The Founders Arena WealthTech Accelerator Announces Spring 2025 Cohort Focused on AI, Automation, and Advisor Enablement
Fourth Cohort announced by Accelerator connects startups with financial institutions to fast-track research, development, and adoption
ARLINGTON, May 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Founders Arena WealthTech Accelerator, in partnership with First Rate, Inc., SEI® and the City of Arlington, today announced the selection of its Spring 2025 cohort. The six companies—AssetLink, Investipal, MDOTM, Sequence, Quorus, and YourStake—represent a diverse set of solutions designed to streamline financial advisory workflows, enhance investment performance, and deliver more personalized client experiences through automation and data intelligence.
Now in its fourth cohort, The Founders Arena continues to serve as a launchpad for high-growth WealthTech companies, bridging the gap between founders and the financial institutions that power the wealth management industry. Since inception, four participating startups, Charityvest, Sora Finance, upSWOT, and Caribou, have gone on to be acquired, and multiple cohort companies, including Bento Engine and Zeplyn, have found unique ways of partnering together though the connections the cohort creates.
"The Founders Arena really helped us in three key ways: it sharpened our pitch and value proposition for the RIA customer base, deepened our connectivity across the broader space, and enabled us to define a proof of concept with an enterprise customer," said Rohit Agarwal, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Sora Finance.
The Spring 2025 cohort includes:
AssetLink: A bidirectional intelligence platform that empowers asset managers and distribution teams to make smarter, faster fund placement decisions by directly connecting with buyers whose clients align with their strategy. AssetLink is based in New York, NY.
Investipal: An advisor-first tool that automates portfolio construction and proposal generation. Investipal's AI-driven optimization engine delivers transparent, customized investment recommendations in minutes, allowing advisors to focus on growth. Investipal is based in Toronto, Ontario.
MDOTM: An AI-powered investment platform that enhances portfolio management, decision-making, and reporting for wealth and asset managers. By delivering actionable insights and automating investment workflows, MDOTM helps reduce manual errors and save time. MDOTM is based in London, United Kingdom, with offices in Milan and New York.
Quorus: A platform that lets asset managers deliver tax-managed, customized investment accounts while automating trade execution and portfolio optimization. Managers can focus on strategy development while Quorus handles the infrastructure. Quorus is based in New York, NY.
Sequence: A financial operating system that consolidates accounts and automates cash flow, liability management, and savings through direct integrations with users' financial tools. Currently serving consumers, Sequence plans to expand into B2B wealth management applications. Sequence is based in New York, NY.
YourStake: A document intelligence and meeting assistant that enables advisors to skip administrative work and move straight to financial planning. YourStake automatically turns notes, statements, and forms into structured data and personalized portfolio analysis. YourStake is based in Brooklyn, NY.
The 8-week hybrid program is based out of Arlington, Texas, and connects participating founders with mentors, investors, and executives at leading financial institutions. Through tailored "VIP Visits" with financial institutions, participants receive firsthand feedback from potential partners and clients in the wealth management ecosystem.
"We're seeing an inflection point where advisors and asset managers are demanding tech that not only enhances outcomes but radically simplifies operations," said Pamela Cytron, President of The Founders Arena. "In a time when AI is accelerating change across the industry, it's never been more critical to spotlight breakthrough innovation." Executives and financial institutions are invited to participate in the Spring 2025 VIP Visits, a limited series of 1:1 meetings with the Spring cohort to help organizations source, pilot, and scale emerging technology.
"The commitment of The Founders Arena to the City of Arlington has been truly profound," said Arlington Mayor Jim Ross. "Celebrating its second anniversary, and announcing their fourth cohort, the accelerator has demonstrated unwavering dedication to nurturing the next generation of founders while embedding itself into the fabric of our city. Their continued investment of time, resources, and talent into Arlington shows how we are a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship."
"The Founders Arena has built something unique—an accelerator that actually accelerates product-market fit by putting startups in front of institutions early and often," said Kendrick Wakeman, Co-Founder and CEO of WealthTech Strategy Partners. "The proof is in the acquisitions and partnerships we've already seen come from the first three cohorts, and with this fourth one, we're excited to keep collaborating with visionary founders who are solving real industry challenges."
