Embedded investments… the next era of wealthtech?

Here in the UK, we have a couple of UK-based investing apps that could credibly claim to be on track to reach mass-market scale — but there are still no household wealthtech names.

Despite all the talk about robo-advice, DIY investing, and zero-commission trading, many new market entrants haven’t managed to turn that noise and apparent consumer interest into a sustainable, profitable business model.

At Seccl, we exist to help more people invest — and invest well — by supporting ambitious founders and innovative companies on a mission to launch the wealth propositions of the future.

As Seccl’s fintech growth lead, I have the unique opportunity to meet and chat with dozens of these firms on a regular basis — and get a feel for the challenges they face. And the biggest challenge for most businesses I talk to is somewhat unsurprisingly, customer acquisition.

Don’t get me wrong, many of our clients have mastered the art of growing a successful business from a standing start. CIRCA5000, for example, has made waves in the sustainable investments space, while Penfold continues to scale their personal and workplace pension offering at a remarkably rapid pace and you can read about the others here.

But it is no mean feat. From our experience, it’s much easier to launch a successful investment proposition if you have an existing customer base that loves your brand and mission, and genuinely believes you have their best interests at…