An investment app backed by celebrity brothers AJ and Curtis Pritchard is set to expand into its next phase after a successful first two months on the market.
Fint Invest, which was launched by North Staffordshire-based IronMarket Wealth in June, will soon feature an educational dashboard to help a younger generation of investors make the most of their money and learn more about personal finances.
The digital platform was developed in-house over three years after IronMarket Wealth Founder Wes Wilkes saw a trend developing during the Covid pandemic.
Wes said: “What I spotted was plenty of people were at home carrying out a lot of trading using trading apps.
“I saw loads of energy from young people who wanted to invest, which is great. But the problem was a lot of them were being led through social media channels to invest in the wrong stocks or in trends that quickly came and went, like the meme craze.
“As a result, people were losing a lot of money – in the case of some, all their savings – and I thought something has got to be done.
“So we set about creating an app that enables people to invest in the right kind of portfolios and that also educates.
“It involves creating three tilts that they can invest in – climate change, disruptive tech like AI and e-sports – but all mapped to their risk. So the portfolio behaves in a way they are comfortable with.”
Strictly Come Dancing star AJ Pritchard and Love Island contestant Curtis were both clients of IronMarket Wealth and were initially brought in to help promote the app to a younger demographic
Wes added: “They were super engaged in the project from the start and I very quickly thought these guys have more to add. So they jumped on board as co-founders and have equity in it too.
“Following its launch earlier in the summer, feedback has been very positive for Fint.
“We’ve had a really good uptake so far – and a decent number of downloads. In fact, we have as many downloads of Fint as we have clients in Ironmarket after 11 years.
“The feedback we are getting from apps users and how it works for them has been amazing too.
“The next stage is the addition of an education dashboard. This is really key to the original idea and will be a go-to point to educate on personal finance and investment related issues.
“We will also gamify it to enhance engagement, and also introduce a push notification process, with tailored information and education based on individual requirements and portfolios.
“This phase is currently under development and we are looking to roll it out in the Autumn.”
The Fint Invest app is the latest success in the IronMarket Wealth story.
Started in 2013 by Wes, who at the time was operating as an independent financial advisor, it soon grew to become the only firm based in Staffordshire with permission from the financial regulator to manage assets discretionally.
The business expanded to include Ironmarket Talent – a senior recruitment and talent mentor operation – and in 2020, Ironmarket Risk was added to the group.
Ironmarket Wealth moved into new offices on Lymedale Business Park, Newcastle-under-Lyme in 2021 and now employs 22 people.
Wes, who was recently named Entrepreneur of the Year at the Staffordshire Chambers Business Awards, added: “We are trying to disrupt the financial and investment sector and prove people wrong about the old stereotypes surrounding it.
“I am from North Staffordshire and I get a bit frustrated when a lot of big firms don’t, or won’t, have a presence in Stoke-on-Trent or Staffordshire.
“We do everything you can get from a typical ‘city-based’ firm and do it from here.
“This area is brimming with talented businesses and we need to keep shouting about them.”
