Prismm helps banks keep inherited assets in-house

Prismm is a startup building beneficiary and estate-planning tools into bank accounts, aiming to make it easier for families to manage assets after an account holder dies and help banks retain inherited money.

Founded in 2020 by sisters Martha Underwood and Shella Sylla, Prismm grew from their experience struggling to find family financial records during an emergency. The idea took shape further when Underwood saw families at a bank trying to locate accounts and handle bills after a loved one’s death. She told TechCrunch that the process was still largely manual and could be digitized.

Prismm Designate lets banks offer customers a digital way to update beneficiaries. Prismm Anchor gives account holders a place to track accounts, documents, property and other assets across institutions, with access controlled for designated people. Both are offered through financial institutions. A third product, Prismm Continuity, is in development and is intended to guide staff and families through transfers step by step.

With Prismm, account holders can give designated family members access to accounts and documents in advance. After a death, those people can view the information in one place and begin eligible beneficiary transfers digitally. The company says identity details, consent and supporting documents are already on file, allowing the process to be handled remotely, including when relatives live in different states.

Underwood and Sylla say banks lose billions in deposits each year through “estate attrition,” as heirs move inherited money to other institutions. Prismm is presenting its mission at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026’s Startup Battlefield in San Francisco. The competition’s winner is due to be announced Thursday, October 15.