Was fun!
FinApp: The Next Evolution in Personal Finance The Problem Current personal finance apps fall into two categories:
Manual-entry apps from a decade ago (think Excel sheets, Notion templates, or Todo lists)
Our generation is looking for the next evolution—something smarter, automated, and personalized.
What We’re Building FinApp is the first personal finance assistant that: ✅ Connects to all your bank accounts and credit cards using Plaid, a trusted and secure third-party service ✅ Tracks every transaction in real time ✅ Delivers personalized financial advice and predictive insights based on AI analytics of your actual spending habits ✅ Lets users import existing Excel spreadsheets for seamless integration ✅ Offers the option to manually upload receipts if they prefer not to connect their accounts
Why Now? People are still relying on spreadsheets
Manual-entry apps are making $40K+/month charging $3/month
42% of people we interviewed said they are willing to pay for something better
The average Canadian student overspends by $150+/month—that’s $1,800 a year in potential savings
Apps in other countries with no AI have thousands of users
What Makes FinApp Different? Unlike ChatGPT or RBC NOMI, we: ⚡ Connect automatically to all accounts (via Plaid) ⚡ Provide real-time, AI-driven financial advice tailored to individual spending ⚡ Offer manual import options for added privacy ⚡ Combine predictive analytics with actionable insights ⚡ Serve a specific niche first: UBC students (and beyond) who currently use manual tracking methods
Trust & Security Plaid handles the bank connections—trusted by Venmo, Wealthsimple, and Expensify
We never store login credentials
Users can opt to scan receipts manually for added control over their data
Privacy-first approach from Day 1
"If it's so easy, why hasn't anyone done it?" Because building trust, UX, and sticky features isn't easy. We're solving for all three.
Risks & Mitigation ❗ Retention risk → We’re adding gamified experiences + personalized nudges ❗ Privacy concerns → Optional manual input + leveraging Plaid’s trust ❗ Competitors → We’re complementary, not direct competition. We offer predictive insights that banks and budgeting tools don’t. ❗ Willingness to pay → 1-month free trial, user testimonials, and offer free months for user interviews ❗ Market doubt → Validation through landing pages, DM outreach (100 friends), and 20 beta testers
Go-To-Market Plan Launch validation landing page in 2 days
DM 100+ early users
Start a social media trend in 3 days
Onboard 20 beta users
Launch MVP in 1 week
Future Vision Phase 1: Help students budget better Phase 2: Expand to business owners who need to sync personal and business finances Phase 3: Predictive financial planning, investments, and credit card recommendations We see FinApp as Wealthsimple for daily finances—simple, actionable, and automated.
Why We’re Excited Someone already sent me their personal finances because they’re desperate for better solutions. We’re validating every step with tons of user research and testing.
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