Amazon's Abrigo unveils agentic AI platform to transform Small Business services. July 8, 2026 Raleigh, NC - In a significant development for financial institutions, Abrigo has unveiled its new Agentic Platform Experience (APX), poised to revolutionize the way banks and credit unions manage lending operations. Set to launch in Q3 2026, this AI-driven platform aims to streamline workflows in loan management while enhancing customer engagement. As small business lenders navigate increasingly competitive and operational pressures, the need for an efficient, responsive system is more pressing than ever. Abrigo's APX seeks to address these challenges by automating the entire lending process, from pipeline management and underwriting through to servicing and portfolio administration. With the promise of reducing manual labor by over 40%, this platform could significantly improve borrower experiences, ultimately allowing lenders to dedicate more time to their customers. Discover more Marketing Strategies Small Business News Staffing Solutions John Brichetto, president and CEO of Century Bank, comments, "The future of AI in community banking isn't about replacing people; it's about helping them have a greater impact." This perspective highlights the platform's aim to empower banking teams, thereby strengthening relationships with local businesses and enhancing service quality without compromising governance. In the current landscape, where nearly 40% of businesses have not met with their primary credit provider in the past two years (as noted by Datos Insights), the potential for improved customer engagement through streamlined processes cannot be understated. Kent Curtis, president and CEO of First Southwest Bank, echoes this sentiment: "As we work with Abrigo on the future of agentic lending, we're excited about the potential to create more capacity for our teams to focus on customers." At the heart of the Abrigo APX is a vital integration of human oversight and machine efficiency. The platform employs AI agents to validate information against specific institutional policies, providing teams with clear visibility of progress, priorities, and exceptions. Unlike traditional workflow tools that merely track tasks, Abrigo's AI agents actively coordinate and complete tasks, from document collection to quality control, enhancing overall operational efficiency. Discover more Marketing Strategy Ravi Nemalikanti, Chief Product and Technology Officer of Abrigo, emphasizes, "We built Abrigo APX with explainability, governance, and operational control at its core because financial institutions need AI that can scale responsibly." This commitment to responsible AI usage ensures that institutions can confidently adopt these technologies without sacrificing accountability. Community banks and credit unions are particularly optimistic about these advancements. Charith Mendis, Banking Leader at Amazon Web Services, notes, "Abrigo's platform on AWS lets these institutions move well beyond point automation toward fully orchestrated, agentic systems." This capability could empower small financial institutions to manage complex lending workflows end-to-end, all while keeping the human element in customer service top of mind. The emergence of the Abrigo APX provides relevant insights for small business owners seeking to understand the evolving landscape of financial services. Adopting such systems could not only streamline the lending process but also foster deeper, more meaningful relationships between lenders and borrowers. Improved efficiency could lead to quicker loan approvals and enhanced customer satisfaction - crucial factors for maintaining a competitive edge. Discover more Businesses Local Marketing Services Business Budgeting Tools However, it's essential for small business owners to consider potential challenges that may arise with the adoption of AI-driven platforms. The initial implementation of such technology requires a thorough understanding of the existing operational framework and may necessitate staff training to adapt to new workflows. Additionally, while automation can yield significant efficiency, it is crucial to maintain a balance between technological and personal interaction - essential for building trust in financial relationships. The Abrigo Agentic Platform Experience looks to reshape the future of lending through AI while ensuring institutions maintain their unique values and operational integrity. Expected to be available later this year, Abrigo's innovative solution promises not only to improve efficiency in lending operations but also to enhance the overall customer experience, a crucial element for any small business. Image Via BizSugar Sarah Lewis is a small business news journalist and writer dedicated to keeping entrepreneurs informed on the latest industry trends, policy changes, and economic developments. With over a decade of experience in business reporting, Sarah has covered breaking news, market insights, and success stories that impact small business owners. Her work has been featured in prominent business publications, delivering timely and actionable information to help entrepreneurs stay ahead. When she's not covering small business news, Sarah enjoys exploring new coffee shops and perfecting her homemade pasta recipes.

