Ally Ventures

Investing in the future of financial services is how Ally Ventures describes its role. It serves as the strategic investing arm of Ally Financial, and it identifies, invests in and builds relationships with startups whose goals line up with those of the parent company.

A corporate venture arm with a purpose

The stated purpose is to enhance and diversify the capabilities that Ally already has while it continues to grow as a leader in digital financial services. That differs from a purely financial investor: the relationships are meant to be commercial as well, so a startup may become a supplier, a partner or a customer of the wider group.

What a startup gets

Ally Ventures says it helps businesses grow through four things: investment, mentorship, a commercial relationship and access to its broad range of resources. It explores opportunities on its own and alongside other investors, and describes the relationship as highly collaborative, increasing the chance of success for everyone involved. It reviews companies at all stages and works with accelerator programs to find commercial opportunities and investments earlier in a company's life.

The kind of company it seeks

The firm looks across a diverse range of industries and categories, provided they fit its goals and values. Its particular interest is in startups and entrepreneurs who disrupt financial services with inspiring technology, engaging user interfaces and creative business models.

Examples on its portfolio page

The site shows portfolio companies as cards with short descriptions. They include a direct mortgage lender focused on a fast, transparent digital experience, and a platform that allows vehicles to receive, store and send funds securely. A company called CHAMPtitles appears without a description, as do a cloud-based credit card platform and a smart debit card for children. Another is an enterprise core-as-a-service platform that lets banks deliver new digital services. The mix shows interest in lending, payments, cards and the core software banks run on.

How the site is arranged

The page is organized around how the firm helps, its focus areas, its key relationships and a team page.

Ally Ventures is the strategic investment arm of Ally Financial. It finds start-ups whose goals match its own, invests in them and builds commercial relationships to broaden its digital financial services capabilities.

What Ally Ventures offers

• Investment: funds start-ups, sometimes alongside other investors.
• Mentorship: guidance for founders from the Ally team.
• Commercial relationships: partnerships with the companies it backs.
• Access to resources: use of the wider group's range of resources.
• Accelerator collaboration: works with accelerator programmes to spot early-stage opportunities.

Who it serves

Start-ups and entrepreneurs at all stages that disrupt financial services with technology, user interfaces and business models. Its portfolio includes a digital mortgage lender and a vehicle payments platform.

Key facts

• Parent: Ally Financial
• Focus: digital financial services
• Stage: all stages considered