In the dynamic landscape of fintech, where the battle for primary banking relationships hinges on seamless transitions, few innovators have mastered the art of frictionless change like Cale Johnston. As the Founder and CEO of Onsetto—a Minneapolis-based startup founded in 2025 and already backed by a $2.2 million seed round led by EJF Ventures—Cale brings a wealth of experience from his previous venture, ClickSWITCH, which revolutionized consumer account switching before its acquisition by Q2 Holdings and adoption by hundreds of institutions.
Joined by a powerhouse team including CTO Rob Zwink, COO Jason Johnston, and Chief Product Officer Jordan Lemanski, Onsetto is tackling the untapped complexities of business banking with precision and depth. Dive into this exclusive Q&A as Cale shares how they’re empowering banks to capture the core operating account, accelerate funding, and redefine growth—insights that could reshape how financial institutions build lasting primacy.
1- Tell us about yourself / your co-founder(s).
I’ve spent my career as an entrepreneur building technology companies for banks, with a particular focus on removing friction from how people and businesses move their money.
One of my first roles in fintech was selling mobile check deposit into banks, back when many institutions were still uncomfortable with the idea. Those early conversations were incredibly formative. While banks were evaluating new technology, they consistently shared the same frustration. Winning a new account was one thing. Getting that customer to actually move their direct deposit was another.
Through those conversations, a clear theme emerged. Switching banks was difficult and manual, that friction often prevented banks from ever realizing the full value of the relationship. From that point on, I became deeply committed to solving the switching problem in a meaningful way.
I later founded ClickSWITCH, which modernized consumer account switching and now powers hundreds of financial institutions following its acquisition by Q2.
But while consumer switching evolved, business account switching did not. Moving a core operating account is exponentially more complex involving payroll, accounts receivable and payable, cards, wires, and treasury services, and no one had solved it end to end.
That is why we founded my most recent venture Onsetto. Financial institutions do not win business banking relationships at account opening. They win when a business fully switches its core operating account. That moment defines primacy, lifetime value, and long term growth, and it is where Onsetto focuses.
2- Who are your target customers, and what problem do you address for them?
Our customers are banks and credit unions that want to grow, activate, and retain primary business banking relationships.
The problem is simple but costly. A significant percentage of newly opened business accounts never become fully funded or operational. Switching takes too long, requires too much manual effort, and lacks visibility for both bankers and business owners. The result is stalled onboarding, delayed deposits, and missed treasury opportunities.
Onsetto removes that friction. We help financial institutions turn new accounts into active, funded, primary operating relationships faster and with far less effort.
3- What is your product / solution, who do you compete with, and what is your USP?
Onsetto is a white label business account switching platform built specifically around the concept of the core operating account.
Our platform identifies all components of a business operating relationship, guides payroll, accounts receivable and payable, and operating flow transitions, automates switching wherever possible, and gives banks real time visibility into progress, blockers, and funding momentum.
We compete with a mix of manual processes, internal bank workflows, and point solutions that only address pieces of the problem.
Our unique advantage is focus and depth. Unlike tools that treat switching as a feature, Onsetto treats it as a growth engine. One that accelerates funding, establishes primacy earlier, and surfaces treasury opportunities at the moment they matter most.
4- What is your current stage and traction, and how can our network help you in the next six to twelve months?
We are at an early commercial stage with strong momentum, actively working with forward thinking financial institutions that recognize business switching as a strategic growth lever rather than a back office task.
Over the next six to twelve months, the most valuable support from the FinTech Forum network would be introductions to bank and credit union leaders focused on business banking growth, strategic partnerships across treasury, payments, and onboarding ecosystems, and continued dialogue with operators navigating similar challenges around primacy, activation, and deposit growth.
We are building Onsetto alongside institutions that want to lead, not follow, this next phase of business banking.
5- How do you go to market? How are banks or insurers working with you or able to work with you?
We go to market business to business, partnering directly with banks and credit unions.
Onsetto is deployed as a white label platform that fits seamlessly into a financial institution’s existing digital onboarding and relationship management experience. Banks can introduce it at account opening, during competitive takeaways, or as part of broader treasury and relationship expansion initiatives.
Implementation is lightweight, collaboration friendly, and designed to enhance existing banker workflows rather than replace them.
6- Any relevant industry trends or market shifts we should be watching?
Consolidation across financial institutions is accelerating, and with it competition for high quality business relationships.
As mergers increase, switching events become more frequent and businesses reassess where they bank. At the same time, institutions are under pressure to grow low cost deposits, deepen relationships, and activate treasury services faster.
The winners will be the institutions that own the switch experience and use it as a catalyst for primacy rather than a point of friction.
7- What’s on your bookshelf or podcast app? Your favourite place for a coffee or a drink?
I gravitate toward content that blends technology, strategy, and execution. Books and podcasts that focus on discipline, leadership, and building durable organizations resonate most.
On my bookshelf are The Daily Stoic, which offers practical perspective on consistency and decision making, and The Score Takes Care of Itself by Bill Walsh, a timeless guide on culture, standards, and leadership that applies well beyond football.
For coffee, The Grocer’s Table in Wayzata, MN is a favorite. I always run into someone I know there, and it is a great place to connect and have meaningful conversations.
As our conversation with Cale Johnston draws to a close, it’s evident that Onsetto isn’t just solving a problem—it’s unlocking a new era of efficiency and opportunity in business banking. With trends like accelerating consolidations and intensified competition on the horizon, innovations like these promise to separate the leaders from the laggards.
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