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Strategic clarity
for moments of change

Wide Open Ventures works with credit union leaders to navigate emerging technology with clarity and confidence. We translate complex shifts in areas like artificial intelligence and digital financial infrastructure into practical insight—helping institutions understand what’s changing, why it matters, and how to move forward with intention.

What we do

Our Mission and Philosophy

01

Mission

Our mission is to help credit unions remain competitive, relevant, and resilient as technology reshapes financial services. We equip leaders with the clarity, context, and confidence needed to navigate change without losing sight of their values or their members.

02

Philosophy

We believe innovation starts with understanding. Rather than rushing toward implementation, we emphasize education, exploration, and alignment—ensuring leadership teams and boards share a common view before committing to action. Our work is grounded in trust, practicality, and long-term thinking. We help credit unions move deliberately, reducing uncertainty while positioning them to shape their own future.

Our founder

Meet Our Founder:
Dr. Lamont Black

My career has been dedicated to exploring the intersection of finance and emerging technologies like AI, crypto, blockchain, and the metaverse. I’m passionate about helping people and organizations tap into their full innovative potential. As the pace of change is increasing, we all need to learn how to adapt and grow. Emerging technology is a great way to embrace this change and use new technologies to do things differently.

I highly recommend Lamont and his team to any organization looking to
explore AI in a thoughtful, mission-aligned way. He doesn’t just talk about
transformation, he helps you build the roadmap to get there.

Tyler Grodi

Tyler Grodi

President & CEO, Coastal Credit Union

Stefan Vidovic

Chief of Staff

Gareth Shimmon

Business Development Manager

Benita Harp

Lead Consultant

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