The Financial Solutions Lab (FSL) is a mission-driven fintech accelerator and support initiative run by the Financial Health Network in collaboration with JPMorgan Chase & Co. and supported by partners like Prudential Financial, focused on cultivating, supporting, and scaling financial-health solutions built for underserved individuals and communities (especially low- to moderate-income, Black, and Latinx populations).

Pre-Seed / Seed: Focuses on fintech startups and nonprofit-fintech ventures that have products or prototypes addressing financial health challenges.
Early Institutional: Works with companies as they scale customer growth and external investment, often positioning them for larger follow-on funding rounds.

Typical Investment Amount: In cohort challenges (e.g., 2020, 2021, 2022), each selected organization received between ~$100,000 and ~$125,000 in capital support from the Financial Health Network as part of the accelerator.
Equity Taken:
• FSL is not a traditional venture capital fund and does not publicly operate on a fixed equity-for-capital model like a standard VC or corporate accelerator (e.g., “$X for Y% equity”). Instead, investment provided through the Financial Health Network’s accelerator is structured more like mission-aligned capital or accelerator funding without a universally published equity stake requirement.
• Historically, FSL supported companies with unrestricted capital grants (e.g., ~$100K–$125K per cohort) paired with strategic support, research insights, and mentorship — but public program materials do not list a standard equity exchange policy (often indicative of *grant-oriented accelerator funding rather than direct priced equity deals).
• Founder-side expectation: If outside investors (angels/VCs) participate in follow-on financing post-accelerator, those equity terms are negotiated separately between the startup and the investor(s); FSL’s capital support itself does not automatically dictate a cap-table ownership %. (This reflects how mission-centric accelerators often operate, where the funding is paired with ecosystem support rather than tied to a fixed uniform cap-table position.) 

Equity Structure: Accelerator funding in FSL is typically given as capital support coupled with mentorship and ecosystem access rather than as a priced equity round. If a cohort company later raises priced financing with external investors, terms are negotiated directly with those investors.

Submission Method: Founders apply via the Financial Solutions Lab’s online application/challenge process during open cohorts; the application process is competitive and thematic (e.g., focused on a specific financial health challenge for that year).
Program Cycle: Historically operated as an annual 8-month accelerator with cohort challenges.

Sector Focus: Financial technology solutions that advance financial health — including savings, credit, insurance, and tools for underserved consumers. 
Geography: Primarily U.S.-focused cohort participants. 
Stage: Pre-seed to early seed stage with product/market validation. 
Team: Founders with aligned mission and potential to scale products that address financial health disparities. 

Initial Screening: Applications reviewed for mission alignment, product potential, and fit with cohort theme. 
 Selection: Companies selected for cohort participation. 
 Acceleration: Cohort companies receive capital support, mentorship, behavioral insights, regulatory and impact measurement guidance, and strategic support. 
 Demo & Scaling Support: Engagement with broader ecosystem and potential visibility to future capital partners beyond the program. 

Strategic Capital: ~$100,000–$125,000 in accelerator funding without a fixed equity rule. 
 Mentorship & Insights: Access to industry expertise from the Financial Health Network, JPMorgan Chase, Prudential, and partners with deep financial services knowledge. 
 Product & Market Support: Behavioral insights, product guidance, regulatory navigation, and marketing resources. 
 Network & Visibility: Engagement with the financial health ecosystem, peer cohorts, and potential future investors.