April 9, 2025, Repost from Forbes, by Nicole Casperson
In a crowded fintech market dominated by legacy names and VC-fueled scale plays, two Gen Z founders just reminded the industry of one critical truth: connection beats convention.
Today, Alinea Invest—a Gen Z-focused wealth management platform—announced a $10.4 million Series A round led by Play Ventures, with participation from GFR Fund, Y Combinator, Gaingels, FoundersX, F7, and Visible Ventures.
The app, founded by Anam Lakhani and Eve Halimi, now serves over 1 million users, 92% of whom are women and 70% of whom are Gen Z.
With an average user age of just 22, Alinea has quickly built one of the most loyal—and overlooked—investor audiences in fintech.
That’s not by accident.
Building a Wealth Platform For Gen Z—By Gen Z
The co-founders met at Barnard College and started building Alinea in 2021 after stints at Goldman Sachs and Citi. But they didn’t just build for a demographic—they built as it. That’s part of what makes Alinea stand out.
“We are the customer,” says Lakhani. “From day one, we were designing for ourselves—and our friends. What we realized is that beginner investors want both guidance and freedom. They want to be told what to do, but they also want autonomy. At Alinea, we call it the salad and the fries.”
That design philosophy has paid off. Alinea achieved 6x year-over-year revenue growth in 2024, reaching a $6 million net revenue run rate with a team of just 10.
“Eve and Anam have cracked the code on what Gen Zs and millennials actually want from an investing platform,” said Phylicia Koh, Partner at Play Ventures. “This audience is searching for financial tools that speaks to them without talking down to them. Alinea is what I wished existed years ago for young women like myself."
And unlike traditional firms that rely on expensive paid acquisition, Alinea’s growth has been powered by a simple, often underestimated strategy: founder-led storytelling.
Founder-Led Marketing as a Fintech Superpower
Instead of funneling millions into ads, Lakhani and Halimi built their user base by showing up where their audience actually lives—on TikTok, Instagram, and in real-world community events.
Their TikTok presence alone has garnered over 550 million views under the #alineaapp tag.
“Our marketing is really about telling a story,” says Halimi. “It resonates deeply because it’s authentic. We’re not just selling a product—we’re building a brand, and people—especially young women—see themselves in us.”
This strategy isn’t just about aesthetics or relatability. It’s a savvy business move that unlocks acquisition, retention, and brand trust in one of fintech’s most elusive segments: young, first-time investors.
This strategy is also well-timed. We’re in the early stages of what’s being called the “Great Wealth Transfer”—a historic shift of over $84 trillion in assets from Baby Boomers to younger generations over the next two decades, according to Cerulli Associates.
Women and Gen Z are poised to inherit a significant portion of that capital, yet remain largely underserved by traditional financial institutions. Capturing their trust now isn’t just a growth strategy—it’s a long game for market leadership in wealth management.
Enter: AI Allie
Alinea’s latest evolution takes this even further.
With fresh capital in hand, the team is rolling out AI Allie, an AI-powered financial coach that acts like a “money best friend,” according to Lakhani.
Designed to remove friction from the investing journey, the founders told me Allie can recommend next best actions, align users with cause-based investments, and personalize guidance based on a user’s income, goals, and experience level.
“The question shouldn’t be: Can I open a brokerage account and trade?” Lakhani says. “It should be: I have $5,000—how do I actually grow that, sustainably and confidently, from where I am right now?”
For a generation raised on personalization, instant feedback, and values-driven choices, AI Allie represents more than tech. It’s a new user experience model for wealth-building—one that reflects how Gen Z actually navigates financial life.
A New Era of Investing
Despite volatility in markets, the co-founders said that Alinea has seen record activity among its users—especially in recent downturns. Lakhani points out that today’s Gen Z investors are more informed and more resilient than previous generations.
“Retail investors used to panic in a downturn. Now they lean in,” she says. “We’re seeing that mindset shift, and we want to be the platform that supports that new kind of investor.”
Still, raising capital wasn’t easy.
“We’re female founders in consumer fintech,” Lakhani adds. “That’s a double whammy in this market. But we knew our numbers. We knew our community. And we knew that our time was now.”