Building Better Banking With Q2 Innovation Studio: Real Stories of Real Transformation

Modern banking is undergoing a quiet revolution.

Financial institutions (FIs) are rethinking not only how they serve account holders, but how they build and evolve the very solutions that power those services. Legacy vendor timelines, rigid integrations, and one-size-fits-all feature sets are giving way to agility, choice, and composability.

Through Q2 Innovation Studio, FIs are reimagining their future, tailoring Q2’s already-powerful digital banking platform by seamlessly integrating targeted fintech partners to meet their communities’ needs. And they’re doing it faster, more creatively, and with greater ownership than ever before.

But what does that look like in the real world? To answer that, we turn to the experiences of three forward-thinking institutions that didn’t wait for the perfect solution to arrive. They partnered, piloted, and launched digital capabilities that made a measurable difference.

How Chartway Federal Credit Union Cut Fraud in Half and Built an Experience That Works for Everyone

Chartway Federal Credit Union serves a geographically diverse membership across Virginia and Utah, and its strategy reflects the complexity of that footprint. Facing fierce competition from national banks and large credit unions—and operating with a lean four-person digital team—Chartway needed to prioritize high-impact, low-lift innovations that could scale.

Through Q2 Innovation Studio, it launched a robust portfolio of fintech partnerships:

• Entersekt reduced account takeover fraud by 50% using device-based authentication.
• Glia and Posh helped reimagine customer service, launching a proactive digital support strategy anchored by its AI chatbot “Charlie.”
• SavvyMoney offered an organic engagement path via credit score visibility, growing adoption by over 40% in a year.
• Delivered personalized CD offers via push notification through a combined flow using Pulsate to target select members, Entersekt to quickly authenticate, and TruStage to open the CD—driving $2 million in new deposits in just one month.

Importantly, Chartway didn’t have to build a large new team to make all of this happen. They did it by making focused, strategic choices—and leveraging the extensibility of the Q2 platform to connect those experiences into one cohesive member journey.

“Innovation is about showing up for your members with tools that actually make their lives easier,” said Chartway Vice President of Digital Doug Almeida. “If we can make the process so simple they can’t help but complete it, that’s a win.”

How Lake City Bank Uses Fintech to Grow Loyalty, Engagement, and Multigenerational Wealth

Lake City Bank, a $6.8 billion institution with a strong commercial and retail presence, has made digital innovation a core pillar of its strategy. As a community-rooted bank with 53 branches, they recognized the opportunity to bridge generations of customers through tech that reflects modern expectations.

Lake City set out to create an experience that nurtures financial wellness from early learning to wealth management. Their digital roadmap, enabled by Innovation Studio, includes:

• FamZoo to help parents teach financial literacy and manage youth debit cards.
• Eko to provide accessible investing starting at $10—filling the gap between everyday banking and their traditional $25,000 wealth advisory minimum. In a short time, they’ve driven $1.5 million in portfolio value with 2,500 customers and an impressive 12% recurring deposit rate.
• TurboTax, integrated directly into digital banking, allowing users to file taxes and instantly deposit refunds—often directly to Lake City accounts. In its pilot tax season, the bank drove more than 850 state and federal returns and plans to broaden the program in future years.
• Autobooks and PayRecs to give business clients full AR/AP functionality and transparent international exchange rates. With Autobooks alone, the bank has driven a 35% increase in recurring payments year over year.
• Wealth Access to deliver a 360-degree view for high-value business and trust clients across loans, deposits, and net income—all from one dashboard.

Lake City attributes much of its success to effective marketing, which starts with tight internal partnerships between the technology and marketing teams at the bank, and it’s supported by Q2 marketing solutions like Q2 SMART and Q2 Discover.

With over 10,000 call-to-action clicks driven by in-app marketing, a 35% year-over-year increase in recurring payments, and $6,500 per month in new digital revenue, Lake City Bank sees Innovation Studio as more than a set of fintech partnerships. It’s a strategic enabler.

“We’re a community bank, but this technology lets us compete with the big guys,” said Lake City Digital Strategy Officer Scott Karbach. “It’s the first time in my career I’ve been able to say I’m a revenue generator for the bank.”

This approach also highlights the power of cross-functional collaboration: Marketing and product teams align weekly to design, promote, and iterate on new offerings. Innovation here isn’t siloed, it’s shared.

How OceanAir Federal Credit Union Builds a Digital Experience Grounded in Empathy and Inclusion

OceanAir Federal Credit Union, formerly CBC, is a $900 million institution based in Oxnard, California—just north of Los Angeles—serving a deeply diverse membership rooted in Hispanic and Filipino communities. Many of its members are first-generation families, including those who work in the local strawberry fields or have ties to the nearby Navy base.

OceanAir is both a low-income designated credit union and a proud Juntos Avanzamos institution. It is committed to serving underserved and underbanked communities with culturally relevant, dignified financial solutions.

Innovation Studio has become essential to that mission, helping OceanAir give back to its community and empower its members to improve their financial position.

• Eltropy powers OceanAir’s automated member support through integrated chat, video, and SMS tools. The chatbot, deployed in early 2024, now handles 65–70% of all conversations—significantly reducing contact center volume while freeing staff to focus on more complex member needs.
• SavvyMoney provides members with real-time credit visibility and personalized guidance on improving their financial standing. OceanAir plans to integrate SavvyMoney directly with its loan origination system to drive pre-approved offers at key financial milestones.
• Equipifi brought Buy Now, Pay Later into the credit union’s digital experience. With over 1,000 loans funded and $250,000+ in volume—and a remarkably low delinquency rate—the product has offered flexible, accessible borrowing to members without added complexity.
• Spiral allows members to give back through a fee-based checking account that contributes to local causes with every card swipe. OceanAir matched member donations to help fire victims through the Ventura County Community Foundation and other local nonprofits.

“Innovation Studio has allowed us to compete with much larger institutions by giving us access to cutting-edge fintech solutions that drive real value for our members,” said OceanAir Chief Experience Officer Jesus Garcia. “We just wouldn’t do anything now without it.”

The Common Thread: Innovation That Puts People First

While each institution tackled different challenges, their strategies shared something powerful: They didn’t wait for a vendor to deliver one-size-fits-all solutions. They used Q2 Innovation Studio to build what their communities needed—when they needed it.

These are more than case studies. They’re roadmaps. They show what’s possible when teams align behind clear goals, work cross-functionally, and embrace co-creation as a competitive advantage.

Whether you’re aiming to grow deposits, modernize business services, streamline support, or better serve the next generation, these institutions offer something valuable: proof.

Ready to build what your community needs next? Innovation Studio is here to help you make it happen. Contact our team to start planning your strategy.