New Investment Arm Ushers Fintech Industry Into New Era
Financial Finesse, the country’s leading independent provider of financial wellness coaching as an employer-paid benefit, today announced the launch of Financial Finesse Ventures—a first-of-its-kind venture arm for socially responsible FinTech.
As the pioneer of financial wellness, Financial Finesse is bridging the financial literacy gap by delivering unbiased, life-changing financial coaching to millions of Americans. The launch of Financial Finesse Ventures—a natural extension of the company’s people-first mission—will support a new era of FinTech that is 100 percent aligned with the best interests of consumers. The new venture arm, company-backed and led by Liz Davidson, Financial Finesse Founder and CEO, will seek investments in purpose-driven companies dedicated to driving positive social impact.
“While there is increased discussion about social responsibility and some encouraging macro trends in the ESG space, FinTech is significantly lagging in these areas,” said Liz Davidson, CEO of Financial Finesse and Financial Finesse Ventures. “We are at a critical crossroads—what we do now as investors, employers, and consumers has the potential to change the trajectory of the industry. With Americans facing significant financial challenges, there is a lot hanging in the balance. FinTech has the potential to be a powerful solution; we want to do our part to make sure it is.”
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The explosion in FinTech in recent years has led to an escalation in services that place profit above purpose—with a recent surge in companies selling high interest rate loans, encouraging irresponsible investing, or connecting investors with overly expensive financial products and services in exchange for high commissions. This trend is not only concerning for consumers who could fall prey to these predatory practices, but also business leaders who worry about problematic service offerings being embedded into employee-facing platforms. Financial Finesse Ventures was launched to change the trajectory of the industry, support companies that both consumers and employers can trust, and inspire other firms to begin investing in innovation for good.
“We have seen a surge in FinTech firms with predatory practices selling their services to employers as an employee benefit,” said Greg Ward, CFP® and Director of the Financial Finesse Financial Wellness Think Tank™. “I’m excited to be a part of the evaluation process for Financial Finesse Ventures’ investments, using standards our Financial Wellness Think Tank has developed to verify pro-consumer business models and quantify their potential social impact.”
Through an intensive and selective process, Financial Finesse Ventures has identified a number of early-stage companies with pro-consumer models and will announce its first investment in Q4 2022. Beyond funding, Financial Finesse Ventures will help incubate its portfolio companies, leveraging Financial Finesse’s relationships and expertise to fast-track their path to success.
“Financial Finesse Ventures is a long overdue addition to the venture capital and FinTech industries,” said Elaine Hagan, Associate Dean of Entrepreneurial Initiatives at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, who works with entrepreneurs to accelerate growth of their businesses and shares Davidson’s views on social impact. “It is refreshing to see a company committed to financial wellness at its core, making mission-aligned investments at a time when the market for funding is tightening. With this launch, Financial Finesse is taking a key leadership role as an arbiter of socially responsible FinTech.”
Source: PRNewswire