Consolidation in the banking industry has been a big story; the number of banks in the U.S. has fallen to 7,402 in 2006 from 14,411 banks in 1977. But just when you think that big-ness is taking over, community bank startups seem to be hot. In many cases, executives at much bigger banks are taking the entrepreneurial plunge. In California, the number of new banks being started is greater than the number of banks being swallowed up via mergers. There is a lot of diversity within this crop of startups. Some aim at an ethnic minorities, while others take advantage of the local geography. Some stats: Typically, you need $20 million to start. In the third year, you ideally ought to have $200 million in deposits and $150 million in loans. It's not impossible.

For more:
- here's a New York Times article