps financial institutions, fintechs, and growing organizations align people, process, and technology to drive meaningful, sustainable change. Through a collaborative, data-informed approach, Papilio helps leaders reduce complexity, improve execution, and modernize with confidence. Learn more at https://papiliocollective.com/
Media Contacts:
Scott Daukas
One Washington Financial (OWF)
[email protected]
Derek Owens
Papilio Collective
[email protected]
SOURCE Papilio Collective
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