A seat at the table: WMNfintech's Los Angeles finale celebrates a year of growth
Talent & Inclusion, Technology & Innovation
Updated 
2 min. read
The 2026 WMNfintech cohort has been on an immersive growth journey across key innovation hubs in North America: Toronto, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles.
WMNfintech, an award-winning program launched by BMO in collaboration with 1871, has become North America's largest alumni network of fintech founders that support the women fintech ecosystem, providing entrepreneurs access to a robust support network to help them to grow their businesses and connecting our teams to the newest technologies and products on the market.
Final stop: Los Angeles
Building a powerful fintech ecosystem requires perspectives from across all industries. As part of the cohort's final stop, they cultivated connections at LA Tech Week, kicked around ideas with the Los Angeles Football Club – and even got tips from a Top Chef.
Founders met with angel investors, venture capital leaders, corporate innovators and financial services professionals at curated dinners and networking sessions. A day of programming with Accenture focused on stakeholder mapping, navigating enterprise sales and product positioning, giving founders practical insights to help bring their solutions to market. The cohort also connected with BMO leaders, clients and ecosystem partners at an LAFC match, continuing to build relationships across the financial services and technology communities.
“Women entrepreneurs are building some of the most innovative companies in financial services today, and their perspectives are helping shape the future of our industry. Programs like WMNfintech create opportunities for founders to connect and bring new ideas to market. When talented business owners have access to the right support and opportunities, their bold ideas turn into lasting impact.”
– Michele Havens, Head, BMO Wealth Management, U.S.
The week culminated with a graduation dinner hosted with support from Kyriba, a financial software company, and Chef Kat Turner, featured on Top Chef Season 22, at her restaurant Highly Likely in Highland Park. Bringing founders, investors, partners, and BMO leaders together, the evening celebrated the cohort’s progress and the relationships built throughout its journey across North America.
Read the recaps: Toronto, Chicago and New York City.
