Women in Technology: Prismm's Martha Underwood

In what is a recurring feature, Finopotamus spotlights innovative women who are positively impacting technology applications in the credit union industry, and beyond.

In the latest installment in our “Women in Technology” series, we visited with Martha Underwood, CEO and co-founder of the Newark, Del.-based Prismm. The software development company, which serves financial institutions, provides a digital vault for safeguarding essential documentation.

By W.B. King

When presented with the option of taking a home economics or a computer class, Marsha Underwood, then in the eighth grade, opted for the latter. In short order, she was learning how to program using BASIC.

“That experience sparked something in me and set me on this path,” said Underwood who later graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in English and technical writing. “I went on to begin my career in 1997 at IBM as an electronic data interchange analyst. That role gave me early exposure to how data moves through complex systems and how critical accuracy and connectivity are, especially in highly regulated environments.”

Martha Underwood

Prior to founding Prismm in 2020, Underwood also worked as director of solutions (delivery and operations) at CallidusCloud and head of retail software engineering at BBVA Compass, among other positions.

“I had the opportunity to work across industries, including health informatics and banking, which deepened my understanding of both technology and financial infrastructure,” she shared. “Over time, my path became less about the roles themselves and more about a growing passion for solving real-world problems through technology.”

Collaborating in Cross-Functional Environments

Twenty-five plus years ago, Underwood said technology teams were often viewed as support functions, focused on maintaining systems rather than driving innovation.

“Today, that has fundamentally changed," she noted. "Technology is now deeply embedded in business strategy and plays a central role in shaping customer experience, operational efficiency, and long-term growth.”

Another industry shift, she explained, is collaboration in cross-functional environments. “Where product, engineering, and business teams work together to solve problems holistically,” she continued. “In financial services, especially, there is a much stronger focus on security, data integrity, and user experience, areas that are critical when you are dealing with people’s financial lives.”

Executive Estrogen

While she noted there has been a noticeable increase in the number of women working in tech, there remain persistent challenges. Over the years, she shared that many female peers in tech were often not fully respected or provided a path to grow.

“I experienced this firsthand at times…sitting in meetings where I would share an idea, it would be overlooked, and then moments later the same idea would gain traction when echoed by someone else,” Underwood said. “Those moments were frustrating, but they also sharpened my awareness of how important it is to not only have a voice, but to ensure it’s recognized.”

Due to an increased focus on mentorship, advocacy, and creating pathways for women to advance, she is hopeful that even greater strides will be realized in coming years. And she’s doing her part. In 2016, she founded Executive Estrogen.

“I teach women how to translate the emotion and perspective that makes us so effective into an efficient tool that leads to career advancement and provides the mobility needed to reach executive levels,” she said. “This helps them build confidence, negotiate effectively, and understand the unspoken rules of leadership. While there’s still work to be done, there’s definitely more awareness, more community, and more women lifting each other up than when I first started.”

Underwood provides this type of guidance because she had influential champions earlier in her career, including her first manager at IBM, Dale Rushing. His mentorship and guidance had a lasting impact on how I navigated corporate environments. He pushed me to think critically, operate with confidence, and understand how to move effectively within large organizations," she said. "Much of how I advanced early in my career is directly tied to the foundation he helped me build.”

She also pointed to Sharon Cox, a business leader who sadly succumbed to cancer. To be an effective executive, Cox taught her how and when to use her voice. “I remember being on a call where she said, ‘Martha, you listen intently during meetings but don’t speak up until our recap calls. And when you do, your insights highlight the key issues. You need to speak up in the moment.’ That feedback shifted something for me,” she reflected. “From that point on, I made it a priority to contribute in real time, and more often than not, my ideas were adopted or implemented.”

Addressing Real-Life Challenges

Prismm, Underwood explained, was founded to help financial institutions better support their members during some of life’s most challenging and important moments, particularly around asset organization and wealth transfer.

“We’ve built infrastructure that integrates directly into financial institutions, allowing them to securely organize documents, accounts, and key information, and to connect with beneficiaries earlier in the process,” she said.

“This helps create continuity, improves the member experience and ultimately supports deposit retention across generations,” she added. “For credit unions, which are deeply relationship-driven, this kind of capability is especially powerful; it allows them to extend their value beyond a single account holder and serve the entire family over time.”

In her niche field, artificial intelligence, among other tools, is playing a key role in how financial institutions are revamping services to address real-life challenges, not just transactional needs, Underwood noted.

“We’re seeing a shift toward solutions that support life events, whether that’s inheritance, incapacity, or long-term financial planning. Another key trend is the focus on multi-generational engagement,” she said. “Financial institutions are starting to recognize that the relationship shouldn’t begin or end with one individual. By engaging beneficiaries earlier and creating more transparency, institutions can build stronger, longer-lasting relationships.”

Trust, Transparency and Member Experience

What stands out about credit unions to Underwood is their commitment to relationships and trust. “From a technology perspective, that creates a unique opportunity. Credit unions aren’t just implementing technology for efficiency; they’re doing it to enhance the member experience and deepen relationships.”

Partnerships between credit unions and fintechs, she added, are critical because they allow institutions to bring new capabilities to market quickly without having to build everything internally.

“More importantly, when those partnerships are aligned in values, around trust, transparency, and member experience, they can create meaningful impact,” she told Finopotamus. “In the case of Prismm, we’re helping institutions rethink how they engage with members and their families, moving from a reactive model, where engagement happens after major life events, to a proactive one that supports continuity and connection over time.”