Afcacia

In a world where financial literacy is crucial for navigating modern life, South African startup Fintr is taking an innovative approach to educating young people about money. The company combines interactive games, superhero narratives, and practical financial exercises to make learning about personal finance fun and engaging. By leveraging gamification, Fintr seeks to foster positive financial behaviors in children and teenagers, equipping them with the knowledge they need for a secure financial future.

Fintr was launched in 2023 by co-founders Elijah Djan and Danei Rall under their parent company, Fundamentals, which was established in 2021. The idea for Fintr grew out of Djan and Rall’s personal experiences with financial illiteracy. Both founders grew up in households where financial education was not a priority, and they had to teach themselves how to manage money during their university years.

“Navigating the complexities of money management became a self-taught journey during our university years,” said Djan. “We realized we had a shared passion for empowering others with the financial knowledge we had to piece together on our own.”

Fintr’s mission is clear: to help young people learn about finance in an engaging and accessible way, ensuring that the next generation doesn’t face the same challenges the founders did. The platform uses gamified learning experiences to teach core financial concepts, which research shows can drive lasting behavior change. Fintr’s digital games encourage users to interact with financial scenarios in an immersive, superhero-themed world, helping them develop crucial skills like saving, budgeting, and investing.

To date, almost 1,000 users have benefited from Fintr’s digital games, and the startup is rapidly expanding its offerings. The company has developed a board game called FinMaster, which is designed to be a modern-day equivalent of Monopoly, focusing on real-world financial skills. The game is now available for pre-order and is part of a larger push to integrate financial literacy into the school system.

“Learning about money is often seen as dull and uninspiring, with most resources limited to traditional in-person workshops, books, or lengthy YouTube videos,” Djan said. 

“We envision a solution that not only imparts knowledge but also sparks a transformation in behavior. Numerous academic studies have illuminated the power of gamification and game-based learning in driving real, lasting change. Our mission is to cultivate a generation of financially savvy individuals by making learning about money fun, interactive, and impactful through the magic of games.”

Almost 1,000 people have so far used Fintr’s digital games, and the company is set on expanding its offering. It has built FinMaster, a board game that aims to be the modern-day Monopoly, and is taking pre-orders.

“We are also in an active sales drive right now with schools. We are excited about the prospect of using our Fintr4Schools digital solution and our board game, FinMaster, as ways to bring life and practicality into the grade 7 EMS curriculum,” said Djan.

While Fintr’s innovative approach to financial literacy is gaining traction, scaling the business requires significant funding. The startup received initial support during its incubation at TuksNovation in 2023 and has since secured grants from organizations like the World Bank and Standard Chartered Bank. Additionally, Fintr received equity funding through the E Squared Pathways program and was one of 12 startups selected for the Injini ed-tech accelerator earlier this year.

Looking ahead, Fintr has global ambitions. The startup’s founders envision a world where financial literacy is embedded into every child’s education. “This is a global problem that we want to solve for every child. Our dream is that every child leaves school with the knowledge and skills to achieve financial success, and every home has a FinMaster game,” Djan said.

Fintr generates revenue through annual licenses for schools that adopt its digital platform and through the sale of its FinMaster board game online. The company is also exploring partnerships with financial institutions to create custom board games and digital games tailored to their needs, with two institutions currently in discussions.

“This is a global problem that we want to solve for every child! Our dream is that every child leaves school with the knowledge and skills to achieve financial success, and every home has a FinMaster game,” he said.

Despite its rapid growth, Fintr faces challenges, particularly when it comes to securing funding for financial literacy initiatives, which often show a delayed return on investment. “One of our biggest challenges is that the return on investment for financial literacy often doesn’t reveal itself until years later,” Djan explained. “While everyone agrees it’s important, it often gets pushed to the back burner in personal or business budgets.”

However, Fintr is determined to change this mindset. With its innovative, game-based approach, the company is reshaping how financial literacy is taught, making it more engaging and impactful for young people. As it continues to expand, Fintr is poised to play a key role in ensuring the next generation is financially empowered and ready to succeed