About The Founders Arena WealthTech AcceleratorThe Founders Arena WealthTech Accelerator (TFA), based in Arlington, TX, is an accelerator program dedicated to supporting the next generation of WealthTech startups globally. In strategic partnership with the City of Arlington, First Rate Inc., SEI®, and the Arlington Economic Development Corporation, TFA provides a comprehensive ecosystem of resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities. By fostering collaboration between startups, financial institutions, and the local community, TFA aims to drive innovation in wealth management and contribute to Arlington's growing reputation as a hub for financial technology. TFA's program includes mentorship sessions, technical workshops, and community engagement activities, all designed to accelerate startup growth and promote innovation within the WealthTech sector. Through its unique blend of startup support and community involvement, The Founders Arena is paving the way for transformative solutions that meet the evolving needs of the wealth management industry. For more information visit https://www.thefoundersarena.com/
Media Contact:Aaron Berger394995@email4pr.com 917-355-8959
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It acquired the Wello and Hot 5 apps along with Weilos, an online community platform. It also forged partnerships with Fitbit and expanded into mindfulness through partnerships with Headspace. But the company's biggest deal was with Oprah herself. Her decades-long weight loss journey may have been ridiculed by the media, but millions of "everyday" people saw themselves in her struggles, and her endorsement helped foster a positive, trustworthy environment that affected the company's bottom line: By 2016, revenues had risen 28%, and the company had gained one million members. Not only did Oprah serve as Weight Watchers' spokesperson from 2015–2024; she also joined its Board of Directors and took a 10% ownership stake in WW, investing $43 million into the company. Shares skyrocketed 90% on the news, and over the course of her nine-year relationship with the brand, Oprah took home a reported $221 million. 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Related: The 5 most startling Chapter 11 retailer bankruptcies since 2020 Celebrities and Influencers began posting selfies showcasing their noticeably slimmer frames, while hashtags like #OzempicChallenge started trending on TikTok, amassing more than 250 million views. Its surge in popularity led to widespread Ozempic shortages, and in 2021, Novo Nordisk, the drug's manufacturer, introduced a new medication with an even higher dose of semaglutide, known as Wegovy. This drug was approved specifically to treat chronic weight management issues for adults with obesity. When Oprah stepped down from the board of Weight Watchers, she herself admitted that points and pep talks weren't solely responsible for the reported 50 pounds she lost in 2023: She had also taken a weight-loss drug. And, while she did not identify it specifically, she did explain on Jimmy Kimmel Live! that she wanted to "be able to talk about whatever I want to talk about" on the subject of weight loss without any conflicts of interest. So, Oprah created an hour-long ABC Primetime special titled "Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution," that aired on March 18, 2023. It featured a panel discussion by medical experts who discussed weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Wegovy with a live studio audience. Winfrey, meanwhile, donated her remaining shares of WW stock-valued at around $16 million at the time-to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, telling Jimmy Kimmel her reasons were "so nobody can say, 'Oh, she's doing that [ABC] special, she's making money, and promoting …' No, you cannot say that." Since its beginnings in 1963, Weight Watchers has focused on losing weight through diet plans and communal encouragement. Weekly meetings consist of "weigh-ins" and support groups, where neighbors and strangers provide praise when the scale registers lower-and encouragement when it does not. The Weight Watchers system, which assigns "points" to foods based on their nutritional value, has been updated to reflect each era's guidelines for "healthy" eating; in general, it included increased servings of fish, fruits, and vegetables, limited portions of bread and dairy, and even fewer sweets, fatty foods, and servings of alcohol. According to U.S. News and World Report, WW's current membership program consists of the option to meet online through its mobile app and website, receive coaching online or by phone, or attend in-person meetings. Related: An in-depth timeline of the GameStop short squeeze saga In a press release on May 6, 2025, WW International announced that it had entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, revealing plans for a massive reorganization effort in the hopes of shedding $1.15 billion of excess debt-as well as creating solutions for its customers' long-term health. That doesn't sound like WW is giving up. In fact, in a statement, new CEO Tara Comonte stated, "the decisive actions we're taking today, with the overwhelming support of our lenders and noteholders, will give us the flexibility to accelerate innovation, reinvest in our members, and lead with authority in a rapidly evolving weight management landscape." Weight Watchers has assured its members that it will remain "fully operational" through its reorganization, with a spokesperson telling USA Today, "there will be no impact to members or the plans they rely on to support their weight management goals," and no foreseeable changes to their membership, pricing, or prescriptions. Weight Watchers also plans to fast-track the expansion of its Sequence telehealth business as well as remain a publicly traded company. As of May, 2025, WW is considered a penny stock, with shares trading at low prices (typically under $5): On May 15, 2025, WW shares closed at just $0.24. Penny stocks are typically characterized by low liquidity and high volatility, which means that prices can fluctuate significantly and rapidly. Although penny stocks are usually found trading on over-the-counter (OTC) markets, WW continues to be listed on the Nasdaq exchange. Its reorganization strategy includes plans to further expand into the telehealth sphere, which could drive future growth; however, its $1.15 billion debt obligations present a substantial challenge for the company's recovery. All penny stocks have the opportunity for sizable gains-as well as steep losses-so care should be taken when considering it as an investment. Related: Veteran analyst sends urgent message on S&P 500 The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
