Venture Innovation envisions future growth opportunities for Citi and develops new products and services that respond to the changing business, societal, and economic landscape of the 21st century. The team combines a deep entrepreneurial bench with end-to-end digital capabilities, and has a global presence that stretches from San Francisco to New York, Washington, DC, London, and Zürich.
Our Approach
Envision
We identify technological, behavioral, economic, and societal “white spaces” where Citi can create positive change and engage the next generation of high-growth clients.
Collaborate
We partner inside and outside of Citi to develop sustainable growth strategies, competitive IP, and solutions to unmet market challenges.
Launch
We incubate and deliver dynamic new solutions that serve unmet market needs, utilizing multiple paths to market—from internal incubation to new venture spin-outs.
Capabilities & Focus Areas
Blockchain and Digital Assets
Blockchain technology is driving a revolution in financial services, from digital currencies to decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). How can we help shape the transition to a financial system built on these technologies and enable the new possibilities they entail? Our Zürich-based team is exploring that question in partnership with key players across Europe’s crypto ecosystem.
Public-Private Innovation
The economy of the future will increasingly be driven by Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) targets that will require unprecedented partnership between the private and public sector to achieve. How can we help develop collaborative platforms that accelerate this shift and foster the innovation needed to usher this economy in?
Racial Equity Design and Data Initiative (REDDI)
As diversity and inclusion take center stage around the world, how can we help pioneer technology practices that reduce bias and increase equity for people and communities of color? Our U.S.-based REDDI team is looking into a range of solutions.
Studio
Bringing together our User Research, Design, Product, Data Science, and Engineering groups, the Studio team focuses on building and shipping values-based, publicly available digital products and services such as City Builder® by Citi and Worthi® by Citi.
Wealth
With a once-in-a-generation wealth transfer underway, the changing composition and needs of 21st-century wealth clients will soon outpace existing solutions. How can we help Citi win and delight the diverse, global next-generation new wealth client?
Examples of our Work
Bridge built by CitiSM
A digital lending platform that helps small and medium-sized businesses—particularly Minority Depository Institutions—connect with regional, local, and community banks for loans up to $10 million. Venture Innovation worked with the Citi Commercial Bank to develop and launch the platform, which is currently available to businesses in the Southeast and Rockies regions of the U.S.
City Builder® by Citi
A free, data-driven platform designed to help investors, developers, municipalities, and community members make impactful place-based investments. City Builder provides investors with tools and information on a wide variety of community needs and opportunities to make a positive impact.
Onward
A fintech platform designed to help co-parents manage shared finances for their children more easily. The idea for Onward was incubated, tested, and developed within Venture Innovation. The app launched publicly in March 2021 and Citi Ventures participated in the company’s first funding round.
Proxymity
An end-to-end digital investor communications platform that directly connects issuers, investors, and their intermediaries to provide accurate, transparent, and more immediate data to improve business relations. Developed by Citi Ventures, Citi Equities & Securities Services and the Citi Innovation Labs, Proxymity launched as an independent entity in 2018 and is now backed by a consortium of prominent financial institutions, including Citi.
Trade Information Network (TIN)
A trusted trade information registry that allows banks to extend financing to corporates much deeper into the supply chain. Venture Innovation supported the development of the platform within Citi Treasury & Trade Solutions, then Citi formed a consortium with other global banks to spin out TIN as an independent business in 2018.
Worthi® by Citi
A free, online tool that provides personalized market insights and resources for workers to improve their skills in today’s evolving job market. Leveraging data on 1,800+ roles and 17,000+ skills, Worthi can help users identify and grow their skills, explore new professional paths, and confidently pursue their career goals.
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