An Impact Investing Experience
for Gen Z
Designing a mobile experience that empowers Gen Z investors to align their money with the causes they care about.
OVERVIEW ✍️
Empowers Gen Z investors to align their money with the causes they care about.
For Gen Z, financial decisions go hand in hand with ethics. 80% say they are more likely to support brands with a mission or purpose, yet most investment products offer little transparency or control. Existing solutions like ESG funds or custom indexing are either too expensive, too complex, or too generic.
Hey there,
When you invest, do you know what you’re supporting?
Have you ever wondered what your investments are building?
Is it shaping progress—or fueling problems?
THE PROBLEM 🚩
Younger generations are entering their prime investing years.
62% of 18–24 year olds now participate in retirement plans (up from 30% in 2006).
80% of Gen Z say they base purchases on brand mission or purpose.
Yet, existing funds lack transparency and personalization — leaving young investors unsure whether their money aligns with their values.
THE SOLUTION #1
A seamless card embedded into the Market page, putting ethical investing side-by-side with traditional benchmarks.
THE SOLUTION #3
Impact Scores (Prototype Extension)
Transparent, color-coded ratings that show how closely a portfolio aligns with chosen values — building trust through clarity.
BACKGROUND ✍
Traditionally, investing has been defined by one measure: financial return. Portfolios were judged on growth, performance against benchmarks, and the ability to secure retirement.
But younger generations are reframing the question. Gen Z and Millennials aren’t just asking “How much will I earn?” — they’re also asking “What am I funding?”
This shift expands the purpose of investing from wealth-building alone to creating both financial and social impact.
So, what is Impact Investing? 🌍 💚
Impact investing is an approach that directs capital toward companies, funds, or industries that generate measurable positive outcomes—whether in clean energy, healthcare, gender equality, or other mission-driven themes—while still aiming for competitive returns.
USER RESEARCH 🔎
FEATURE SOLUTIONS ✏️
IMPACT LIBRARY ITERATIONS ✏️
BONUS SOLUTION 🎯
After multiple rounds of testing with restaurant owners and staff, the final product was delivered and is still being improved. Feedback shaped every step — from reducing double-bookings to making table views easier to scan. What we launched solved the immediate problems owners faced, while leaving room to keep refining the details as restaurants grow.
BONUS SOLUTION ✨
TAKEAWAYS ✍
This project was uniquely shaped by the perspective of Gen Z—both as designers and as users. By embedding the voices of Gen Z investors throughout research and design, we created a solution that reflects their values, habits, and expectations.
Gen Z doesn’t just want financial returns; we want our money to mean something. They believe that investing should be more than growing wealth - It should reflect who they are and what they care about.