Digital banking software provider Alkami Technology ALKT.O has formally launched a sale process after drawing acquisition interest from potential buyers amid mounting pressure from activist investor Jana Partners, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Plano, Texas-based company's advisers began contacting private equity firms over the past week following the inbound interest, the sources said.

The discussions are in their early stages and no deal is guaranteed, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the matter is confidential.

Alkami did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The process comes on the back of activist investor Jana Partners contending Alkami was failing to run a genuine sale process, according to a Bloomberg report last month.

Alkami provides cloud-based digital banking software and related services to banks and credit unions, including account opening, payments, fraud protection, data analytics and customer engagement tools.