First United receives Maryland Community Investment Venture Fund award. First United Bank & Trust has been recognized as an inaugural award recipient of the Maryland Community Investment Venture (MCIV) Fund, a new initiative designed to expand access to capital and financial services across the state. The award was announced at the Expanding Horizons: The Access to Capital Forum held at the University of Maryland. This distinction underscores First United's commitment to fostering greater financial inclusion and supporting economic development throughout Maryland. The MCIV Fund, launched in partnership with Governor Wes Moore and Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller's administration, aims to eliminate barriers to capital for underserved communities by encouraging financial institutions and fintech innovators collaboration. As part of this initiative, First United Bank & Trust is partnering with Abrigo, Inc. to enhance and streamline loan decision-making processes. This collaboration leverages a combination of community banking experience and advanced financial technology to better serve low- and moderate-income individuals. Lieutenant Governor Miller joined state officials, industry leaders, and community advocates at the forum to announce the initial round of grant partnerships, highlighting the importance of innovation in expanding economic opportunity. "Innovation is most powerful when it expands opportunity - and that shouldn't depend on your ZIP code or whether your community has historically had access to investment," said Lt. Governor Aruna Miller. "The MCIV Fund is about breaking down barriers and building pathways for Maryland entrepreneurs, families, and small businesses to thrive." First United's leadership and participation in the program reflect its strategic focus on creating meaningful impact through responsible lending and community engagement. "We are honored to be selected as an inaugural recipient of the MCIV Fund and to work alongside forward-thinking partners to broaden access to capital across Maryland," said Jason Rush, President and CEO of First United Bank & Trust. "At First United, we believe strong communities are built through opportunity and access. This initiative allows us to accelerate our efforts to deliver innovative financial solutions that empower individuals and businesses to grow and succeed." The MCIV Fund award recognizes institutions that are driving measurable outcomes in community investment while advancing a more equitable financial ecosystem. Through this recognition, First United Bank & Trust continues to demonstrate its dedication to strengthening the financial well-being of the communities it serves. First United Corporation operates one full-service commercial bank, First United Bank & Trust. The Bank has a network of community offices in Garrett, Allegany, Washington, and Frederick counties in Maryland, as well as Mineral, Berkeley, and Monongalia counties in West Virginia. First United's website can be located at MyBank.com. As of 3/31/2026, the corporation posted assets of $2 billion.

Abrigo - 711,099 breached accounts. 2026-05-14 07:05 In April 2026, the fintech software company Abrigo was targeted in a "pay or leak" extortion attempt by the ShinyHunters group. Shortly after, data allegedly taken from the company's Salesforce instance was published publicly and contained over 700k unique email addresses belonging to both Abrigo staff and external contacts. Whilst separate from Abrigo's Salesforce compromise via the Drift application connector the previous year, the data fields described in that incident are consistent with the ShinyHunters data, namely that it was "business contact information" including "institution name, employee name, email addresses, and phone numbers". Read the original article: Information security training In April 2026, the hacking group ShinyHunters claimed they had breached Amtrak. The group typically compromises organisations' Salesforce instances before demanding a ransom and later, if not paid, dumping the data publicly. They subsequently published the alleged data which contained over 2M unique email addresses along with names, physical addresses... April 17, 2026 In April 2026, the ultra-luxury hotel brand Aman was named by ShinyHunters as the target of a "pay or leak" extortion campaign, with the data allegedly obtained from their Salesforce CRM. The data was subsequently leaked publicly and contained over 200k unique email addresses. Whilst not present on all records,... May 1, 2026 In March 2026, the hacker and extortion group "ShinyHunters" claimed to have obtained a substantial corpus of data from ZenBusiness, a business formation and compliance platform. The group claimed the data had been exfiltrated from platforms including Snowflake, Mixpanel and Salesforce, and threatened to publish it if a ransom was... May 2, 2026